Hi everyone,
I am new to this forum but would be very glad for some advice.
I had a simple mastectomy just over 2 weeks ago. The drain was taken out 24 hours after the op and I was sent home. No advice really on what to do to care for my breast and I had to phone up for the exercises. Quite quickly fluid started to form in my mastectomy site and I went in to the hospital to have it drained. Since then I have had more discomfort around my arm pit and under the scar. More fluid is accumulating. Someone said that I should have had something to wrap around the breast to stop the seroma forming… What can I do now to clear it up well and soon and what other advice can you give for a good healing.
I cannot look at the scar yet and still in shock. But I am putting Weleda Calendula/Hypericum cream on the are 2x day. Should I massage the area or is it abit early still ?
Your thoughts and help would help me alot.
xx
Hi dotmale
Whilst you await replies from your fellow forum users I am posting some information which I hope you will find helpful, the following link will take you to the BCC 'Your operation and recovery publication:
www2.breastcancercare.org.uk/publications/treatment-side-effects/your-operation-recovery-bcc151
Our helpliners are on hand weekdays 9-5 and Sat 10-2 on 0808 800 6000 so please feel free to call for further information and support
Best wishes
Lucy
Hi Dotmale
Sorry to hear you are in discomfort. I had an mx in January but had my drain left in for 5 days. I had to return to hospital quite a number of time over the following few weeks to have the seroma drained, so it is quite a normal stage to go through. It is also very frustrating, as I remember! Keep up with the exercises, they really do help and in time will stretch the area so that you will have good movement in the future. I used aqueous cream on the area daily and also bio oil on the scar line from about 10 days after the op. Do you have a breast care nurse you could speak to about whether you need to get the seroma drained again? They are usually the best person to ask if you have any concerns.
Wishing you a speedy recovery!
Best wishes
Joan xx
Evening Dotmale.
Poor you having discomfort because of a seroma. They sometimes, as Parchit says, need draining once or twice a week until they settle down. They can be very uncomfortable. If it gets hot and red you might find your BCN will send some of the fluid off to make sure there is no infection causing the pain. Some surgeons and BCNs don’t drain seromas unless they are very tight. Obviously the more you drain them the higher the risk of getting infection so they do it only if it is really swollen and hard. I personally would not massage the wound so early following surgery. The Helpline were so understanding and knowledgable whenever I contacted the.
My seroma took about four weeks to clear up.
I hope it will settle down for you soon
Best wishes
Cackles
Dear Cackles and Joan,
thank you both for your replies. I will be seeing the breast care nurse today. I had very little information from her on how to help this myself and once I went on the net…well there is conflicting information!! Do you know anything about compressioon bras? I have a sister who had a sex change and double mastectomy by choice and avoided seromas by wearing a tight corset thing. Also a blog where the person found a physiotherapist whoa davised against the exercises and did gentle massage and compression bra technique instead which cleared the problem up. I will look for Bio-oil today. I seem to be putting on weight and I am assuming it is all this fluid retenetion!!
I am so happy to have found fellow travellers. Thanks again for taking the time to replyxx Dot
thnk you Lucy. I have this booklet which is useful on a general level but still leaves me a little helpless with regard to what I can activley do to help myself.