Question:
Post Op Drainage Tubes.

Hello, I have recently had to have a abdominal drainage tube put in after three months of complication free surgery. Althought not life threatening this is beginning to get me down. I has hospitalized for five days and came home with a drainage tube which has now been in 11 days. I was told today it would be at least another week before before it could be capped. I would be very glad to hear from people with similiar experiences; perhaps to gain some perspective. I was doing so well and then this came out of no where. I am scaring old people and small children with my bag , lol. thanks Monika    — Monika W. (posted on October 22, 2002)

October 22, 2002
Hi Monika... pin your drainage bag and tube up inside your shirt so that you don't scare the kids... Seriously, I had drains on two occasions...not for my gastric bypass, but for the tummy tuck which followed, and then the mastectomy, which followed that. The drains for the tummy tuck really annoyed me! mostly, because I didn't know how to deal with them right. The nurses in the hospital never bothered to go over how to pin them securely to an undergarment so that you can empty them (measure the contents or whatever your doc says you should do) or go to the bathroom without having to undo them completely. I used to drop mine, and OUCH! did that hurt. Once you learn how to pin them up right, they are really only a very minor annoyance. One stayed in for three weeks after my mastectomy, and it didn't slow me down a bit. Good luck to you...
   — Anne G.

October 22, 2002
Hi there! I certainly feel for you. I had a tummy tuck last month and had to have two drainage tubes. A friend gave me a tip that I found to be a lifesaver. Get yourself a fanny pack! I kept my drains hidden away in the fanny pack and was able to live a somewhat normal life until they came out. Hope that helps!
   — Lori B.