Question:
I am three weeks post tummy tuck and still have two drains in connected to a J-Vac.

They are draining over 250 cc a day and the doctor won't remove them until it is less than 75 cc/day. I had 12 pounds of fat and skin removed. Has anyone else had drains this long.    — DONNA T. (posted on January 19, 2002)

January 19, 2002
I had my drains for 3 weeks and stitches for 5. I was so happy when they were all finally gone. It was so worth the aggravation. :) It will be over with before you know it.
   — DeeDubbs

January 19, 2002
I had my pulled after 2 weeks because they clogged up. Then the fluid accrued in my pubic area and I had 170ccs of fluid removed by aspiration (needle). About a week later my incision started leaking bad so I had to have it reopened for drainage. I had to clean and repack twice a day for almost 2 months. Soooo, keep the drain tubes in til there is less than 70 ccs draining otherwise you may have problems. And, it is better to have those tubes even if they are a pain and hurt than to have to go to the surgeon's office and be aspirated several times a week for months. Just my experience....rita
   — vt_rita

January 19, 2002
I am almost 8 weeks post-op panniculectomy and brachioplasty. I came home from the hospital with 4 J-P drains, three of which were removed within the following 2 weeks. However, I am still carrying around one lone drain which "might" be removed this week. In the past several weeks, I have had as much as 600cc drainage from this one drain in a single day.....now it's down to about 10-20 cc per day. My surgeon pointed out that the fluid has to come out somehow...if the drain were not there, then he would just have to aspirate the fluid with a needle. He also stated that I did not yet hold the "world's record for the longest remaining drain"...one of his patients had hers for 3 months. In the big picture, I can't complain...the drain is an aggravation, but totally painless....I have an amazingly beautiful incision line (no external sutures, no staples)....and abs that I never had even as a teenager. Just be patient a little longer :-)
   — Diana T.

May 25, 2003
I can only tell you that those drains are there for a good reason, I had my drains pulled too soon and had a massive infection and had to be hospitalized again so hang in there it will be ok.
   — angelkisses9136

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