Seromas

labhusky

Has anyone had one of these things & been operated on for them? I had a left mastectomy in April. A month later or so, I got one. I've had it aspirated, it recently leaked so bad I went to the ER. No infection & since I saw my surgeon within the week, they let me go. If so how did the surgery go?

I'm currently on chemo and I really don't want to disrupt the cycle. Tomorrow I go for my 4th treatment, and have 2 more after that with the actual chemo drug (taxotere), then 6 more with the immunity drugs for her2+.

I actually saw the surgeon today (the ER was Sunday). I'm so tired of this and am doing pretty good with chemo & I don't want a hiatus. I'm afraid it might lose its oomph if I have to put it on pause.

At least the Seroma isn't infected. I had radiation on that side when I had DCIS in 2007. That's the reason the surgeon tells me why I'm having some trouble.

Mamamule

I'm having a bit of a problem with seroma. I had bmx on June 5, and drains came out a couple weeks later. Although I wore my binder for 5 weeks, I had small amounts of fluid build on each side -- 2 separate aspirations of approximately 10cc each. Yesterday I had to go in because my left side only was filling up, and they aspirated out 50cc!

I've probably been a bit more active than I should, but I haven't begun running or anything yet. Possible reasons for the larger problem on the left side are because I'm left-handed (and therefore using that side more), or because that's the side that began radiation 2 weeks ago. In any case, I'm supposed to wear my binder again for another week. I have a soft cotton cami underneath it to try and avoid bothering my radiated skin. I'm going on vacation in a few days and know I won't wear it the whole time then. I want to be out doing things, and wearing normal clothes that fit while doing them! I feel like I've "already done surgery" and shouldn't be dealing with this. But of course, that's not how things actually work.

I imagine you can't wear a binder if you've only had one side removed, but possibly they gave you an alternative? They did tell me to try and restrict my arm movement again, so possibly that will help you. I can understand not wanting to disrupt chemo! Best of luck to you.

Ringelle

Curious if either of you have any updates on your seromas. I had a bmx on Aug 13 and within 2 weeks I got seromas in both sides. One of my drains malfunctioned and the other the bs pulled (probably a bit too early) I feel like I have mini boobs. At the 2 wk follow up BS put me in ace bandages and told me he'd see me in 6 months! I'm at a loss as to how long this will go on and when/if I should contact someone. One side seems to be doing better but my right almost seems to be getting bigger. BS says he doesn't want to aspirate because he doesn't want to risk infection. I did see the PS this week and he was wondering what the plan is to watch/deal with these things! He put the binder on me again and also sent me home. It's only been 3 weeks but I'm lost!

Jo6202

Hi, I had a lumpectomy and then a re excision two years ago. I had a seroma the size of my hand and it is now the size of a walnut. My bs said she did not want to aspirated it because it would just fill with fluid again and also a chance of infection. My MO and RO agreed and don't seem concerned. They all say my body will re absorb the fluid and the reason it is taking so long is because of scar tissue that has formed. Went for physical with primary care physician and she is concerned from a scan that it is a hematoma. Ge'ez who to trust!

Jerseygirl927

hi all, I am new, my surgery was January, had 4 aspiration because of fluid build up, last one was ? June? I have a hard seroma on my right side, BS was not too concerned, said she would cut it out if it bothered me, sometimes it does, I know it's there, but am wondering if these things shrink down to nothing eventually, ? I really don't cherish the thought of another surgery! I'll take a walnut, this is the size of my palm, and it is tender.

glennie19

Has your surgeon suggested using compression to help the fluid reabsorb? EAB Medical has breast binders that might be helpful for that if your surgeon thinks it's a good idea. Can fluid still be aspirated?

labhusky

Thank you for your suggestion. My surgeon was having me wrap an ace bandage around it which I didn't care for. When I went back about a week ago after staying out for awhile, he said that they were shrinking and he didn't aspirated it. It still sure drains though. I'm off the taxotere and my Drs are thinking that perhaps that will help with my healing. I'm going to order some stuff off that website figuring that might help since they are smaller. They're sure messy things!!!!

