Seroma - too painful to drain, what do I do?

Hi, I was left with the leaflet as well, which didn't say much. My underarm was very hard to touch and painful. The breast I think is alright even though seems a bit bigger than after operation but maybe I imagined it. Exactly like you I was unable to do the 3 times exercises. I think 2 times were my most. I gained full movement and I was driving in 3 weeks so must have been good enough. I didn't take painkillers past the first week. I have a high pain threshold but I felt how much I can push the muscles and wound. The seroma formed in the first week when I was religiously doing the exercises , was removed and seemed to be coming back strong before I read what can be done to help. So, you are doing great with the exercises as you can still do the hard ones. It will get better I assure you. Just keep an eye for fever or redness above the wounds, they may indicate that the seroma gets inflammation which is then cause for concern. But it is rare. 

Thought I would give an update now I'm just past the 2 week post surgery mark. I am still having problems with pain, which is the most debilitating thing. I've got a routine of alternating paracetamol and ibuprofen throughout the day and night. And when the pain is so bad it brings me to tears, I switch out one of the paracetamol doses for a cocodamol instead. That works better at reducing the pain  for a couple of hours but it does make my head feel spacey. I'm also swapping different styles of bra for daytime and nightime to shift where the pressure is from the seams and elastic. It is physically and mentally exhausting being in this much pain, though - and I'm used to some degree of chronic neuropathic pain. But this is something else.

Last week I used cool compresses for 2 days to bring down the really quite extensive bruising, and that worked amazingly well. And it reduced the pain.

This week I tried warm compresses twice to reduce the seroma now the bruising has almost gone, but it seems to have brought the fluid up to the surface of the skin and it's all rather a lot more sore. It's also triggered that sloshing feeling to come back, which had gone away a few days ago.  I'm wondering whether I probably ought to have stuck with cool compresses instead or just left it alone.

Today I phoned the breast clinic to find out whether I ought to come in for a check up - it was their most experienced nurse who answered the phone.  I explained what's going on but also that because none of the area lost any sensation, it's all painful and sensitive to even light touch so I would be unlikely to let them try sticking a needle in the wound again. The nurse said that as long as I'm happy with how it's progressing, I don't have to come in again till I get my results appointment through, and they'll take a look at it then. Of course having never had a mastectomy before, I don't know if it's progressing normally, I've no frame of reference. But she seemed to think it sounded alright for now. 

I'm still doing the exercises. Sometimes my range of movement is more limited by tight tissue and pain, and other times I have better range of movement. There doesn't seem to be an obvious pattern of improvement with those. But I can do a little more each day with general tasks around the home with that arm now, so something is improving. 

Oh my word! You have all my sympathy, your pain level sounds really difficult. Take it a day at a time, take the pills and go back to the cool compress! I’m sure they will try to sort you out at the appointment. My second Seroma sort of disappeared naturally so don’t give up hope. It was very recent and you will slowly feel better day by day, stay strong and I am thinking of you .

I can identify with this. I haven't a seroma but did have a massive haematoma requiring emergency surgery. This was in spite of BC Nurses saying everything OK. I keep asking them to check the site of the implant, there is about 20 ml of  lymph collecting and Nurse said there is now just that and inflammation, seen on ultrasound. I don't have full mobility of one arm despite doing all the exercises. Nurse said if no better by next Thursday she would refer me to Physiotherapist. What needs to be done is to move the lymph along - I've decided to do the exercises as instructed, plus some more difficult ones gained from a USA site and some to prevent lymphodaema. My arm still aches in the mornings, and is quite painful. It is frustrating. I agree that sometimes there is better movement than others and everything is very tight, and no real pattern of improvement, other than a general strengthening, and less wobbly arm, but it is supposed to be raised above your head if you could do that before the op. I was told that the Nurse would have been concerned if the arm was the one on the side of the breast which needs radiotherapy, but the fact I can't move the arm as I used to is concerning to me. 

Hi moominancestor, I’m 8 weeks post mastectomy now, still some residual seroma but it has improved a lot, mostly below my armpit and around my back now but still this crease where my ‘boob’ used to be, uncomfortable by the end of the day but not major. Feels worse in the morning depending on which side I’ve laid on overnight but easier during the day as it goes down being active. Your early days and each week you’ll see an improvement. I’ve got full movement range in my arm, cording is resolving, picking my granddaughter up, doing everything normally now, trouble is I’ve got axcilliary node clearance this Wednesday so back to square one ! I found just running the warm shower head over my under arm helped, think I may have read somewhere warm compresses not advised regularly, keeping up with the excercises definitely helps, some days were better than others but I wasn’t religious with them, found doing normal things like washing up/ dusting, stretching abit further for things was more beneficial but everyone different. Can certainly get my arm up really well no problem, it just all takes time and don’t panic if you can’t do it, it will happen, 

Thanks Parisa. Glad you're healing well. Good luck with Wednesday. 

Thanks moominancestor ! Another box ticked, just await histology then I’m positive thru and thru apparently so wait to see what’s in store. Keep us updated on how your doing, have you got an appointment for your post surgery follow up yet ? xx