Ball & Chain = EVIL

I was having such terrible pain yesterday that I called the surgeon.  He said it might have been the yogurt I ate (perhaps too quickly), but the pain never went away.  So, I went to his office for my one-week post-op visit and he removed it.  While in the waiting room, everyone I spoke with had pain like that the day before the drain was removed.  It's still pretty sore, but it's getting so much better.  Oh, and the removal wasn't pleasant, to say the least.  Ouch!

I can only imagine.. I had mine three days, couldn't wait for it to be gone- seems he likes leaving those suckers hanging on a little long! Glad you are feeling better!

When I went to Mexico to have my surgery, the drain was about the size of the little pop up timer in the turkey that tells you it's done...I was done and he had it out before I could even start to get upset...no pain. He removed mine 2 days after surgery wihile I was still in the hospital. I think here in the US they use a much longer one but I'm not sure.

I have to say I was one of the lucky ones that had no complications, no pain and off the pain meds while stilll the hopsital about 24hrs after surgery. I can sympathize with the ones that have had these problems but I don't really know what you're going through pain wise.

Keep you head up and let the healing begin and we see you in the stadium on the loser's bench soon!!! 

My drain was incredibly painful the whole time, and I literally have nightmares about the removal.  Once it was out (24 hours after surgery), I never even needed pain meds.  All the pain was in the drain.  (I'm a poet and didn't know it.)

I agree with you -- all of the pain (what little I had) was in the drain.  My surgeon's policy is to leave the drain in until the first post-op visit a week later in order to reduce the chances of infection.  If I had known that it was going to hurt and practically incapacitate me, I would have gone on Tuesday.  Wednesday is surgery day, so no office-hours.  Who knew waiting until Thursday would have been a big mistake. 

The drain was about a foot long -- ew.

What determines who gets a drain?? because not everyone gets a drain...

When my surgeon yanked my drain I told him the pain was worse then child birth. He proceeded to tell me no it's not. Of course I had to ask how he knew as he never had a drain and never gave birth. I was so glad when that was gone!

I had no drain, no catheter, no NG tube and was a same day surgery. I love my surgeon.

I was told to expect a catheter...probably no drain....   this thread has me concerned though

I asked about drains last week and everyone told me it wasn't painful, here are all the painful stories. I think those of you who went home with a drain had pain and those who had it out before leaving the hospital didn't have any. I'm calling my doctor!