REPEATED BREAST INFECTION AFTER SURGERY AND RADIATION THERAPY

I had 2 infections so far since my surgery in 7/08.  The first one showed it's ugly face right after my first dose of a/c.  yes, i did need a drain reinserted aswell as iv abx for a few days then over to an oral abx.  I was on that for almost 3wks. the 2nd infection started right before radiation.  my onc sent me for a chest ct and you could see the fluid filled infection site lateral to my implant.  Again I was placed on oral antibiotics for at least 3 weeks.  The surgeon tried to asperate the area to send for a culture and sensitivity, but stuck my expander instead (I think he felt worse than I did).  I think if I were you and this keeps reoccuring, 1. I would ask for a CT to check for any pockets of infection, 2. I f there is a visible pocket, I would ask for an US guided needle aspiration (so not to hit your expander), that way the fluid could be sent for culture and sensitivities (what's growing and what antibiotic works on it), and 3.  If the above two are not possible, maybe you need a different antibiotic for a longer period of time.  Also did your surgeon use ALLODERM when doing your reconstruction?  They are looking into whether this may be causing many of the infections they are seeing out here in MA.  Keep me informed  good luck

Have you asked the surgeon to put you on a different antibiotic? I had 4 rounds of infections/antibiotics after rads, and we finally switched to a different drug, which finally cleared things up.

Poor little boob took months to heal, but I haven't had an infection for 4 months, and the holes (they put gauze in to encourage internal healing) finally healed last month.

Just don't ignore it; keep calling for those antibiotics.

Take care of yourself. Hope you don't feel too crummy.

The way my rad onc, who was sort of responsible for my having an infection (never have mammosite without antibiotics) feels kind of guilty and is very good at giving me explanations. Evidently, irradiated tissue has prettty much lost its mind, and just isn't very good at fixing itself right after rads. That's why our docs hate this so much. All they can do is keep switching antibiotics, and hoping that they find the right combo to beat this.

I know of at least one person who's had to have a mastectomy, they just couldn't clear it up. This is the exception, though. Most people heal fine. But this is serious.

So, keep taking those vitamins with your antibiotics, get plenty of rest, and eat your veggies.

This is to all of you who had a lumpectomy. Is your doctor really sure it is an infection and not edema? I too had a red swollen, painful breast after surgey, and my surgeon told me it was edema from the SNB not an infection, and it eventually would go away.

HiI had exactly the same problem, tomorrow I am having surgery to remove the ducts. Hugs

Dawn.x