YES I HAD AN ABDOMALPLASTY AND VASER LIPO ON UPPER STOMACH AND COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT THIS LARGE SACK OF SLASSEY FLUID WAS IN MY STOMACH AREA RIGHT ABOVE NAVEL. IF I BENT OVER IT WOULD HANG THERE LIKE ANOTHER BODY PART. THIS IS MORE THEN A YEAR AFTER SURGERY. I WENT TO SEE MY PS AND SHE WANTED TO DO ANOTHER LIPO AND ABDOMANAL PLASTY AND I SAID YES AND WHEN I WOKE SHE SAID IT WAS A GOOD THING WE DID BECAUSE I HAD A LARGE SEROMA AND I WAS LEAKING FOR MONTHS BUT MY BODY WOULD ABSORB IT. I WAS SKINNY WHEN I GOT UP AND FAT WHEN I WENT TO BED. I JUST KEPT SLAPPING IT AND SAYING BOUGHT AND PAID FOR. IT WAS GROSS. I NOW AN ON MY THIRD SURGERY AND HAD THE DRAINED PULLED A WEEK AGO AND HAD TO GO IN A GET STABBED WITH A NEEDLE AND SHE DRAINED 200 CC OF FLUID, YELLOW AND PINK IN COLOR AND ONE DAY LATER IT IS BACK TO THE SAME AND OF COURSE IT WAS FRIDAY WHEN I SEEN IT WHEN I TOOK OFF MY GARMENT AND SO MONDAY I WILL HEAD OVER TO GET POKED AND DRAINED AND I AM TO GO ON A TRIP. I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD EVEN LEAVE. WHAT IF I BLOW UP IN ANOTHER STATE. WHAT DO YOU DO????? DON'T YOU THINK THE WORST THOUGH IS THE DAMN GARMENT FOR 6 WEEKS. YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE BEEING STRANGLED FOR 6 STRAIGHT WEEKS. NOW I HAVE ONE HECK OF A BACK ACHE. IT IS HARD TO STAY IN BED THIS LONG. I AM ON 2.5 WEEKS. I DIDN'T HAVE THIS FUILD BUILDING UP PROBLEM BEFORE AND IT IS MAKING ME UPSET. THEY SAID I WAS TO ACTIVE TOO SOON. I GET UP TO POTTY AND GET FOOD WALKING BENT OVER. WHAT'S A WOMEN OR MAN TO DO? :-S
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SO sorry to hear of your troubles. I had an extended tummy tuck w/limited lipo on August 21, 2007. I started swelling almost as soon as the drain tubes were removed...and it has continued. I look like I swallowed a basketball. It swells even more as the day progresses. :( I was severely anemic following surgery (resolved as of May 15th), so no one would touch me until that was handled.
Next week I am being drained...I was thinking THAT would solve it. Your report has me re-thinking THAT expectation. I am not in severe pain with this, but I am SO uncomfortable. Yes, that compression binder is horrid! I have worn mine now for almost a YEAR! My shape is odd - like 'Mighty Mouse'... small on the bottom (size 6-8), but a 38DD on top...with a basketball seroma beneath it. I am not happy. My surgeon was well-researched ahead of time and I know he did a good job - apparently, this seroma is one of the possible side-effects. I didn't know that prior to surgery...
I hope we're both skinny and cute this time next year - with FLAT tummies!! Good luck to you. Please keep us all apprised of how things are going.
Next week I am being drained...I was thinking THAT would solve it. Your report has me re-thinking THAT expectation. I am not in severe pain with this, but I am SO uncomfortable. Yes, that compression binder is horrid! I have worn mine now for almost a YEAR! My shape is odd - like 'Mighty Mouse'... small on the bottom (size 6-8), but a 38DD on top...with a basketball seroma beneath it. I am not happy. My surgeon was well-researched ahead of time and I know he did a good job - apparently, this seroma is one of the possible side-effects. I didn't know that prior to surgery...
I hope we're both skinny and cute this time next year - with FLAT tummies!! Good luck to you. Please keep us all apprised of how things are going.
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I had a mini tummy tuck 6 mos. ago and still have a seroma. The surgeon says it now has skin cells all around it and won't go away unless that lining is surgically removed. Who on the East coast does this well?
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I'm a man that had an abnoplasty in 2007 to resew my abdominal muscles to-gether as they were stretched, in Thailand, back home in Oz 3 weeks later had to fly back , had excessive Seroma fluid , sliced open again , fully this time,hip to hip drainage & vacuum for 9 weeks & then aspiration for a few weeks. Sent home had a VERY SMALL pocket of fluid that they said would be absorbed (about 10 - 20cc)
Wrong , over a period of months it hardened & got larger & larger. Eventually about 25 cm long in a semicircle over my abdomen. Back again,sliced open December 2008 , removed the capsule & started producing Seroma again , still here in Thailand on Needle aspiration since 13th January . Dropped from 70 - 80cc a day to about 10cc . Hoping it will finish soon . Hospital is free , hotel,food etc is not.
