Sure seems like my drain should be...

[Chelee]

out by now? I had a MRM last yr, with a SNB which involved removing 5 of 16 lymph nodes. But this yr I just had a prophylactic *simple* mastectomy. (Nodes were not touched.) My drain was in 30 days last year and I am going on 30 days this time too for a much *lesser* surgery. From what I've read about a simple mastectomy verses the MRM along with SNB....I should of had drain out long before now? I read on several pages that usually after a simple mastectomy that doesn't involve the nodes...the drain is removed a few *days* later. (Keyword being *days*.)

Did any of you that had a prophylactic mastectomy have their JP drain in this long? It looks like I am going to go pass the 30 day mark at the rate I am going. (I am dying to get all the tape & dressing off my body...I want a FULL, & complete shower.) :)

Chelee

[Sheila]

Chelee

I don't know if this helps or not,but after my reconstruction, I developed a hematoma, not visable on the outside, but I had so much drainage, I was forced to leave the drain in for almost a month...with my mastectomy, the drains were in about 8-10 days.

[Emelie]

I had a MRM with 8 nodes removed two weeks ago today and got the drains out 8 days after surgery. I had to wait until the combined output from both drains was 35 cc's or less. I was also able to shower the day after surgery. I took an old shoe lace, tied it around my neck, and used a safety pin to secure the drains around my neck while I showered.

[StillHere]

Emelie
I had a bi-lat mastectomy 10/05. The right side for tumor, the left side prophylactic. Had 4 drains. First was out in hospital, 2nd the first week, but the last two I could not get the drainage to be less than 30cc/day. By the end of the 2nd week, I cheated and told my surgeon the drainage was less than 30cc/day. He removed them. I went back to work the next week. The hospital I work at happens to be connected to my surgeons office building. I had to go back into his office every 2 to 4 days to have both sides drained by needle aspiration. Since I had no feeling in the area they aspirated, it was not painful, just time consuming. I did feel much better w/ the drains removed and I was lucky I could just hop over to his office whenever the swelling became too uncomfortable. This went on for about 2 months. I guess some of us are just juicier than others.

I also had a freeflap reconstruction in 6/06. I had 6 drains (2 on each breast and 1 each on right and left abdomen). These were removed on my first post op visit with no problems after. Side note: I did mortify my daughter taking a sponge bath outside on a lawn chair. We have a privacy fence, so I got naked (except for my 6 drains of course) and poured pictures of soapy water over my bottom half while sitting on on the lawn chair. It was a little ironic that birds were chirping at the birdbath a few feet from where I was taking a birdbath. My daughter Nicki, (Age 25 who took unpaid family leave to help me out - bless her sweet giving heart) washed my hair while laughing hysterically over my lack of modesty.

[Mary Jo]

Like Emelie I had my drain removed after about 8 - 10 days. The first mastectomy was 8 days. Second, prophylactic, was around that time frame as well. I, too, was told when drainage is 35cc or less for 24 hours it could come out.

Hope you get it out soon.

Mary Jo

[Chelee]

A few of you said 8 to 10 days...that seems to be the norm. I heard the same thing from a couple women down at my cancer center. I wonder why mine is taking so darned long? So much for a *simple* mastectomy...obviously nothing about it was simple since I am still draining 29 days later. I am suppose to get to 30cc's or below. I've already gotten 94 cc's just today alone. The fluid is just now gettting clearer verses that blood red color. This doesn't seem right to me. I understood this after my MRM and SNB last year...but I shouldn't still be draining over 90cc's per day after a month.

As you can imagine I am so tired of all the gauze & tape on my stomach & that tube hanging out. Its sore and un-comfortable. Plus I want a full and complete shower. My surgeon is adamant about staying OUT of the shower. He does not want it wet. I am tired of just washing *parts* of myself. Gee...I've had my mastectomy on 3-15-07, and my ooph on 4-5-07...and in all that time NO shower. Hands up...how many can SMELL me from where your sitting? LOL (Don't answer that!) hahaha

Chelee