Anyone out there who has had problems healing from a mastectomy?

I had a double mastectomy due to invasive breast cancer on 9/17/14 with chest expanders. A month later I lost the left expander due to an infected wound that was a result of poor condition of skin flaps that were closed in a bruised state at the initial surgery & I believe the expanders should have been delayed- never mind inflated. It's November & I am too scarred on the left & still draining to ever have an implant placed- my pectoral muscle just lay inside useless. The right side had a superficial wound that just wouldn't heal- and a week ago An "AG" dressing that was started; ate through that tissue like acid in just 3 Days & the smell was awful! I had to stop it. Being a 25 yr nurse- and not being able to get into see my Plastic Surgeon till yesterday & realizing the wet-dry was only making things worse- I decided on Dakin's & kept the infection at bay- actually debrided & kept the wound moist at the same time. Upon her assement yesterday-she was impressed &no debridement by the doc was needed. My main problem whether I can keep this expander or not; is fighting these wounds has kept me from getting the chemo I was told I need in the 6 week window from surgery. Now I am only in the "case study" group if I can heal these wounds- I call it "The crash test dummy" group- because if you know much about case studies...that's just it- you are uninformed. My sentinel node was + for mets & to date I have not been offered ANY TREATMENT for my ER+ cancer. I had my ovaries out as soon as I was diagnosed to try to reduce my growth because it took so long to get a surgery date from diagnosis in July. I'm angry- and it seems the doctors that call themselves a team here have no idea what teamwork is. Lymphedema of the trunk is another issue...nobody had me prepared for. Do your research!

I had a mastectomy done March28 of this year after 6 weeks Ihad mass fluid drain and cause incision to tunnel in its been 12 weeks now since surgery my wound wont close just finished radation therapy June 13th and ended with an infection in my wound im still under nursing care nurse told me the would probably will never close soo much for thinking about breast reconstruction looks like a trip to see my surgeon to see if he can fix this

I hope someone can read this and help me or give me advise. I just have mastectomy of my left breast (lymph nodes were ok) I will like to know how long it will take (normal recovery) me to recuperate. the next surgery will be reconstruction but the plastic surgeon want me to have 'fat' from my tommy and put it on my breast. He want to do this in both breast. BUT my oncologist surgeon only want me to reconstruct my left breast and not using my tummy fat but a ....? ( I am not sure what he wants to put on my breast,synthetic...??). my friend, my husband and my daughter told me not to do it, They think it will be very dangerous and a
long surgery and long time of recuperation IS THIS right? I am not sure now what to do. I have a very fat tummy with rashes, fungus and yeast infections in the lower part of the abdomen. i will like to know more about this surgery when the reconstruction is done with belly fat. I will appreciate and thank you for any help.

Too many stories of healing difficulties after breast cancer surgery! Mine is similar: Double mastectomy (with tissues expanders placed) following Oct. 2010 diagnosis of triple negative breast cancer. Second surgery within about 2 weeks due to incisional necrosis. Third surgery to remove tissue expanders due to infection & hemorrhage in Dec. 2010. Chemo Feb.-June 2011; Radiation now complete. After 3rd surgery there was a 'hole' several inches wide and about an inch deep that was allowed to heal by second intention. My non-nurse daughter learned to pack the wound. It healed ever so slowly and finally finished healing about the time chemo ended. Then radiation began and it opened again and is now very close to being closed. If I had it to do over again I would have the mastectomy first, then chemo & radiation, then healing before considering reconstruction.
For the woman with white bumps near incision line, you have to find out if this is infection or if it is granulation tissue. My 'hole' had white crusty areas that I learned to leave alone. If I removed them the skin would bleed. If I left them alone it would heal. But having even a small opening 11 months after the surgery was not expected. I would also seek a wound specialist somewhere in this process. As a nurse I think I tried, as we do, to just keep on rather than seeking needed help. I learned that family and friends are invaluable.

I would like some advice regarding my mothers experience with breast cancer. She had a mastectomy with the removal of some lymph nodes and reconstruction sergery at the same time, placing an expander in her breast. Her body rejected the implant and 5 surgeries later she is still dealing with infection and drainage while going through chemo. They had to take the expander out and it still is not healing properly. I know everyones body is different and it does not help that she is a smoker but I just want to make sure she is getting the best care possible. I am not a doctor but I feel like this should not be happening and I want to know if she should get a second opinion and if so where do I begin. She is in Michigan and I am in California and it breaks my heart that she is going through all of this suffering! She had her original sergery on April 21st, 5 months ago and is still not healed! Any advice, or similar experiences??