can a seroma delay the start of chemo

Birchmore48
Birchmore48 Member Posts: 5

Hi. I had a lumpectomy on April 20 2016. An abscess then formed , antibiotics did not help , so had to have op to open wound for it to drained cleaned and packed . That seems to be healing nicely , but I now have a bit of a swelling about the lymph node wound. Breast clinic have said over the phone that it sounds like a seroma and unless it gets infected , is nothing to worry about .

My question is - I am due to see oncology nurses on Friday June 3 to find out when chemo will start . Will this seroma cause a problem with the start of treatment?

Should the breast ckknjc/ my surgeon or BC nurses 've doing anything to disperse this build up of fluid ?

Comments

  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited May 2016

    Hi Birchmore,

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  • Birchmore48
    Birchmore48 Member Posts: 5
    edited May 2016
  • 3-16-2011
    3-16-2011 Member Posts: 559
    edited May 2016

    Hi Birchmore 48.

    I had a seroma post bmx in 2011. My surgeon monitored it and drained it in her office when I got uncomfortable. I started chemo on time but had to stop for a couple weeks when it did get infected. Seromas are odd ducks doctors mostly think they are no big deal and will take care of themselves but it can take a while. Just make sure your MO knows about it. My chemo dropped my white counts and made treating the infection tricky. So you might want to ask about that.

    Wishing you the best of luck and medicine

    Mary

  • Birchmore48
    Birchmore48 Member Posts: 5
    edited May 2016

    thank you Mary for that xx

    It's very worrying isn't it when these things happen, as everything is so alien, you are not sure what is a common thing .

    Hopefully I will find out on Friday that chemo can commence as planned

    Thanks again xxxx

  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited June 2016

    Hi Birchmore,

    We're just checking in to see how you're doing and if you're feeling any better?

    --The Mods

  • Kicks
    Kicks Member Posts: 4,131
    edited June 2016

    I started adjuvant chemo (12 weekly Taxol) 3 weeks after UMX. Still had 1 drain in at the time. It was still draining quite a bit but Surgeon took it out anyway as he thought it might be 'irritating' causing the drainage a week after first Taxol I started adjuvant chemo (12 weekly Taxol) 3 weeks after UMX. Still had 1 drain in at the time. It was still draining quite a bit but Surgeon took it out anyway as he tbought it was causing irritation so he took it out. A week later had issue with fairly large seroma but it did not effect my continuing Chemo. Surgeon did drain it twice. (Never had any infection with it.). It was still showing on CT scan as 7 cm the day of last Taxol.

  • Llroseworld
    Llroseworld Member Posts: 23
    edited June 2016

    I had a very similar experience. They won't begin surgery until wound is completely healed. If the breast is red, skin is thickened or swelling you need ho have it checked out for cellulitis. I pray all goes well

  • Birchmore48
    Birchmore48 Member Posts: 5
    edited June 2016

    hello

    Thanks for checking up on me xx

    Had appt with oncology nurses on 3/6. Apparently my chemo was due to start on June 7, but as wound was still very slightly open, they called one of the doctors in to advise.

    It has been postponed - but only by a week - to 13 June , as he wanted to give wound one final week to fully heal over .

    Im ok with waiting just a week - better to be safe than sorry x

    Just torn now between feeling relieved that something positive is happening towards recovery and being shit scared ( excuse the language ) xx

    But I know I will get thru this xxx

  • Birchmore48
    Birchmore48 Member Posts: 5
    edited June 2016

    hi xx

    Thanks for your reply x

    Just as you said, cons has postponed the start of chemo. Only by one week tho as he feels sure that the wound will have fully healed by then - very nearly there now but not quite xx

    Due to start now on June 13 xx

    Thanks again xxx

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