Hi Katie, 

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Kind regards,

Steph, Cancer Chat Moderator

I have read with great interest the string of messages between Kate, Lisa and Doug regarding their problems with seroma following groin dissection and it has been a great help to know I am not alone with these complications!  Like most of you all, I had a complete groin dissection in October last year after it was discovered a stage II mole had spread to the lymph node in my groin.  I had already had 4 malignant melanomas removed over the past 20 years so have lived with the threat of it spreading for a long time.  The diagnosis was stage IIIB melanoma as it had spread to one of the nodes and possibly further.  I recovered pretty quickly but had the dreaded drain bottle in for 10 weeks but during that time the surgical site didn't look too bad.  But then just before New Year I had the drain removed (great! I thought...) but within days a seroma developed and the whole wond site changed dramatically.  I had been wearing a surgical compression stocking from day one and now also had to source some comfortable cycle shorts to wear (M and S came up trumps there!).  Like you all, numerous trips to outpatients, lymphedema clinic, plastics, etc. etc. and it was decided not to risk draining.  It is now nearing the end of February and the seroma has enlarged and is hard and extremely unsightly.  I try to be positive but its difficult sometimes as I know there is nothing much to be done.   I have also started immunotherapty treatment every 6 weeks for which I am extremely grateful as so far, no side effects.   On the positive side, I am an avid golfer and am now playing 9 holes once a week.  I can only manage 18 if I use a buggy but at least I'm back doing the thing I love.  Friends all think that because I have no symptons from the treatment all is well, but to be honest it is the aftermath of the surgery that is causing the most distress especially as it seems to be getting worse, not better.   Not to mention the three monthly MRI head scans and body CT scans....I do sometimes wish I had not had the surgery and simply taken my chances with the immunotherapy but what's done is done.  But as Doug says, we just have to hang on in there.  I would love to hear how things are with you now, as I think your posts were all around May last year.

Kate

Hi Katie,

I hope you are coping ok with your seroma. My own situation has moved on quite a lot since my posts on here so I will focus more upon the seroma issue than the more recent developments if I can. 
  My seroma did persist/ last until late June but then gradually shrank in size. Since my previous message in this thread I had no hospital interventions re my seroma. I persisted with applying every single night a Boots own brand " Direct To Skin" Heat Patch ( sold in Boots in red : yellow boxes containing 5 patches. Every evening after dinner  , with my leg propped up on a pouffe: footrest I would apply the heat patch to the seroma with a very large handkerchief or similar material between the seroma and the patch ( so as not to apply the patch/ heat directly to the seroma). Thankfully the " vicsr never called by" as it were as I was pretty much stripped off from the waist down with a large towel over the " ensemble ". And gradually/ for me/ it  worked !! 
   Nowadays, I have a sort of patch of loose skin where the seroma was. If you can envisage it - it almost looks as if the "creased " skin needs ironing! And all of that area of my upper leg is still to this day quite numb. The heat patch may work for some people and not for others .I certainly found the nightly application of a fresh patch was a relief anyway. It actually was my wife's idea, And...

I began my immunotherapy in April with 30 minutes of Pembrolizumab every 6 weeks. Between Christmas and New Year , after my 6 th immunotherapy  I developed one of the Pembrolizumab side effects. Pneumonitis /so, via local A& E , I spent  2 weeks on a Respiratory Ward and on discharge 4 weeks ago was prescribed steroids which I am still tsking but r with the daily quantity reducing commensurate with my improvement. Various side effects of the steroids, by far the worst being massively disrupted sleep. But,,,.

in the round , I am a glass half full person and feel that at lest I got three quarters ( 6 sessions out of 8) of my immunotherapy completed. At my appointment with my oncologist following my discharge from the Respiratory hospital I was told that given the pneumonitis side effect , my Pembrolizumab immunotherapy was to be ended. I have my next appointment with her in just under 2 weeks to check my recovery from the pneumonitis. Feel free to send any questions or queries, Katie. Happy to help,

Cheers           Doug E

Hi Doug

Thank you so much for getting back to me and you have certainly been in the wars since your posts last year!  Thinking about your heat patch, I have a heated collar (you heat it in the microwave) for a persistent neck problem - I wonder if I could use that?  But failing that I will try out the patches as the seroma is realling getting me down. The whole of my thigh is also still numb from the surgery so is unlikely to improve now and the compression stocking silicone band is quite painful where it presses on the seroma.

I am sorry to learn of your problems with Pembrolizumab, it is obviously early days for me so am hopeful I won't have the complications you experienced.  There are so many different issues to deal with it can overwhelm you! 

Good luck with your next hospital appointment.

Kate

Hello again

Many thanks for all your tips and advice.  Would you believe noone at St. Georges where I am being treated has mentioned heat treatment or even the threat of seroma... it was always Lymphedema that was the big issue.  I will head off to Boots tomorrow and start the heat patches next week.  I must say  on the whole St. Georges have been very good with communication and I can always go in and see my Macmillian nurse if I need to and she always returns my phone calls or emails.  It is definitely a post code lottery with the care and communication one receives.  I also have the Surrey Marsden hospital on my door step as well as St. Georges Tooting.

I'll let you know if I have any improvement and thanks again for your encouragement, it certainly does help to talk.       

Kate       

Hi , 

Just to re-emphasise that the heat treatment / patches were my wife's idea. No medical person has ever recommended them for seroma. They worked for me/ hope they work for you too Keep me posted 

Cheers

Doug