Hi everyone
I just found this website - what a wonderful resource. Forgive me if I fumble a bit with this first post.
I had surgery May 22nd. Everything went well, at the week one check it looked really good. My left side was a little more bruised and the drained blood was a lot darker. But drains were taken out and I was good.
At my two week check this morning, they opened my vest to find a hematoma on my left side. It was so swollen and bruised. The doctor immediately started shoving a needle in to drain it. He got out about 150ccs of really dark blood. I have to go back tomorrow so he can try for more. If he can't get to all out he said he will have to cut me back open and flush it out.
I'm terrified. Everything looked so good at my first check and now it all looked so much worse. Has anyone has this happen before? Did it affect your overall result? I was told it would not by the doctor. It's still unsettling something is wrong.
Any advice would be appreciated. If I can figure it out, I'll post pictures. Thanks.
Did you measure the output every day? If it was above a certain amount then they shouldn't of taken the drains out.
Yeah I kept track of the drain outputs and they were both around10-15 cc's each when emptied every twelve hours, which was what they were looking for. The left side had much darker blood though...the doctor said it was old blood and the drain likely prevented a hematoma....I guess there was still bleeding since I have one now?
How do I upload pictures? I'm trying to do so from my phone...
This is maybe the most common complication. They need to get this cleared up. It's not usual to have to reoperate, but it can happen. I know of several people that this happened to and they are okay, and in most cases it hasn't hurt the look of their chests. But you absolutely need this cleared up. I'd say if it takes surgery, then you need to get it done. Only so much fluid can be taken out via a needle. Hang in their, I'm sure you'll be fine. (It's a complication but not in any way life threatening.)
--Jay
Hi pictrig, Welcome to Susan's.
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You won't be able to insert a picture into your post until you reach fifteen posts. But you can link.
I've heard of other guys who have had hematomas and are fine now. It can take a while for the blood to be absorbed into the body, though.
Ok here is a link to the pictures - hope it works. The first is my week one reveal, followed by the week two check where the hematoma was discovered.
http://imgur.com/a/0Ej1X
Thank you everyone for your input - I will reply in more detail later, my appointment is in 45mins.
It looks very flat at least.
Well, today was hopeful. Took 40cc's of more dark, old blood out. He said what was clotted is liquifying. Compared to yesterday's 150cc's. Needle went in WAY easier. Yesterday it felt like he had to use all his strength to break through my skin - he said he must have hit a stitch. Today I didn't even feel it go in. He used a 14 gauge needle. I am going back tomorrow for the same routine (yes, he's coming to the office on a Sunday). Depending on tomorrow, it may be okay to leave alone to heal or if there is still a lot of fluid he talked about putting a drain back in. And injecting some antibiotic to agitate the area and make it fuse together so there isn't a cavity formed there where all the blood was. Trying to be positive. The worst part is that he is having me wear extra foam on that side under my compression vest to keep a lot of pressure on the area and it is super uncomfortable.
Alexthecat - thank you for saying it looks flat - that two week picture was taken after the blood was drained. Before it looked like I had a small breast again. It was very unsettling looking down on. But it's flattening out the more we take out.
Arch - yeah, some people told me that hematomas do just reabsorb by themselves after time but I guess this was just too much? I don't know. My doctor seemed very anxious to get it out, that there was no waiting. Which is fine I guess if it fixes things faster.
LordKAT - thanks for all the helpful info. I'm glad I could get pictures out there.
aleon515 - thank you for the reassurance that this is a common complication and often doesn't affect people's results.
I'll keep posting updates. Maybe this can help someone else who has the same issue. It's been a huge help to me. Thank you everyone :)
Talk to Jack, he had an idiot pull his arm and got one. Yours was just natural. https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,156574.msg1327184.html#msg1327184
Day three of hematoma draining - doctor got 27cc's out today, so it is going down quite a bit. Back for the same thing tomorrow am. Here are some pictures from today:
http://imgur.com/a/kNZWU
Has anyone experienced a weird feeling of like a crawling popping or bubbling under the skin in their chest after surgery? Especially when you walk or move your arms?
