Seroma please help ..advice

I believe seromas are quite normal and just happen. They can drain it. I got one, had it drained once, it got enlarged again, and then it resolved on its own over the next couple of weeks.

Nicole

SEROMAS are super common after mastectomy and a lot of other reconstruction surgeries. I had several and they never caused me discomfort or pain. They are easily drained in PS office with no discomfort or added medications. They should not interfere with your healing and will eventually go away.

As it was explained to me it’s the body’s way of filling up space where something was taken away. I don’t believe over-exertion causes them either.

Surgeons vary widely on compression garments and what they suggest, I don’t think you can blame your seroma on that, but give your surgeon a call! Some want you out of compression garments immediately after surgery.

A year is a very extreme case I would think. Mine resolved after a few drains. And I had multiple reconstruction surgeries with different seromas!

If you do need drained again no pain, no big deal, and no drama! Trust me and don’t worry about this so much. It’s a waste of your needed energy.

Glad you spoke with a nurse!

Dear AuntyLyd,

Welcome to the BCO community. We are sorry for your complications with seroma and hope that you can find support and helpful information here from our members. It looks like you have received some feedback from your initial post that can be useful. Please let us know if you need future assistance with navigation around the boards. We hope you will stay active here and keep us posted on your recovery.

The MOds

I went in and had my seroma drained yesterday, 4 large syringes of fluid. He told me he'd see me back in 2 weeks and we could drain it again if needed, but if the fluid keeps coming back with a large volume like that, he would put in a drain. Do you have to have an outpatient procedure to have a drain placed? I know, I should have asked him that, but sometimes I just sit and my mind doesn't work right. Thank you. It feels so much better!!!!!

i developed a seroma on one side following my surgery. My mastectomy drains were removed after just under 3 weeks, but one side continued to fill up. It was drained 4 times, and on the 4th, she put a smaller drain back in. All in all I had the seroma for approximately 10 weeks before it just calmed down. My understanding was that it's just something that can develop in the body when tissue has been removed. They had me wear compression the entire time, but that didn't really stop it. Putting that drain back in is what finally seemed to do the trick for me.

I forgot to address one other thing in your post -- when they decided to reinsert a drain, it was done in the surgeon's office. It may have been done that way because she's such an experience breast surgeon -- for something like 30 years. I say that because the much younger surgeon in the office who has less experience was going to observe to see how it could be done in the office. That makes me think that it could be unusual (but lucky for me!) that it was done in the office.

Hang in there -- the seroma drove me crazy because I wasn't allowed to do anything with my upper body as long as it hung around; and I needed to train for a backpacking trip to the bottom of the grand canyon! fortunately it decided to clear up just in time for the trip. But it seems like forever as you watch it fill up every time they drain it!!

MissouriCatLady Did you end up using a compression garment? I went into BS for a hematoma today and she drained that under ultrasound then found 2 seromas one on each side near my under arm. Both had 50cc of fluid. She then wrapped me up and I feel more pain than when I went in. She said she might drain them again on Friday that they probably need to be drained a few more times, especially the right side as I had to have my TE removed from that side and she said when there isn't an expander it is easier for the seromas to come back. Oh the joys for recovery, I was hoping to go back into the office this week at least part time but after all the draining I just came back home and worked from home instead, as she told me not to over do it this week.