Going home with a drain after lymph node removal

The drain I had was like a small rubber hot water bottle (double thickness) It was small enough to fit into the pocket of a pair of cargo pants. I had it for two weeks, basically until there was only a small amount of liquid (under 50ml I think) draining daily. Good luck!

Thank you for your reply. I have received lots of useful advice.

I did go home with a drain.  it is like a hose and a water bottle you have to hold.  its not great but it will only be for a week or so and you wont be around to much.  it is honestly not as bad as you think.  I had mine removed 2 years ago PM me if you have any questions 

xxx

Thanks for your reply. I feel better prepared now thanks to all the people on this site!

I had the op on 8/7/19 and am now at home with 2 drains attached to very long tubes, The bottles are filling up rapidly and I have to go back and get new bottles attached every day. I agree with previous posters...the drains are a nuisance but a necessity. I was told to rest and take it easy and I was looking forward to lazy days reading and watching Wimbledon, although I have managed to do this to a certain extent I didn't realise how uncomfortable it would be. Sitting, standing, lying down, leg raised, leg straight, leg bent....every position gets uncomfortable after a while. The front of my thigh where the drain goes in is completely numb to touch but I get shooting pains up and down the thigh. Somtimes I get stabbing pains, sometimes tickling, crawling type sensations. I presume it is the tubes affecting the nerves. I have told the hospital and they don't seem unduly worried, they just write it all down! Did anyone else get these symptoms? Any tips? Have tried massage but it doesn't help. Luckily I know it's all temporary so I am looking forward to getting them removed!

Ooh strange that you have to get the bottles changed, I had to empty my own.

It’s making me feel funny reading how you describe it! Yes - exactly those symptoms and sensations. I bought loads of books but didn’t read any, I was just too uncomfortable. Lots of strange stabbing and burning pains. I didn’t know at the time if it was my wound healing or the drains, but it all went away when the drains did.

It’s probably worth pointing out that at this point I started to worry about how much it might hurt having the drains removed; but it really didn’t. It was surprisingly uneventful - other than completely soaking my in the fluid from the bag!

It sounds like you’re coping well. It all gets better from here.

All the best. xxx

Thanks for your reply. I am now doing the bottles myself at home like you did. Much easier than I expected. I have had one bottle removed so its getting easier to cope. Still got the weird sensations in my leg but glad to see from others that it's to be expected. 

Hi again. I am getting into a real muddle of how to record the amount of fluid that is draining. The hospital want a record of every 24 hours. When I was an inpatient they were reading the level at 6 am every day. But because the bottles were filling up really quickly they were being replaced at at different times during the day so I was trying to add the amount in one bottle with the amount in the new bottle and got totally confused. For the last 3 nights I have been reading the bottle at from 11.30 pm one day til 11.30 pm next day. So that is still a 24 hour period I reckon. Did you change your bottle every 24 hours? (I only have one in now as one was removed last Monday) My bottle is becoming de-vacced before the 24 hours is up so I have been changing it. putting a new one on and then counting the contents of the de-vacced one with the contents of the new one once the 24 hours are up. Can you tell me how you kept track of your bottles and when you changed them? Thanks.

I wasn’t changing bottles, it was the same one that I could empty and re-vacuum myself. But, I quite often emptied it a few times a day, but measured it each time and worked out the total for the 24 hours.

I imagine it’s not that easy if you have to completely change the bottle to get your measurements though.

A few times when I’d been in to clinic, my measurements got messed up, or I’d forgotten to measure it in time, so there was a bit of guess work involved. Don’t worry too much about the record being for a perfect 24 hours. They want to see the volume reducing, and probably less than 30ml before they’ll remove it. As long as you’ve got a rough idea, you’ll be fine.

Saying that, mine went up for a while and they were completely unconcerned even though I was freaking out! If that happens just watch out for other signs of infection and phone in you’re worried. I bought a thermometer so I could reassure myself really on that front.

Good luck - it feels like forever this bit, but it will end! X

Thank you. I think I am getting worried unnecessasily I am draining about 360 mls every 24 hours so have a long way to go before its down to 30! I think my other drain was removed too soon as it was still draining about 90 and ever since it's gone my leg has been so painful and swollen. Even walking is painful and my husband has to lift my leg up for me when I go to bed or get in the car. I started taking pain killers today, have been managing fine without them up til now. I went back to the hospital today and had the wounds checked and BP & temperature taken and it was all normal. I guess I just have to sit it out....or stand or lie....whatever's comfortable!

Thanks again for your input.