glennie19

are you exercising? I know when I had mine, that a lot of movement seems to "fill it up" more. Take it easy,,,and hopefully with the compression, you will see a difference. Best of luck!

wrmbrownie

I have a very large one. Surgery was in late July. I'm in radiation now. They're telling me that they dint want to worry with it right now because it might get infected. Do they all reabsorb?

mustlovepoodles

I had a HUGE hematoma after my first lumpectomy which held 500ml, about 16 ounces of blood (not even kidding.) So, now I have a HUGE seroma following my second lumpectomy. I went in last Tuesday for the BS to evacuate it and she took out 305ml (10+ ounces). Thursday night, the edge of my incision opened up and the fluid came pouring out like a small river. I went into to see the BS again Friday afternoon and when she touched the incision, fluid came out gushing like a fountain! Needless to say, there was no point in trying to measure the volume. She just mashed on my breast until the river slowed to a trickle, and then put a big absorbent bandage on it. At this point, she doesn't think it's going to improve on its own and she doesn't want to keep needling it , so she wants me to come in on Tuesday to place a drain in it. In the meantime, I'm mashing it every day prior to my shower to keep it relieved as much as I can.

<le sigh> I have never seen anything like this. And I forgot the best part--AIR is coming out like little polite "poots." I'm just shaking my head.

upstater15

This seroma business is absolutely awful...I developed one in my arpmit directly underneath my SNB incision about 8 days post lx/snb--putting so much pressure on it, it's killing me. Getting back to my surgeon is a 2.5 hour trip (other dr's are local, but BS is at a major cancer center), but was told the surgeon (or someone from his office) has to drain it. It's so bad that I'm willing to take the 5 hour round trip tomorrow to get it drained, despite having to do the trip again 4 days later for my post-op appt. No way I can tough it out until then. To all those who are dealing with a seroma, I feel your pain...

Jerseygirl927

upstarter , ask your surgeon to give you a script. For your local radiologist, they also do this draining, my breast surgeon was over 1 hour away, and mine has been drained several times with the radiologist. They can also send the fluid away for biopsy to make sure it is not lymphadema

upstater15

thanks for the tip, Jerseygirl...

tangandchris

I had huge problems with seroma on my left side that seemed to just never end. I had it drained then had drains put in, then I eventually had surgery to fix it. Mine was more complicated, I was dealing with an infection at the same time that would just not go away....it was all a freaking nightmare!! It hurt like hell too, ended up in the hospital over the infection/seroma a few times and that required IV antibiotics and morphine.

I don't think mine was a typical case though, everything about my surgery was atypical.

I hope the seroma clears up for you soon. I know normally they are supposed to reabsorb...and I agree that if you are in pain get some meds!

((hugs))

wrmbrownie

Mine feels huge. I have one in my breast and I realized today how it feels...for those who have nursed a baby...it feels like it's engorged and swollen (painful!) Ugh!

cider8

I also has a script for the radiologist to drain my seroma 4 times. My surgeon was out of state. The pain of a seroma outweighs the risk of infection from draining, in my opinion

Jerseygirl927

has anyone had a hard seroma drained? Or can it be drained? , mine is pretty solid with fluid around it.

Ringelle

I had a BMX 9/13. My right side developed a seroma about 4 days after the drain was removed. My bs put me in ace bandages and I wore them for over two weeks with no reduction in the size. BS finally agreed to aspirate and took 300 ml out. Within a few days it filled again. This time isn't as large but I still know it's there. It isn't painful but it is uncomfortable. I'm trying to figure out if I should ask BS to aspirate again or just let it go.

Jerseygirl927

I wore the ace bandage for about 4 days on one day off again and again. The left side is fairly normal but the right side is hard and there is fluid too, guess will try a fifth draining. Have never had infection so it's done sterile at radiology, will keep you posted.

