Hematoma around expander? Cause?? Let's say HUGE!!

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snobordkykmom
snobordkykmom Member Posts: 33
edited June 2014 in Managing Side Effects of Breast Cancer and Its Treatment

Hey ladies! Major worry here.  Has anyone had or heard of this bizarre side effect and a cause other than the two he has mentioned??

Background:Diagnosis IBC early Dec. 2011. Chemo went fine.16 wks--Dec-April. Surgery with 750 +/- expander not too bad in May, up and doing stuff in a week.  Radiation 8wks July/August SUCKED BIG TIME last two weeks. Swelling/skin opened up like a watermelon.  They said swelling was normal and would go down--oh, sometime. Scan showed it was IN the tissues. End of August at end of radiation, plastic surgeon drained 60 ml of saline to relieve pressure.  Lasted a week, went back up, and didn't go down anymore on own.  "Could take a coupla months, but skin, everything looks fine,"in September.  Hard as a rock, under armpit gets rubbed a lot, etc.

NOW it gets hairy/scary.   Went back Dec.6 for more saline drain to relieve pressure and he took out 240cc dark red liquid from surrounding the expander. (I DID crash snowboarding over Thanksgiving, and trashed my ribs but heh it was worth it, and it just made it hurt more swelling was already there.)  Three nights of decent sleep, but by Tues 10th IT'S BACK!!!  

Went last night 18th and he drained 250cc of the same dark stuff, no clots, no pus. Sent in to lab for cultures and did blood sample. Waiting for cultures, but lab came back normal whiteblood count (7.0) and normal SED (sedimentation) rate of 11. WHAT THE H___???  He's talking infection(doesn't look like it) or cancer cells lining area and giving off gunk(sure hope not).  Anyone??  Calling Radiation dr., breast surgeon, and chemo oncologist today to make sure they are all in the loop and offering their wisdom.  

You guys have seen it all.  How about this?? Any ideas??

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  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 16,818
    edited December 2012

    Snobord no experience here but could it just be your body still trying to heal from the rads, expander etc and creating the serum that the body naturally creates to help keep a wound clean. I'm saying that as it sounds like the liquid that I had drained after my drains were removed too soon..............just a thought.



    Love n hugs. Chrissy

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  • snobordkykmom
    snobordkykmom Member Posts: 33
    edited December 2012

    chrissyb-- Thanks for your input.  I'm hoping it is something like that, or I popped loose something doing any of my crazy activities.  When we thought it was swelling IN the tissues, it was just a big aggravation, but not worried, cause they said 3 - 6 months for healing.  But having that much in a giant pool around the expander was not expected.  Hoping for some better intel. soon from those that should know what's going on.  He said it was "old blood," as it wouldn't clot. No yellow serum look to it at all.

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