Serasanguinous (spelling?) Im scared

[Cin]

On Monday my side erupted with liquid discharge, like a gigantic zit, soaking my clothes and running down my leg. I went to the ER because it was after hours and wouldn't stop oozing when I moved and the next day (yesterday) my.surgeon added a stitch and re-wrapped my wound. I havent been physically active all day (wednesday), and at 7 pm the dressing was dripping wet and leaking. My friend.came over and changed it and I am afraid to move from the recliner. I live alone.

I will call the office tomorrow. Has Anyone heard of this?

[LexieCat]

Unless you develop a fever, it's probably nothing to worry about. Some wounds drain more than others. 

Sounds like a pain to cope with, though. Hopefully it will ease up overnight but do give your surgeon a call.

[Cin]

Thank you LexiSCat. This is not drainage; I think I'm still stressed out from Monday. I coughed slightly and it spurted out of me, I mean like a full cup. And tonight I was able to wring pink liquid frim my dressing. I think I'll do my best to not move at all until morning, but this still scares me. But no pain, no fever. Doc said I could drive so I can go early in the am. Might take a dilaudid now to relax and let it wear off before tomorrow.

I feel like a chicken

[Jennedy]

You're not a chicken. It sounds scary!

[Jesse L.]

Now mind you I'm not a medical professional, but I'll go with what I've been told, what I know, and then assume. The pink liquid you're referring to is normal fluid within your pleural space between the pleural walls and your lungs. Your pleural walls push out this substance so that your lungs move smoothly against your pleural walls when you breath. The pleural fluid acts as a lubricant then. Now, when an operation on your lungs occurs, the pleural walls kind of go nuts making this pleural fluid. That's why they put a drain tube in folks who have a lung operation. Usually within two days after a lung operation, the increased pleural fluid goes back to normal levels, they remove the tube, and then the tube incision is stinched tight closed and allowed to heal. Now, if you are noting that much pleural fluid leaking from your tube incision, that is definitely not normal. That would mean that something is irritating the pleural space. 

You need to watch for fever, coughing, shortness of breath, etc. As long as you don't have any problems with breathing you should be alright. But if it was me, I'd be getting in to to get it checked out as soon as possible. Mind you, I'm not trying to scare you, but when I went home from the hospital, they told me to call as soon as possible if pleural fluid started coming out of me. It is not normal.    

[BridgetO]

Yuck! Sounds icky and scary. It's food you're seeing your doctor tomorow. Let us know what happens.

[Cin]

Thank you everyone.  In case I wasn't clear, the big explosion was on Monday, I went back to doc on Tuesday and he added one more stitch. The office opens in two more hours and I will call them then.  I slept in my recliner last night and barely moved. No leakage.

[Jesse L.]

I hope everything turned out alright. Please let us know...

[Cin]

Stitches come out on Wednesday but there was still leakage today (Friday) when I coughed. I have to get rid of the phlegm and am trying to cough lightly. I hate the feeling of the gush of liquid coming out of my side each time I cough, it feels gross. But of course I am lucky my results were so good so I feel like a bit of an *ss complaining

[LexieCat]

Did you call the surgeon? What did they say?

Hey, even if something isn't dangerous it can still be unpleasant/icky. Hope it resolves soon.

Try not to avoid coughing--they told me it's very important to keep the lungs clear. Be sure to do your breathing exercises, too. Get some good, thick absorbent pads for any liquid. This WILL pass.

[Jesse L.]

I hope it clears up for you... But LexieCat is right; you need to cough and keep those lungs active. I hope it gets better soon... By all means take care!

[BridgetO]

You've gotten some good advice from Lexicat. If you need really absorbent pads, try some incontinence pads. They are much cheaper than large bandage pads and absorb more. I had training to be a Neighborhood Emergency Team member (NET, in some places called CERT) and the trauma medicine trainer recommended this kind of pad for big wounds. They're not sterile, but come individually wrapped and are pretty clean, I think.

[Cin]

The additional stitch finally took hold. All stitches come out tomorrow. I am still trying to lightly cough, but am not holding or in.

Thanks for the comments