Thanks for the contact Alex, I sent him a message.
Hey, Pictrig18. Sorry this is happening to you. Things do seem to be hopeful, though. I think it is great that your surgeon is staying on top of this.
Thanks for keeping us updated with pictures; like you said, this thread could be helpful to someone.
Day four of going in and having the doctor aspirate - 20cc's. Going back tomorrow. The fact it continues to lessen means the cavity is healing together like it should. Hoping each day will be less and less and this will all be over with soon. Here are today's pictures:
http://imgur.com/a/wYb8k
My skin is so broken out, it's even moving down from the taped area toward my nipples/incision. Is this normal or has anyone had experience with it? I'm worried it will affect my nipples and incisions from healing properly.
Brett - thanks for the encouragement. Yes, my surgeon has been great with seeing me everyday, even through the weekend, to get this taken care of. I'm sure it would have been more convenient for him to put a drain back in but I'm glad he didn't. The less invasive we have to be, the better as far as I'm concerned. The aspirating everyday is uncomfortable but painless.
Those just zits? If they are not cystic I think it would be okay. All the zits I have had didn't leave a mark after awhile. I didn't get zits like that after surgery. Are you cleaning yourself? I used baby wipes but they need to be kept far away from the incision and nipples.
I think so? I'm not exactly sure. I haven't been able to wipe that area because of the tape and bandages/padding that has been there. Maybe I'll take the wipes I've been using and clean it while everything is off tomorrow at the appointment...
Update on yesterday's draining. 20 cc's again. The appointment was later in the day, so hoping that accounted for the amount not going down. Still looks like everything is healing well, just need to get that last little pocket to heal down. I still have my vest on with extra padding over that area to keep pressure on it. My right side is bandage free and feeling good. I was given the okay to shower yesterday which was wonderful. Washing my vest made a huge difference too. Going in again this morning. I guess we'll see what the numbers are. It's sounding more and more like it's going to resolve itself without further surgery. Here are pictures:
http://imgur.com/a/WHRHw
Quote from: Pictrig18 on June 11, 2014, 05:40:35 AM
Update on yesterday's draining. 20 cc's again. The appointment was later in the day, so hoping that accounted for the amount not going down. Still looks like everything is healing well, just need to get that last little pocket to heal down. I still have my vest on with extra padding over that area to keep pressure on it. My right side is bandage free and feeling good. I was given the okay to shower yesterday which was wonderful. Washing my vest made a huge difference too. Going in again this morning. I guess we'll see what the numbers are. It's sounding more and more like it's going to resolve itself without further surgery. Here are pictures:
http://imgur.com/a/WHRHw
To me it look a lot better, Pictrig. :)
Oh, you're looking a lot better now! Sorry it has been so onerous. Are you getting enough rest?
Today went really well - only 10cc's were drained. Doctor is very optimistic that this is almost over. I go back tomorrow morning. Here are pictures:
http://imgur.com/a/NpibO
Thank you for the complements.
Arch - I think I'm getting plenty of rest....I sleep all night, usually nap at some point in the day. I'm not back to work or anything like that. I'm actually going stir crazy not being able to do much. The doctor said this likely happened during week one - at my week one reveal and drain removal, it wasn't apparent because the drain had been preventing it from forming. One thing that did happen - the fluid from that drain did start to lighten up, but a few days in it turned back to dark red. While my good side continued to lighten. He removed both drains at week one because the amounts being drained were minimal, around 10-15 cc's every twelve hours. The amounts from each side were very similar. He said at some point something happened to break a blood vessel. It could have been as simple as me coughing or sneezing.
One other thing about the drains - my bad side drained a ton at first, having to be emptied several times the first night. The other side was lower and more constant, but a couple days in we stopped stripping the tubing because while it was being done once I had incredible pain with it. I was told some tissue could be getting pulled in and to stop stripping and that side turned out fine. Just some more random variables.
