I was wondering if it is normal to have a lot of swelling after a selective neck dissection. I had it done a week ago tomorrow. They removed the neck drain yesterday morning and I have been lubing the scar and drain point with bacitracin. Today the swelling, which looks like I swallowed an apple on my left side is starting to move under my chin and swell on the right, above the incision point. My chin is turning red. I'm wondering if that is bruising. Just wondering if this is normal or a sign of infection. Any comments/suggestions would be very helpful. Thanks.

Hi there - swelling is usually very normal. They removed a drainage system from your neck. That's what you r lymph nodes do - the lymph system travels paralel to your circulatory system and cleans your blood prior to letting it go back into circulation. A sign of infection can be redness, (usually accompanied by tenderness, and heat) or maybe removed your drains a bit early - though usually its only a few days past surgery they remove them. Youre seeing your dr. Tuesday so you should be okay. Until you've healed and have built new pathways for the fluid to drain you will likely be swollen. See what your dr. Says tuesday then look into lymphatic massage and physio for your shoulder. Hugs!

Yep. Swelling is totally normal. Both sides of my neck looked like I didn't have a neck. Now it's only one side and I am 5 weeks post surgery.

I am trying to massage the fat parts, but its slow going....I'm working on my patience....also slow going!

Hi there,

Make sure you get bio-oil and a silicone based gel and massage it constantly as it may be scar tissue forming below the surface due to the surgery.

The massages help incredibly well with making the scars look non-visible, and will prevent from permanent scar tissue forming near the neck line.

Hope that helps.

I am curious about this bio-oil. Is it something the Dr. can prescribe?

You can buy it online... - hugs!

Or you can purchase it from your local pharmacy (or chemist since you are from the US!).

The silicone based gel is quite expensive but I would HIGHLY recommend it to anyone who is looking to manage their scars.

"Chemists" in the US? That would be the UK, in the US, chemists are not pharmacists but actual chemistry scientists. The International flavor of OCF is fun

For what it's worth, my neck dissection scars have all but disappeared with just massage and regular moisturizer. They used to be quite prominent but are very hard to see now. I had never heard of bio oil so I did a quick Google search and it's a mineral oil based lotion with some herbal oils, vitamins and fragrances added (according to it's web site). It must be popular since it's sold in Walmart and on Amazon etc.. The reviews are mixed, especially for stretch marks, but it seems to fall out on those who liked the feel of mineral oil and those who did not.
Charm

Having been brought up in Atlanta till I was 10, then moving to New Zealand then onto Australia, I tend to get my "American" and "British" terms mixed up

I was visiting a friend in the hospital yesterday when my drain port burst and I became a draining, oozing mess. I went to the ER and they sent me back to Morristown where I've been since last night. I have a post-op infection. There was an abcess that burst. I actually had a fever but didn't know it because I had been taking Tylenol with codeine so it was low grade. Yesterday morning I didn't feel good either. Just grateful I was in a hospital when it burst and had already had antibiotics in my system. I'm on two antibiotics and probiotics for diarrhea. I am no longer in pain so I just take Benadryl because I'm reacting slightly to something. That stuff knocks me out. I also take Xanax because if I let myself go to that dark place, I just want to snap out of it. I just want to be as high as a Dead Head but haven't done that since college so I settle for pharmaceuticals. Does the trick.

This sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks!

WOW, Katie!!!! I have never heard of something like this happening. You sure are one lucky girl being in a hospital when that happened!!!!

Best wishes with everything you are going thru!!!!

Oh my goodness, Katie! - It IS a good thing you were in the right place to get taken care of! It's good that you're not in pain any more, but I hope you keep in touch with your doctor regarding any little changes that you notice in your body. A little less unexpected excitement in your life would be good at this point.

Re the bio-oil, I vote for online, especially if it's thru Amazon's OCF link and part of the Black Friday or Cyber Monday deals.

Get well soon girl... it does suck... I totally hear you... the oozing mess sounds scary. Glad you got help immediately. Definitely keep an eye on things and heal fast.

Katie

Well that certainly explains your post op swelling. How scary
You will be able to warn the next poster who experiences your symptoms
. I had to stay so long in the hospital (12 days) after my surgery that they had already taken the drain ports out. I had been worried about complications like you had.
As an old Dead Head, I can vouch that there is nothing wrong with "better living thru chemistry" (popular paraphrase of Dupont's old ad slogan -1935 to 1982).
Too many patients don't take the pain pills or anti depressants that can help them get through the side effects of cancer TX.
Good for you to know that situational anxiety can be treated.
Keep the Faith
Charm

Hi, Katie,

This happened to my husband, too. He had a number of post radiation infections and each time he had an abscess that burst. It is messy and painful. He has been on antibiotics for years and that has been keeping things under control. What we look for now are two things: warm red skin and swelling. If he out of his antibiotics, then off to the doctor we go.

I hope this is a one time thing for you. When in doubt, get it checked out!

My best to you�
Anita