Recovering from Mastectomy

My breast nurse said if the skin is tight,  and usually if there is a swooshing sound if  you swivel round!

I collected about 550mls in my drain bottle over a week, and it was removed when less than 50ml a day was collected. I'd about 120mls on the first day,  reducing each day.  Of you are uncomfortable if see if the nurse can check you:) x

Hi Hope4today I had a relatively small seroma drained a couple of times. I contacted my bcn about such things as wasn’t sure about protocol and I went into dressing clinic for review. I had a drain in overnight only post op. Hope you get sorted ... give bcn a call xx 

Hi Hope4today

glad your op went ok . Difficult to answer ,I had rgt side removal but sentinel lymph node removal as well .Think you may need to ask why no drain is it because no lymph node removal? 

My drain was on 5 nights . 

I would contact your BC but would confirm was told you would usually get water squishy sound . If it red and hot Def get it checked in case small infection . Your team are there to help So contact them .

Yes there is a swelling of op site but as  I was in for 5nights I was able to show BC and ward staff and be reassured. With bra I bought one post surgery a band size larger for coming out but I also had got expander hooks online which I used because of swelling .After six weeks had swelling reduced so expander only used on occasion . Then transferred to smaller bra . Had op 4/7 and now band size back down and no need for expander .

hope you get the answer and feel better soon 

margaret x

Thanks Margaret. Just spoken to bcn and she read surgeons notes that said he did remove 4 nodes at time of mastectomy but no drain. She said swishing sound like a hot water bottle is normal and not to worry unless gets really tight or painful..She said when they see me next Thursday I may need to have some drained off. Also advised not to do any of the advanced arm exercises only the warm up ones.

I was brought to ward at 8pm from recovery was there just the one night and discharged at 6pm Saturday...I think I should have had more than 1 night but guess they needed the bed.

That's good to hear. Yes, the tightness is more of an issue as any areas still to heal would be put under pressure and the glue/stiching could come apart.  At our hospital they are moving away from drains for the clearance surgery but not mastectomy yet. My surgeon practically wrestled the horrible drain bottle off me after clearance, but the risk is a infection if it stays! Ours is a bit of a conveyor belt as mastectomy is a day surgery unless reconstruction as well. Good luck!

Hi I was lucky Hope4today.         

Our area one of the general hospitals closed two year as general . So no A&E etc but what they have done is combined other services .

Therefore I can attend my local clinics but chose to have op in other as I live n middle. The BC surgeons prefer to do ops in the ex general and it is now classed as area of excellence . So when they asked if I wanted to go home next morning I said no not enough support as husband has own health prob. 

No problem was the response drain not out til Monday so stay til then . As it happens it was a Tuesday after lunch by which time I was getting pain from drain as I heal quickly and body wanted rid .

They removed drain at  10.30 said have a nap then lunch tell them to pick up at 1pm . Consequently I had the 5nights .Think it helped it was weekend so not busy as was classed as elective surgery ward ,so all the worries you get at first were answered in the hospital .

Glad you've had your mind put to rest ,now know sentinel node removal done and checked so the results for that will be at your review Also the added info of not to do advanced excercises I was told they were for second week anyway . Do the first one though cos they do help . 

Rest up when body tells you too but do try to keep moving as well . 

Margaret x

Hi Hope4today

I hope your recovery is going well.

I had my mastectomy Wednesday they said surgery went well and I was not nervous before the operation.  But I was emotional after the operation. The anesthetic made me so sick but I am fine now.  I have a drain and the district nurses are coming everyday.  Did have at reconstruction I am flat at the moment but it will be inflated gradually with saline in outpatients. Results in the rest of treatment plan in two weeks bit nervous for that x

Hi Roses123

Well done hope you are recovering well

I was emotional the morning after the operation when I walked to toilet for first time and felt different..I think when I was in the four bedded bay I couldnt allow myself to be tearful about the loss of my breast..When I was walking down the corridor I was alone so let go.

I was only in 1 night and because no drain no nurses calling in....would have been nice as very swollen..may have to have the swelling drained when I go for post op check.Thursday..like you am nervous about treatment plan.  I have asked my Christian friends to pray for Strength for me to face whatever to fight this cancer. I will pray same for you.

Keep in touch,

Hi Hope4Today

i can relate to your question about when to take action.

I had a single mastectomy with ax clearance and no recon as a day case on 10/ 09. Drain or no drain is apparently surgeon preference as there is apparently no definitive evidence about which is better either way and both have pros and cons. I had no drain and have a largeish seroma (swelling filled with fluid). I was shocked that by the end of the first week it was about 3/4 the size of the other side so it was hard to tell that I’d had a mastectomy at all.

I’ve done a tonne of research and asked all the health care pros about it and the advice seems to be it should go away on its own but time varies from person to person. There are apparently loads of reasons why you might get one and no one has had any real advice about how you might speed up the healing process other than do as little as possible with the affected arm beyond the recommended exercises . I am trying arnica tablets and cream - there have been some studies - I’m not sure if it’s helping but I’m prepared to give anything a go at this point.
If your seroma is uncomfortable or red or hot you should speak to the BC nurses ASAP. Don’t feel you need to wait until a scheduled appointment to discuss it, you can contact them at any point you need to and they can usually arrange for you to come in quite quickly to see someone if you are worried - often on the same or next day although weekends are not generally covered. I don’t think there is any rule about when it’s too big, if it’s bothering you ask to see someone and get a view. Mine seemed huge and was straining the scar so I had it drained once at the end of week 2 and they removed about 500mls but the nurse told me they have drained far larger ones and much smaller ones where it was just a few syringes worth.

The drainage was totally painless and I got some immediate relief from the pressure, however it filled back up over a couple of days and the area was more painful thereafter, although this might have been unconnected, so I decided to not to do it again and to try and let it heal. 

By the end of week 3 the swelling had gone down from about a C cup to a B cup and it’s stayed about the same since, although it’s generally a bit smaller in the morning and a bit larger and tighter by the end of the day. Over the weeks it has become firmer and less sloshy. I have noticed tightening under the seroma which feels very strange and some burning pain and occasional shooting pains - it’s generally a bit uncomfortable and awkward for driving and sleeping but it’s bearable so just waiting for nature to take its course now.

I really hope yours has settled in the time since your post. 

Take care 

Thanks for that Jo02,

I have called the bcn twice this week. On Thursday when I said I was worried about the swelling I was reassured that it was ok and not to worry unless red or more discomfort caused by strain on scar. She also said they may drain some off when I go to my post op appt on Thursday next week. The next day Friday, 1 week after operation I noticed some dark red spots on my clothes that seemed to be leaking from end of scar under my arm and called again. 

Bcn didnt seem too concerned and advised me to call ward or Gp or A+E if worried over weekend..said not to do the more advanced arm exercises but use arm as normal.

I was planning to ask for it to be drained next week but now reading your post I'm thinking what is the point if it just fills up again. 

Interested to read anymore updates re if your swelling goes down. Thanks for posting.