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

i also am having a difficult time healing from a mastectomy done on aug. 5 2011. still very sore and open wound. my problem is probably due to radiation on that breast 2 years ago. i am very frustrated because none of my drs. told me that this was a possibility. would love to hear from others with this particular problem.other than seeing a wound care specialist next week, im lost.

I had a double mastectomy four weeks ago. I have been resewn twice. Currently, I have two more holes in my left side. The doctor says this is abnormal for someone to have these issues with healing. I had expanders put in at the time of my surgery. I don't know if that has anything to do with this or not. I just know that for two weeks afterward, I was getting better every day. Now, I just can't seem to shake it. It's getting depressing.

My mother was diagnosed w/type II BC in Oct 2010 & had a double mastectomy w/lymph node removal under each arm along with expanders put in during same surgery in Nov 2010. Due to poor circulation she had to have 2nd surgery 1 month later to excise dead skin around incisions. One week later had 3rd surgery & expanders removed due to infection. Now we're 3 weeks postop 3rd surgery & one side has open wound about 3 in long, 1 to 1&1/2 in wide and 1 in ? deep that we have to pack w/gauze 2x daily. Breast surgeon & plastic surgeon say it should close from the inside out in a couple of weeks but we see no signs of this happening. I am no where near being a nurse (other that being a mother) and this whole thing is honestly freaking me out. Now we may have to see a wound specialist and we still havent even seen the chemo dr yet and the radiation dr said that will have to wait til after chemo. And chemo might have to wait til the wound is closed. Is this normal??? I realize that a lot of her complications can be due to her weight & age (66yrs, 5'6" & 250lbs) but I'm starting to get worried all over again. Has anyone else gone through something similar with the open incision? In addition there is now small white pimple like looking bumps around the open incision site. No smell of infection but what are these???

Would like to no how a doctor can tell if you have a clear margin after treatment with out running any test such a MRI. There was never any test ran on me put the radiaiton doc. says everything is clear.

I have problems after breast removed. I can not wear my bra the side the breast was removed gets very red.tender and swalles up. The doctors has no answer for the problem ony that it shoud not be happening. I have no insurance now so I can only handle my own problems at home. One doctor did say it was a surgery problem go back the the surgion but no insurance no money to do this.

I too am having complications from my double mastectomy that i had done in october of 09. I developed a serious staph infection. My left breast became swollen, red, warm to the touch and painful. In dec. i was in the hospital and treated for this infection for 10 days. The 2nd week of february i was again admitted for the same thing and in the hospital for 8 days. I am now on anitibiotics for 6 weeks. I want to mention that at the time of my mastectomy i had expanders put in. because of the staph infection this last hospital stay they had to do surgery and remove the left expander due to this serious infection. To top it off i was originally suppose to have my permanent implants put in this month. I also have had pain under my left breast since my mastectomy. It never has gone away. Right now just below where it is hurting my rib is swollen. i had a cat scan done and the doctor just informed me today that it shows nothing wrong. I started crying.I am just so tired of pain and hospital stays. not to mention i am having a really hard time dealing with having no left breast. My mastectomy was done for preventative measures. i had pre cancer. my love to you all. May God Bless each and every one of you. Can anyone share with me a similar situation with which you have pain and a swollen rib in the same area?