Seroma six months after mastectomy

Sheanne

hi I was disgnosed with triple negative breast cancer April 28th 2016

had lumpectomy and sentinal nodes removed 31st may, chemo started 24th June ended October 28th 2016

I had my mastectomy January 13th 2017 all lymph nodes removed and tissue expander inserted, only one drainage bag attached and was able to go home the next day 🙂

Fluid build was pretty high one week Later, went back to consultant to have bag removed even though 350ml present they still went ahead, any way to cut a long story short fluid build up was a nightmare had to have it drained twice 400ml first time 450ml second time, still kept coming back, started radiotherapy in march and they advised not to have drained again until after radiotherapy finished.

22nd march radiotherapy finished

Appointment with my oncologist he advised it was too inflamed to drain and left it another three weeks, this opointment was then rescheduled another 2 weeks was added, I couldn't wait this long was too painful so contacted hospital, they arranged to have it drained a few days later but were unsuccessful, the fluid had now become loculated and had formed into a seroma

I was basically told that it would now have to heal itself 🙁 I was in so much pain for months popping painkillers like they were sweets The only positive thing was I looked like Id never had a mastectomy because the fluid was so constant, at one point my left boob looked smaller than the right missing boob ? Any way 6 months on and it is finally reducing but still not enough to inflate the tissue expander

Really fed up, now I'm starting to Notice that no matter what I wear I can see the difference in size I am doubtful they will still inflate the tissue expander maybe its to late now

I am having a deip reconstruction around about December but what's to say after reconstruction I will not have to go though all this fluid build up again, I'm so depressed And wondering was having the mastectomy even worth it🙁

Anyone else had fluid this long ?

did you go on to have a reconstruction (did fluid return)

soo_z-q

Hi

I had a lumpectomy and radiation in 2000. Simple. Then in 2015 the same breast developed a different type of breast cancer. I had a mastectomy then since I had already had radiation that's the only choice I was given. My surgeon does not remove the drains until the drainage is under 10 ml per day for 3 consecutive days. It never got that low so after about 30 days they removed the drain anyway. I developed some swelling which they drained twice. Then I irritated it in December 2015. Developed into a seroma (blood clot) . Had to have a 'mastectomy revision' to remove the seroma. This time also took about a month of draining but i did get down to @ 10ml/day for 3 days. Drains removed but I still had increased swelling over a period of time. By this time surgeons PA advised this was going to be my new normal and i needed to get used to it. My GP also felt this was "Normal". However swelling got so bad had it drained again at end of March 2017. It is now end of July and it has swollen up bigger than ever. It is hard and slightly to the side of where a boob would be so my arm rubs against it all the time. It is hard to get comfortable sleeping on that side. I am at my wits end because the dr doesn't want to drain it anymore. As I am over 70, I was not planning to have reconstruction and now due to healing issues I am not sure they'd even want to do one. I wish you the best of luck and suggest you get a second opinion on the swelling and don't rush reconstruction. Yes, the mastectomy was worth it. I sympathize with the depression. I have it occasionally too until I realize I'm really lucky compared to others. I hope my swelling reduces someday but it doesn't appear to want to go that direction at all. On the other hand, I've been told it's not life threatening so I am trying to learn to live with it...not always gracefully!

Moderators

Hi soo_z_q,

We want to welcome you to our community here at BCO! We're so sorry to hear that you're still dealing with this, we know how frustrating it can be. We hope you find support here, and that (fingers crossed!) it starts to resolve!

The Mods

Sheanne

hi soo_z_q although I now know that someone else is struggling with long term fluid it makes it a bit less worrying I really thought it was just me, i really feel for you I know how much it hurts and how restricting it is my swelling was also under the arm too, you sound so brave especially for your age my mum was 78 when she got breast cancer 3 years before I got diagnosed she Is now coming up to 4 years cancer free 🙂 I am so proud of her and how she still stays so positive she is now 82 and still out there socialising about 4 nights a week, I myself find it difficult to feel positive don't get me wrong I do really try but since the cancer I feel so old I'm 53 but I feel 80 I have to keep busy all the time because rest to me is more pain everything is such an effort I have osteoarthritis and my hands and feet hurt so much so even though in pain I have to keep active, I do however find that writing on here gets some of the negative feelings of my chest I never let my family know how I feel I hate the thought of people feeling sorry for me enough of my whining now, just wanted to say you remind me of my mum with your positive attitude and I hope you get better soon I think you should however push those doctors into getting that fluid sorted after all they talk us into having these procedures so should at least try to fix some of the problems that arise afterwards and they consider to be (normal), we the patients still suffering know that none of this is considered as normal 😕