Drains
And it's 3.00am once again and I can't sleep. Again! Had a left mastectomy with node clearance last Friday with two drains inserted and sent home. The drains have leaked since day one. Nurses come out each day and try to rectify the situation and I've even gone back into the breast assessment clinic for them to re-do them. Hasn't made a difference. Can only lie in one position in bed which makes me very stiff and uncomfortable otherwise I get all wet from the leaky drains. I only have one more day and then they come out. I can't wait! Has anyone else had this problem? The pain under the arm is giving me more grief than the breast wound itself. I've taken panadol and a sleeping pill and I'm still awake. Unfortunately for me and my family is that I get very grumpy if I haven't had enough sleep. A small problem I know given all that I have been through so far. Just makes me angry that the nurses don't know what to do. Surely they must have come across this problem before?
Ok, so rant over. Hopefully the sleeping pill will kick in soon......
linda xx
Comments
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Hi Linda - my heart goes out to you as my experience was very different to yours.
I am sure once the drain has been removed you will feel a sense of relief and some normality will start to come into your sleeping patterns.
The old counting sheep routine sometimes works! (showing my age here)
Take care
Christine xx
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Hey there. You have my permission to be grumpy!
Its exhausting not getting sleep
Try a nanna nap throughout the day so that you arent so tired.
You can always try contacting your surgeon or breast care nurse for advice.
Hope things improve for you soon.
Maryrose
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Hi Linda, I'm go to put my work hat on for a moment ( I'm a nurse ), & say that sometimes leaky drains are more to do with the way they've been inserted. Often the only thing that can be done it to put an absorbent dressing on. You should find it all improves greatly once they are out. It may still take a few more days before sleeping on that side is comfortable.
I only had one drain, & it fell out on day 7 post op, I was devastated, as it had drained over 150ml in the 24 hrs before. I'm 6 weeks post op tomorrow, and while there are 2 collections, one in my breast & one in the axilla, they aren't causing any real problems, so haven't required draining.
On a positive note, I am now able to sleep very comfortably on that side.
Grimpy is ok, it happens to all of us at the best of times.
Take care, Lyn
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That's interesting to note Lyn. Nurse changed one very soggy bandage today and gave us extra to use if needed. I think the problem has stemmed from the pico suction bandage not working from day one which would have helped.
i don't cope very well on little sleep and this is a trivial thing to complain about ( it is after all my problems I have/had with chemo). Just relieved that the fluid amount has settled down now allowing for the drains to come out tomorrow. I wait in anticipation!!
Thanks for your feedback everyone. ??
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Drains should not leak especially not from around the wound as it could allow infection to pass into there. I would get the surgeon to have a look at that.
I am with my second drain. First was the mastectomy one with the suction bulb thing in the middle. That was tough as its so strong I thought it was going to turn me inside out.
This second one is for my axilla surgery and is just a bag I empty and measure daily and it more comfortable.
Neither set ups have leaked. Yep sleeping is a problem and its on and off affair through the night. I don't stress too much about it as I am in full blown menopause as well, covers on, covers off, covers on, covers off and there isn't a thing the doctors can prescribe to help (I am ER and pr+)so I have to live with it.
Sometimes in bed just a simple little movement of straighten a leg or rotate the hips slightly is just enough to take the pressure off the backside which gets sore. I found a pillow under my feet helped a little too.
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Hi, sorry to hear drains are leaking, but hopefully out soon so not a problem anymore. I had a mastectomy about 3 weeks ago now (with node clearance) and I agree, that the pain under the arm was worse. That might feel a bit better when drains come out....but even for me, after that it was the underarm area that hurt more. It's still very tender now. Make sure you get sent home with some painkillers if you think you will need them.
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