Frustrated
Wrong , over a period of months it hardened & got larger & larger. Eventually about 25 cm long in a semicircle over my abdomen. Back again,sliced open December 2008 , removed the capsule & started producing Seroma again , still here in Thailand on Needle aspiration since 13th January . Dropped from 70 - 80cc a day to about 10cc . Hoping it will finish soon . Hospital is free , hotel,food etc is not.
Frustrated
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I had an abdominal plasty nearly 3 weeks ago and have developed a seroma. The entire left side of my abdomen is swollen. Im skinny and healing very well on the right but the left is hard and huge! Im alreayd depressed! If this last a yr, what do I do? put my life on hold? I was NEVER told about this complication.
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Had a Tummy Tuck 3 years ago and 3 months ago lipo across the abs and a back lift. My PS discovered a HUGE seroma that covered my stomach, abs and 12 in. on either sides of my hips. He removed the seroma on the sides and put in drains. I had them in for 5 weeks and accidently pulled it out. I was draining about 250cc a day from it. Since then he's drained it with a needle but it hasn't help and its gotting more painful by the minute. I just can't take it any more. I'm heading back under the knife. He'll remove the whole seroma. I think I'll ask for drains every couple inches to pervent it from coming back Ha ha... I pray this works. The pain in my abs and the tissue across them is horrible. It causes stress induced asthma attacks. I can't take Percocet for the rest of my life. Has anyone had one for as long as I have and had it fixed? Some body please give me some hope....
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Hello all,
I had abdominoplasty April 14 2010. I have had buldging and swelling and pain in my lower abdomen since. My PS told me that its fluid and will absorb into my body,it hasnt yet. Recently I was in the hospital for another problem, and in the CT they found a large seroma right under my belly button. I been having pain above my belly button too, I dont know if thats normal, My PS said seromas are NOT painful, I just cried- feeling like wow, have you ever had one? He barely gave me 30 percocet, and 15 valium for post-op. So it was my medicine right after surgery, i took it as prescribed. I am usually a very active woman. two young kids, and myself only 32. I am so tired of being in pain, and tired, and really fustrated. He has tried to drain it twice, leaving behind nice little bruises from the 18g needle, he really couldnt get anything but what he says is old blood. Now he wants to make a 2 inch incision with local anesthetics and basically wash out the seroma, and leave a drain in place for a few weeks. At first he said well he will just feel around to exactly where the seroma is. I said no, no exploratory stuff, so I am trying to get my CT results so he knows exactly where to go,(2 different medical facilities) Then when I asked him to please refill my pain medicine, something much less potent hen percocet, he interrogated me, and said I shouldnt have pain anywhere, Seromas dont cause pain. I felt so belittled. Told him , it does hurt, I havent slept on my belly since the day before surgery.I usually sleep curled up in fetal position. I just want to be comfortable so I can recover and get on with my life.
Any advice would be most appreciative. Thank you for taking the time to read my story. All opinions are welcome.
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Hi All,
I had a tummy tuck and breast lift 1 week ago and have developed quite a large seroma, I got so swollen to the point where my belly button incision has busted open (about 1.2 cms) so rather than re stitch me up and manually needle drain me they have fitted my belly button with a colostomy bag so I can collect and drain my own fluids (which are clear but blood stained), I am also on strong preventative anti-biotics!!!
Im so desperately hope this heals up quickly, I dont like the idea of my Belly button being left open like this........
Amie x
I had a tummy tuck and breast lift 1 week ago and have developed quite a large seroma, I got so swollen to the point where my belly button incision has busted open (about 1.2 cms) so rather than re stitch me up and manually needle drain me they have fitted my belly button with a colostomy bag so I can collect and drain my own fluids (which are clear but blood stained), I am also on strong preventative anti-biotics!!!
Im so desperately hope this heals up quickly, I dont like the idea of my Belly button being left open like this........
