Mastectomy Recovery-what's normal

Lillady0430

Hello all! This is my first time joining a forum. I had a mastectomy of my left breast on January 9th, since I've been home I've been experiencing some shooting/ burning pain on the back of my arms and a pulling on the front of my chest. I'm sure some pain is expected, just want to know what is normal. I've been taking my pain meds every 4 to 6 hours. I find myself cradling the affected arm and my posture is affected as well because I'm afraid to move that side and I know I'm supposed to do exercises but the pain and discomfort doesn't mk exercising easy. Please let me know if these are normal symptoms and what you've done to cope.

Thanks in advance!

Lillady0430

tsp4406

Hi! I don't know what "normal" is yet, but I just found out several days ago that I will be part of the BC club. Much love! ❤❤

Lillady0430

Hi thanks for responding. I'm sorry you've found yourself here. I was like you 6 moths ago. And like you I don't know what normal is I just don't know what to expect. Do you have breast cancer?

Freya244117

As uncomfortable as it may be at first, the best thing you can do for your recovery is to start moving your arm and stop cradling it. Try some slow gentle stretching to get you started.

Have you spoken to your doctor? We are all different and our recoveries can be quite varied, but I really encourage you to get some movement happening. Best wishes.

Lillady0430

Thanks Freya! I'll get moving... Slowly.

Smurfette26

Nerve pain is normal and may continue for some time. Have you seen a Physiotherapist? A PT visited me in hospital the morning after my surgery and I began an exercise program right away. Building on it day by day. I have a full range of motion.

Lillady0430

Hi Smurfett26, yes they visited me the day after and I'm the problem, I'm afraid to move my arm. But I've started some of the exercises and it's not as tight. Of course some exercises are easier than others. And I knew there was something with the back of my arms it makes sense that it's my nerves. Glad you've got full range of Motion that's what I'm shooting for. Have you had problems with lymphedema?

Shannon

Goincrzy8

Its funny all Dr;s are different. I read on here and other sites, about exercises, arm movements etc. I asked Dr about it he said use your arm like normal. No exercises needed. I was able to wash my hair day 2 after surgery. I do some shoulder rolls, and pretty much arm is good. I am working on more range of motion as I had a cat scan the other day and they wanted my arm above my head that didnt happen. But no pain in arm just need to stretch it out If you dont use it is could freeze up. I also asked about a lymphedema sleeve as my friend had an issue with that and he said no I didnt one, and I havent.

Good Luck

Falconer

lillady- did you have a mastectomy w no reconstruction or do you have a tissue expander or implant? I found exercises from the Memorial Sloan Kettering website that helped me. There was a video . Of course you need approvals from your surgeon.

Smurfette26

Shannon I haven't had any issues with lymphedema. Hope I never do but it can crop up years after surgery.

Good luck with your recovery. Hugs.

My surgery was on a Friday afternoon and I wash able to wash my hair and pull T-shirts over my head by Sunday. It's not that long since your surgery Goincrzy8. It will get better.

Lillady0430

Wow!! Goincrazy!! Washing hair on day 2!!!?? That's awesome... You're my shero!! I've got to get on these exercises...

Hi, Falconer, I had a mastectomy no reconstruction. I'll look up these exercises, thanks for sharing.

MinusTwo

Exercizing is important but be careful to follow what your doc recommends. I had a BMX and was told not to raise my arms above my shoulder level for quite some time. The first one I was allowed was 'wall walking' - walking your fingers up the wall to shoulder level.

MTwoman

I found that (slow gentle) exercises helped my pain go down. I was pretty quick to start them and the finger-walking-up-the-wall was my absolute favorite for loosening everything up and making the pain go away. I agree with all the knowledgeable ladies above, 'cradling' your arm will only reinforce muscle tension and make it harder. Keep going and you'll get there! Hugs!!

DowntonAbbey777

Hello! I had a unilateral mastectomy approx 4 weeks ago. Under my arm and chest feels very tight. How long will this last? I am doing my exercises and I do have pretty good range of motion, but not quite as good as the unaffected arm. If I do the "wall crawl" exercise. I am about 1 inch away from being able to reach as far as the unaffected arm can reach.... but so far, I can't get there.... feels like my under arm is going to rip in half, haha! So I'm trying not to force it, just trying to make progress bit by bit. Thought about PT, but I feel I'm doing well on my own.

cliff

my surgeon left me with no nerves where the left breast was. its still like feeling the sole of someone else's foot to me. just lucky I guess.

MTwoman

cliff,

I had no feeling for quite some time after my umx (like more than a year). It was wicked weird to shave under my arm, I had to look at what I was doing as I couldn't feel a thing. But slowly, over time, I've actually gotten the feeling back in the skin on my right foob and even in my armpit. It is possible. I tried to ignore it, so I'm not even certain at what point it came back

Janney03

I cannot express how informative this site is and how helpful your comments are.

Some think I am crazy because I have told my surgeon I want a masectomy as I don't want radiation or to go through this again.

Can anyone tell me how they felt one month after surgery and when you returned to work.

MTwoman

Janney, we are all different, heal at different rates and have different job demands, but I was back to work after a week or two. I was a therapist, so aside from wearing large, loose sweaters to hide my drain, I could sit and work without any problem. Consider how fast you heal and the demands of your job (both mental and physical) as these will be big factors in how long you should plan on being able to be away. I started back with a day or two of half days, doing paperwork and attending some clinical meetings before I started scheduling patients. After one month, I was back doing my normal routine.

Kicks

Janney - a Mastectomy is not an absolute guarantee that BC will never develop again. It is,not possible for every breast tissue cell to be removed in surgery. It can shorten the odds as most cells are removed but not absolute.

I did not have a job to go back to post UMX - I've been a 'Stay at Home Wife' for years. I was never given any limitations by any of my Drs - told to do anything I wanted to do - so I did. Had to be driven away from hospital per their regulations but I was driving the next day and never stopped. We are each so different and no one can tell anyone else what to expect based on their experiences.

I still have an area under arm that has no 'feeling' in it. The only time I notice it is if I touch the area. Actually I was glad it was numb wwhen I burned after rads that the deepest 'burns' were in that area so didn't feel,them like the rest of the area burned'. (Shaving under arms has never been an issue since TX - hair never grew back under arms.)

Olivesmom

Janney03--You aren't crazy. We all have to make our own choices. I elected bilateral mastectomy after my diagnosis because I also found out I was BRCA2 positive. I had so-called immediate reconstruction, too. My surgeon told me having the "immediate" reconstruction (tissue expanders) makes the recovery more difficult than just the mastectomy itself. I was off work for 2 1/2 weeks, and couldn't wash my hair for nearly that long. But my surgeon just told me to do what I felt I could do, just not lift anything heavier than 5 lbs for six weeks. Within a couple of months I could do almost anything. But as others have explained, recovery varies widely among patients.

Alli

I had bmx followed by direct to implant pre pec implant placement 2 weeks later. So I was off work for a total of 8 weeks which was just right. I'm a Critical Care nurse and didn't want to return to all the hospital germs while I had any open skin issue. It was just right. I was mentally and physically ready.

Good luck to you!

Alli