Infection. Small amount of seeping through tiny hole of suture..

Artista928

After a week on 2 strong abx, I thought I was doing well. Things looked so much better. Went in for follow up and there is a very small amount of fluid that comes out of a hole the size of a pin on the suture line under my left implant, the side that was radiated badly. I have silicone implants that were put in from te's back in Dec, so I don't even know how I got infected this far out. Put neosporin on it and covered it with gauze. Told me to keep it clean, neosporin and gauze over it at all times.

Go back on Thurs am to see if it healed on it's own and if so no need to remove implant. If not, already has me as no food or drink after midnight on Wed.

Anyone go through this? Did you heal in just under 2 days, tiny hole? I'm thinking if 1 is coming out, take the other too. It's summer. I don't want flat on left and C cup on right. Plus I can't stand the thought of assymetry. Already the right is lower than the left and a bit too far to the right for my liking. We were talking symetry sx on the right before this happened. It's 6 mo min before he'd put any back in.

Would Medicare cover both removal, even though right has no medical issues---since it's part of my bc dx and not cosmetic alone which they don't cover? TIA!

Meadow

I too had this happen, inflection in implant, oozing out of incision. My feelings are you will have to have your implant out, and heal up. Then try again with the implant. But hoping I am wrong. I too had rads on that side. The tissue just is not the same, healing can be very difficult. Asymmetry is not preferred, but you can get very very sick with what you are describing. I did. Untreated, it can kill you. I do not say this to scare you. What does your doctor say?

Artista928

Thanks Meadow. It's a tiny hole. Was your tiny? Like pin size? PS didn't say anything other than keep clean and keep covered with gauze. Breast otherwise isn't red and I don't have a fever. On Thurs am I go for the verdict. Tiny hole not closed up then it's out the implant comes that day. Did you have your implant put back in after healted up?

sas-schatzi

Aristra Sorry for your troubles. Did he culture it? After culture.....Ask for a silver alginate dressing poked in the hole with a sterile tipped apillicator which is then covered with a dry sterile dressing. Then wait for the culture to come back

Artista928

No culture. He just pressed on it to assess the seepage. I went in last Tues with an angry red breast where he said infection and gave me 2 strong abx. He just cleaned it, put antibiotic on it and gauze. I have a feeling he's thinking it's coming out. I've had infection issues before so this isn't new for me, mild on the left after exchange sx and the right one (non tumor side) when I had te's in. Seems my body likes to become infected.

Meadow

sorry for the delay, yes, the hole was small. I did not get the implant put back in, my PS said not untill I heal up. Too risky to put a foreign object there. How are you now?

Artista928

So on check last Thurs, he wasn't alarmed to say needs to come out now. Got me started on second course of the same 2 abx which ends this Sun. Went in today thinking it looks the same and has me going back next Mon. He wants me to have finished these abx and see. Meanwhile if it increases, is darker yellow, has an odor or the breast gets red again and wont subside after a day or 2 then I'm to call to go in. So I'm continuing hydrogen peroxide cleaning, neosporin and gauze (on at all times).

When did you have yours removed? My PS says min 6 mo before he'll put it back in. And he'd also adjust the right one which is lower noticeable at the same time. This waiting is driving me nuts. But yet I'm relieved I'm not recovering from sx today.

Meadow

I agree with sas, wondering why he hasnt cultured it. I had mine removed in January. Yes I was told to wait 6 mo before he would put another one in.

Artista928

He knows it's infection because of the signs I presented before the leak. He's never done culture even with my last infection in Sept 2015. I didn't think to ask. The skin looks better than I went in with so it's just this seepage that needs to stop and hole close. Are you going to put it back in in June/July? Are you all healed up? Are you wearing a prosthetic bra for symmetry. I think I read somewhere Medicare would cover it. Thanks

esposny

i have been battling this issue for almost 3 years now. the problem with a hole is bacteria is allowed to seep in and well as drainage out. i wound up extruding after going through all the antibiotics and had to of course then have the implant removed and wait the 6 months. i was also radiated on that side. after 3 tries of TE with subsequent failed implants, i had a lat flap which i was trying to avoid initially. i am so glad i did. no issues so far. my radiated tissue just did not want to heal which is what was causing recovery issues. the lat flap allowed for new tissue with an alternate blood supply to be moved forward and replace the compromised tissue. i think i look great considering what i had to go through and my symmetry is much better than expected. i am recovering from fat grafting now. there is a light at the end of the tunnel. good luck!

