fluid build up after mastectomy

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ohilly
ohilly Member Posts: 441
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I had a mastectomy on Feb. 21 with reconstruction (lat flap). My plastic surgeon (or rather, his Physicians' Assistant) told me I have developed a common complication of mastectomy called a seroma (fluid build-up). My drains were taken out and the P.A. said they could not be left in any longer because it could cause infection: however, she has been draining out the excess fluid with a needle. It is very difficult because the doctor's office is very far away from my home and I have to go twice a week to have this fluid drained out. I have tried to ask how long this might continue, but the P.A. says it could finish draining in two weeks, or six months, she cannot predict it. So my question to the group is: did anyone else have this complication, and if so how long did it take to finish draining so they didn't have to go to the doctor's office so often? My whole life is becoming about doctor's appointments and I am working full-time. Thanks. Ohilly

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  • survivor51
    survivor51 Member Posts: 276
    #2
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    I had the same thing and had to be drained but still had to go to the doctor to get filled back up. Is there a doctor near you your doctor could get to do the draining? It is a simple process and maybe a nurse there could do that. Angela
  • 3cbrca
    3cbrca Member Posts: 206
    #3
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    Ohilly
    I had a terrible time with seromas and I finally had the drain put back in 10 months after my surgery. That was last month and I had it in for 2 weeks.

    I was swimming all during treatments (went back to swimming a few days after having the first drains removed).

    After this last drain was removed, I stayed out of the pool and did no excercise for two weeks and I think that it has finally resolved. What we figured out was that the swimming and excercise seemed to "pump up" the seroma and didn't give them a chance to absorb into the body. So if you excercise you might want to stop for awhile. I had it done every few weeks, but I was unable to do reconstruction at the time of my mastectomy, so it may be different for you. They are hard to manage and my surgeon said that he has tried both aggressive and less aggressive treatment and that there is really no "perfect way" to treat them. Your body does eventually absorb them.
    I hope it resolves soon for you. It will eventually be okay.
    Sheilah

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