Seroma Advice

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DeeBee
DeeBee Member Posts: 20
edited June 2014 in Lymphedema
I am not sure if this is the right place to post this but I have been reading on the boards that seroma could be connected somehow to lymphedema so I figured I would ask here.  My surgeon drained a small seroma this evening.  I am wondering if those of you with experience with this have any advice for how to prevent that happening again.  I am not quite 2 weeks after a lumpectomy and SNB with 3 nodes removed. 
Thanks again for the good advice on these boards. 
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  • jo1955
    jo1955 Member Posts: 8,543
    edited March 2011

    DeeBee - I had my lumpectomy Aug 31, 2010 and have had 3 seromas aspirated since then.  The first one was 2 weeks post op and was quite large.  Have had 2 small ones since and am going back to my surgeon on Thurs for another one.  My BS said these could happen for months to years after surgery and there is no way to prevent them.  Just have them aspirated each time.  

    I have had no problems whatsoever with lymphedema just the numbness from the SNB.  Each person has a different experience and I have found every BS has a different opinion.  The information can be somewhat confusing when you start comparing notes with others.

    I would talk to your surgeon about this and see what he/she says.

    Best of luck to you. 

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  • DesignerMom
    DesignerMom Member Posts: 1,464
    edited March 2011

    DeeBee-  I had seromas (large golf ball size) drained twice after surgery.  I was astonished that I felt nothing when they did it.  The fluid never accumulated after that and I haven't had problems since.  My armpit was totally numb for a few months, but the feeling is slowly coming back.  I have had a lymphedema evaluation and there is no problem, both arms are equal.  If you have any concerns about lymphedema, I would see a PT certified in lymphedema.  My surgery was May 2010.  Good luck.

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  • pejkug3
    pejkug3 Member Posts: 902
    edited March 2011

    My seroma broke open a small place in my incision.  Three times.  The first it just steadily dripped.  The other two times it literally sprung a leak!  One of those times, it soaked the hand towel I held over it.  Bad, bad...ugh.

     I'm too new here to address the lymphedema issue.  My lumpectomy was 1/27.  So far, no issues though.

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  • LeapFrog39
    LeapFrog39 Member Posts: 101
    edited March 2011

    I had a persistent seroma for 18 months, that had to be aspirated over a dozen times. It finally resolved and hasn't come back. I have stage 1 LE in both arms, but I had a full axillary node dissection on one side and had 10 lymph nodes removed from the other. I am also significantly overweight which is a contributing factor.  All that being said, I have found it to be easier to control the LE with regular exercise and especially weight training. LE is annoying, but  is manageable, especially if it's addressed early on.

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  • sharalou
    sharalou Member Posts: 223
    edited March 2011

    I've had my seroma drained 3 times (as we speak, the drain is in), HATE IT. It is so uncomfortable. I am having my port removed next Friday, and my bs is going to do sclerotherapy procedure on the seroma. Where they go in clean in out (remove it), and inject an antibotic. Mine got really big and uncomfortable. She put this recent drain in on Monday, and there is very little drainage coming out. I am also very numb in this area. Had a left mastectomy 6 years ago, and never had a problem. Just had a right (10-10), and all this shit is happening.

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  • kira66715
    kira66715 Member Posts: 4,681
    edited March 2011

    Sharalou, it sounds like a nightmare. Let us know how we can help. Hope things settle down soon.

    Kira

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  • Binney4
    Binney4 Member Posts: 8,609
    edited March 2011

    Aaaaaugh, Sharalou!Surprised You must be SO tired of this. Really looking forward with you to getting this over with at last. Let us know how it goes.

    Be well,
    Binney

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