JP Drains

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Dani37
Dani37 Member Posts: 10
edited June 2014 in Young With Breast Cancer
JP Drains
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  • Dani37
    Dani37 Member Posts: 10
    edited January 2008

    Hi everyone!  I had a double mastectomy on January 21st and my J.P. Drains are still in.  I saw my surgeon 6 days later and he said they needed to stay in longer.  I go again tomorrow for a check up (that will then be 10 days) but was just wondering if anyone knows how long they can actually stay in?

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  • maryannecb
    maryannecb Member Posts: 1,453
    edited January 2008

    They usually stay in until the drainage is less than 50cc. Mine was in for 3 1/2 weeks after my Lat dorsi flap. Most annoying! It was still happily draining when it was removed but as it was in so long we were worried about infection.  So it was removed. I then had a seroma which needed to be drained once. All is well now.

    Hope you don't have yours this long....

    Fists up! 

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  • carstell
    carstell Member Posts: 53
    edited January 2008

     I had 1 out at 1 week, the other out at 2 weeks. It was still draining and I do have a small seroma. The PS said he could clean it out when he did the reconstruction. He wanted it out at that point due to the risk of infection. I have heard of women having them in for several weeks.

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  • Dani37
    Dani37 Member Posts: 10
    edited January 2008

    ok thanks girls. I just didn`t know if there was a time limit. I heard 7 to 10 days but I have 4 (two on each side) and one or two look ok the others are still going strong.

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  • Raye99
    Raye99 Member Posts: 1,350
    edited January 2008

    Hi Dani -

    Mine stayed in about 10 days (until the drainage was less than 30cc's per day).

    Good luck!

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  • beth1225
    beth1225 Member Posts: 1,061
    edited January 2008

    Mine stayed in until they were 30 cc's or less for 24 hours.    One came out after about 10 days, one in 11 or 12 and another in 2 weeks.  My 4th was in longer because I had a problem on that side.  They do not hurt when they come out.  I thought it would but it took a second and it was over!

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  • amandaj
    amandaj Member Posts: 13
    edited February 2008

    I have had JP drains with my last two surgeries.  With the first surgery, I had 3 drains that stayed in for exactly 2 weeks.  The second surgery left me with 4 drains and they stayed in for 2 weeks.  However, about a day or 2 after they came out, I realized that I was swollen and bloated, so they went back and put 2 back in.  At first the doctors weren't concerned about the fluid, but it turned out that there was a LOT left to come out.  Be careful!

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  • susieloutoo
    susieloutoo Member Posts: 107
    edited February 2008

    I had my drains (4) in for almost 3 weeks...had one that had to be put back in...due to fluid buid up. They were a drag but I just took it all in stide - I just wanted the cancer GONE! I hope you are healing well. gentel hugs to you...Other than the drains how are things?

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  • OneBadBoob
    OneBadBoob Member Posts: 1,386
    edited February 2008

    Hi Dani--

    I thought I held the record at having the drains in just a little over six weeks, but I remember someone else saying their's were in over seven weeks.

    While they are a total pain, they are doing their job--better to leave them in longer if the PS recommends, then removing them and have seromas and other fluids collecting and unable to drain from the body.

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