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I had a drain for 3 days. It's serves to drain the Fluid that accumulates near the staple line of your sleeve. It can alert you to any internal bleeding and to leaks, based on what the Fluid coming out looks like.

Having the drain was more of an annoyance than anything. I wore sweats with pockets so I had someplace to put the drain bulb, and I had to pin it to the front of my PJs at night so I wouldn't roll over onto it. I never had any pain postop, but turns out the slight cramping feeling I'd had was from the drain cause it went away when they pulled it.

A friend who had bypass had 3 drains in for 2 weeks, but that procedure is much more extensive than VSG.

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Do you go home with the drain?

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I had a drain for my hospital stay (2 days). I really didn't pay much attention to it, the bulb thingy goes in a pocket in the hospital gown and I never had to mess with it. There was one time the nurse who was taking the liquid out jammed it back in a little too hard and that hurt. When they take it out, it feels weird -- you can feel it moving inside you -- but it didn't hurt.

I did not go home with it. It was really not a big deal. I was glad my surgical team had another way to check for leaks or other problems very easily without me having to swallow a bunch of nasty medical liquid for an imaging test.

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Yes. I went home with mine. Surgery on Friday afternoon. Went home Saturday morning. Went back to the clinic on Sunday so they could check the drainage and change the bandage. Went in Monday to have it removed.

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I had two drains. They took out one in the hospital, then my husband actually pulled the other one out 4 days post op, per the doctor's instruction. Neither one was bad for me.

Sent from my VS986 using the BariatricPal App

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Had a drain for a week. My doctor did not do a leak test and when explained his reasoning it was logical. The drain was very annoying but I'm glad I had it. I felt like a new person when it was removed.

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I had lap band to sleeve on Wed 3/30 and went home with a drain, it gets removed on Tuesday and the idea of it coming out freaks me out! Do they just pull it out? I feel like I can't do anything with it hanging off of me.

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Yes they pull it out. Takes 5 seconds. It's not painful but it's a feeling I cannot describe. I used a lanyard to hold my drain in place by the 3rd day I was out and about drain and all. I wore a jogging suit the entire time.

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    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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