Hi had to go back to breast clinic Yesterday as had redness and hot to touch appear on side of breast. He gave me antibotic to be on the safe side. It also feels tight and swollen there today. Has anyone had this after mastectomy/reconstruction strattice mesh. I feel ok, just slightly fed up its happen after doing so well. I did have it drained 2 times due to fluid build it. I did mention to breast surgeon that I had a cording under my breast but he couldn’t see it. Could this be a reason for redness as its near the red swollen area. But it’s only when I stretch arm in certain position you can see it. Any advice!!
Hello Hay,
I had an infection at the site of my drains. I too had a Seroma which was drained under ultrasound two or three times. I had to go into hospital for 5 days on IV antibiotics as the tablets meds did not work so keep your eye on your breast area and go back to the GP if you are unsure whether it is getting better or not. Good luck with it all . Tracy xxx
Thanks for your reply. Yes I’ll keep an eye. Breast surgeon ask me back to clinic next thursday. The seroma did ease off but this morning I have fluid just infront of arm pit. Aswell as the red breast which is near breast bone side. The redness has lesson but still there aswell swelling. been on antibotic for 2days. don’t know just want it to settle. My main worry is that I don’t want to lose implant when I was doing so well:-(
My implant was fine during my treatment. The infection did not harm it in any way. Keep doing your exercises to reduce the cording as that will help to relieve the pain. Take good care of yourself Tracy xxx
Well its day 4 of taking antibotics. the swelling looks less but a pinky type heat rash is spreading across the breast. breast feel warm sometimes and then colder. I’m not sure if its a infection as dont feel ill. Has anyone else had a red rash 4 week after mx/reconstruction. It looks similar to heat rash. Surely if it was infection rash would be disappearing not moving across. I had strattice mesh with implant. Could it be a allergic reaction! Advice Would be great x
I don’t visit as often as I once did but your post caught my eye.
I had surgery in April 2011 and about 10 days later noticed swelling, redness and hot to touch skin at the incision site. I went to the clinic and my surgeon prescribed antibiotics which seemed to get rid of the tenderness but the rest of the symtoms remained. I was told that this was breast lymphodoema which would settle of it’s own accord over the course of the next few months. It didn’t and it actually got redder and more tender when I had chemo but subsided again between treatments.
The lymphodoema has remained as has some redness and swelling. When I went for my last check up in Sept, I told my surgeon that there was no way I would be able to feel a new primary in the site of the previous surgery because of all the swelling. It felt quite firm. So after the mammo, which showed nothing, they sent me for an ultrasound which showed an organised seroma, ie one that had been there long enough to get thickened walls. Ay present they are monitoring it but the only way I can get rid of it completely is more surgery.
My advice to you is keep pestering your doctors if you are not happy. If you have a seroma, it is easier to drain it than have more surgery.
Thanks for your kind reply. The swelling seems to go up and down and move around breast. Was your redness just near scar as mine today seem to be over most of breast. Similar to heat rash, was your like heat rash. I did have my seroma drained 2 times but doc doesn’t really like to do it. I’ve got to go back this Thursday to check to see antibotic work. Is the lymth oedema causing your redness then in your breast?
In the early days it looked as if a third of my breast was red and warm to touch. But although the size of the red area varied it always involved the scar area. The red breast combined with the lympho does make it look a bit like heat rash. The skin over it feels different to the skin elsewhere. The surgeon said that the red breast was caused by lympho and would “resolve”, which clearly it isn’t but than we didn’t know about the seroma although he should have suspected earlier and not wait for 18 months to get a answer to what was causing the problem. It feels a bit “achey” sometimes too. Nothing painful - just uncomfortable.
Hi Hay
I had a prophylactic nipple-sparing bilateral mastectomy direct to implant with strattice mesh nearly 4 weeks ago.
I’ve had a couple of scary rashes since my surgery (cleared up with no treatment or further problems and we think they may have been an allergic reaction to the surgical tape) but what I wanted to share with you is what my plastic surgeon told me when I asked him about them. Apparently rashes are quite a common side effect in accelular dermal matrix (i.e strattice) recons. They’re not really sure why it happens but he told me that although he would obviously take it seriously and perhaps treat me with antibiotics, a rash without other side effects such as a temperature or feeling unwell would not worry him too much.
If you google ‘red breast syndrome’ you can find out a little bit about the phenomenon.
I hope this helps and that your recovery continues without further complications.
