Hi, I was diagnosed with breast cancer begining of Dec 09 im 42 years old, i had my op on the 17th Dec this was partial mas and lymph removal, then the swelling started, i felt like i couldnt breath, i dont sleep, im up all night, thank god for computers, anyway went back and seen my surgeon who drained me out, instant releif! but now my drain isnt working and the fluid is pissing out of my hole where the drain goes in im getting pretty damm close to screaming, i know this is not alot compared to what most are going through but its like 2 steps forward and 3 back, oh they wont start my rads until i can lift my arm sufficiently, and got rid of the seroma. Any advice would be greatly received.luv muffett x
hi i also had seroma after the mactetomy, i had it drained three times already, first in less than a week, second a week, third two weeks, and most probaby will have to have it empty again. It is not dangerous that is what they told me just uncomfortable, i wasn’t too bad with it and it is getting better. I went to have it empty everytime i noticed getting too full so that i wouldn’t have to stop doing the exercises. Be careful not to do too much lifting or ironing or hoovering as it seemed to make it worse in my case, stretching to fetch something high up seemed to make it worse also. Be patient it gets better and et will go away.
Hi there
I’m 45 and had a double mastectomy back in June 09 and had problems with seromas both sides but particularly side where I had lymph nodes removed. It can be extremely uncomfortable particularly in the first weeks after surgery so I totally sympathise.
The exercises are so important. The side where I’d had the lymph nodes removed was obviously much more stiff. I religiously did the exercises and found that things became easier but then had a sudden and complete range of movement after about 6 weeks. Even now I find that if I don’t keep doing the exercises my shoulder and arm stiffen so I keep this up.
You are such early days after your surgery that I would say please don’t panic.
Are you having chemotherapy or going straight into radiotherapy?
Elinda x
If you look at the drop down “categories” menu on the left of the screen when you first go into the forum & select the Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) option, scroll down & you’ll find a thread entitled “Radiotherapy delay due to post-mastectomy seroma”. I had the same issues as you and several ladies offered advice & support. Hope it helps!
I also had a mastectomy with two drains and seroma was diagnosed on two occassions post op. I went to have it drained after one week and was given fantastic advice by the breast care nurse. She said “dont think your the same as before physically, you need to rest and just do the exercises rather than any housework - the housework will still be there when you are much better!”
I took her advice and the seroma that had built a second time went down quickly - I didnt do any housework other than making tea and walking everyday - local shops and further afield when I could. I didnt have drains when I came home from hospital so that did help. I had moments when I thought the place looked grubby and my kitchen floor was left to its own devices for 3 weeks, no hoovering and no putting the wash on the line.
Sometimes I shed tears and sometimes I laughed at how ridiculous it was and my sons were great. I knew after two weeks that I was on the right track as the swelling went down. I still have times when I just leave the washing and rest on the bed. Relax it will all come good although not instantly.
Dont rush the exercises take it slow, take it all slow and concentrate on yourself and recovery - be selfish for a change and it will be better in a while. Good luck for the New Year and a speedy recovery to you. xxxxx
Thank you all of you for your advice, I think i do try to do too much too fast, as for the exercises I wasnt given any to do, I have no post op nurse as I live in Spain, theres no follow up just if you get a problem go back to the ward and wait 6 hours for your surgeon to turn up! He then told me to exercise but did not tell me how! Oh god I could sometimes scream! He drained the seroma then put me on this drain thats not working, my bags empty and my pads where the drain goes in is drenched! so as you can see having a bad day! Hey you also wont belive this but to top the lot i have a burst pipe under my bathroom floor which gave me a river in my kitchen down the walls, my landlady came out yesterday turned off my water and said due to it being a fiesta (holidays) we cant get anyone out until Tuesday. Bloody plumbing! what with my drains and this, and cant get a plumber for either.
Hi Muffett
Your situation sounds very difficult at the moment. I think you should go back about the drain not working as it is an infection risk. I had some similar problems to you and for a week or two I had a bag (like a stoma bag) that I put on over the drain hole so the fluid could drain into it but kept the area more sterile.
The exercises I were given were from breast cancer care. They weren’t demonstrated but they are so easy to follow. There are some to do straight away and then other ones you add in a bit later. I am sure you could find these on the site somewhere.
I’m afraid my experience wasn’t like Daisy’s. I kept developing a seroma regardless of what I did. In fact I’d have it drained, do nothing but rest and it would refill within a week. The good news it has eventually settled. That said it is definitely worth giving up the housework and resting more a try - if nothing else it may help your body to heal.
Are you going to have chemo first or just radiotherapy?