Meadow

esposny, I did the same, recovering now from lat flap. If you have infection draining, in my non medical opinion, you should have the implant out. But, you are under the care of a doctor, which is more important than my opinion. My best wishes to you for continued recoveey

Artista928

Thanks ladies. I'm not holding my breath that this will resolve itself. Not sure if I'm a candidate for flap sxs since I am obese and those are more invasive and can cause infection moreso than with an implant. Seems I'm infection prone with my history.

Artista928

What a nice turn around tonight! Every gauze change I've seen light yellow fluid. Sometimes it's a little and other times it's more. Non stop. Tonight I go to change my gauze and notice it's the lowest yet! Before I wipe I feel around and it's dry! Seems the hole is closed or is getting close and I won't have to have the implant taken out! Oh man.

If I see it either remains like this or is gone then I'm bringing my guinea pig home from the vet that's been boarding her since last Wed at $25 a day. I have quite a tab now. She has a follow up there on Fri that I'm going to go for and if things look like this or better, she's coming home with me. I was always dreading the gauze change because I could see some yellow off the bat but now I'm looking forward to it!

Artista928

Up very early to check on dressing. Damn. Still a little yellow but light like it was last night. So it's not completely done. I felt around before putting gauze on it and it was dry. It used to be I could feel a little fluid. So that part is good. I guess we'll see.

Bluebirdgirl

Arista, I am battling an infection that is a small hole. Exchange was 3/21. For infection about 3 weeks afterwards in left breast. On antibiotics, I thought i was better, when all of a sudden last Saturday I fell ill, body aches, chills, fever, fast heart rate. Went to ER. Long story there, but they were a joke. Was to see my PS Monday but was too sick for the hour and a half drive. Went to see my primary doc and she looked at labs from the ER visit and said you have an infection!! She took a culture (first one ever done) and it grew pseudomonas. She is changing my clindamycin to cipro. I have had to take this week off work. I see my PS Monday and hoping he doesn't say it needs to come out. I am running out of sick/vacay time. But I don't want to end want to end up with sepsis either. So I think it's important to get it cultured so you know what you are dealing with. Will be glad when this nightmare is over. Good luck to you

Artista928

Sorry to hear BlueBirdGirl. Wow.

I started with a really red breast so he knew infection and gave me 2 strong abx. I've been through this 2 x before with him. It was a week later when I went it and it looked real good until I said I feel a little fluid. I'm thinking the infection is gone and the leak that's coming out isn;t infected- that I"m staying on abx to prevent the possibility until this hole closes on it's own. He does prophylactic too if it could help the situ. I'm doing the hydrogen peroxide/neosporin/gauze on at all times routine. I trust this guy as he's very good so I'd feel weird at this stage where it looks better than ever to say why not culture it. My abx are done on Sun. I see him on Mon. He's not going to give me a third course of any abx. If he thinks it's on it's way then he'll give it another week. If not then it comes out.

I'll think of you on Mon as that's when I see my PS too. Long weekend ahead, huh. I'm just looking forward to seeing my fuzzy buddy tomorrow at her vet and most likely I'll bring her home unless I see things go real south and Mon sx is a real possibility.

((hugs)) to you. Let me know how it goes.

Bluebirdgirl

Thanks, Arista 😊 I'll be thinking of you Monday as well, please check back in and post about your visit. Hope you get to see your fuzzy friend

Artista928

Will do. I see her tomorrow at her follow up with the vet for her infection and stone issue. Definitely will keep this thread posted, and you too. Hope to read good news for you on Mon.

Artista928

Seems I have good news! Yesterday I had almost unnoticeable drainage on the gauze all day. Took a shower early eve and didn't bother changing the gauze so ps could see what it looks like after all that time. He thinks it could very well be closed but is having me keep a clean gauze over it in case it starts up again and also to keep it dry from possible sweat, esp since we will be close to 90 by weeks end. So he sees me next Mon. If all is well now then it's a month before he'll go in and do the lift to make the right match the left. It's noticeable how much lower the right is. Medicare better pay for it as it's part of the bc dx and it's a fed law. We'll see I guess.

After the appt I drove an hour to pick up my fuzzy girl. All this wait and see and boarding her, NPO before each visit just in case along with her med issues tallied up to a mere $570! I already spent $500 last month for her complete exam and some pricey tests since I did find some blood on the fleece. I'm off abx effective today but until the UA w/ culture comes back clear, still need to give my guinea pig abx 2 x a day. Poor thing has been gone for 12 days and doesn't quite know what to expect. She' been in her igloo all day. I'm sure once I announce it's her dinner salad time she'll be out in a second!

Not the clearest/best pic, but here she is before all this happened in her begging stance, giving me the stare down to get to the kitchen asap for her veggies!

