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A MyBCTeam Member asked a question 💭
Cedar Rapids, IA

Had surgery on 7/3/14. Had corrective surgery on 7/22, left side, after implant migrated into neck & under arm. I wear compression bra 24/7 per PS order. I ice 10 min./side without improvement. Is this normal? If you experienced this, how long did it last?

August 28, 2014
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A MyBCTeam Member

If you could add information on where your swelling is occurring, it would be useful--and whether or not you had lymph nodes removed at any point?? Truncal and/or arm lymphedema--though not suffered by majority of folks who have had lymph nodes removed does happen to about 25-30% of us. May be worth a look by a certified lymphedema therapist? However... I had mastectomy/lymph node dissetion on June 30 and still have residual swelling to the side of my cancer breast--not directly under my arm, but near it. My lymphedema therapist (I'm at higher risk due to radiation I'm undergoing right now) thinks it may very well be post-op swelling--even now--rather than a lymphatic system issue. She explained to me that sometimes scar tissue forms below the skin and just doesn't get broken up for a very long time... also fluid swelling can take 6 months to as long as a year to completely subside, so don't get worried about it. Of course, if it is bothering you, do absolutely go see someone for peace of mind. (I, too, am upset that I've still got a lump of something after 8 weeks post-op... trying to be patient, doing what I can...) Hopefully this is at least a tiny bit helpful--I'm wishing us both some relief in the near future!!!

August 28, 2014
A MyBCTeam Member

Hi JenBorst. Thank you for the insight. The entire implant, foobie, on both sides is swelling, however the reconstructed reconstruction is most uncomfortable. It starts in my underarm and the whole thing is hard and swelled. That is the left side. I had only SNB on the right side. The right side had 14.2 cm DCIS. Left side may have been DCIS, maybe not. The pathology report stated it did, but the surgeon said that's wrong. They mixed up the samples. I have been doing the massages/exercises ordered by the PS, to avoid scar formation.

September 2, 2014

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A MyBCTeam Member asked a question 💭
St Paul, MN

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