Hematoma
So……. Had my follow up with my breast surgeon today 2 weeks post lumpectomy. I’ve been having increased pain and swelling and generally feeling like crap. I can feel quite a large lump that starts over the incision going all the way down to my stomach quite painful! My lump was near my cleavage at the 8 o’clock position left breast. The lump was 18mm so not too awfully big. The incision was almost all the way across the breast about 3/4 the way down near my stomach. Anyway this large lump is very uncomfortable! My entire breast is swollen and red. No fever. The surgeon sort of “blows” me off says it’s a hematoma and it will absorb and will be fine. I’m a little put off by that. I’m pretty concerned and not quite sure what to do. I’m worried about infection and necrosis. The nurse seemed more concerned than the surgeon. I was hurried through the visit and sent out the door with instructions to take Tylenol. Yeah right Tylenol 🙄and to use a heating pad. Call if I run fever or if the hematoma gets bigger etc. Any advice? Am I just overthinking this? Am I being a big baby?
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Since the surgeon is currently not concerned there is not much you can do right now unless something changes for the worse. After two weeks ice is no longer effective for an bruise and heat sometimes will help the blood resorb.
I would go back in a month if things don’t improve. I was given the runaround about a hematoma from a sports injury on my thigh. A surgeon declined to drain it since he was afraid of causing infection and told me it might take six months to a year to clear. Rather than clearing it calcified (myositis ossificans) and I have a big bony lump in my thigh which is unsightly as well as uncomfortable. The surgeon I saw a year later told me it should have been drained at the six week mark and removing the MO at that point would potentially impair my ability to walk.
Generally surgeons will not touch another doctor’s surgery so you are in a bit of a bind. If things are not improving after a month return to the surgeon and mention your continuing pain and concern about ossification. Hopefully he would drain it then. If not seek a second opinion.
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Hi @farmerswife72. I feel your pain! You are absolutely NOT being a big baby. I had a spectacular hematoma after my biopsy and it was immediately obvious because the biopsy site bled profusely, then most of my breast was swollen and reddish-purple and very sore. I didn’t have to wonder about it being an infection because it was super obvious that it was a hematoma and the doctor told me right away that it was. They sent me home with a compression binder to wear and that did help, plus the ice at first, then the heat, I can’t remember if I took any Tylenol for the pain, I probably did. It gradually lessened in pain and color as the weeks passed but was still visible and bothering me 2 months later when I had my mastectomy (I was happy to get rid of the painful breast by that point!) … it does take time to heal. I also had a much smaller hematoma along my reduction incision and I remember that one spot being very exquisitely painful for a couple of weeks. I can only imagine how painful a hematoma plus a lumpectomy incision would feel. Ouch!!
I’m guessing you were given a compression bra to wear after the surgery. Does that provide any relief? It might be hard to compress that one area enough without causing uncomfortable restriction where you had lymph nodes removed. That was my dilemma after my 2nd surgery, more compression was needed on my reduction side but wearing the post surgical bra snug enough was too uncomfortable on my implant/lymph node side and I kept getting uncomfortable swelling in that armpit. Wearing the bra too loose didn’t provide enough compression and it was painful and swollen on my left, but wearing it snug was painful and swollen on my right. Eventually I was given a piece of foam channel stuff to put between my bra and armpit skin to help prevent the band from digging in and that really helped. Compression seems key but I struggled to find a balance with it. This is probably way more information than you need and I’m rambling, sorry … I sincerely hope you start feeling improvement soon!
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Thank you for the responses! Update: I never had any bruising just a red area which seems to have dissipated some. The swelling is a tad better but is still painful. I have a virtual visit with my surgeons NP next week and will hopefully get some answers then if things aren’t considerably better. I was not given a compression bra at the time of surgery but spent tons of money trying to find the right one. Finally found a bra for $13 believe it or not! That works really works to support and provide comfort. I did have a terrible hematoma after my biopsy which turned black and blue and was much more painful than the actual lumpectomy. That was one reason I had doubts this issue now is a hematoma. But I am healing slowly and feeling some better.
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It’s good that things are getting better. I also found a seamless cheap bra that is comfortable and doesn’t hurt the nerve damage in my breast. Hanes no longer makes it but I stocked up when I found out it was being discontinued. Hopefully the improvement will continue.
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Hello @farmerswife72. I didn’t realize I haven’t checked on this site in a couple of weeks. Thanks for that update. I hope you are continuing to feel better each day!
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Im going to my surgeon today to check a big bruise that goes from my nipple to my cleavage and yet my incision is in the far right corner at 10:00 and healing quite well. My nipple burns all the time and I can see 4 blue spots where dye was injected. I'm sure this may be a wasted trip and maybe I'm overreacting but it bothers me that it's such a big area and so far away from where it should be.
We shall see?
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