Air pocket

[jones357]

Okay, now this sounds crazy to me, but I went to the doctor yesterday, because I thought I had some fluid build up at the top of my chest.  It waskind of surprizing, becaue I can't believe that he would go that high on my chest with the lipo and it wasn't discolored.  He told me I have air pockets in my chest.  If I push on them, they almost crunch.  Anyone ever have this happen?  Also under my left nipple, there is area where to skin folds in. Almost like he sliced some fat under the skin and the skin got sucked into the slice.  It looks wierd as hell to me. anyone?

[That_Guy]

Ok i had surgery a few weeks ago and i have a spot of hardening under the nipp;e and what seems to b an air pocket.... i want them gone and im itching like crazy right now!

[jones357]

I think the itching is what I was least prepared for.  It can make me want to puke at times. Tell me what you PS says about the air pocket, mine says it will go away by itself.

[That_Guy]

well i went in today and they drained the blood.. very uncomfortable.. but now its swollen more than before... it went down for a while but its filled back up.... what do i do? i mean i think ima call him tomorrow but ya its very uncomfortable

[ovuca]

I was thinking the same thing, why the hell would my PS lipo me as far up as the neck? I hear those bubbly sounds when pressing too, but I guess it's not a big deal..

[buddy]

After draining my left side has swollen up larger than before as well. Only this time It is really painful. Any suggestions?

[uk2000]

it will swell up after draining, just give it time, wear  yr compression vest and it will go down

[flex1appeal]

I am glad I found this post cause I am 2 weeks post op and I have what feels like soft liquid in my right side when I touch it. It almost looks like a boob still because of it. My left looks almost normal at 2 weeks. It hasn't filled anymore in 2 weeks on my right but it hasn't drained any. So, I went to have my surgeon attempt to drain my chest. After his efforts, no fluid emptied into the syringe. I was a little baffled. He then told me that it could just be an air pocket and that the skin hasn't conformed to the muscle/tissue again and is taking longer to heal. Said it will go back to normal and I should not be worried at 2 weeks out. Said I'll drive my self nuts if I keep touching it and looking at it judging every lump I find. So, I agreed to be patient more. Hope it goes down but I have no patience. My left side is looking great now. Not perfect but I wish my right would follow quicker.

[jones357]

Since I started this thread it has completely gone away.  As a matter of fact, I don't know when, because I forgot about it.  I am 3 weeks PO, so it must have gone about a week ago.  

[flex1appeal]

Did your pocket of air happen on both sides or just one? Did it feel like to you that there was fluid instead of air? That's what mine feels like but when the doc stuck the plunger in me and asparated nothing came out into the plunger. No fluid or blood. He said it must just be a pocket of air or it is still swolen. I started taking some ibprofen to see if that helps reduce the swelling any on the one side. It seems to be helping but too soon to tell. I am so nervous I will look asymmetrical on my right side. I hope the pocket goes away and my skin tightens like it already has begun doing on my left side.

[jones357]

I only had air on my left side or at least that was the worst side.  The funny thing is I also had fluid on my left side.  I ended up getting that drained.  The air was at the top of my chest near the collr bone, so my PS said it couldn't be fluid (fluid would settle not rise).  My skin is not as tight on my left, but my left side was bigger pre op.  I never noticed, but he ended up getting 875ML out of my left and 800ml out of my right, so I think some of the fluid and air could be blamed on his agressiveness on that side.  I hope the left tightens, but if it doesn't I don't know that anyone beside me would be able to tell.

How far PO are you?  Did they tell you to take Ibuprofin?  My PS said I should stay away from that for 13 days, because you can still get some internal bleeding.

[jones357]

Forget it, I see that you are 2 weeks PO.  I might try some myself.

[flex1appeal]

Yeah, I started ibuprofen like 15 days into it. I am not like 18 days post op. After he tried draining me this past tuesday I am now really swollen. That really was uncomfortable and I feared having that horse needle in me like it was would cause additional bruising/swelling. I really look like I have a boob now. But my nipples are not puffy. Just the entire area due to the swelling. I also have a really hard ball right under my nipple that just appeared. Kinda felt the same as when I had the gland there only harder. I know the gland cannot resurface that quickly but I am scared the swelling will not come down. Tell me I need to relax. LOL. I just figured your story sound alot like mine and now you said it recovered. Were you close to 2 weeks post op like me when you first noticed the airpocket and fluid? and how long post op was it before it went away?

[buddy]

My swelling got worse this week due to an infection. The Dr pulled 4-6 full syringes of puss yesterday and now the antibiotics are kicking in and taking over. The left breast look like a huge breast yesterday when he finally drained it (my second drain -- the first one was old blood left from my hematoma).

Today is the first day that my left chest is not swollen (sticking out 6 inches at the nipple). What makes this more frustrating is that my right chest is perfect.

Anyway, after getting drained, please act quickly if you feel more swelling, I waited too long and felt like shit for days until the antibiotics kicked in.

[jones357]

Flex-

It was only about 3-4 days PO when I fealt the air pocket.  I took my son to the park and pushed him on the swing.  I could actually hear it when I pushed him, so I cut play time short and came home.  I would guess it lasted 10 days.  I checked it every day and also noticed it when I would have an itch attack. When I noticed the seroma, I stopped thinking about the air. So one day I chceked for the air pocket and it was completely gone. I am only 3 weeks PO, so it definately wasn't there a long time.