Flutter Bag Chest Drain

Hi Pepper ,not sure what the flutter bag is sorry ,I came home from the hospital with a portable chest drain ,which i could empty myself ,so not sure if this is the same thing ? but once i got the hang of emptying it i was ok ,found it uncomfortable at night as i had to sleep on the opposite side of the bed to what i was used to ,so i could have the portable drain on my right side ,carrying it was not a problem either ,

Hi Trish,

Glad to hear the wedge resection went well. Sounds like you found an alternative way to get what I had after, but you did it more sensibly than me before going home. I didn't get to go home until after the 2nd tube came out but you should be fine. The 2nd tube was in me 10 days, but I think I had way more air in me than you. That tube comes out a lot easier than the first one, by the way.

Just like the first drain I was worried about rolling over in my sleep, but in the event that never happens.

If the wound starts leaking get a district nurse in to change your dressings and keep an eye on your temperature. Keep the area around the tube scrupulously clean, if you need to wipe around the area even use steripod water and swabs rather than tap water. The issue is that germs that are completely harmless on the surface of the skin and are usually present anyway can be a problem if they get into wounds - I got infected and had to go on a course of Ciprofloxacin.

You should have been given all the patient leaflets you'll need. If not then Google "flutter bag" and you'll find a few PDF files uploaded by UK hospitals.

kind regards
Steve

Thanks Christie and Steve - good to hear from you both. The flutter bag is a type of portable receptacle attached to the chest drain to collect any fluid or air from the chest drain. In my case it was air that was filling the space where the lung needed to expand after removal of the first chest drain (pneumothorax) hence the need to insert a second drain which has now been attached to a flutter bag which allows mobility to carry out everyday activities at home. Luckily it hasn't affected my breathing nor given me a chest infection and the latest chest x-ray shows that my lung has now reinflated and the air round the lung has nearly all gone. They don't want to risk taking out the second drain too soon for the same problem to reoccurr and are looking to discharge me with the portable drain to give the lung more time to heal. There is nothing draining into the flutter bag at the moment but there is a valve to operate if you need to empty it, which I don't think I will need to do. Thanks Steve for the good tips on how to look after the incision (which is looking OK at the moment, although it needed a second stitch after insertion of the 2nd drain.  I will look up the website on flutter bags you recommended as well. The hospital  have also given me a detailed leaflet about the flutter bag drain and also Ward telephone numbers to speak to the nurses if I have any concerns about anything. So the plan is to do a further x-ray tomorrow now the flutter bag has been attached to the 2nd chest drain and to assess whether I have adequate pain control in tablet form when they remove the self administered pain relief drip which I needed after insertion of the second drain. I think if all goes to plan I should be discharged tomorrow or Friday.  Trust my lung not to play ball with the first drain which I suspect they may have taken out too soon (2 days after the op)!  Good news on your six month scan Christie and I hope your recovery is making good progress Steve.

Best wishes

Trish xx

Hi Trish,

Thanks, progress has been pretty good. I'm now almost 7 weeks along from my discharge with a goodie bag, 1 week since the last scab disappeared and showering without Tegaderm patch, and fitness levels are improving nicely. Now that I'm off the immunotherapy my emphysema (along with all the other mucus production) has rolled right back which has improved my breathing. I'm now doing slightly better than before the lobectomy in terms of walking distances and climbing stairs without wiping out and the Spiro-Ball goes all the way to the top. No weight training yet, I'll wait until the scar looks a lot better (when I assume it'll be better inside) and the occasional tightness in my side has eased.

The last of my meds have been handed in to a pharmacy. I didn't need half of them in the end and it's wrong to flush them down the loo.

Hope you're recovering nicely at home now.

kind regards
Steve

Hi Steve

Glad to hear your recovery is still going well. You provide me with a guide stick to what I should be doing. 

They decided to take  my second drain out yesterday in hospital and although the chest xray done a couple of hours lster showed a tiny bit of air remaining around the lung they were happy to discharge me, although I was given the option to stay overnight and have a further xray this morning just to put my mind at rest. I opted for home (couldn't wait to get a good night's sleep) and I was told all the signs to look for if there was any problem, ie, constant sharp chest pain and severe breathlessness, when I should go to  A&E to be checked out, which thankfully up to now hasn't happened. I'm experiencing a bit of pain which is controlled by the medication they gave me on discharge., which includes oxynorm, tranaadol, gabapentin and paracetamol (keeping.on eye on how much of the stronger painkillers I'm taking). Although feeling quite tired I am doing regular breathing. exercises and walking round a bit which I will try to increase each day. Been up and down my 13 step stairs a few times today with no breathing problems,. My energy level is quite low and my appetite is not brilliant but I am managing snack sized food portions at the moment. Got GP discharge papers which includes details of my new medicstions and a letter for the District Nurse for removal of my stitches on 15th. So that's where I am at the moment and hopefully like you I will see an improvement each day. Will keep you updated.

Best regards 

Trish

Hi Trish,

Apologies – I’ve only just read your updates.  Sorry to hear you needed a second chest drain.  I did think when I read your earlier post that removal after two days was rather quick.  Peter’s drain was quite bubbly for about five days before the air dispersed and he was sent home with a portable drain for the fluids.   That was probably a flutter bag as it had a valve like you mentioned.   The district nurse came to change the bag 3 days later and the plan was to remove the drain 4 days after that.  Well, I’ll skate over the fiasco of the drain, mentioned elsewhere on the forum, and he eventually had it removed, for which he was very thankful.  I’m sure you must also have found it particularly uncomfortable at night, not being able to lie properly on that side.

I hope your recovery is going well, your pain has now eased and your appetite is improving.   Peter was on child-sized portions for a week or so after coming home but is now back to normal amounts.   As regards exercise, he’s still coming to terms with the fact that he’ll have to take things a little easier in future.

Best wishes, Hazel

Thanks Hazel. Glad to hear Peter is making a good recovery after the initial fiasco with his chest drain. My second chest drain was removed before I was discharged last Friday - that was not a very nice experience! 

I am making a slow revovery which I feel should be quicker but have to remind myself it is only 2 weeks since my op. Feel a bit down some days but I believe that can happen after surgery and obviously waiting for the results of the biopsy is quite stressful. Am walking as much as possible and doing my breathing exercises although I am still experiencing some discomfort and not eating too well due to nausea which I think is caused by the pain meds which hopefully I will be able to cut down on as the pain subsides. As you say I think it's a case of adjusting to a slower pace of life and trying to stay positive. Onwards and upwards. 

Best wishes

Trish xx

Hi Trish, those pain meds certainly have some horrible side effects and I hope as you continue to recover that your need for them will soon be over.   Also hope you soon get an all clear from the biopsy.  

It’s occurred to us that it must be far more difficult for a younger person to adapt to life in the slow lane than it does for Peter, especially if they’re still working.   He’s 73, a bit overweight and has had to slow down a bit anyway for some time now due to degenerative back problems limiting his mobility somewhat.

Good wishes, Hazel xx