Dis Breast Cancer Survivors Part IV - GAGWTA

[snappy]

Thanks for weighing in Dan.

I do think Pea n me is correct about having more nodes removed means more risk. What I remember reading is that the surgery can inhibit the paths that lymphatic fluid used to take. But that over time, the fluid finds new pathways. Reading that gave me some hope.

 

[snappy]

How are you, TMM?

 

[The Mystery Machine]

How are you, TMM?

A little swollen and irritable, lol. I am tired of doing things one handed. I have a nice heating pad I use from time to time.

My surgeon appt. is tomorrow.

Other than that we have a coming soon sign in our front yard. YEA! Shooting for an open house this weekend or next.

 

[snappy]

You are entitled to be cranky.
Good luck tomorrow. Please keep us updated.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

You are entitled to be cranky.
Good luck tomorrow. Please keep us updated.

Thanks. It is snowing this morning, yuck.

 

[smiley_face2]

A little swollen and irritable, lol. I am tired of doing things one handed. I have a nice heating pad I use from time to time.

My surgeon appt. is tomorrow.

Other than that we have a coming soon sign in our front yard. YEA! Shooting for an open house this weekend or next.

This all brings such a huge range of emotions! Like Snappy said, you are entitled to be cranky! very cranky! I hope your weather improves, and you have a very successful open house!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Alright, the verdict is 2 seromas. I have one under armpit and one at the surgery site.

So, what now?

 

[snappy]

I am so sorry to hear this. I was lucky enough to avoid seromas. Others here have had them. I know they will weigh in. Sorry you have to deal with them.

Did the surgeon have any insight on dealing with them?

 

[Dancind]

I guess I have a seroma under my right arm. I lost 16 nodes during mastectomy since a lot of them were in my breast tissue. Had a huge drape of tissue almost to my waist right after surgery, almost four years later now it feels like a golf ball size nerf ball under my arm. And more swelling along my bra line still, truncal lymphedema. This mess is one reason my surgeon insisted on lumpectomy on my left side. My bra size is two sizes bigger than before the surgery.

Did they drain them? That will help the pain. It will take a good while for them to go away. I don't know about treatment, ask if ice will help at this point. Sorry this happened!

 

[robinb]

Alright, the verdict is 2 seromas. I have one under armpit and one at the surgery site.

So, what now?

Crap. I did not have a seroma and I'm sorry to hear that you have two .

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Yes, what did the surgeon say about how they will manage?

http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/side_effects/seroma

I had a seroma under my arm (which felt like a banana under my arm) and I went in to have it drained every couple of days, probably three or four times. Amazing the amount of fluid that came out. Eventually that went away.

 

[robinb]

I have a quick update. I saw my oncologist today and everything looks great. My labs are all good and no lumps on my exam. I have a mammo scheduled for mid May and then I'll go to seeing him every 6 months.

 

[snappy]

Great news Robin! Thanks for sharing!

 

[snappy]

Ok I just realized that I actually did have a seroma in the trunk area after reading that link above to breast cancer.org. Although my surgeon left all the drains in did more than a month aftery mastectomy, he had to drain some fluid after they were pulled. Only need to do it once I don't remember it hurting, and there was no infection. The lack of pain might be more likely in the case of mastectomy because of the lack of feeling generally afterwards.

I didn't realize that a seroma could be a temporary phenomenon, so I just thought I had extra fluid. I do remember reading that the larger the breast, the more fluid tends to accumulate. Anyone else ever heard of that?

 

[smiley_face2]

that makes sense snappy, they said that's why I ended up with a large seroma. I also went in to be drained at least 3 times and the amount of fluid was unreal! now the seroma is a golf ball size deep inside the breast area against the chest wall. they took tissue during the 2nd surgery right down to the chest wall. some days it is painful, most days it doesn't affect me at all. I am about 2 sizes bigger on the non surgical side but chose to not have any reconstruction done, just didn't want do deal with any more surgery and pain.
TMM hopefully they will drain them for you, and eventually they will be less painful and annoying. Robin that is good news!

 

[smiley_face2]

Here are some pics from a walk we went on yesterday. This is walking distance from our house, but up a very steep hill, so we drive to a parking area outside the park. I thought maybe we should start parking a little further away each time and build up our strength to make the hike without a car at all! the views are amazing, it's a nice park, there is also a grassy area with a little slide and picnic table and some trails through the forest. the ponds are full of life. If we won the lottery I would want to buy this land and build a little house with a big deck and just sit and look at the ocean! but I hope it will always be a park for all to enjoy! obviously that is my hubby in the pics! lol!

 

[snappy]

What a view! So serene. Good place to chill.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Yes, what did the surgeon say about how they will manage?

http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/side_effects/seroma

I had a seroma under my arm (which felt like a banana under my arm) and I went in to have it drained every couple of days, probably three or four times. Amazing the amount of fluid that came out. Eventually that went away.

I saw the nurse practitioner and basically, I keep an eye on it and if they become infected or large then she will drain it.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

OK, that's good. It sounds like they're relatively small and expected to reabsorb on their own. Just stay in touch about it and if things change, let them know. Hopefully they'll go away. IME, not just with myself but in practice, it can take a couple of weeks or more. It can also be painful, so you may need to address that issue if you're in pain.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

OK, that's good. It sounds like they're relatively small and expected to reabsorb on their own. Just stay in touch about it and if things change, let them know. Hopefully they'll go away. IME, not just with myself but in practice, it can take a couple of weeks or more. It can also be painful, so you may need to address that issue if you're in pain.

Thanks. No real pain, just twinges from time time.