Discharged with chest drain

Hi Ails  I haven’t had the RATS procedure that you mentioned, but I am sure someone who has will be along soon to share their experience with you. 

I am so sorry you have had such a negative experience at the hospital. It does seem like hospitals are struggling with bed management, and are shipping people home at the earliest opportunity. I don’t know when this is going to improve unfortunately as I hear every day how bad the NHS is struggling. 

No one here will be telling you to get a grip that’s for sure, the drain getting blocked sounds scary, and not something I would be comfortable with sorting myself out home. Do you have the number for your macmillan lung nurse? I would be giving her a call, if not then your GP and telling them you want the tube checking, I don’t think this un feasible to expect this. 

Please do not think you have to go through this alone, you can call the MacMillan support line any day from 8am until 8pm on 0808 808 00 00. 

Please let us know how you get on. 

I'm having vats on Tuesday they have told me there's a strong possibility I will go home after 1 day with drain in as I'm young and otherwise extremely well and fit and simply they need the beds. This is filling me with fear somewhat 

Hi Ails , goodness you have had a time of it , I must say when I had my op the staff couldn't have been more helpful , I only had drain in for 2 days and I also had a pneumothorax but this was closely monitored in hospital  . I praise The Golden Jubilee hospital for their attention given to me . You shouldn't be left to look after yourself give your lung nurse a call and also your GP surely between them you will be looked after and no you are not expecting too much , you just expect NOT to be left to deal with this alone . 

Take care x 

Hi Ails

I had a VATS (R) upper lobectomy and was discharged after 2 days with the drain in like you. The hospital had contacted my GP practice and the district nurses were to come out and check the dressing, I wasn't expected to do it myself. Having said that, the district nurses only came once to check it but I was lucky, the tube didn't get blocked. Can you get in touch with your GPs for them to check you. You've had major surgery, someone should be monitoring you and no, you're not being emotional. I had to go back to the hospital once a week until they could take the drain out which was after 2 weeks. I do think when you're in hospital you are left to your own devices and I think that's due to poor staffing levels unfortunately. I hope all goes well for you x

Oh and I would suggest if the drain blocks again ring for an ambulance and get the hospital to sort it for you

Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, I think my experience mustve been unusual. I was told I'd be in 1-2 days. Chest drain is usually our between 24-48 hours later. I was the only one that continued for longer, but then again, it seems like there was a bit of a hiccup in my surgery (which they kept from me - I just overheard a nurse talking about me) so that may have caused me to have a bigger pneumothorax? No one would tell me.

There were plenty of beds available while I was in hospital and the nurses weren't rushed as they offered next to no care. I think it was an unusual hospital from what I'm hearing from other's experiences in different hospitals.

Oh, and RATS is VATS but with a robot, for those who didnt know.

Just make sure before you're discharged that they have arranged care contacts with your GP. I just assumed that would happen but my GP knew nothing about my admission and had no available nurse to send.

I tried ringing the ward for advice but the nurse did not speak English so couldn't understand me.

I've now found a thoracic nurse who made contact and he was great.

Best of luck with the OP xx

Thanks, Chelle! Ive put in another reply my GP wasn't interested in providing assistance (they'd not been contacted) and told me to go to A&E (but I was too ill to wait around for 12 hours haha)

The issue wasn't with staffing levels on the wards, it was abysmal nursing care apart from a very few excellent ones. I'm an ex nurse so know what they should be doing.

My macmillan nurse team are few in number with a huge caseload so are great but only when available sadly.

I'm quite resilient but I fear for those who cannot advocate. Biggest support came from those on the ward with me as we cared for each other both emotionally and physically. Can't believe how close we all got. Huge positive!!

Oh thanks Bella. Great advice there, thank you. It seems to be more common than the stats say to have a longer chest drain period than expected, I'm hearing of quite a few rather than the 5% quoted. Best of luch with your recovery x

I think it's quite a common complication.  Hang in there Ails, you'll feel so much better when the drain comes out please keep us informed how you're doing x