Question about the binder/brace.

Good morning from Ottawa, Canada.

I am 6 days out from my tummy tuck, breast lift and hernia repair and feeling pretty good.  Still sleeping in a lazy boy chair.  Tired the bed last night but it just pulled to much, so I won't pu****

Had my bandages removed on Friday and last night when I took off my brace to get my shower, it had stains on each side where the drain tubes come out on each hip area.  I was told I can wash the brace and air dry it, and I was just wondering what everyone did at that time.  Did you get a 2nd brace to wear or did you sit without one while the washed one dries?  Any suggestions?

Did anyone else experience this, or is it something I should be concerned about?

Thanks.

Have a great day.    Linda

I only had one binder so would sit w/o it while it dried. My mom always washed it and then pinned it to a fan for it to dry. Dried much faster that way so was usually only w/o it for about an hour. I think before she would pin it to the fan she would roll it up into a dry towel and try to get as much water out of it as possible.

Thanks for that info.  Did you have some leakage too where the drain tube came out?  It sure scared me last night, but I guess it is natural to leak where you have a hole in your body.

Yes, all the time. It's normal and my surgeon told me to take a 4x4 gauze pad, fold it and cut a slit in the center to fit around the tube and tape in place to catch the excess fluid that was leaking from there.

I had two sets... when I washed one, I was wearing the other... my doctor had two on me... one just under my boobs and the other around the hips.

I bought 2 extra binders ahead of time for when i ran into that situation. I would wash them on gentile cycle and let them air dry underneath ceiling fan in room. It's a good thing I bought extra cause the ones from hospital are already ripping apart and velcro barely holds now.

The drain sites will leak, all of mine did at one time or another no biggy just get lots of good tape and gauze and you will be fine.

Good luck,
Bubba

I only had one binder. I'll admit I'm cheap and did not want to spend the money on another one. I washed it and dried it on the gentle cycle and it was fine. Maxi pads are good to use around drains. I cut slits in them any put them around the drains. The plastic on the back protects your clothing. They're a lot cheaper than bandages, too. I usually got them from the dollar store (get unscented ones).

Laura

 What a great idea Laura.  I am going to get some maxi pads for sure.

Washed the binder today and it took forever to dry.  Was raining outside so couldn't put it out, turned the heat on extra high and hung it over the air vents but that didn't work that great, so I then tried turning on the oven and hanging it on a chair in front of the open oven door.  That worked a little better, but it too was not working that fast.  I then told my sister in law to throw in the dryer on the air/dry cycle and did that for 10 minute intervals until it finally felt drier.   We hung it over the upstairs railing and turned on the overhead fan and I finally just put it back on.  What a long process.

Now that you say the gentle cycle worked fine on your dryer, that's what I will do next time.

I had the binder off since about 4 pm and didn't get it back on until 10 pm...I am pretty sure that is not a good idea to have it off so long.  Right?  I was getting tired of wearing it earlier today, but I must admit now that I have it back on I feel a lot better...more secure.

Thanks too for posting the links to those two undergarments you use...that was what I needed, a picture to go by.  I went out today and bought a good sports bra and put it on after my shower.  I tried to put the other waist cincher type of garment on (bought one today too), but it was just a little too tight and i think I will wait to put that on after I see the doc this Friday and ask if it is OK.  I don't want to take the binder off too soon, but I know the under garment will be a lot more comfortable.  Anyway, all that to say i appreciated seeing a picture so that I knew what to look for, so thanks again for posting it.  By the way, when did you start wearing the waist cincher and boy shorts after your surgery?

Goodnight...take care.   Linda 

Hmmmmm.....I think I was cleared to wear the spanx instead of the binder at 4 weeks, but I kept wearing it longer because I split a hole in my incision at the 4 week mark (easier to get in and out of my compression garment because it had hooks and was worried I'd tear my incision more). So I think week 7-ish is when I switched to the spanx type panties and waist cincher.

Laura

I think you have gotten your answer, but only had one garmet for the first couple of weeks so I would get undressed, hand wash the garmet and put in it the washing machine to just the spin cycle to suck out as much water as possible. Then I would throw it in the dryer (on delicate - no heat).  Then I would hop in the shower (which seemd to take me forever).  By the time I got out of the shower and let everything air dry my garment was ready.

I had difficulty keeping the binder down low enough and it would fold/ crease al the time.  Where the creases where it would cause me to have blisters, so I want to Make Me Heal and found a garmet that I wore over the abdominal binder to keep it in place and smooth.  (Wearing the garmet also meant I didn't have to use any tape to hold the bandages in place.)

Make Me Heal has many different garmet, but I also have my inner thighs done at the same time as my TT, so a brief garmet rubbed against that incision.

As for the drains it is normal to have some drainage.  
Best wishes & Happy Healing!