Just Left Er! First Day Home After Surgery

[mommamea 4]

I ended up in er tonight, my drain started coming out, the pain is insane. Docs r leaving it in, said im still draining to much. Did blood work, said my potassium is down, so now i have to take potassium suppliments.

Has anyone else been sent home w drain, im sick to my stomache all the time, in mass pain, the er doc said my drain is stitched into me, but dr huacuz said just pull it out, ic i just pull it out itll rip my skin. Not excited for that!

Anyone have similuar experiance

[mommamea 4]

I ended up in er tonight, my drain started coming out, the pain is insane. Docs r leaving it in, said im still draining to much. Did blood work, said my potassium is down, so now i have to take potassium suppliments.

Has anyone else been sent home w drain, im sick to my stomache all the time, in mass pain, the er doc said my drain is stitched into me, but dr huacuz said just pull it out, ic i just pull it out itll rip my skin. Not excited for that!

Anyone have similuar experiance

[runner 53]

yikes you dont sound so good! I dont have experience but I wanted to say good luck and I hope you start to feel better soon!

[Rico 55]

Dont pull out your drain its there for a reason and thats to get rid of the dirty unwanted fluids. My advice is that you be patient and get some pain killers, liquid tylenol is very good. I had two drains and had similar pain but i just rode it out.

It only gets better, always remember that.

Good luck

[Lissa 2,631]

My drain didn't hurt, but I'm starting to realize I'm one of the lucky ones. I'm very sorry that you had to go back to the ER already. I'd take the advice of the doctor who actually saw me and leave the drain alone. Mine was stitched in as well, and I was a little worried that I would pull it out accidently. It stayed just fine, though.

I wonder, does your doctor have you "stripping" your drain when you empty it? Mine specifically said not to do that, but the folks who seem to have bad pain from the line seem to have been told TO do it. I wonder if that makes it more painful for them.

Good luck!! Welcome to the loser's bench and this part will be over soon!

[LGoz 4]

Mommamea- Sorry to hear you are having problems. I just had my surgery on the 14th. I was able to come home on the 16th without the drain. Mine was stitched in with 1 stitch that had to be taken out before the drain came out. The tube attached to the drain is very long! It should not come out on it's own. Your Dr office should take it out for you when it's time. I felt so much better when it did come out. It was sore but I finally felt I could start recoverying once it was gone. Hang in there and hope you feel bettter soon..

[Peacheykeen77 10]

Get well soon

[5DogMa 62]

I HATED my drain! It was in for almost 6 days and I went to the doctors office and demanded it out. I sat in my car in his parking lot 2 hours waiting for him to come in from the hospital. I threatened to take it out myself. It caused me a lot of pain. Most of the Fluid at that point was watery pink and clearish yellow. I couldn't stand to put suction back in the blub after I would empty it. The pain from the suction hurt all the way into my left back shoulder. So he slowly took it out after he made sure it was the drain and nothing else causing me so much pain. There was like one or two stiches holding in. They didn't hurt and it didn't hurt when he snipped them to remove the drain. He took it out very slowly and I could feel a trail of pain as it was leaving my body. Well, after he put me in the hospital for 3 days and 2 nights because I couldn't swallow for almost 3 days and I was dehydrated. I had additional swelling caused from untreated acid reflux since I couldn't take my Nexium and I believe the forced air into my esophagus from my CPAP machine made it worse. They had me trying to drink Mylanta for my acid relfux, but I couldn't swallow it. It was a bad week. 4 days out of hospital and I'm doing soooooo much better. I can actually drink again!!! YAY!!!

So, how long has the drain been in? Maybe you can talk, or like me demand, it come out sooner than the doctors planned? Take the pain meds every 4 hours to help cope with the pain. I know what you're going through I was just there last week.

Man, that sucks out loud!!! Hope you get help and feel better soon. Good Luck!

[swizzly 901]

Oooh, sorry to hear it!! I had a drain that didn't bother me at all, they took it out day five post-op. But you should watch the lowered potassium levels, those can drop precipitously and cause big issues, so if you feel yukky at all, you should get them checked again!

Good luck, and get well quickly!!

[savinggrace 6]

Potassium being low is dangerous, be sure to stay on those, until they take you off. I have no good news about the drains, my best advice take deep breath before they go to pull and exhale as they do. Hang in there.