Post surgery swelling

Hi MackMabel

I can't answer your question per se, but your post has slipped to the second page, so by replying, I am bumping you up.

It does sound odd though that the on call Doctor hasn't been able to speak to your surgeon and thinks you should have more surgery after just one day later than your main surgery.  It might be that the swelling is a normal reaction to being cut about, so it does seem premature that the on call Doctor should be sending you elsewhere to have further surgery - unless it is something very drastic that has happened with your swelling?  If it has, then understandable the on call Dr would want the surgery investigated.  If it's just normal swelling after an operation, it does sound very strange.

I personally would be contacting the hospital / your breast care nurse  / asking for a second opinion - to ask for further clarification, if this repeat surgery isn't scheduled as urgent for you.

Kindest wishes, Lesley

Hi MackMabel,

Sorry to hear of your discomfort; I had a wide excision and initially developed a seroma and then a haematoma. I had considerable bruising and swelling and contacted my breast care nurse, who arranged for me to go into the clinic to see her, then called in the consultant. In my case, they tried to draw off excess fluid, carried out a scan and repeated attempts to draw fluid off, ( without success. The advice to me was to wear a sports bra to put pressure on the bruised area/ breast. I did have a repeat of the operation four weeks later, but this was completely unrelated to the swelling/ bruising, but this time a pressure dressing was applied over the base dressing and I didn’t have a repeat of the initial problems. My advice would be to contact the breast care nurses; I found them to be so supportive every step of the way and they may be able to contact the consultant more easily than you can. Wishing you all the best ; it’s all so scary/ painful/ emotional, but you’ll get there. Keep strong, my friend. 

Hi Rozz

i had bad swelling and bruising  after my op. I’m now 3 weeks after radium and have a small lump among my node scar under armpit. Been in to see bcn and she thinks it’s scar tissue and asked me to massage it for next 3 weeks. Then come back in if it doesn’t go down. 
I’m now massaging and worrying for three weeks this isn’t anything more than scar tissue x 

Update - I was transferred to another hosp & my surgeon turned up! He decided to go in again & see why there was so much swelling. Needless to say I haven't been told the cause but it is alot easier today.

Hi Army,

Sorry to hear of this additional stress after all you’ve been through; hopefully, the massage will help and the lump will go. 

Im due to start radiotherapy in two weeks; I’ve still got some swelling, which has delayed things. 

I’m recovering day by day physically but struggling with the emotional side of everything. Hopefully, things will improve..

Take good care of yourself; hope all goes well. 

Morning Roz

i did 5 days radium. Which wasn’t too bad. Prior I had a slight cording in the underarm so I’m thinking it may be the remnants of that. I’m just so tired now it seems I’ve had one worry after another for 6 months. I just want to wake up and smile again. 
hoping your swelling goes down I also had a little swelling in boob but it did go down before radium 

oh the joys. Wish it could be straight forward op then treatment without added extras. 
take care x