post top surgery bleeding / hematoma / recovery question(s)

[buddhascamera]

over a week after chest surgery, I experienced internal bleeding on one side, went to the ER, and the surgeon there (not the one who did the surgery) drained a lot (but he said not "all) of the blood off of the site.

Now, an additional 12 days after that, and 21 days after my surgery, I still have much more pronounced swelling on that side.  And much bruising.  The swelling is very uneven, and I am wondering what can be done to promote healing. 

I am taking homeopathic Arnica, 200c, and resting a good deal, and getting (very gentle) bodywork, and healing energy work / touch.  I am trying to eat as well as I can, and putting some oils and creams on the incisions and the chest area.
Wondering if hot / cold packs alternating would be helpful, or if there are other, relatively "natural" things to help.  I am going in for the second time this week to have family doctor look at it, and see if he thinks there is liquified blood to draw off the site.  Surgeon who did the surgery is suspecting this could be happening (via email photos analysis, not direct examination, I live very very rurally, and far from the surgeon)

What would "liquified blood" feel like?  I went in earlier in the week, and family doctor didn't think there was any then, but said that if there is some, and it stays, I may have very thick scarring throughout that side.  ARGH....is that true?  Any further input?

[nerdierthanyou]

Who was your surgeon?

[Dennis]

I don't know what else you could do to drain it, but as for the scarring question, it depends on whether the hematoma is stretching your incisions. That's usually the thing to avoid.

Hope it clears up for you.

Dennis

[buddhascamera]

my surgeon was brownstein
he told me today I can start to use hot / warm compresses on it three times / day (not on the grafts, obviously)

[nerdierthanyou]

my surgeon was brownstein

Eek!

[ConfusedMichelle]

why eek?!

[buddhascamera]

I don't really get the eek either.
I certainly don't think he did anything wrong, he has been great.
I had a long day of travel, and then this happened, not sure if it's connected, but could be that, or the cold climate, I arrived in, or just who knows what.

The compresses are helping.  My local doctor also suggested switching to a compression shirt, and I miraculously was able to find some biking shirts (spandex) on sale downtown this morning, so have been wearing that instead of the heftier surgical binder. 

Someone from a yahoo group emailed me photos of their hematoma, and it was very similar, which helped my psyche a lot.  However, my swelling was / is much much much more.  BUT, after a few more weeks, that guy's swelling had lessened immensely.

Mentally, it's a bit of a challenge.   And it seems hard to get good information from people who have experienced this (except this one guy I just mentioned, who was great today, telling me his story).......
I am very very happy with how my nipples turned out, and the right side of my chest looks better every day.
I am trying to hope for good results on the left side, ultimately, it seems like it will take a lot more patience, and perhaps with effort it will turn out well, still.  I have been beginning to use oils and creams on the scars, hoping to help them out as well.

still don't get the eek.....I assume that complications happen sometimes.  I was feeling well when this happened, though didn't mentally / emotionally want to leave San Francisco yet.

How long after surgery did people's chests settle down / did swelling seem to stop?  how long til it was "easy" to pick up heavier things, etc.  I have seen how over 1 - 2 years, surgery results dramatically can change.....so I have been trying to settle in for a longer journey here.....

[nerdierthanyou]

The eek is was far too standalone, I'm sorry. 

I'm on Brownstein's schedule in a few weeks and getting fairly nervous about it.  That's all.

[Camden]

Brownstein did my surgery 7 weeks ago. I didn't experience any real problems. I'm just now to the point where I'm not sore anymore and can pick up heavier things. I tried to start back to martial arts at 4 weeks but I pulled something and waited another two weeks before I tried again. I can lift my right arm just fine but the left one is about 80% of normal. Under my arms still swells up and then I sleep in the binder and that really helps. I could see bruising until about 6 weeks. I was really impatient around the 3-4 week mark. I was bored and just wanted my regular life back. Now I'm back doing about 90% of what I did before. I'm back to doing 2 hours 5 days a week of martial arts and I do everything except punching. So hang in there! Hopefully you'll turn the corner soon. I wish you the best and hope you feel better! Camden

[buddhascamera]

Camden
Thanks, it helps to hear the timeline of getting back to things.  I find it very challenging to keep waiting.
And to have felt so good comparatively, at 5 days post op, energy wise, but at 23 days post op to be MORE tired than that, feels crazy to my brain.  The sides of my chest are, now, of course, different, in what they can do, and the more injured side is the one I use for most things, so that is also a bit challenging.  It helps to hear that 3 -4 weeks into the healing you felt impatient too. 

Dennis
The incisions on the left have been pulled at, but really, they seem just fine.  They were still being held w/medical adhesive and brown tape when this happened.  It's the skin that is way over stretched again, and right NOW it looks to ME like I would need a revision, however, I hear that could change as time goes on.  I am a bit larger / overweight, for a few reasons, still.....I can't wait til I can work out, but that will be waiting at least a month, and likely more, I think.

Nerdier than you --
Thanks for explaining the eek more.  I wouldn't worry.  My having this happen increases the odds YOU won't have any complication, if you look at it mathematically.  Brownstein has been superb handling this from a distance, extremely responsive, and present and helpful.  It sucks, but my chest is still 95 percent smaller and flatter than before, as I got up to something like a 40H after I gave birth (yeah -- it's big_).  So, really, there's still a lot of progress, even though I am mentally pretty stressed at times.

I just wish I had done this sooner.  Funny thing, too, when I spoke with a more local surgeon, initially, I told him my instinct, as I have SOME old health issues I am still healing, and a slightly weaker body than some, was to do one side at a time. That surgeon thought that was sorta crazy, cause of money stuff, but now I wonder if I had some intuition that it would be easier on my body's energy and healing to do one side at a time, slightly crazy as that is.  Oh well, too late now.  I also did NOT want to leave SF and sorta wonder if I had stayed if this wouldn't have happened (I had a long day of travelling before this happened)...but who knows.

It's a lot of money, right and left, to fly out there, in the first place, and to get the surgery.
Good luck to you.
Joseph

[dylan30]

Thanks for starting this thread. I'm going through the same situation and was worried something else might be wrong, despite the fact that the surgeon (crane) reassured me it would heal.

[Squirrel698]

Dude, it's not good form to revive threads that are 5 + years old 

[Jack_M]

Edit: Never mind, just saw this is a majorly old thread!

[Devlyn]

Thanks for starting this thread. I'm going through the same situation and was worried something else might be wrong, despite the fact that the surgeon (crane) reassured me it would heal.

Hi Dylan, welcome to Susan's Place! Here is a thread that's a bit more recent, you can probably talk to Elijah. Hugs, Devlyn

https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,141717.0.html