hi.i am new to this and was wondering if any could help me with my query.i had double mastectomy in september and have a large amount of fluid build up[seroma]was wondering if there was anything or exercises i could do to help my body drain it off naturally faster as it uncomfortable.i would be fighting fit again if it wasnt for that.consultant cant drain it due to expanders.
thankyou for listening.
Hi Mich
I had my bilateral mastectomy September 12th and have had large seromas which have over the last week gone down significantly of their own accord. They were extremely uncomfortable, especially at night. The one on the right, where I also had an axillary clearance is still more uncomfortable and I am aware of this one all the time. I went through phases of wanting mine drained or not simply for the relief of pressure but I am glad I perservered - once they have started to disperse they seem to be going down quiter quickly and even a little absorbtion made a lot of difference in comfort terms. Good luck
Tanya x
Thankyou Tanya.Ihad my surgery on 18th september so hopefully wont be too far behind you now.I know its is not nice but i feel normal now.well as normal as i get.lol know what you mean bout night being worse time.Couch is my bed at moment.Its strange my right one has dispersed quickly and that was side i had cancer in.Was thinking my left side was sulking with me.lol.I had got to point i was wanting expanders taken out but i will perserver longer .Its not just comfort problem i know i would be pretty much ok if it wasnt for pressure so will learn to be more patient.Thankyou for writing.Hope all is well with you and you are on road to recovery.
Michelle.x
Hi
I had mastectomy with immediate LD reconstruction on August 4th. I have had the seroma on my back drained 5 times. It’s extremely persistent though and keeps coming back! The Consultant said that it would disappear ‘soon’, and he wouldn’t drain it again. I have a physio appt on Thursday to sort my back and arm out, so will get it checked out then.
Hope that yours isn’t as persistent as mine!
Judy
I had bilateral mastectomy 2 Oct - now got seromas underarms and also seem to have it around the scar tissue on my chest - has anyone got build up of fluid on chest? Do they also drain this? I have had to had one of my underarms drained, aparently this was the size of a tennis ball. The other underarm was the size of a golf ball and they did not drain this one. Anyone for Tennis/Golf? Please help.
Thank you Angela x
Hi Angela and All,
I had bi-mastectomy May 1st and still have seroma in my left breast. Consultant drained it only once
as they don’t like to do it it because of the risk of infection.
t takes time…
Take care
I had a mastectomy and an immediate LD reconstruction on 8th Sept. So far I have had the seroma drained three times totalling 820ml (more than a bottle of wine). At last, five weeks after the operation is it slowing down. It is mainly around the scar on my back but if it doesnt go I will go back as it is so much more comfortable when drained. Dont think there is anything you can do to help it to stop - whether I am cutting the lawn or sitting down it has the same effect.
Take care
Janet
I had a small seroma under one of my mastectomy scars for a few weeks, after about a month it just disappeared. I read on here that some people found they just went on their own after a little excersize. I recall one person saying that they overdid the hoovering and suddenly it was gone!
Odd things but the body does seem to adapt after a while.
thanks for your reply Gardenia. So it could last a while then.
3 times drained, wow, that seems a lot of fluid, although not so much fluid if we’re talking about wine. blo…dy h…ll shadypines are you cutting the lawn already? think I’d sooner sit down with that bottle of wine!!!
Ang - Maybe I need to do the hoovering! or cut the lawn! (or maybe not!! maybe should wait another couple of weeks) or maybe when I start to massage properly it may go. Does massaging the area help? Just still a bit wary of touching the area cos sooo sensitive. p.s. could not get spa tone from Boots, when I asked for it they did not seem to know what I was talking about.
thanks ladies Angela xx
I hoovered today will see if thats makes a difference!lol.Cutting my lawn would definately do something to me not sure what though!Grass that long cats are using garden as jungle at moment.lol.
Im carrying my baby elephant around too {otherwise known as my gorgeous 6mnth old!!lol}Probably away to get myself into alot of trouble with consultant.Never been good at the resting thing.lol.
Had bilateral mastectomy but left breast is now sitting at a C cup, i have that much fluid i am now bigger than my original size.lol.If it was same on both sides i told consultant i wouldnt need implants he said i dont get out of it that easy.lol.
I would like to know about massage too Ang but in same situation as you still too sensitive to touch.
Thankyou all.
Michelle.xxx
Mich - It must be awful to have this bl**dy disease and carry a baby elephant around too. (luv to your 6 month old baby). I have no children to take care of only 2 cats! but I just dont know how you manage. Hats off to you! So, you surprise me that the hosp have let your left breast get to a size c cup, with fluid! Have they not thought of draining you off. Has it got anything to do with having a baby. When did you have your bi mx? luv Angela xx
Hi Angela
I was hit hard when i was diagnosed as i was pregnant.the thought i was carrying something i wanted and something i didnt caused me to go quietly insane.Makes a change i dont usually do that quietly.lol.