Elinda x
had my op on 7th sept 09 lumpectomy and lymph node disection,everything went well i healed ok then 10 days ago bust started getting sore and swelling been back and forth to breast clinic they said its an infected seroma and had it drained ,said this is rare because this usually happens after surgery.has this happened to anyone else,if so how long did it take to clear cos im in a lot of discomfort also been on 3 lots of antibiotics thanks
Do you know as far as I can make out as alot of side effects there is no answer to Seroma, if I rest it swells, if I move about it swells, the only advice I can give is I am now on a drain until god knows when, what works for me is to put pressure on the drain in my case in my chest when swelling develops, this then drains freely and takes down the swelling, I am too on antibiotics now! Never mind girls we are made more than this as i always say don´t let the B------- get you down! and on another note all my spanish neighbours who don´t speak English at all… have learnt to say “Don´t worry, Be happy” how greats that!
I also had seroma after mastectomy-was much bigger than boob ever was-had it drained twice as it was so uncomfy-felt it would burst. Drainage didn’t hurt at all-instant relief.
The more you have it drained the more it fills as it is white cells rushing to heal-it settled quickly-just had to distract myself in good book
daisydog
Hi
I had surgery in Feb09 OK but following the end of rads in June 09 I suffered from a perisitent seroma that was drained several times but always refilled more or less immediately. It did not matter if I rested or not it just refilled. My consultant decided that it would just have to be left on its own to hopefully reabsorb.
I tried to ignore it as instructed but unbeknown to me an infection had set in and by the time I was able to see my consultant on New Years Eve the infection was so bad that I was admitted to hospital then and there and taken to theatre where it was drained and cleaned out.I saw 2010 from a hospital bed. I now have what they call a cavity wound where they have had to open up a small part of the MX scar and they can’t restitch it because it needs to heal from the inside out. Nurses are visiting every day to clean and repack the wound and I am told that this will take several weeks to heal properly.
What has happened to me is very unusual but not unknown and it is not my intention to worry anyone. I would just caution anyone with a troublesome seroma to keep a close eye on it and report any problems immediately
Andie
I had my ANC 2 weeks ago, drain in 4 days. Have now had seroma under the arm aspirated 3 times, 110mls, 160mls, and yesterday 180mls, so no sign of it drying up. The thing is, I find out this Fri whether I need chemo as I’m ‘borderline’ as to whether I need it or not as cancer was found in the sentinel node only out of 8 and the cancer hadn’t invaded it and no vascular involvement (although I think chemo will still be recommended). Chemo would start next week and it looks as if the seroma will still be active. The doctor said that some surgeons inject steroids into the seroma to stop it filling, and she was going to check if my surgeon advocates this, otherwise I may just have to have antibiotic cover whilst on chemo when the seroma needs draining. Any others have experience of steroid jabs or chemo while still got a seroma??
Hi Many thanks for all your comments and advice, I still have the seroma but find massaging it helps to be re-absorbed into my body, as for my treatment my app came through for my onc on the 11th Feb but then today I had a phone call at 4pm from Malaga hospital to be there at 11.30 tommorrow, this has worried me a little as Malaga is the large main hospital here 60 kilometers away, anyway I will keep you all informed. Love Teresa x
I’ll try massaging it.
Hi give it a go it really works for me and upto yet kept me off the drain,
Good luck, let me know how you get on,
Love Teresa x
Well, I’ve had it drained twice a week for past 3 weeks with similar amounts of liquid each time so no sign of it drying up. Last Friday had it drained by the registrar and she had the authority to put in a steroid solution to reduce the inflammatory response, I guess, to help stop it refilling. I’ve got an appt to see consultant in a couple of weeks about it. Trouble is, I still have a lump there, but it doesn’t feel like fluid. The reg wasn’t worried about it. I just want to forget about the surgery and get on with thinking about chemo, but what with this and the fact that my arm seizes up if I neglect the exercises a little for one day is b----y annoying!
Yes massage is very good, I am a complementary therapist and I apply a product called Rio Roasa Mosqueta from the health store,I have an implant using tissue expansion, and I feel sure the massaging with the oil as helped with some of the discomfort.
Ann x
Hi just to keep you all posted seen the onc at Malaga he´s the one in charge of my rads, i´m down for 36 days of this but he told me the other onc who i´m seeing on the 11th feb has me down for full cocktail and 6 sessions of chemo! The fun starts!!!
Steph I had to have mine drained twice a week for about 5 weeks, sometimes taking up to 250ml at a go, then it just stopped and was fine. I have a hard lump too from both surgeries - my surgeon says it is scar tissue and will take a long time to go, if ever.
The steroid injection seems to be working and today I’ve managed to exercise the arm without painkillers - hooray! Progress at last!