The Cancer Survivors Network (CSN) is a peer support community for cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, families, and friends! CSN is a safe place to connect with others who share your interests and experiences.

Thank you for being a part of the Cancer Survivor Network community. Survivors and caregivers like you have played a unique role in fostering an online environment that encourages connection among those needing support, community, and education. On May 28, the Network will be discontinued. More details are available here . If you have any questions, contact CSNSupportTeam@cancer.org. Thanks again for the support you’ve provided each other over the years. We remain committed to supporting you in other ways throughout your cancer journey.

Abscess and infection

Sdawells
Sdawells CSN Member Posts: 23 Member
in Breast Cancer #1
7 weeks to the day of my double mastectomy I had to go back in to surgery. I developed severe swelling and was in a lot of pain. PS felt he needed to go back in and clean things up. He found I had an abscess. We also removed my expanders and will revisit reconstruction at a later date. Although tramatic this is the best I have felt in weeks. The PS said if we hadn't discovered the abscess until my final implant it would have probably been a real issue. Now the goal is to heal quickly so that I can get going on my chemo. I am curious if anyone else has had a similar problem. Thanks all
Like Care

Comments

  • salls41
    salls41 CSN Member Posts: 340
    #2
    I developed infection
    I had completed my fillings in my expanders and was 10 days away from having my exchange surgery when I developed an infection and had to have my expanders removed.. it was almost as bad as having the mastectomy all over again for me. My oncologist has suggested that I not have reconstruction surgery because I am triple neg, and because of the infections I have had...10 days after my expanders were removed, I developed appendicitis which ruptured before surgery and a week after that I had several abscess in my abdomen and had to have a drain put in to get that infection out! So I am a little concerned about going back for reconstruction.. I don't see my PS unti January to discuss it. Right now, I am happy to be alive after all of this and don't really care about not having boobs. I enjoy not wearing a bra and fighting back fat :) But I am sure I will think differently in a few months and wish I looked better.
    Good luck to you and Stay strong!!
    {{{Hugs}}}
    Sandy
    Like Care
  • CypressCynthia
    CypressCynthia CSN Member Posts: 4,014 Member
    #3
    I did not have this problem,
    I did not have this problem, but I just wanted to say that I am so sorry that you are going through this. It sounds very painful and you sound as if you have handled it so well.

    Because my tumor was so large, I was told that I was not a candidate for implants. I had reconstruction using a flap from my abdomen. Years later, I had a second preventive mastectomy and chose to do another free flap reconstruction using my right buttock as a flap. I just personally did not want an implant. Longer recovery, but have never had another problem and my first reconstruction was in 1988!
    Like Care

Discussion Boards