Drain removed 5 days ago... should it hurt this much???

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nolagirlincolorado
nolagirlincolorado Member Posts: 4
edited January 2019 in Living Without Reconstruction After a Mastectomy

So, I was one of those who desperately fought a mastectomy. I had a lumpectomy, a re-excision, and then mastectomy (even I know when I'm beat) over a roughly 5wk period. I thought the lymphatic drain tubes were bad---rubbed against my ribs, extremely uncomfortable, but they were a dream compared to the drain tube that circled the area formerly known as my right breast (the tube terminated just past where my right shoulder would hit any time I did anything with my right arm and it was excruciating). I was happy to see the drainage fall below where I could get it pulled out and for about an hour or two I was thrilled that i could move pain-free. NOW, however, it hurts more than I ever thought it could. The formerly numb mastectomy site is now hyper-sensitive and painful. I can still see/feel where the tube was (there's a weird tube-bruise)... I tell myself it's sore because I was healing around the tube and when they yanked it out, they weren't exactly gentle. Now I'm wondering, tho, if it's normal to be THIS sensitive. My mastectomy was 8 days ago, the tube was pulled 3 days ago. BTW, if anyone out there is also resistant to mastectomy, I honestly thought I'd have some emotional reaction seeing myself in the mirror the first time (grief, shock, loss, i don't know....) but I really had no reaction. It was strange to feel nothing. All that time, I'd been fighting to save a breast that was really already gone--it was just a mass of diffuse cancer cells and btw, while I was trying to save it, it was trying to kill me. No regrets.

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  • WC3
    WC3 Member Posts: 1,540
    edited December 2018

    I had that "tube hitting shoulder" pain. It settled down after the tubes were pulled but if I'm not careful I still get some pain in that area. I think for me it's a combination of the expanders pinching something and the fact that my skin is now tight. You should talk to your PS about it though.

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  • MDRR
    MDRR Member Posts: 133
    edited December 2018

    Hi nolagirlincolorado

    I'm glad to see someone who had a similar reaction when seeing their flat chest for the first time. For me, I didn't fight to keep the breast(s), as I felt they were unhealthy tissue that needed to go. I wasn't large chested, but still -- having a completely flat chest with no nipples is quite different. Yet, it doesn't bother me and really has not throughout the process. It's just me. As for the drains, I had quite the time with those. First I had them in for almost 3 weeks. Then once they were out, I developed a seroma on the non-lymph node side, of all things. So after 4 times getting that drained with a needle, she had to put the drain back in for about 3 more weeks on that side until my body stopped sending fluid in that direction. But throughout the process, I have to say I didn't experience the type of pain you mentioned. I guess it's different for each of us. Like you, I definitely have to say I have no regrets and happily living flat. In fact, my golf game improved so much since surgery that one of my brothers said, "that settles it - I'm getting a mastectomy!" the last time we played. Sometimes you have to laugh your way through this stuff!

    Best to you.


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  • nolagirlincolorado
    nolagirlincolorado Member Posts: 4
    edited December 2018

    Thanks for the feedback. I really hope the pain from the tube removal will fade (and quickly). I really can't stand it as it is.

    There's a lot of things about cancer that I guess I hadn't even though of... Long-term pain, stiffness. I've had this crazy idea that once it's done, it's done, cut it out and move on. I already know it's spread so even if I wanted reconstruction, there aren't many doctors who would do it, so I'm glad I'm okay. And only spreading one place makes it manageable. I try to focus on the positives. Yet, I've had chemo, now three surgeries, about to have five weeks of radiation and I'm only slowly realizing that cancer is actually at this point going to be a way of life for me.

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  • MDRR
    MDRR Member Posts: 133
    edited December 2018

    It is a bit crazy how it becomes part of your life, isn't it? It's not like getting rid of a cold (unfortunately!). I'm hoping it's manageable for you and that radiation goes smoothly -- keep us posted!

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  • nolagirlincolorado
    nolagirlincolorado Member Posts: 4
    edited December 2018

    I just realized I didn't comment on your three weeks of drains... I guess I'm lucky. I had the lymph node drain when I had the lumpectomy and it was out in just a few days (surgery was on Wednesday and I was ready on Saturday but had to wait two extra days). Until this, that was the worst five days of my life. You don't realize how much you bend and twist your upper body until someone jabs a tube up alongside your rib cage.

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  • MDRR
    MDRR Member Posts: 133
    edited December 2018

    LOL - agreed! amazing what I've learned about what can be done via this journey.

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  • Kerri_Oz
    Kerri_Oz Member Posts: 91
    edited December 2018

    It doesn't sound right to me that it would hurt that much. My story is very different to yours. I had bilateral preventive mastectomy without reconstruction on Thursday Nov 29. The following Monday I had one drain removed ... painless and easy. Wednesday I had the other one removed ... hurt like a bastard when it came out because it had adhered a bit, but once out, it was fine. I really have no real pain to speak of ... I just take a couple of paracetamol a few times a day. I do get pain that isn't really there, though, if that makes sense. I will feel sore, but when I go to rub the sore area, it isn't there. Nerves play funny games. Maybe you've got nerves regenerating where the drain was or something? Anyway, if I was in that much pain, I think I'd be going to see the doc. I hope you feel a whole lot better real soon.


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  • nolagirlincolorado
    nolagirlincolorado Member Posts: 4
    edited December 2018

    Considering I had three surgeries in just over a month, I guess it's not surprising that my nerves are a bit angry.

    Thank you all for the feedback and for sharing your stories.

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  • Aussie-Cat
    Aussie-Cat Member Posts: 5,168
    edited December 2018

    Nola, you don't have other symptoms of infection apart from pain do you - redness, swelling, a fever? If not, I'm wondering if it's just nerve pain. There are other threads on here about that. I hope you feel a lot better soon. It would be good to get the pain checked out because it seems extreme after drains are removed.

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  • Gigi71
    Gigi71 Member Posts: 53
    edited December 2018

    I had a Mastectomy, left breast, on December 4th. My drain is still in. Hopefully come out Januy3rd! We will see how my numbers are. If they are high, well go another week.

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  • Gigi71
    Gigi71 Member Posts: 53
    edited January 2019

    My drain cane out on Jan 3rd! 29 days of it! I had no problems or pain with removal or afterwards! I read where they normally stay in 4-6 weeks. If they take it out too soon, can cause problems!

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  • Aussie-Cat
    Aussie-Cat Member Posts: 5,168
    edited January 2019

    Gigi, I'm glad your drain came out and you had no problems with it. My drains came out after only 4 days and that didn't cause any problems because not much fluid was draining, but I have had nerve pain since 2 weeks after my double mastectomy in June.

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