Drain Removal-- is it very painful???

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Comments

  • BlueGirlRedState
    BlueGirlRedState Member Posts: 900
    edited June 2018

    It was not painful, I had a bi-lateral Nov 2016, no reconstruction. I felt a lot of relief and no more itching after drains removed. Drains were in a few more days than expected. Did not take any pain reliever before or after. No more sucking out fluid! Hope all goes well.

    2009 ER+ left breast. 52 yrs. Lumpectomy, Radiation 6 weeks, tamoxifen 5 years. Dense lumpy left breast, normal right. Acupuncture offered at facility as part of integrative medicine. It really helped with anxiety/stress during radiation treatment.

    2016 ER+ left breast. Probably a new cancer, but unknown. 4 rounds TC Aug-Oct 2016, Bi-lateral (my choice) Nov 2016, no reconstruction. Anastrozole 1 mg starting May 2017. Joint issues noticed immediately. Stopped Anastrozole after 3-4 months do to joint stiffness in hands. Started tamoxifen March 2018.

  • rrobin0200
    rrobin0200 Member Posts: 80
    edited July 2018

    not painful at all, and believe me, I'm a big wimp. Didn't even have to take a Tylenol. It's over before you know it. Just don't look!!

    Those damn drains, albeit necessary, impedes recovery, IMO. I hated them and begged my surgeon to renice them at 2 weeks post op. Even though he was hesitant, he did it. And I swear, once they were out, I felt like a brand new person. You can do this!

  • meow13
    meow13 Member Posts: 1,363
    edited July 2018

    didn't feel a thing.

  • 1redgirl
    1redgirl Member Posts: 94
    edited July 2018
    I had two drains. Oddly, they both took turns having the most fluid. So one would almost dry up, while the other filled up. It was a week or so and then had them taken out. Never felt a thing. However, I did have a very hard lump form shortly after. It was so disturbing I went in to find out if they left something in? Honestly it felt like a metal clip. Even medical staff was concerned. I was instructed to continue to wear bandage on my chest very tightly and add pressure pads to site. Also add heat. It did resolve after about a week.
  • Brenniejoyce
    Brenniejoyce Member Posts: 13
    edited April 2019

    I had a third breast surgery this month (another mastectomy, this time prophylactic) and had my drain removed today. Ok, this one really HURT when the doctor pulled it out. The last two did not hurt this much. I’m sitting here with an ice pack on it and 10 mg. of Norco flowing through my veins. It still really hurts. So...if anyone ever has doubts, erron the safe side and take a pain killer before hand and prepare the ice packs. I think the drain removal can be different each time and no two woman are the same.

  • B-A-P
    B-A-P Member Posts: 409
    edited April 2019

    the first drain that came out was fine. The nurse held me down and yanked. The stick removalfor the drain was painful because they had done them so tight. The second drain removal was a different nurse. She had to cut my skin to get the stitches out. I cried for that one. Then half way through the pull, she stopped!! With the wide part half out! Wasn’t too happy about that. I have high pain tolerance but that just was too mucch. I feel like there’s a a certain technique to have it As painfree as possible