breast infection

everyminute

I finishied radiation 3 weeks ago - had bilateral mast and had breast exchange in Dec to silicone.  I have slight truncal lymphedema on ca side.  My skin faired very well during radiation.

Fast forward to Monday night - I wake up in the middle of the night like I have the flu, skin is crawling, achy, and my right breast and under arm hurt.  Tuesday it is worse.  Wednesday I notice skin on breast is red and hot.  By Thursday am I felt better but had a scheduled onc. appt - she prescriebed Keflex thinking it may be a skin infection (rad onc came in too and said it could be)  NEither seemed alarmed.

After two doses of anitbiotics - no more pain and no more redness (I think it was already getting better before antibiotics)

Sound like cellulitis?  I am very afriad of losing my implant (well, I am afraid of so much but that is on the list).  Aside from completing my course of antibiotics is there anything else I can or should do?  Any idea why this happened (I did fly on a plane from TX last week with no arm issues and have been running more, also have been massaging more vigourously since radation was done)?

Please tell me this could just be a one time thing.....

Binney4

Hi, Stella,

Hey, this could just be a one time thing -- really!

And on the other hand, of course...

There are things that will help.  Do finish the prescribed antibiotics. Not sure why you're massaging vigorously, but lymphedema massage is VERY gentle, always. Have you seen a well-trained lymphedema therapist? Did she show you how to do the Manual Lymph Drainage massage? Did she talk about compression to control all swelling? If not, that's a really important place to start. Lymph is unfortunately bacteria super-food, so keeping the swelling down is your first defense. Also, keeping the skin really well moisturized is important to avoid tiny cracks that can allow bacteria to enter.

I do hear you on the fears, but a visit or two (or refresher visit) with a really good lymphedema therapist should take the fear level down a few notches. If you need help finding one, here's a page to help:

http://www.stepup-speakout.org/Finding_a_Qualified_Lymphedema_Therapist.htm

And here's a page about infections and other emergencies:

http://www.stepup-speakout.org/Emergencies_and_Medical_Care_lymphedema.htm

Take good care! And do keep us posted.
Hugs!
Binney

everyminute

I have met with a le specialist and she showed me massage - I only have minor swelling next to right breast that I try to massage once a day.

I was massaging my breast because I had a bilatareal and then radiation and was hoping to break up scar tissue - didnt mean to hurt myself!!!  :-o 

I also flew to tx and back last week and carried heavy bags, etc

My skin looks great and the redness and heat and chills are already gone (never did have swelling though since I had a mast there isnt anything to swell I guess!)  Hopefully it never happens again but I will be much more gentle iwth the massaging from now on.

KPolasek

I had a case of cellulitis .... felt like the flu ... never ran a temp but felt like it ..... my skin was hot, red, a rash and very painful.  My trained lymphedema therapist said:  Never vigoriously massage the skin.  And DO NOT massage the skin that was affected by the radiation ..... you could do some damage.  I didn't know that .... my radiation onc nurse said massage so I massaged .... too hard.  Lymphatic system is just under the skin in most areas ... except, I think they go deep in the stomach area.   Oh .... and if you have a case of cellulitis (skin infection) my LE therapist said that I am not never massage during the antibiotic course and wait until 6 - 10 days after you have completed the antibiotics.  This is very important I think because you could cause the infection to spread.

 Blessings,

Kay

everyminute

Thanks, Kay. 

The massage is the only thing I can attibuite it too - I was also told to MASSAGE to break up scar tissue and prevent CC of my implant.  I never thought about the lymphedema issue honestly and my doc didnt even call it cellulitis - she called it a skin infection but after I got home I put it all together and figured that had to be it.    I told someone on Monday that I felt great and had no side effects of radiaiton and then by Wednesday my breast hurt so bad I could feel the implant touching me!  All of that is gone now.  skin looks great and all that is left is my shoulder is a bit tight.  I will keep taking antibiiotics and PRAY that it doesnt happen again and I dont lose this implant (mostly because I really just dont want more surgeries or doc appts!)

KPolasek

Some days .... I just want to cut the thing off ..... I only kept it because of husband (he didn't say not to remove), didn't want to face a larger surgery, or be lopsided.  I had no clue that radiation might cause yet another problem.  I thought I would be lucky and not have to worry about lymphadema snce I only had one lymph node removed (no cancer).,

Take care of yourself. 

Blessings,

K

sparker

K,

I know exactly how you feel.. I wish I too had it cut of and strangely enough it was a very similar reason I didnt get it cut off either..  We didnt really discuss it enough and then time just flies by and before you know it you are going for the radiotherapy.  I never thought that the breast would get any bigger. I was big enough before (an E cup). I thought they were taking tissue away it would get smaller not bigger.