Excessive fluid after lymph node removal

Yes! That was my main discomfort too! I had my surgery (double mastectomy) a little over a year ago and I still have some fluid build up under my arm from where the lymph nodes were removed. I had mine drained twice and was getting it drained a 3rd time when my surgeon said I should keep the fluid there - that it would help the plastic surgeon. (Like another poster said, I couldn’t feel it when he drained it - at all.)
I met with the plastic surgeon last week and he commented that I still had some fluid. I told him what my breast surgeon said, and my plastic surgeon replied “it isn’t much fluid” and just looked kind of confused about what my surgeon said! 😂 I’m going to mention it again when I go back bc I’m just curious at this point!
Anyway! I have 2 bras that I wear all the time (even to bed) that hold the fluid in (they aren’t really compression bras but work that way for me). I just bought a few different ones in a couple sizes until I found what I liked and then bought a few of them. I sleep in them bc they take away that feeling I get from the fluid being there. Im looking forward to not sleeping in a bra again one day but for now it’s how I feel the most “normal.” I have 2 bras that I have really loved for this problem. One pulls over (no snaps or anything) and the other has front snaps (more like plastic hook and eye closers) but works the same way. I bought mine from an online store called Truekind. I believe the pullover one is called a bralette and the front closer one is called a daily comfort posture bra. You can get these styles from lots of places but this company is affordable and very good quality. Now as far as feeling like I had cancer?!? I was feeling so healthy when I was diagnosed with cancer that I was in a kind of shock for a while. My surgeon and nurse laughed at/with me one day and I was just so confused and kept saying but I feel so good?! He said that it’s a myth that early breast cancer has pain as a side effect. I almost felt guilty because people kept asking how I was feeling and, other than a couple weeks after each chemo treatment, I felt (and still feel) great! Best of luck to you! Stay positive, exercise when possible, eat right, and pray (if you’re a prayer). I’ll be praying for you! You got this!!