I am thankful for kids as because of them i kept a smile and kept things normal.I have 3 cats Angela and they are my babies too.
Had surgery on 18th september.I went to see consultant 2weeks ago and he doesnt want to drain it because of expanders he might busrt them.He said it would drain naturally but if anything its got bigger!Seeing him again on monday spose to be getting fluid into expander port but cant see him wanting to start that until the fluid has started to drain.Was wondering if maybe me doing as much as i am was causing fluid build up but i thought exercising would help it,and im not one for sitting around drives me nuts.lol.
Have you spoken to anyone about the build up around your scar tissue on chest?
Wish you could all see my babys smile he would brighten up all of yours day like he does mine.
Michelle.xx
Michelle - cant imagine what you must have went thro. I admire that you went along with the pregnancy. Your little boy must make up for all that you have gone/gong thro. Its wonderful that you have him to look at, and have him to take care of, it must take your mind off this horrible disease. I am at the hospital today to see the BCN get my results so I will ask her re fluid around scar tissue and for advice (if there is any) on how to get rid of this fluid. I now feel my chest has got hard (feels gorilla like, not that I know what a gorilla’s chest feels like, but how I imagine it to feel) will ask about that too when I go. Love to you all, especially that little one of yours Michelle, good luck. Angela xx
Hi Angela.
How did you get on at hosp today?hope you have had good news with your results.Did they drain your fluid?That would maybe make you feel bit better if pressure is off.Cant have you thinking about gorillas chest for too long!lol.Think i have maybe over done it last few days,not like me!lol.going to get checked at docs tomorrow and probably get told off!
Other half went away today for 2 weeks so have carers coming in to help.That is so hard they are absolutely brilliant but im struggling with it.Think i will be lucky if i last the week then itl be i can cope!
Judy hope physio helped you with your back and arm and your fluid is slowing down.xx
Shame we couldnt turn water into wine we could save a fortune between us!!lol
Had great day watching little one today he was on mission to run over my poor dog in his baby walker.He is going to be a little monkey!!!lol
Love Michelle.xx
Hi Mich
got my results and I suppose its good news as good news goes with this.
Right side: Invasive carcinoma grade 2 with DCIS, 19mm in size, free margins. 4 lymph nodes sampled 1 contained cancer, that was the node that came away with the breast, not in the sentinel. Oestrogen receptor positive
Left side: Invasive carinoma grade 1, 5mm in size but also with DCIS around it therefore total tumour size 20mm, free margins, again one lymph node came away with mastectomy which was clear. Oestrogen receptor positive.
Now I am being referred to Oncologist when we will speak about the benefits of chemotherapy. Whether we decide I have chemo is to be discussed. I do think she will advise me to do that, also I feel I have come this far I am not going to stop now, I want this beast out of me for good. (ifs that poss) I will defo need radiotherapy which will be done after chemo, then Tamoxifen for the next 5 years.
So all in all a good result - now the next hurdle I suppose is losing my hair. they did not drain the fluid, they say if I can put up with it, it would be better as they do not want to introduce infection. I can put up with it, up to now, just all feels a little tight. Re fluid, she told me to keep massaging the area, that will encourage the fluid to go, but there was nothing else she could suggest. I realy dont know what you could do about your fluid as you have expanders and I dont know what they look like.
Goodness , your OH now away, can you manage, how do you cope on a nite time if little un wakes up. Do you have any other help? Take care michelle am thinking about you. sounds like your little one is a little monkey michelle, but he sounds sooo funny, the poor dog! Luv n best wishes, hope doc does not tell you off too hard. Oh P.S. my BCN said it should only be a couple of weeks for the fluid to be reabsorbed it thats any consolation to you, or if that is the same in your case.
Hi Ang,
Was checking the other thread to see how you got on, at least you have your results now and know what you are dealing with. Did they only take one lymph node with each breast? Will they check other lymph nodes for you or is the radiotherapy to deal with that? I only ask cos my oncologist said I didnt need radiotherapy as the entire breast tissue was gone and that he was happy that there were no other affected lymph nodes (I had micro mets in one of the 9 lymph nodes taken). I guess you’ll be joining me in the bald department, perhaps we can be chemo buddies if we start at around the same? I’ll catch up with you on the other thread, xx
Ostrich - I started my own thread some time ago now on ‘bilateral mastectomy’. I would love to join you at the hairdressers! We may both go for the same hair style eh? Please keep in contact on the other thread. Feel I have taken over this one. Sorry
Mitch - plse also keep in touch on other thread ‘bilateral mastectomy’ thanks
Angela xx