Amie x
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HI I am 11 weeks post op and i acquired a seroma in my left hip i went through a serious of drains 8 to be excat and to injections of tetracycline in my hip which is suppose to help stop the seroma. Well that was all a flop and it started to fill and harden and showed signs of busting open at the incension. The red tinge and clear colors are good if you get like cottage cheese drain or a very thick chuncky drainage that is not good. My seroma was extremly large and we had to go in and the doctor said it was glistening very shiny means it was real thick and not going to go away on its own. So i went back in to have surgery to have the scar tissue removed and the seroma. THey also sewed the all the way across inside to incase there was something leaking. when they do that this also ties off some of the nerves that casues you to have no feeling but pins and needles in your leg. THey think we have got the problem i am about 1 week post op now and only draining 10 ccs every 12 hrs go back wednesday and they said as long as i am under 30 ccs they will pull the drain i am leary about this would like to keep drain another week or two but this time the color is staying red and not going clear they said that is good that means the fluid is from my body and that means there is not a sac forming. I hope this all clears up. I have learned alot about seromas from talking to doctors. There is nothing you can do to casue them and there is nothing you can do to prevent them your body forms them on their own. dont wait along time if you notice any kind of wave motion in your incesion area see the doctor. any swollen or heat feeling or red area thats looking odd call your doctor some people wait till it flows out of the incesion thats not good there should be no leakage in that area at all if so something is not right.
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anonymous wrote:
Hi i was told by my doc that a seroma is an accumalation of sterile fluid and your luckier in the long term if it comes out ur incision as there is more chance of infection if they have to aspirate it, also when its gushing out of the incision it is cleaning the wound naturally and stopping any chance of infection, my seroma developed 11 days after full tummy tuck, the incision burst and the whole process started and ended in 5 weeks, 1t was dark red fluid pouring out and as the week went on turned to dark orange fluid the light orange then dark yellow with light brown puss then light yellow with slight bloody speckles then clear yellow then it eventually stopped and what was an initial incision opening of 5 inched gradully closed as the fluid reduced and now i only have a half inch opening that isregurly cleaned with saline solution and bandaged twice a day.pls e mail me if anyone wants more info ***this post is edited by moderator *** *** private e-mails not allowed **
Please read our Terms of Use
thanks
HI weeks post op and i acquired a seroma in my left hip i went through a serious of drains 8 to be excat and to injections of tetracycline in my hip which is suppose to help stop the seroma. Well that was all a flop and it started to fill and harden and showed signs of busting open at the incension. The red tinge and clear colors are good if you get like cottage cheese drain or a very thick chuncky drainage that is not good. My seroma was extremly large and we had to go in and the doctor said it was glistening very shiny means it was real thick and not going to go away on its own. So i went back in to have surgery to have the scar tissue removed and the seroma. THey also sewed the all the way across inside to incase there was something leaking. when they do that this also ties off some of the nerves that casues you to have no feeling but pins and needles in your leg. THey think we have got the problem i am about 1 week post op now and only draining 10 ccs every 12 hrs go back wednesday and they said as long as i am under 30 ccs they will pull the drain i am leary about this would like to keep drain another week or two but this time the color is staying red and not going clear they said that is good that means the fluid is from my body and that means there is not a sac forming. I hope this all clears up. I have learned alot about seromas from talking to doctors. There is nothing you can do to casue them and there is nothing you can do to prevent them your body forms them on their own. dont wait along time if you notice any kind of wave motion in your incesion area see the doctor. any swollen or heat feeling or red area thats looking odd call your doctor some people wait till it flows out of the incesion thats not good there should be no leakage in that area at all if so something is not right.
Hi i was told by my doc that a seroma is an accumalation of sterile fluid and your luckier in the long term if it comes out ur incision as there is more chance of infection if they have to aspirate it, also when its gushing out of the incision it is cleaning the wound naturally and stopping any chance of infection, my seroma developed 11 days after full tummy tuck, the incision burst and the whole process started and ended in 5 weeks, 1t was dark red fluid pouring out and as the week went on turned to dark orange fluid the light orange then dark yellow with light brown puss then light yellow with slight bloody speckles then clear yellow then it eventually stopped and what was an initial incision opening of 5 inched gradully closed as the fluid reduced and now i only have a half inch opening that isregurly cleaned with saline solution and bandaged twice a day.pls e mail me if anyone wants more info ***this post is edited by moderator *** *** private e-mails not allowed **
Please read our Terms of Use
thanks
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I was warned about the possibility of this complication but at 2 weeks out I was doing awesome and had forgotten about it. Coughing spell made me tear things up a bit and when I got in to see the doc after a ct scan he took one look at me and said we are opening that up. The more I read all these old posts, the happier I am he chose not to aspirate or re-drain me and took me straight to or to clean them out. Pain is gone, very little drainage, packing kinda sucks but I have already closed a couple centimeters in only a few days. More docs should quit beating around the bush and do what needs to be done the first time. yea it cost more to go back in n pay for more OR time to the hospital but at least I feel more normal already. My husband is incapable of doing the packing without passing out but friends are lifesavers and find it cool just how much flesh fills in each day. hang in there and if they suggest opening it, go for it. its only depressing for a few days till you see just how quick it starts to heal...the right way
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I am almost 4 weeks post op abdominalplasty and I already had two aspirations; over 200 ccs and my PS istaking me back to put in a drain. Can anyone tell me how long I will have this drain for? Was this successful in healing your serome?
