4 yrs later and still dealing with Lymphoma in breast

RobinLT

HI everyone, it’s been a few years since I was on here. That’s a good thing... means life is chugging along. I am probably healthier than I’ve been in years. I went Keto a year ago, lost 50 lbs, use a rowing machine daily (keeps me flexible and strong). So, here’s the deal. I had a large lymphoma after surgery. I don’t think of it often, but it is a harbinger of barometric change. Will swell and be sore before storms, etc. (Like my grannie’s knees.) But I recently spent a week in the Rockies and New Mexico. The darn lymphoma has come back with a vengeance and is painful, swollen and hard. Even after I’ve been home for ten days. I use ice on it, which helps. In the past, right after surgery, I had it drained several times, got quick relief, but it always filled back up. I’m not even sure which doc I would see for this. I no longer take meds, so don’t see my oncologist (who was basically my pill guy... not my boob guy.)

Any suggestions?

jhl

Hi Robin,

I'm a bit confused. Lymphoma is a hematologic malignancy. Are you speaking about a seroma, which is a collection of fluid?

RobinLT

Perhaps, I’m calling it the wrong thing. I thought my surgeon called it a lymphoma, but maybe it was seroma. It’s a pocket in my breast that never closed. It’s triggered and fills up with big weather changes, and now altitude changes. Is there a way to deal with a seroma that has hung on this long

ShetlandPony

Perhaps your doctor said Lymphedema?

RobinLT

I just need to call my surgeon and find out what it was that she drained. Reading/researching leads me to think it was a seroma. (I’ll be back.:0

choochoobella

RobinLT, I think you may be talking about a hematoma. For about 8 hours after my bilateral mastectomy surgery, I had violent vomiting in the hospital, a negative reaction to the anesthesia. That vomiting broke blood vessels that had been sutured in both breasts and I had problems with hematomas for about 6 months after surgery.

I had one hematoma drained twice and the other drained three times by my breast cancer surgeon. My surgeon would make an incision in the largest part of the hematoma in each breast and insert a tube into that area. Immediately, blood and fluid would pour out of the tube into a pan at the other end of the tube. She would massage the hematoma until no more fluid came out.

One breast had a hematoma so large it was bigger than a D cup. That was the third time my surgeon drained it. When I went home, it still felt large. Read the next part only if you like Dr. Pimple Popper type videos. My surgeon instructed me to take a long, hot shower and massage that boob stump when I got home. I did as instructed. After a few minutes, blood clots started shooting out of the small incision. It was like being a Fembot in the Austin Powers movies. I was shooting clots out in any desired direction. I was shocked at how many there were. It took about 30 minutes until no more came out and the stump was nearly flat. That hematoma was gone forever. RobinLT, it sounds like you may have something similar remaining in your breast. I would think you would need to see a breast cancer surgeon to hopefully get the hematoma fully drained for good. Good on you for all of the positive lifestyle changes!

RobinLT

Choochoobella, YES! HEMATOMA! That was the word! And your experience sounds similar to mine (2 drainings) before radiation, then I had to stop. The warm shower experience sounds EXTREMELY satisfying! Freaky but satisfying. (Yes, I love Dr Pimple Popper.)

Thanks, I need to go back to my BC surgeon and get something done. Even when it’s not full and swollen, it’s a hard-ish lump and sore.

RobinLT

Well good grief, just spoke to the surgeon, said she drained me for a seroma, but thatthis sounds more like a hematoma. Getting an ultrasound soon...

choochoobella

RobinLT,

Since your post, I've read all about hematomas and seromas and they manifest in similar ways. It sounds like the seroma you have remains problematic. If they can't get it to resolve with drainage/antibiotics, I read that they can do a small surgical procedure to remove the seroma for good. I'm so sorry you've been dealing with this complication for so long.

Choochoobella