I had this happen, but I experienced some violence that may or may not have caused it. It got out of control and I had to have emergency surgery. My surgeon is wonderful, the cleanest lines I've ever seen, but the side that was opened twice is more scarred and wrinkly than the other side. I still have graphing paper with stats and charts on drainage (my roommate is a mathematician and a little odd) but I don't know where it is right now.
It sounds like you are being careful and keeping track of everything, which is good. The photos look like great progress. I hope you continue to get better. Grats on the top surgery. :)
I'm sorry to hear it had to lead to surgery - but am glad your surgeon was on top of things and the problem was fixed. I've thought about my bad side possibly looking different than my good side but in the end, it will be so much better than what was there it doesn't really bother me. I love the idea of having graphs and charts documenting the drainage (I'm a science type at heart). I wish would have thought to document things even better before the surgery because after I was in no condition to think to do so.
Thanks for the kind words :) I'm off to yet another appointment...this is becoming so routine. Minus the needle part...I just cannot seem to warm up to that part...:P
Hey guys - sorry so long to update. Yesterday's draining yielded 9cc's. Today's only 5 :) so things are looking hopeful. Here are pictures from today:
http://imgur.com/a/bLMcc
Hoping to be able to return home Monday. What the doctor is looking for is when you push just to my left of my left nipple, you can see it move closer to my nipple even where you're not touching. That's the cavity and the fluid we want gone. Sounds like I will have to wear the compression vest and extra padding on the left side until that happens(pushing creates no ripples/movement anywhere else around it).
I think it looks good. After that fluid reabsorbs for the last time, and the bruising and inflammation fades out, I bet you won't be able to tell just by looking which side it was that had the problem.
Hey guys
Sorry so long for the update, a lot has happened in the past few days.
Went to the doctor for the ninth day of draining and found that there was nothing left to drain - and got the okay to fly home :) I had the surgery in MN and live in TX. I had been staying with family there but it was nice to get home to my fiancé. The only condition was that I need to wear the compression vest and extra padding on my left side for another week. I cannot wait until Saturday to take this thing off for good. I also need to see him in six weeks. I'll get some updated pictures soon.
Here are the pictures from that last dr.'s visit:
http://imgur.com/a/3iCzZ
Now I think the left side looks better than the right. (on the incision line)
I think the nipple on the left side looks better than on the right, but that kind of thing changes fast and you look very good overall.
Hey, Pictrig. It has been a few weeks. How are things coming along?
Also, I am wondering if you would post your top surgery experience in the Top Surgery Recovery Updates thread, which is a sticky at the top of the Top Surgery child board (this one).
We are trying to get people's experiences with different surgeons, along with pictures, and tips for recovery to help current and future surgery patients. The number of views is astounding, so it is clearly utilized. thanks!
Hey everyone
Wow, it's been so long since I've updated and I'm sorry. Things are going well. I'll include some one month post-op pictures. Had to wear the vest and padding a little longer due to a little swelling on that left side, but nothing major.
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimgur.com%2Fa%2FzYdrj&hash=c496daf2a0f701506b1e283d92aceb75926041fa)
This is my first time putting pictures in my post, so let's see if it worked before going on...
Hmm...okay how about this
<iframe class="imgur-album" width="100%" height="550" frameborder="0" src="http://imgur.com/a/zYdrj/embed"></iframe>
Well I'm technology-challenged...I think you can get to the pictures via that last attempt at least.
Movement is much better on both sides, almost back to normal on the right, the left is a little behind. I head back to my super physical work Monday, so we'll see how that goes.
Has anyone ever had weird tingling in there arm/hand? Especially when touching a certain part of one of the incisions? It's really strange...hoping it calms down with time.
Overall things are great - it has been a long road, but totally worth it. If anyone has any more specific questions, shoot - I'll be sure to get online soon to be sure I can reply. Thanks for all of your support :)
You can't always tell early on about nipples. At first I thought the right one would be much better looking than the left, even Dr G thought that. But after a month the left one looks better and has "popped up". The right one looks kind of flat.
--Jay