Excessive fluid after lymph node removal

Hello @ckjell welcome to the best group of people, we all joined the breast cancer community against our will but are here to support each other.
When I read your post this morning, it sent me in the way back machine to my first node dissection.
I did have a lot of fluid build up at first, it had to be drained a few times in the month after surgery. I also found that the more I used that arm the less fluid I would have. This will sound kind of strange but the neighbor family brought me a kids toy, it was like a thick balloon with a kind of gel in it, kids just squeeze and squish it, like a stress ball. I put this in the freezer and it would get really cold but not freeze hard. I would put that under my arm (shirt on) and just rest a few minutes and it was amazing for the discomfort.
I hope you will reach out on some of the triple negative pages, there are some pretty awesome folks here to visit with.
Did your doctor give you any tips for reducing the lymph fluid under your arm? How are you doing with all of this?

@auntieoakley
I appreciate the quick response and a great idea. Also good to hear that you had to have it drained several times.
I am pretty active (trying). I go in Monday for my post-op so I am hopeful my Dr. says I can get back to my running. (Might be wishful thinking?).
Did you ever feel like this isn't real? I feel fine, so how can this be?
I'll have to check out the triple negative pages. I didn't know it existed.
Again I appreciate you.
Catherine

@ckjell I felt exactly like that! In fact I was sicker from the cure than from the disease, that being said it would have been really horrible if I hadn’t taken the treatments. I am still here to complain about it. lol
Here is a link to the list of TNBC pages.
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/breast-cancer/
Please come back and let me know what the doctor says on Monday. What treatments are you planning for?

Hello, I also had a seroma after surgery. Drained 4 times. I got an infection at the site. Put on antibiotic. Terrible, finally Dr. put a drain tube in for a week. All better now. I totally agree with the treatment seems worse than the cancer. But I know thats really not the case. Hang in there it gets better on the other side. God bless you on your journey.

Hi. I’m sorry you’re going through this but glad you found these groups.
I also had a lot of fluid build up under my arm. It was by far the most uncomfortable part of recovery from surgery and went on for many, many weeks. I was told to squeeze a rolled up sock under my arm. I was also told that using my arm a lot increased the chance of fluid build up (??). It’s not like I was lifting weights or doing anything out it the ordinary. I did have to have it drained more than once, as well. The second time they left a gauze wick in to help it keep draining. That eventually did the trick.
Good luck with this. I, too, felt like it’s a bit unreal (“no big deal”). It’s discovered then dealt with. But, hearing the potential recurrence statistics from my medical oncologist has woken me up a bit. It’s treatable but it’s serious.
Good luck. I hope you find great people to treat you!

I developed a seroma at the lumpectomy site. Call to get it drained. And return as often as necessary.

Yes. It’s called a seroma. I’m dealing with one now that is 5 weeks old. It was drained once early on and has been checked twice since then but no more draining so far. Mine seems to be holding steady; not worse but not much better. I’ve been directed to keep compression on it; using an ace bandage wrapped around my chest with a small pad at armpit location directly over the seroma. I found compression bras didn’t cover the seroma but rubbed an area just under it making it feel worse. You’ll read/hear different things for treatment as there doesn’t seem to be one treatment that fits all. My surgeon prefers not to continuously drain it, saying it increases chance of infection. I’m starting a 5 day course of pinpoint radiation next week to the spot where my lumpectomy was, so hoping it doesn’t exacerbate the seroma.

You will also read that gentle exercise several times/day (shoulder rolls, arms up the wall, suspended arm circles, and deep breathing) should help too.

Good luck and keep us posted if you would. Even though not very painful, this has been the worst part of my recovery. Everything else with the lumpectomy healed quickly and smoothly.

@keywestsj Can I ask how long this whole process went on for you? How long after getting the seroma did the infection develop? I’m on week 5 and have had it drained only once. My doc said continued aspirations can lead to infection so she wants to wait see if it reabsorbs on its own over weeks/months(?!?). Thanks. Hope you’re doing well now.

@susanmfc
Thanks that is helpful information. I just started trying the compression, so I am hopeful.
best

Good luck. Would be interested in what your doctor says/does (aspirate or not, etc.) on your follow-up visit. BTW, if it does need to be aspirated, surprisingly painless. Or mine was, anyway.