Thanks.
Thanks.
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Hi I am almost 12 weeks postop as of June 14th. I had no complication until a few weeks ago I also noticed my right side of my belly above my scar next to my belly button area was starting to swell. It wasn't painful or red so I went to have it checked out last week and they said it was a seroma and drained it. They said to come back when it got under 15. I came back 2 days later and it was removed. Well it happened again only days later and I went in again today to have another drain in. Its in the same area but it went further in this time. I also passed out last week with the first tube so I had my labs drawn. Luckily it came back good so no infections of my white blood cells count would be out of range. They were shocked that this happened within a wk timeframe. I hate getting stuck in the tummy and I hope this is the last one for me! I have more fluid this time than last and even have some blood in the tube but for the most part is clear fluid. I hope this helps everyone and if you all have advice for me please I would appreciate it!
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I am so sorry to learn that so many of you have had to go through this...but so glad to know i'm not the only one!! I had a tummy tuck with lipo on the hips and sides and full muscle repair on October 14, 2011. It is 8 weeks later and I am STILL in pain and STILL don't really know what is going on with my body. I had a drain in each of my hips for about 3 weeks after my surgery. They were miserable!!
Once I got them out, I swelled to the size of the good year blimp...what I thought was going to be a nice flat stomach looked worse than it had after having 3 babies and lap band! I started to develop a fever in the evenings that I thought was odd. It started out low grade, nothing over 99.9. I told my doctor about it and he said it was fine, just do some deep breathing and take some tylenol. Well, a little over a week later, the fever was up to 103.8 and my husband took me to the emergency room here in our town. I had developed a squishy area just below my navel that was red and covered from the navel to the incision about the size of a slice of bread.
The ER doctor called my surgeon who is in a town about 60 miles from me to notify him of my problem. Apparently, he wasn't too concerned or there was a mis-communication between the two doctors...because the ER doctor whom I have known my whole life (he's a member of my church...) came back and told me that my surgeon informed him that he wasn't interested unless I had a surgical need. So, I was admitted and started on Vancomycin which I was informed is the equivalent of battery acid in antibiotic terms. This all happened 4 weeks after my surgery. I was in the hospital for 8 days. Once the fever went away I was discharged.
Two days after I was discharged from the hospital, I went to see my surgeon. I was still massively swollen and had also developed a spot on my lower stomach the size of a dime that looked like a clear watery blister. I had no idea what that was from...but thought maybe it was from the tape they had used to cover my opened areas of my incision while I was in the hospital. When I was in my surgeon's office, he said I needed a new drain. So, he cut a small area of my incision (numbed it first...) and I felt a huge rush of hot fluid come out. He collected a culture of the fluid and sent it off to see what was going on. Then, he put in a soft rubbery tube and sutured it in place. I had to keep the area bandaged to catch the fluid and change it about 3 times a day. The culture came back a few days later saying I had STAPH. Awesome. I had the drain in until 4 days after Thanksgiving. The fluid had stopped coming out and I was flat again.
Well, that didn't last. 4 days after I had the drain taken out, I was once again swollen so much that I had the over hang belly again and was so tight and hurting that my incision was splitting open. I called my surgeon (who I am certain at this point is sick of me...) and he says I have to come in to see him. When the little spots began to open, I noticed a mucusy looking fluid coming out of them. I went to the office, and had to have ANOTHER drain put in. He says it will have to stay there for 4 to 6 weeks. This time I wasn't numbed before he cut the area to insert the drain and felt ever little stitch he did to hold it in. OUCH. The next day, the stitches popped and came out. I haven't called to tell him yet either. He says if this doesn't work, he may have to go back in and clean the area out and remove the stretched skin.
I have noticed that there are several perfectly round masses in my lower abdomen where I had the staph infection and I wonder if they will go away? I am still in pain with every breath, every step, every movement I make. I am no longer on any type of pain medication because my surgeon says I should be at the over the counter stage by now. I understand that for a person who is not having all these problems. I am rotting from the inside out though!! Motrin just isn't doing the trick! He kinda' acts like i'm an id**t too, which I don't appreciate. I know my body well enough to know when something isn't right with it. I mean, I've been using it for 31 years now...I think I should know when it's messed up!
I don't know what to do at this point...I am lost. I feel like an id**t when I try to ask questions about it and I feel like I am going to just have to learn to live with all this. That is, if it doesn't kill me!!!!
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I have had abdominal surgery two months ago. The fluid in my drains started out pinkish with tissue and clots. (normal) Now the right side is yellowish and the left side is normal pink. The smell on the right side is that of rotten teeth. I also have swelling and low abdominal pain. I have a staff infection, mrsa. Get it checked right away.
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