I had surgery on the 24th April, where I had a lump and lower lymph node. Since the saturday I have had a swelling which is hot and getting bigger. Been to GP on Sunday, but knew very little and just gave me antibotics. Seem to remember the Breast Nurse saying that her most common question was regarding lumps, that needed to be drained - anyone else expenience this. As no one is avaliable due to Bank Holiday weekend.
HI
I had WLE and lymph nodes removed on 15th April.The swelling sounds like a seroma, which is a build up of the fluid which the lymph gland would normally drain away,some surgeons put a drain on you but mine did not as he said the fluid would drain naturally, but the seroma is common,I have had it drained a couple of times at the hospital, but they don’t like to do it too often in case of infection,It has been really ucomfortable at times but is starting to settle, I do exercises a few times a day.
Hope this helps, call your BC nurse tomorrow to check
Mary
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Mary’s right - it is probably either a seroma or an infection. See your specialist nurse tomorrow. Have you started the antibiotics yet and if so, have they made any difference? You didn’t say whether you felt unwell with this,like shivery etc which could point to an infection
Thanks Mary you have helped now I know what it is.
I have felt very well and may have been doing to much. Started the antibiotics just to be on the safe side but they don’t seem to be making any difference. Will call the BC nurse in the morning.
Let’s know how you get on
Mary
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Just up date you I had the lump drained today but feel it has already filled up again already.
Going back to see surgen tomorrow to get results was very nervous until today the BC nurse told me all 17
lymph nodes were clear just need to know what happens next chemo or rads or both???
Hi
it will fill up pretty quickly. and take a few weeks to settle
good news about lymph nodes i had 21 all clear so its a relief.I had my chemo before surgery and due to start rads on 9th June
Good luck tomorrow
Mary
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delighted to hear that your nodes were clear - good luck with the treatment plan. Hope the lump drains away itself and settles quickly.
My up date: not as straight forward as I would have hoped, my surgeon wants me to have an MRI as my lump didn’t show on the mammogram’s ( I first found the lump 4 years ago) also he would like to remove some more of the surrounding tissue? If thats all clear then it will be radiotherapy & tamoxifen. Feel like I am still waiting!
One good thing he drained the seroma completly so that feels alot better hoping it doesn’t fill up again!
If its not one thing its another hey.Good luck with it all.
Don’t want to seem like a party pooper but it may well fill up again, hope it doesn’t.
Take Care
Mary
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Good luck with the MRI - hope you get a good result. More waiting for you tho. If you do end up with rads and tamoxifen then I can say it’s not too bad … I’ve just finished 29 rads and have been on tam since Feb. All in all I’m doing ok - got a few irritating side effects - some more irritating than others (check out the ‘delicate side effect’ post in the hormone treatment section and feel free to lol at my expense!).
Rads is tiring - especially if you have a long journey to the hospital but I was amazed at how quickly my 6+ weeks went in. Now I’m just left with the burned, flaky achey booby but nothing that causes a major problem.