Hi everyone
I had a single mastectomy 5 weeks ago - all went well and I was surprised how quickly I recovered. My arm movement was really good.
But then after three weeks a huge seroma developed together with an allergic reaction to something that turned the area into a swollen itching nightmare. My surgeon drained the seroma and the rash began to subside. But the seroma returned really quickly: within a week it was bigger than ever and unbearably tight. Had it drained again on Saturday and already it’s enormous and painfully tight. Bigger than my remaining boob.
I’m so depressed and have no confidence that it will ever get better. I had radiotherapy on the area 40 years ago, in my teens, and I worry that the tissue just isn’t healing. I can hardly do any of the exercises any more: they really hurt
I know no one will have a solution and I’m sorry to write such a moany first post, but I feel so desperate at the moment. I’d prepared myself for the mx but I hadn’t expected this
Dearest courtlandcats,
i am sorry you are going through this. YOU WILL GET THROUGH THIS - you have had so much to contend with, the stress and worry of the operation and then mentally you was ready for the healing process to begin - then this happens. This will bring you down - you just have to find a way to believe ‘it will heal’ it may be taking longer, they will find a way around this and one they do you will heal. It could be a reaction from your previous radiotherapy or it could be ‘slower g’ the healing process.
Try not to be so hard on yourself you and your body have gone through so much - slowly it will all come together.
Sending you love and hugs 
No need to thank me - we all need people that have an idea of how we feel. It is so hard, you can have good days and then out the blue we can just flip. I suppose it is forvwant of better words a let down that this is happening when you have come so far. This set backs happen. These seromas seem to just come up from out of the blue. A lady I talk with had surgery over 12 months ago and then had one - her surgeon drained this, put her on antibiotics and suggested she may have an infection in another part of her body that has triggered this.
So please don’t be hard on yourself, you will get there - this is a little blip, maybe a way to get you to slow down or to get you to take time for yourself.
There is a thread called ‘Awake’ everyone drops in and out of there both day and night - it was started originally because it seems a common issue ‘the night hours seem to be the hours we start thinking, worrying, having questions or need uplifting, so you are normal going through this at this time of the night.
Remember - you are not alone, we are all here for you, you have done so well, you will get through this.
I’m off to bed now - I hope you manage to get some sleep - any worries or questions we are here for you
Sending big hugs xxxx
