Intubation and Drain Tubes

[GirlOnFire 111]

I found out yesterday that my dr intubates all his patients and also all his patients will have a drainage tube that will be taken out before I leave the hospital. I'm kind of nervous about this...granted I know I won't feel the actual intubation since I will be under when they do it but I already have a crazy sore throat from sinus drainage and to think that on monday I will have the added pain of that tube going down my throat...it worries me.

One of the reasons I didn't go for the lap band was because the idea of something being inside me like that just skeeved me out....so the idea of the drainage tube skeeves me out too.

From those that have gone before me......What was this like for you? I want to mentally prepare for what this will be like before I get there.

[arimerm1 20]

I had the band last week, and they intubated me, but I had no idea. They put you to sleep before they do anything and you wake up with everything unplugged but the IV.

[judyoz 240]

Of course you will be intubated, otherwise you could not have general anesthesia. You will never know an thing about it. In and out while you are asleep. I did not have a drain after surgery. I have in the past and they are not a big deal. Good luck.

[GirlOnFire 111]

What does it feel like having the drain removed?

[Joz31 90]

As others have said, no big deal at all with the intubation, just a very minor sore throat the next couple days. I did have a drain tube until the next day, and I will be honest it was pretty painful because it sat right under my diaphragm. It felt so much better when they pulled it out and it did not hurt coming out either like I thought it would. Overall I would do it again in a heartbeat for the weight loss success I have had!!

[Mcgann320 26]

I was was intubated during surgery and pain from that was very very minimal. It was a little sore for a few days after surgery but nothing bad. The drain you can't feel at all! My drain incision didn't even hurt after they took it out. It doesn't hurt when they take the drain out its just a weird sensation. That's all I can say. Feels like pulling a long spaghetti noodle out. Don't be worrying about that!

[tacha22001 38]

I woke up from surgery with a drainage tube. I was not impressed at 1st. Then decided I would much rather have the liquid out of my body than trapped inside. It was coming out of my body and kinda hung at my hip and kind of looked like a Grenade with light red liquid in it. Not as gross as it sounds. Nurses would empty the grenade as needed. It quit filling up after a day and they removed it before I came home. It didn't hurt when it was removed my

Mom (a Nurse) was there and told me to take a deep breath while the nurse pulled it out. It was over before I even finished filling my lungs. No big deal.

[hockeyfan7 249]

I'll be honest. The drainage tube was annoying. My surgeon has all sleeve and bypass patients spend 2 nights in the hospital and go home on day 3.

The end of the tube was banging on my knees when I was trying to walk the halls and they ended up pinning it up to my gown. They drained it every 3-4 hours and it kept getting less and less. That incision was the only one that was sore.

It wasn't painful when the nurse pulled it out when it was time to go home. It just felt a little uncomfortable and a whole lot weird. I had to keep gauze and tape over that incision for several days before I could switch to a bandaid.

The intubation during surgery was no big deal. I don't recall even going into the operating room let alone anything that happened in there. Versed is a really good thing!

[jess9395 5,448]

Intubation is how anyone under general anesthesia breathes. No options there.

I didn't have drains for my WLS but had them for my plastics. Wasn't nearly as bad as a feared. That said, everyone told me no pain when they came out just a weird sensation. Well, to be honest, mine HURT coming out!!! It was over super quick though and no pain after. But about 5 secs of Ouch!

[The Candidate 3,215]

One of the contributing factors in my choosing the surgeon I will have was that he used drains. I'm not looking forward to them but in the long run, as another poster said, it's better it's draining outside of your body rather than inside.