Question:
The pressure and pain of my jp drain has driven me nuts. pain meds for removal?

Will my doctor give me a local and maybe a sedative? Don't mean to be a wuss, but touching the tube made me scream and now I am petrified. Anybody else?    — Barbie G (posted on November 25, 2001)

November 25, 2001
I don't want to make you nervous, but, they (at least in my case) don't give any type of pain reliever before they remove the tube. They pull it out like a catheter. My surgeon said to take a deep breath and away he went, pulling and pulling till it was all out. It was a bit uncomfortable while he did it, but it wasn't so bad once it was out. Any help out there, I'm having my g-tube removed tomorrow and that scares me even more! Its been in for over 9 weeks! Good luck!
   — Kelley S.

November 25, 2001
I had 3 after my TT. They were VERY annoying. When they took the first two, the doc slapped my thigh and pulled. I was SO UTTERLY AND COMPLETELY SHOCKED that this MAN was slappig my thigh that I hardly felt a thing, just a stingy kinda thing. His plan, exactly. The 3rd was taken out later by a nurse. She had me take a deep breath and exhale as she took it out and I literally did not feel it AT ALL.
   — vitalady

November 25, 2001
My dog suzie caused me great pain when she misstook the drain bottle for a ball and tried to run off with it. PAIN! was terrible and my surgeons office removed it a couple days early. Although its a painful removal but only lasts moments and is a great relief once its over. Take some roxicet or other pain med awhile before removal. I didnt do this because the pain meds were making me see things that werent there, including a living room full of folks I had never met. Dont worry, its not that bad and after surgery is a walk in the park......
   — bob-haller

November 26, 2001
My drain tube hurt so much that the doctor took it out a few days early. He knew it was VERY sensitive and I told him to give me something to bite on otherwise I would make him look bad to any patients in the waiting room when I screamed!! He gave me some gauze to bite on and I told him to yank it out fast. He pulled it out real fast and I'm glad I had the gauze to bite on because it did hurt. However, I think it was because it was already hurting before. After he took it out, I did feel MUCH better after a couple of days.
   — Patty H.

November 26, 2001
I had no clue that it hurt to have it taken out, I'd never heard anyone talk about it before. So when the Dr. took it out, it did hurt but they do it so fast. Mine felt so much better after they took it out. I didn't realize it caused pain inside, but I quit taking my pain med after mine was out because it didn't hurt inside anymore.
   — alicialeew

November 29, 2001
I am 7 weeks out, but, remember that damn drain well! LOL Mine got irritated and swollen where it came through the flesh, but, other than that it wasnt too bad. When the surgeon took it out, which was on the last day of my hospitalization, all I felt was a little bit of pressure while he pulled. I had no idea it was so long! : ) I was not offered any type of pain killer or sedatives. There was little, or no discomfort.
   — Kerry P.