Hi. I don’t know if any other ladies have had any experience of this, but here goes…
I had a WLE and SNB in Feb last year. Clear margins and no node involvement. Surgery was fine, no complications. 6 x FEC chemo followed by 6 weeks of Rads. (The after-effects of rads were horrible as my skin broke down completely, but fortunately it all healed up fairly quickly.)
On New Year’s Eve, my breast started to get quite painful around the scar of WLE. When I woke up the next morning, my breast was very hot, bright red, swollen and hurt, hurt, hurt!! As always, it was a bank holiday weekend and so my only option was the duty doctor, who prescribed 2 different types of anti-biotics.
I’ve since contacted my BCN and have an appointment at the Breast Clinic on friday, but in the meantime, I’m wondering how an infection can manifest itself inside my breast so long after surgery etc? I don’t use a razor for my armpits, so there’s no wounds/cuts for bacteria to get in.
…poor you. NO idea how it happened. I had Mx 1st Oct and seemed to be doing v well the first week then, wound infection which surgeon said was ‘bog-standard’ but it wasntt her that had to have the wound dressed every day for weeks! 'Nuff of me - sorry you were ill at BH w’end - usually it’s our animals and, boy, is that costly!
Loathe antibiotics and having to force-drink active yoghurts but, maybe, that’s the answer.
Thanks for your post Barbara. To top the bank holiday weekend off, yes, one of the dogs was poorly too!! Thankfully, an expensive trip to the vet was not necessary. Lol
Hi exactly the same is happening to me or was, I had my operation Dec 2009… then this November my breast swollen double the size, and red on scar… Had finished my rads in August. My breast is still double the size and now looks like the skin of an orange, bless OH tells me could be stretch marks, trying to make me feel better.
I have had 5 wks of anti’b’s 3000mg a day my breast did ooze puss sorry I know yuk to hear…
I had a ultrasound and mammogram on the 30th Dec which was agonising due to lump being found under scar area of infection, results inconclusive so having the same tests again in 2 weeks time to see if any change. I know with me they are checking for local reoccurance.
My oncologist when i asked him said although is unusual you can get infections a year down the line…
Sorry not much help sue, but at least you know your not alone… I will keep you updated on the outcome…
Sue and Theresa - thinking of you both. There was I cured of infection (if that’s not tempting fate), feeling a bit sorry for myself as OH is away for 2wks and I can;t manage to clean this big house on my own - it goes with his job and I loathe housework and he does lots of the cooking. Our landline keeps going down so y’day, I ended up with 2 tel engineers trailing mud and grit through all of downstairs. Carpets likely to need cleaning. The day before it had been the refuse dpt as bags hadn’t been cleared. BUT, I really feel humbled by you both - so thank you for encouraging my sense of proportion, Barbara
Yes, I had U/S today and the doctor drew some fluid out of my poorly boob and sent it off to the lab for analysis. Thankfully, there doesn’t appear to be anything sinister in there, just a lot of fluid which managed to get itself infected. My consultant likened it to a stagnant pond…how lovely!!
I have to go back for another U/S next week when they’ll draw off some more fluid if necessary. The radiologist did offer me a mammogram today as it’s been a year since my DX…I politely declined!
Thanks for thinking of me Barbara. Sorry to hear about your mucky carpets. I’m not great at housework either. Cooking - yes. Cleaning - pah!
Stagnant pond - how didn’t you kick him? I do wonder where some of these medics get their training. Have you noticed the smile-bypass as well as the clumsy language? But, glad it’s reasonably OK, Barbara