DCIS post op issues - pain and infection

[katiepoo]

Eff,
How are things? I finally started my rads on 3rd Dec.
My wound post abscess surgery is not pleasant to look at. I only took the dressings off on 5th Dec! That was only because the rads team didnt have any I could use as I appear to be sensitive to all dressings.
The radiographer very kindly said to me “are you sure you need the dressing now?”
Psycologically i did need it, but am gradually getting there.

[Eff]

Thank you x

[Eff]

Hi Katie

i know exactly what you mean about the skin and how it has affected the radiotherapy planning. I was in 3x last week for them to drain my breast, although third time it was basically the nurse squeezing it for ages - can’t believe how much gunk came out. She told me to get in the shower and do it myself over the weekend, which I’ve done every morning and night, still waking up soaked - not pleasant. Going back in to see the team again tomorrow, but glad I feel so much better than last week. 

I haven’t read the radio section yet as was trying to deal with one day at a time, but yes my poor boob is bruised again, sore and the skin peeling from all the pummelling and dressing changes. Will see what they say tomorrow. I just wanted it all done and dusted by Christmas so still hopeful! 

Good luck with yours! Feel free to chat if you want to! 

Eff 

[katiepoo]

Hi Fiona,
I also had an infection post WLE for non-invasive intermediate grade DCIS.
Went for my rads planning on 5th October after surgery on 11th September. Radiographers spotted a swelling, but continued the planning.
Rang BCN who advised to come in the following Thursday 11th. By then the swelling had increased, but wasn’t painful. Haematoma measured 7x5cm. Attempted drainage, but fluid was too thick. On the following Sunday 14th Oct, right boob swollen, painful, hot and red. I’m a nurse by background so knew i had an infection. Went to GP on the 15th, got antibiotics, but still felt rough and boob got more painful. BCN advised an appointment on 17th Oct in the afternoon, but it opened up the scar that morning.
The relief from the pain was immense, but I needed surgery to washout the abscess on 19th Oct.
I’ve been back every other day since then having dressing changes and the wound is getting better.
My problem is the I now need replanning, but while wound is still oozing I can’t have it.
As a nurse, I’m proud to have some lovely nurses changing my dressing and giving me hugs and understanding my need not to look at the wound.
I’ve read the rads posts and my only real worry is my lack of preparation for my boob as I can’t apply cream due to the large dressing on it and that my skin appears to be very sensitive to a lot of the dressings they’ve used.
Good luck x

[ladybowler]

Elf

Just wanted to welcome you to the forum and to wish you all the very best for your results tomorrow.

Sending you hugs

helena xx

[Eff]

Hi ladies 

First post - have found the forum so useful so far thank you. Thought I’d share my experience so far in case others going through it are worried. So I was diagnosed with Stage 0 Grade 2 invasive ducal carcinoma a few weeks back and had op to remove the relevant tissue and margin, plus sentinel lymph node biopsy. Felt fine after op for first few days, first week in fact then started feeling a bit poorly. Not really knowing what was normal pain, I started taking the co-codamol that I’d been prescribed, but still very uncomfortable and felt like I was getting flu. Whole body ached, shivering, then sweating you know the sort of thing. Considered whether it might be infection but breast didn’t feel any hotter than other one, and hadn’t swelled anymore. But then this monday (so 2 weeks post op) I woke up and the breast wound area was red hot and I was more like a double K than a DD 😬. So went into breast clinic and sure enough it was infected. They drained about 150ml yucky liquid off and I was put on ABs for a week, said to monitor it and come in again if worried, but as I was due in on the Friday I thought it would be ok. Anyway felt rotten rest of day and all day Tuesday, but thought well ABs need time to kick in. Yesterday (Wednesday) woke up after fitful sleep and breast had swelled right back up again and very hot, unsure of what to do I rang the breast care nurses who said come in. So glad I did, another 340ml of liquid drained off, breast like a popped balloon! The nurse said I was absolutely right to go in. So today I feel a lot more ‘normal’ so hoping the ABs and my body now having a chance to fight the infection. Back to see consultant tomorrow to see whether need more surgery, whether in sentinel lymph nodes (scans suggested not) and hopefully to plan radiotherapy sessions. He will also check infection and see if more drainage needed (which by the way doesn’t hurt at all - didn’t even feel the needle going in).

So my message is, if in doubt and you think something is not right, do ring your breast care nurses or the office to ask them what they think. Mine have all been brilliant and keep telling me they would rather I ask them and it be nothing than not to ask and it be something. I’ve not read the radiotherapy posts yet, one step at a time! 

Fiona