Breast Fluid

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josiemac
josiemac Member Posts: 27
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hi Everyone! I was wondering if anyone on this site has experienced fluid in the breast. I had a lumpectomy in May 2005. All is well so far, however I have so much fluid that when I remove my bra, my breast is molded to the shape of the cup. It redistributes within a few minutes but its rather scary when I first remove the bra. It feels very hard and tender. It sounds really strange and my doctor says its just fluid but is anyone else experiencing this. Thanks and blessings to you all!

Josie

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  • LesleyH
    LesleyH Member Posts: 370
    #2
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    I know this sounds kind of obvious, but have you tried going without a bra? I also had a lumpectomy in May 2005 and stopped wearing a bra then. It is SO much more comfortable.
  • mc2001
    mc2001 Member Posts: 343
    #3
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    Hi Josie and Lesley,
    I had a neighbor who told me her breasts got fluid after a lumpectemy. Apparently her issue was that when lymph nodes were removed the fluid built up. This also sometimes happens in the arms of mastectomy patients. Josie and Lesley..are your arms a bit swollen? I have also hear steroids like Prednisone might help.
    -Michael (leukemia survivor)
  • jamjar62
    jamjar62 Member Posts: 135
    #4
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    Hey Josie,

    I also had fluid in my breast! I didn't even realize it until I had my first post-lumpectomy mammogram and there was this fluid where my tumor had been. My surgeon called it a seroma.

    It grew to the point where it filled out my lumpectomy site (which was kinda nice) and my surgeon drained it twice. He said that if it filled again I could either live with it or have it surgically excised. I chose to live with it til about a year later when it got so full it was painful.

    Right around that time, I decided to have breast reconstruction and had the seroma removed at the same time. It did not come back but the tissue there is hard and very un-breast like. My plastic surgeon says its from the radiation therapy.

    I was very freaked out by the whole fluid thing and couldn't keep my hands off of it which is always interesting in public. I did some reading on it and seromas are very common after removal of a large amount of tissue. Some people get them after tummy tucks. Anyway, my surgeon said they sometimes reabsorb and that some patients like them because, as I said, they make the breast a more normal shape.

    I posted my concerns on this very site when I was messing with my "fluid issues" and no one knew much about it so I'm glad I could help....well, if I helped that is!

    Blessings,
    Karen
  • LesleyH
    LesleyH Member Posts: 370
    #5
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    jamjar62 said:

    Hey Josie,

    I also had fluid in my breast! I didn't even realize it until I had my first post-lumpectomy mammogram and there was this fluid where my tumor had been. My surgeon called it a seroma.

    It grew to the point where it filled out my lumpectomy site (which was kinda nice) and my surgeon drained it twice. He said that if it filled again I could either live with it or have it surgically excised. I chose to live with it til about a year later when it got so full it was painful.

    Right around that time, I decided to have breast reconstruction and had the seroma removed at the same time. It did not come back but the tissue there is hard and very un-breast like. My plastic surgeon says its from the radiation therapy.

    I was very freaked out by the whole fluid thing and couldn't keep my hands off of it which is always interesting in public. I did some reading on it and seromas are very common after removal of a large amount of tissue. Some people get them after tummy tucks. Anyway, my surgeon said they sometimes reabsorb and that some patients like them because, as I said, they make the breast a more normal shape.

    I posted my concerns on this very site when I was messing with my "fluid issues" and no one knew much about it so I'm glad I could help....well, if I helped that is!

    Blessings,
    Karen

    Very interesting Karen. Thanks for the heads up.

    Lesley
  • josiemac
    josiemac Member Posts: 27
    #6
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    jamjar62 said:

    Hey Josie,

    I also had fluid in my breast! I didn't even realize it until I had my first post-lumpectomy mammogram and there was this fluid where my tumor had been. My surgeon called it a seroma.

    It grew to the point where it filled out my lumpectomy site (which was kinda nice) and my surgeon drained it twice. He said that if it filled again I could either live with it or have it surgically excised. I chose to live with it til about a year later when it got so full it was painful.

    Right around that time, I decided to have breast reconstruction and had the seroma removed at the same time. It did not come back but the tissue there is hard and very un-breast like. My plastic surgeon says its from the radiation therapy.

    I was very freaked out by the whole fluid thing and couldn't keep my hands off of it which is always interesting in public. I did some reading on it and seromas are very common after removal of a large amount of tissue. Some people get them after tummy tucks. Anyway, my surgeon said they sometimes reabsorb and that some patients like them because, as I said, they make the breast a more normal shape.

    I posted my concerns on this very site when I was messing with my "fluid issues" and no one knew much about it so I'm glad I could help....well, if I helped that is!

    Blessings,
    Karen

    Thanks everyone! It is almost to the point of pain. I can barely sleep on my tummy these days because of the fluid. I have my first post-lumpectomy mammogram in April. I'll find out more then.

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