Thank you unwaga for your reply, I did read this to, today! That’s what I’m hoping and it will clear up. I don’t feel ill so that’s good.The rash is very like a allergie rash. Fingers crossed it will go soon. My surgeon never mention it though and treating it as a infection just in case. I’m back to clinic Thursday. I can’t find much on red breast syndrome though!
thanks again
Hi Hay
Don’t know if you’ll be around, but just wanted to know how you were gettting on as I’ve got a similar problem. I had my expander replaced with an implant 4 weeks ago, and my ps used strattice to give a better shape. I’ve got a very reddish/purple area and when I saw her last week she said she thought it was a reaction to the strattice. I’m seeing her again in 10 days time, but she said to see the BC nurses if I was worried in the meantime to get some antibiotics. I had to wait 2 years after my mx for the reconstruction because I had rads which weren’t on the cards when I first had the mx, so I’m a bit worried about the general condition of the skin. My skin isn’t hot, but it feels itchy inside if that makes sense! Don’t know whether to bother the BC nurses or not. If it’s red breast I’ll live with it, but I suppose it could be something else?
Foxy
xxxxx
Hi foxy, hope I can be of some help. Yes I had a red purple rash as I mention in earlier post. Like you had strattice mesh and implant but straight away, no explanders! I was told same a reaction to surgery and mesh. But it just suddenly went 
all but slowly. Mine was never itchy just look like heat rash and was worse when hot. I’d say it took around 3 weeks to go, i did have it on all of breast too. I got it 3 weeks after op. hope this help as it goes. I was told if it is red breast, then don’t do anything but goes on it own xx anything else just ask xx
I have had three courses of Augmentin antiobiotic to try to calm down the redness on the breast which had the mastectomy and an expander implant with stratis put in. I have had several expirations of the breast, the first of which I think may be responsible for the introduction of infection, or alternatively I may be reacting to the stratis material.
The latest opinion from the surgeon is that once this latest antibiotic course is finished, then we should wait and see what happens. I think if it does flare up again then it will have to bre removed, although I really hope that is not necessaryu.
Does anyone else see the edge of the implant underneath the breast, it looks like a bruise.
I have posted this on behalf of new user Carol
I have had three courses of Augmentin antiobiotic to try to calm down the redness on the breast which had the mastectomy and an expander implant with stratis put in. I have had several expirations of the breast, the first of which I think may be responsible for the introduction of infection, or alternatively I may be reacting to the stratis material. The latest opinion from the surgeon is that once this latest antibiotic course is finished, then we should wait and see what happens. I think if it does flare up again then it will have to bre removed, although I really hope that is not necessaryu. Does anyone else see the edge of the implant underneath the breast, it looks like a bruise.
Hey Atousif
I had contact with someone on another thread who had redbreast following implant recon with Strattice mesh. Can I remember which thread?? Can I flip. Will try to track down for you. Was thought she reacted to the “mesh”. But - she underwent a course of *antihistamines* and it all settled down in a couple of weeks, thankfully.
Anyone mentioned antihists to you??
Much love, Delly xxxx
Hi Atousaf and red boob girls!!
It was on this same Surgery area - “Seroma after a month” and refer to Shocked. Her probs turned out to be an allergy, but not to “mesh”. Was cleared with steroids and antihists. Doesn’t mean to say yours is or isn’t the same tho’.
Wishing you all luck with your dilemma
xxxx
Hey Shocked, girl.
So great to know you are doing better - well that’s despite your chemo, steroids and up coming rads. And SOOO much further on the house bashing front too. I’ll have a “Happy New Home” toast waiting for you, but that’s after a “Whoohoo” toast on the end of your treatments!!!
Thanks for your thanks ref “support” - it means a lot. You supported me too, probably unknowingly. I’m a Bi-P depression sufferer. My passionate compassion towards other fellow BC women often helps take myself out of myself (if you know what I mean), in my wish and desire to help/support others on the Forum, where I can. xxx
Atousaf - How are you doing and where are up to with your boob? You any further forwards with resolving your rash/redness?? xxx
Much love to you both, and everyone else coming on xxxxxx
Hi Ladies, i finished chemo 10 weeks ago and had masectomy with expander implant 6 weeks ago. All has gone very smoothly and i have had 3 x 50ml ‘fill ups’ so have 350mls in expander. When i went for my 4th fill up last week the nurse thoughtmy boob was a bit red (along the scar) and a bit warm.
An uktrasound reveealed a fluid build up and i had 120mls of fluid drained off. A bit of it was cloudy so it was sent off and i was given 7 days of antibiotics, which finished yesterday.
I had an aptxwith my surgeon to get checked today. He said fluid showed a slight infection of the sking but he thought everything looked goid although still a little redness. He has given me another 7 days of antibiotics as he said he would rather err on the side of caution, and i have to go back in 2 weeks when hopefully all will be well and i will have another fill up. He told me if i havexany problems at all before then just to ring up and come in.
This has all sent me into worry mode though!! Everything seemed to be going so well and this seems like a bit of a setback! It is good to read the posts on here and see that things do get resolved. I dont have any itch8ness or temp. In fact i almost forget I’ve had a masectomy.
Thanks for listening xx