After Surgery - arm reach ?

LostLittle1

After surgery - how long did it take to be able to reach straight up over your head with your arm on the side of Mx?

What kind of exercises were you prescribed?

I was told to do small circular motions with my arm hanging by my side and try to get larger circles every few days.

I can currently raise my elbow at about 45 degrees (if straight out from shoulder is 90 degrees) at nearly 3 weeks post op. If a top has large enough arm holes, I can get on a tank top by pulling up from the waist and sticking my elbow through the arm hole first. I'm glad to have a break from button up mu-mu gowns.

Sutures out tomorrow!! yay!!

happynewyorker

I did my best on doing the exercises and getting the sensation back in my arm. I would say 2 or 3 weeks. I found playing the Wii sports helped with my arm movement.

For me it will be 3 months since my surgery. I also have Mt drainage. But I've come to the end as I'm having my reconstructive surgery on Friday may 15th.

Found exercises online. Didn't do the raising so much until I needed something. Over time I was able to do more things.

With regards to shirts I used button down or loose elastic shirts. Which helped me.

Meadow

little, it is very important that you work on your range of motion....there should be an insert in your paperwork from your surgeon on some simple exercises. If not, google "mastectomy range of motion exercises", I did that and the one that worked really good for me was the one where you stand with your toes touching the wall, and bring your hand up to shoulder height on the wall, and crawl your fingers up the wall higher, higher, over your head. lean in and give a gentle stretch to your arm and armpit area. This will very difficult at first, but keep at it and you will see improvement. There are others that work too, this one was my fav. If you do not work on your range of motion you are at risk of getting a frozen shoulder, very common for BC patients.

Kicks

I had read here that after UMX would have to have button up shirts - wrong (for me). My surgery was in Oct so I was in my 'winter uniforms' - turtlenecks under sweatshirts. So I got a button flannel to take to the hospital to wear home. Well, did not need it - putting on the turtleneck and sweatshirt I had worn in the day before was not a problem at all. So I walked out of the hospital wearing my normal 'winter uniform'.

I don't remember exactly how long it took to be back to 100% ROM but it wasn't long - was probably at least 75% immediately. I never did PT - was just told to do whatever I wanted to do.

Sutures out 3weeks post surgery? Your surgeon didn't use internal/disolveable sutures and surgical glue for external?

We are all different as are our Drs.

ksusan

Try this: http://www.cancer.org/cancer/breastcancer/moreinfo...

I found the pamphlet on a rack at my chemo office--my surgeon just said, "Use your arm normally but don't lift anything."

slv58

Littletatas I had my surgery March 10 and I can say I'm about 80% back to normal. I took a great suggestion from one of these threads (sorry I can't remember who to give credit to) but put some painters tape along a door frame and marked how high I could reach. This gave me a great visual motivation and forced me to do my spider walk at the same time. I also was told just to use my arm as usual but not to lift anything over 5 pounds at first, so I forced myself to reach for things and would stop if I felt pain.