I have started this thread on behalf of new user marnie
Kind Regards
Lucy
Moderator
Breast Cancer Care
have had mastectomy and reco of breast, all resaults good and healing well .i am doing the exercise as per booklet from physio,but am having problems with the fluid collecting in my back.iam having it drained weekly its now 7 weeks on .has anyone any advise
thanks marnie
Hi Marnie, i had the same done as you, and have been more fortunate that i only had to have mine drained three weeks after the op, and then the surgeon only got 170mm out of it, so not too much, but it felt like a real quasimodo lump, then, two weeks on from that, still had a little fluid there but not much and the surgeon told me he was going to leave it this time, so that was two weeks ago, the lump has gone down a lot and seems to be getting less each day, so i think its just a case of the fluid finding the way out, so fingers crossed that yours goes soon, some people would be jealous of us having our own little waterbeds on our backs, but they don’t making sleeping easy! and if anyone had dared to ask me when i was going to cross the desert i’d have planted them lol.
lots of love
Alison xxx
Hi Marnie
I had the same op as you last october and I remember the fluid in the back being a problem. I think I had it drained for least 6 weeks. Is the amount they are draining getting less? I expect they will eventually leave it to be reabsorbed by the body.
Love Lollie x
thanks for your advice,apart from the fluid,asmall flap under my arm ifeel i have come through quite well,and have been told i need no further treatment…fingers crossed…never say never but praying
xx marnie
Hi Marnie, what brilliant news that you need no further treatment, i had the same op as you five weeks ago, not done all my excersises but have only had to have it drained once, think it just takes some time to find its own way out
lots of love
Alison xx
hellow to all
i still have some fluid in my back, but i have found swimming is helping me.I last had it drained 10 days ago ,though it is filling up much more slowly and is not to painful so having taken advice from b n. I will leave it unless it becomes a proble,and see if it soughts itself out . As for the reconstruction no one in my group at the swimming pool can tell which is yhe reconstruction, and all my swimming suits fit well on both sides ,the consultont did a very good job.
marnie
Hi - I had my op on 15th June with LD reconstruction. Had a lot of fluid on back which is going down very slowly and the breast nurse said last week when I asked her if the consultant would drain it that he wouldn’t touch it unless it went red or hard. I find it very uncomfortable and I am sure the tightness I feel around the reconstruction wouldn’t as bad. I am very happy with the reconstruction but nobody told me what to expect as regards the muscle which still worked as though it ws in my back !!
hi its been 2 weeks since I last had the fluid in my back drained but it is now becoming a real bore it is stoping me getting back to normal me.apart from the fluid i feel fine but when it dose build up it feels tight and restricts comfortable movement,so its back to the hospital in the morning to be drained again,thats a 42 mile round trip and with a sore back no fun
marnie
Driving is a complete nightmare, i had all mine done on the left hand side, so got the seat belt to contend with as well, was going to ask for an exemption for the seat belt, but then decided a bruised muscle may be a lot more preferable to hitting the windscreen! still got a bit of fluid, its actually worse in the car i am finding now, hope they get it sorted for good for you tomorrow Marnie
Alison xxxx
alison
I had some fluid drained off yesterday,b.n. said it should sort itself out and it normally stops suddenly on its own accord
I live in hope.Yes driving isnt much fun,worse when going over speed bumps,pot holes,and roads left in a bad state by the floods. Yes I think the seat belt is a problem,mines the left side too.I though as this is my only moan I am lucky .
Hope you feel better soon , xx marnie
Bet you feel loads better for it, mines just a little now, as i said, its only in the car i have real problems, or if i do too much, then my back aches where the muscle was taken, thats my excuse for getting out of housework anyway lol
Alison xxxx
yes it dose feel better,the strange thing is after it has been drained i feel very tired for the rest of the day,can,t really work that one out. I tend to up the fluids,then next day its ok. again.
marnie
I just think it takes it out of you, i have to say, i have days where i could just lie down in the street and go to sleep, never knew what fatigue was before this.
Alison xxxxxx
HI I feel better today in fact I went back to my Pilate’s class it was good though my back feels a little strange as the feeling has not fully returned but I can feel pain so I figured i could do it The stretching really felt good. My instructor was very good and kept making sure I did not over do it and gave alternative moves if she felt they were more suitable , her mum had had the same op. as me last year ,so she understood and is very well qualified instructor. hope you all feel well and strong soon
hi 2 weeks on and i have not needed the fluid drained ,its still there but a lot less .
Makes me feel almost me again ,not constantly having to go back to the hospital.
I know I am lucky to get away with just ths fluid,but it dose drag you down.