Ringelle

Jerseygirl - do you request the draining or does the doctor say he'll drain. I don't know what I should do!

knittingPT

I had my seroma from my lumpectomy/axillary node dissection drained about 4 times and it kept coming back (but not as much fluid as initially). It got bigger with the inflammation from radiation and is now (about six weeks out out from radiation) slowly starting to resorb. I had my annual mammo today and they did an ultrasound of that area just to check on it and they said I had a hematoma/seroma still but not to worry about it. For me, compression and the manual lymph drainage that the PT taught me seems to help the most. But, the fluid is still there (I had my surgery in april).

Ringelle

Ugh - I've only had this one drained once. I feel like a wimp - it shouldn't bother me as much as it does. I wouldn't say it causes pain but it does cause a weird discomfort. I'm so tired of being bound up all the time. I'm going tomorrow to be fitted for prosthesis and I'm hoping this stupid thing doesnt get in the way.

Jerseygirl927

mine would not fit me till all swelling and wounds healed. I am real close to having another drainage due to fluid still under the seroma, at night it fills daily.

mustlovepoodles

Just wanted to update my seroma experience--

After having the seroma tapped twice, I woke up on a Sun morning with a fever over 103. Called the BS and got antibiotic. Saw the BS the next day and she tapped the seroma once again and--OMG, the stuff that came out! There was a 1/2" open area in my incision that was draining constantly. So she put in a drain and has been seeing me about ever 3 days.

At this point I have been on one antibiotic or another for 10 days. The fluid that is in my drain has cleared up so that it looks normal. Today the BS put looked at the open area--the edges are healing on itself. She put in 4 stitches, but warned me that if the edges don't seal she may need to take me back to surgery and NOBODY wants that! The drain is still putting out about 50ml per day and she wants it be a LOT less than 30ml before she will take it out. Let me say, having a drain is a PITA.

Ringelle

MLP - doesn't sound fun at all! I hope you get some relief soon! I'm curious - did your BS use glue or what kind of dressing/sutures do you have? For the life of me after my lumpectomies and bmx I couldn't imagine my incision opening or something leaking out - it all seemed glued down tight so to speak!

I finally emailed my BS today about my concern with my seroma coming back. Looks like I'll be going in tomorrow for ultra sound and aspiration #2. If it doesn't go away this time, atleast I'll have a couple days of relief!

Jillybee

I have a seroma in abdomen following DIEP last summer...mine became hard,had a capsule round it,sounds like yours.....now has gone into little pockets,due my third lot of surgery to try and remove it.

Hope you get on OK....

Jerseygirl927

MO suggested I see the lymphadema pt to see if She can give me some exercises to relieve fluid and help seroma to go down before I go for 5 th drainage. I blame myself cause the one breast was still putting out 20-30 ccs of fluid when she took them out. So don't rush it if your surgeon sas just a few more days...

corky60

I've had a seroma under the right arm for nearly 2.5 years. After being repeatedly told by the oncologist that it would drain, I went back to the surgeon. I've had two ultrasounds that show that the seroma is now encapsulated. From time to time it hurts. The surgeon has removed clear fluid from it five times with a fine needle. At times the fluid was pink and later it looked like lymphatic fluid--yellowish. The surgeon doesn't want to keep doing this and recommends surgery. He did a good job with the lumpectomy so I am going to have this surgery too. He doesn't expect anything bad and may clip off the vessel that keeps draining into the armpit right where the sentinel node used to be. I don't want to increase my chances for lymphedema but this seroma developed in the scar tissue from radiation and hurts, Oct. 21 is the day and is outpatient surgery.

Jerseygirl927

apparently it doesn't drain once it hardens, gonna try the exercises.

Jerseygirl927

went to my lymphadema therapist. She re-examined my seroma and noticed the hardening if this mass. She explained how they form, how they heal, etc, so we are doing some micro managing of manipulating the seroma to break it down without surgery, if this works, which the therapist is very positive that it should work, we will re examine again in 4,weeks from now to see if there is significant reduction. Keeping our fingers crossed. This solid seroma is not totally hardened inside yet, so she has great hopes

Ringelle

After 2 aspirations and about 6 weeks of binding, my seroma has finally subsided enough that I don't really notice it anymore! Thankfully that didn't last too long!