HI --

I'm hoping you guys will be able to shed some light on the drain that I keep reading about. What is the purpose of it? Does everyone who has VSG have one? How long does it stay in for?

Many thanks!

i had a drain tub inserted my corrective surgery and the dang thing kept leaking from the side. I was calling the nurses saying cleanup in room 8E. It was taken out the day I left the hospital. I asked will it hurt and was told yes. When removing the doc had me exhale while she pulled it out. What a strange feeling, feeling this tube pulling out of you. I declare there was about a good 12 inches of tube in me. I felt cramped for a few days, I still feel the incision healing.

The drain was my biggest fear. I thought it would kill when it came out, but to be honest I barely even felt it coming out.

It is absolutely necessary to have a drain. It is an integral way to check and see if you have a leak. My doctor had us consume a concentrated blue dye drink. If blue showed up in the drain bag it showed there was a problem.

Mine was in for i think 2 days.

I agree with x4achange -- the drain coming out was the weirdest feeling I have ever experienced. It was like someone was tickling my insides in lots of different places. There was about 12 inches of tube inside me, and it seemed to be woven all over my insides. I felt it when it came out, and it was weird. It didn't hurt. Just weird. I didn't experience any cramping, but the drain site did drip for a day or two.