I had a bi lateral MX in February this year and have been plagued with seromas ever since which my surgeon and onc say is very unusual. I have been asking if there could be a degree of Lymphoedema involved as well, especially on the area to the side of the operation site sort of under my arm.They have referred me for assesment to the Lymphoedema nurse, I suspect to stop me keep asking, and although I have the appointment it is some way off.
My question is - would it be advisable to wear some sort of top or camisole to hold the swelling in now, or should I wait and see what they say. Would I be doing myself any harm - I definately think I would feel more comfortable because a bra cuts across the swollen area.
Sorry to hear about this. I am grappling with a similar question myself.
I don’t normally have truncal swelling, but at the moment I am being given weekly Taxol, whixh encourages fluid retention.
Coupled with the fact that my Portacath is in my recon side (more recent WLE on the other), near the axilla and difficult to access, the resulting trauma to that area every 7 days keeps giving me a puffy shoulder and side.
I already have a Medi lymphoedema compression top and had been trying that - seemed to help a bit. But the last couple of weeks I’ve just gone without a bra and, frankly, I think I’m more comfortable and it’s improving (as it always does before the next dose) no less quickly.
How about trying the cheapest method first, ie, going braless and seeing if that helps? Logic suggests it might work; no constriction anywhere on your top half would give the fluid maximum opportunity to shift.
Have also bumped the thread ‘Bras, camis, arm and breast lymphoedema’ as there is quite a lot of discussion on there about this issue.
Good on you for peristing until you got a referral to the lymphoedema clinic.
Thanks for the prompt reply and the bump on the other thread.
I had bilateral MX(One side BC the other a precaution) and declined recon. The plan was after years of being rather large I looked forward to being flat. I was told by the onc to wear something to give support to the side with the seromas. I found crop tops useless because with no boobs they just rode up and were uncomfortable. I tried bras with a small prothesis but the underband cuts across the swelling and having looked at the US thread was reluctant to cause constriction.Going bra less for some reason causes a problem with the area on the underside of my arm where the feeling never came back following surgery, and occasionally causes me actual pain.
I should be grateful that the BC seems to have been dealt with for the moment but I am getting so frustrated with the ongoing problems left by surgery, and the feeling from the hospital that having dealt with the BC I should just get on and stop asking questions.
HI HAD MX ON SAT WAS SENT HOME SUN MY SURGEON SAID HE DIDNT WANT TO PUT A DRAIN IN AS IT ONLY PROLONGS HOS STAY I HAD TO GO TO BC N Y EST AS GOT A BUILD UP OF FLUID WHICH WAS 60MLS OF BLOOD SHE SAID WAS OLD BLOOD FROM OP JUST WONDERED IF ANY ONE HAD MX LATLEY AND HAVE HAD SAME PROBS HOW LONG DOES FLUID LAST I CAN STILL HEAR IT INSIDE ME MOVING AROUND AND HAVE A TIGHT FEALING ACROSS CHEST IS THIS ALL NORM
I can only tell you what happened after my MX, not sure if it will help. My surgeon did put in drains and I came home from hospital with them in place. Fluid continued to drain, gradually decreasing, for a couple of weeks. After the drains were removed I did have the remaining seromas drained by the BCN a couple of times.
hi, it seems unusal that you didnt have a drain or maybe its just where I live but all get a drain, in fact I had two and they stayed in for 4 days to the stuff went down to an acceptable level. Good on you being out day after xx