The story of the sloshing breast

skeetur · 01-29-2007, 06:54 PM

Background: I had my stereotactic biopsies on 12/1/2006, first lumpectomy 12/17/2006 and second lumpectomy 1/23/2007. Awaiting pathology results this coming Thursday. (BTW, I hate waiting.)

I had gastric bypass almost 2 years ago to get healthy so of course I end up with breast cancer. Anyway, I notice lately that I've been having some burning/pain directly in my stomach and suspected an ulcer and saw my doc the other day for some medication.

Over the weekend, I noticed that as I was walking around that I was getting a sloshing sound coming out of my right side. My husband heard it too and thought it was bizarre. I immediately thought of my stomach issues. Usually any digestive or strange sounds (post-op stomachs from gastric bypass are notariously vocal with groans and growls) comes from my left side not the right. So I've been thinking that yet another shoe is going to drop in my life and that the sound is water in the digestive tract and I surely must have a bowel obstruction forming or something just as hideous. Mind you, I'm not a pessimist or usually a worrier but with my stomach problems and all the rest... I guess it was a short jump to that conclusion given the goings on in my life of late.

So earlier this evening I'm doing a few chores and as I walk around, I can hear it. I end up in the bathroom looking at myself in the mirror and I wonder if I jog in place will I be able to elicit the sound. Sure enough, yes. I can make my body do it disturbing as it is. Then for some reason, I reached my left hand over and grabbed my swollen and surgically battered right breast and I hold it in place and I jog in place. Not a sound.

The sloshing is coming from my breast. I have a bra on so I do not think it is the sound of tissue on tissue from the swelling or something. There is no implant in there to slosh. I have no clue. But it is comforting to know it's the breast and not something wrong with my innards.

I never laughed so hard in my life. I called my husband in tears of laughter and told him "You are married to a complete and utter TOOL".

Skeetur (sloshing her way around the house)

Bev · 01-29-2007, 09:32 PM

Whoa! Have not had that happen. Hope it all works out OK. BB

tousled1 · 01-30-2007, 12:30 AM

Never heard that before. Think I'd have to ask the doctor about it.

Chelee · 01-30-2007, 01:55 AM

Skeetur, It sounds like you have what they call a, "seroma". Fluid build up where you had the lumpectomy. I had fluid in my chest...I could NOT hear it though...but was having some pressure and a slight "burning" feeling where I had the mastectomy. In fact the burning was RIGHT where my orignal tumor was. Pressure build up too. Very uncomfortable! My surgeon felt it and order a ultrasound and we found it full of fluid. It was drained and I felt great. Although...its filled back up again. lol

After that I read alot on "seroma's" and they say it IS common to actually feel the fluid moving around in there. Its almost mentioned that women have heard it as you said. I believe its more common for these to occur RIGHT after surgery. Like 7 to 10 days...but it can also happen MONTHS after.

I'm glad you did not panic and you and your hubby got a good laugh out of it. But talk to your surgeon about this...he should be told. Go to google and type in "seroma", you can find all you need to know about it and then some.

Chelee

SusanC · 02-01-2007, 12:55 AM

Skeetur,

I laughed when I read your message. I had the exact same thing happen! I was moving around quite a bit after my second lumpectomy and I heard this sound. I sounded like plastic wrap. I ended up w/a ton of fluid in there. Same thing happened to a friend of mine last year after her lumpectomy.
You should probably mention it to your doctor.
Take care,
Susan C

mts · 02-01-2007, 12:29 PM

Skeetur,

Well, I thought I was alone with this side effect from surgery. I too had the sloshing - I knew it was coming from the breast after my lumpectomy. It lasted about 2 weeks. I called my onc to ask him if he had injected saline into the tumor cavity because it was so loud. Of course, he explained it was the tumor bed seroma...filling with "healing fluid".

I recall it being really loud and almost like a burp on me. Oh the fun!

Maria (MTS)