PS wants to pull my drain too soon!!

I'm freaking out a little here. My one drain (I only ever had one) for my TT is still putting out at least 100cc of dark red drainage a day. A lot of that is the blood clot below my bellybutton dissolving and coming out in the drain, because the fluid is so dark red it's almost black. I've had to be reassured of this multiple times because let me tell you it's NOT comforting seeing that stuff coming out of your body ("Better out than staying in" said my dad. True). Anyway, my PS was chomping at the bit to pull my drain by the end of the first week. He seemed absolutely puzzled that I was still putting out too many cc's to pull it then. He'd keep trying to schedule me to come in to get it pulled, and I'd keep telling him nope, still pouring out dark red blood. 

Just got finished talking to him on the phone, now he wants to pull it as soon as the COLOR of the drainage starts to lighten up. He doesn't care anymore about how many cc's it's putting out, just wants me to notify him as soon as the drainage isn't dark red anymore, and he wants to pull it. 

From what I've seen on the boards here, it's certainly not uncommon to have drains in for more than 1 week. A lot of people have them at least 2 weeks (I think 6 weeks is the champ, if I remember correctly?). I've had mine for 17 days now, a little over 2 weeks. The way he talks, he almost always is able to pull them at the 1 week PO visit. That just doesn't seem to be my experience from reading here on the boards. Maybe WLS patients are different from 'normal' sized folks who get plastics. I don't know. 

But I am extremely worried that he's gonna pull my drain while it's still putting out well above 30cc/day (which seems to be most doctors' cutoff point) and I'm gonna get seromas in my cha-cha (which is where all of the fluid is collecting right now, I have to push upwards on the tissue and "drain" it a few times a day). I expressed this to him and he just dismissed me. He said "It'll be fine. Call me when the drain lightens up."

Well I'm sorry but I don't believe him. He wasn't willing to believe anything was wrong with me before when I was slowly bleeding out into my abdomen, he waited 3 days to order any tests and by that time I'd lost over half my blood, couldn't stand, and it was too late to aspirate the enormous hematoma it had formed because it had solidified. 

Not only that, but if I DO get a seroma that has to be aspirated, his office charges $250 per aspiration!! H E L L no!! 

This sounds terrible but I'm considering just lying to him. Telling him that my drainage is still dark red (even if it has lightened up, which it does periodically for a few hours sometimes before going dark again). Wait until it's actually putting out only 30cc's and then call him and tell him it's not dark anymore. I'm still on antibiotics as long as the drain is in, I know that's what doctors worry about with drains, infection. He himself assured me that he wouldn't worry about me getting an infection from my drain because of the meds I'm on. 

I hate needles. I do not want a seroma. I think that's the last thing I deserve after everything I've been through. The drain is a pain in the @ss but I'm glad it's there pulling out all the crap my body would otherwise have to work to absorb. I'd be willing to leave it in another 2-3 weeks if it means I won't have any further complications. 

I think at this point, I'm not going to call him if it lightens up but is still putting out as many cc's as it has been. I don't feel like I can trust him anymore, based on my previous experience. He wants to treat me like his 'average' plastics patient and I've already proven that I'm a unique and complicated case. 

How long did people have their drains, how many cc's were you putting out when they got pulled? And did you get a seroma afterwards? 

My lbl drans were pulled out on day 10. I had 2 drains, each putting out about 25 mL, so 50mL total in a 24 hour period when they were removed.

I had my last drain in for 6 weeks and lied to get it out b/c by then I couldn't stand it any more. It was close to the level my surgeon wanted and going down. I say do what you feel is best for you. Keeping it in longer if it is still producing a lot of fluid I don't think is a bad thing. I know some surgeons pull them at 2 weeks no matter what the output. I'm w/ you and would rather not have a seroma that needs to be drained by a needle especially if the surgeon charges extra for that.

The drains for my arms (brachioplasty) were pulled after 2 days.  The right drain for my fleur di lies tummy tuck was pulled after 5 days.  I still have the 2nd drain and it is putting out about 50cc's of light coloured fluid and fat a day still.  One of the reasons they do not want to leave the drains in too long is they can attach to veins and start pulling from fluid (blood) from there

 Eeek! That's certainly no fun. I hadn't heard of that. I don't want that to happen. I guess I'm gonna play it by ear, maybe when it lightens up it will spontaneously start decreasing too. 

I have to say that in this case I'd err on the side of screw you doc. Oh, what I meant was as a person who was still putting out 90cc in my last drain at 6 weeks when they finally pulled it, I was still worried that far out about a seroma when they pulled it.  Thankfully I've not gotten one. I do remember Dr. Lomonaco coming onto OH here and mentioning that he often pulls drains by a certain point--by two weeks I think it was. He said that he's rarely seen seromas in his experience. He said that some drains lie on a lymphatic vessle and would never stop draining. HOWEVER, I think the fact that you have a bleeding disorder and you are putting out such dark fluid makes it inconceivable to me that he'd press the issue, especially given you having prophylactic antibiotics. Dr. Lo seems awesome--I'd drop him a note if I were you. I bet you anything he'd answer, especially given your having such an interesting history with your plastics.
You may remember Bubba and I joking about forming a support group to cope with our long-term drain issues. Although we dismantled the group due issues with his ego not allowing him to accept my leadership role, I'm sure he'd agree to come out of retirement to make you an honorary member should you go long with the drain! LOL!

I'm sorry you are having to contend with a surgeon you've lost faith in. That truly sucks. But you be proactive and if your gut (hypothetical of course since you now have a nice flat tummy!) tells you something isn't right, LISTEN! I just don't think infection is a good enough reason to pull a drain that is both dark and having high output. Tell him you will happily pull it when he is willing to waive his $250.00 fee for draining the seroma. I am leaning toward your plan of not telling him it's ready until it is ready cc wise, but of course I am not an MD, so I hesitate to tell you to flat out lie, but I totally get your concern.

Take care and let us know how it goes!

Denise

I had 2 drains with my LBL and they were pulled on day 6 and only putting out about 5cc each.  Dr. L is my surgeon and I'll bet he'd respond to an email from you.  I'd want a definitive answer too with all the **** you've been through.  Good luck hon.

Laura

Lizzy

My Dr does not use drains at all.  My extended TT with lipo was 3.5 weeks ago and I never had an issue.....used my compression garments and now on my second week with spanx on 24 7.

Just another example of differences between Drs.

Best wishes
Linda

My surgeon places four drains with abdominal procedures.  He will not begin pulling drains until the two week post op appt.  and ONLY if the drain output is less then 10 cc.   Drains are normally pulled at 2weeks-first drain, 3 weeks -one or two and week 4 most lose the last drain.

8 days post op and 6 of the 7 were pulled today.