Artista928

Well, after more than a full day of no sign of yellow, it came back a bit tonight. Ah! So I guess we'll see next Mon. Will have my girl's bags packed again Mon am before the appt in case I'm off to drop her off at the vet again. Jeebus.

Meadow

Arista, I am concerned that your wound is closing with infection in your pocket. So you may see some improvement, then setbacks. From what I understand, it is very hard to get rid of infection that surround the implant. Keep us posted.

Your pet is precious!

Artista928

Thanks Meadow. He thinks it's just lymph fluid that's coming out as there are no signs of infection ever since my red breast resolved. I'm using hydrogen peroxide daily to keep suture line clean with gauze over it. This thing is draining, pun intended.

mustlovepoodles

i love your guinea pig! He's adorable. My DD raised gerbils for about 12 years and I was so surprised at how much personality the little rodents had, and how different each one was. We even took 9 gerbils with us on a 6,000 mile cross-country RV trip.

Bluebirdgirl

Hi, Arista! Hope your wound is doing better. Mine has closed, today is last day of my cipro antibiotics and I am so hoping the infection doesn't return. My doctor recommended bacitracin on my wound. Did your doc say to use hydrogen peroxide? I have heard that may not be good, and either is neosporin. Good luck to you. Your little pet is adorable!!

Artista928

Thanks mustlovepoo- She is a doll. Rodents are the underdogs in the pet world. She has a lot of personality and is much fun.

Bluebirdgirl- Yay! Glad yours has closed. On Mon I went in and ps thought mine could very well be closed but set me up for a follow up for this Mon. Sadly Mon night is started again. Only Wed I had a clean gauze all day. So keep checking as it seems it can open again esp on a radiated breast tissue. And yes, ps said neosporin is fine. It's an antibiotic cream/ointment that works just as well as one that is rx'd. The hydrogen peroxide I'm doing on my own. It's warm weather here and He doesn't want any sweat under here so I clean the entire suture line with it then gauze it up. I'll see what he says on Mon about it but I can't see how it would hurt since we apply this to cuts. Hope it holds up for you!

Bluebirdgirl

Bluebirdgirl

I found this article, I would ask your doctor about the hydrogen peroxide. Hope your follow-up visit goes well. Today is first day with no antibiotics! Kind of nervous

melmcbee

Artista and Bluebird girl. I agree with Meadow. Yall are on antibiotics which could be controlling not killing the infection. You need the strong iv antibiotics maybe. If that hole heals and there is any infection in there it will start to grow after you get off the antibiotics. Also be careful. You should be more concerned with whats getting into the hole than whats coming out. Make sure hands are clean when touching it. I went thru this nightmare and know how stressful it is. Gentle hugs and prayers

Bluebirdgirl

Thanks, Melmcbee! I am VERY paranoid about it returning. I am still keeping a nonstick bandage with bacitracin over it. If the cipro doesn't work, i will have to be on IV antibiotics because those are the only ones my pseudomonas was sensitive to. It really IS a nightmare

Artista928

Thanks bluebirdgirl. I'll mention it to him tomorrow about they hydrogen peroxide and won't put anymore on. I haven't been taking showers every day so I figured I'd keep it clean this way. I've been off abx for a week now. The drainage color and such looks the same as does my rad breast area. But I hear ya on the scared.

In another thread one lady said for her tiny hold leak when it didn't close that her ps took the implant out, cleaned the area and put it back in. It didn't work for her in the end but if tomorrow's convo starts heading to removal, I will ask for this as last ditch before the 6 mo removal and start all over with the TE fills. Ugh. I wish I was a candidate for the flap. My BMI is way too high (37) and as such in ps experience I'd have more problems with infections. I've already been infected 3 times, once with TEs, one short run after perm implant sx and now this. I still wonder if it's infected. I would think I'd have at least one of the symptoms like fever, warm/hot area, pain...something. My ps said no more neosporin. I didn't ask why but I will tomorrow and ask if he thinks I'm infected. I never did ask him as the focus has been on the hole so I'm thinking he thinks no infection, just a hole that won't close where lymph fluid is leaking a bit.

Thanks melmcbee. I always wash hands before doing the dressing change. It's very disheartening for sure. You go through all the sucky txs and complications with the only thing to look forward to is looking and feeling like a woman, at least for me. Not ready to throw in the towel with implants and will fight hard even if I have to go through TEs again.

As always the night before the follow up appt, it will be a long one.

Artista928

Here is this week's gauzes. Feel free to skip this if you would rather not see. The only day where there was zero was Wed though some other days it's hard to see anything in the photos.