Date: 10/07/2011 Submitted by: MicheleTaking Anitbiotics While Wearing Surgical Drains

This website is wonderful! I have peace of mind now. My surgeon isn’t very nice, she made me cry in her office! I was very emotional a week after surgery and she told me to be a woman about it. Anyway, I am 6 weeks post op and still producing about 150cc. Do you happen to know if it’s safe to wear the drain still while taking antibiotics? Thank you so much, this information was wonderful!

RESPONSE

Date: 10/07/2011 Submitted by: Tanner

Michele,

I don’t really understand your concern with regard to your question, but if your surgeon or doctor prescribed the antibiotics I can’t see any reason why it wouldn’t be safe to take the antibiotics while your surgical drains are installed. As a matter of fact I would think it would be good thing because while you have your drains, you have open pathways for germs and bacteria to enter your body (where the drain tube enters your body and through the tube itself). The antibiotics might provide an extra level of defense.

I would suspect that all tummy tuck patients take antibiotics while they are wearing their drains, although maybe not for the entire time the drains are in. I only took antibiotics for a few days following surgery while my drains remained installed for several days after the antibiotic was discontinued.

I hope that answered your question. Hopefully it should be all down hill from here.
Good luck.
Tanner

FOLLOW-UP MESSAGE
Hi, Tanner. Thanks for your response. Well, what I mean by my question is about having the drain in this long. I wrote it wrong to you in my question, I’m sorry. Friday was 6 weeks and I am still around 150cc’s per day. I think it’s because I was heavy before surgery. I was 216 lbs. and am now 183. I’m only 5 feet tall. I lost too much blood and had to have 2 transfusions after surgery. I was hallucinating and everything. It was such a bad experience, but I am glad it helped to jump start my weight loss. It is still very uncomfortable and I have panic attacks from feeling “squeezed” and pressure being near the lungs. Being short and having a short torso makes it feel like i cant breathe very well. Anyway, do you think it’s ok to have a drain this long? I just feel like my doctor sees me for a total of 2 minutes and runs out the room and I’m left 2nd guessing her. Let me know what you think. I sooooo appreciate your input.
TTYL,
Michele

RESPONSE
Michele, I don’t really understand your concern with regard to your question, but if your surgeon or doctor prescribed the antibiotics I can’t see any reason why it wouldn’t be safe to take the antibiotics while your surgical drains are installed. As a matter of fact I would think it would be good thing because while you have your drains, you have open pathways for germs and bacteria to enter your body (where the drain tube enters your body and through the tube itself). The antibiotics might provide an extra level of defense.

I would suspect that all tummy tuck patients take antibiotics while they are wearing their drains, although maybe not for the entire time the drains are in. I only took antibiotics for a few days following surgery while my drains remained installed for several days after the antibiotic was discontinued.

I hope that answered your question. Hopefully it should be all down hill from here.
Good luck.
Tanner

FOLLOW-UP MESSAGE
I definitely had a tummy tuck along with lipo in the pubic area and flanks. It did help me with losing more weight. They only removed 20 lbs. and to date I have lost 30 lbs. so 10 of it was on my own. I am now losing weight on my own whereas before surgery I could not lose the weight from diet and exercise.

I will write everything down as you suggested and go to my visit on Monday.

Thank you for your advice!
Sincerely,
Michele