Exercises for the first two weeks

SusanGA

I will be having a mastectomy this week and when I signed my consents I was handed a pamphlet that said just raise your arms above your head for exercise. I have been hoping to do all that I can to prevent lymphedema and have read some vague things about giving the lymohatics a chance to make new channels by not stretching the axila. That sounds reasonable. So are there any exercises that I should be doing the first two weeks. Thanks for all the good information

MinusTwo

Susan - every single post I've ever read and all my docs & all of my research says DO NOT raise your arms more than shoulder height until you get approval from your doc. Certainly not above your yead. There is lots of healing that has to happen inside that you can't see. That may be 3 weeks. Please question your BS and you PS in detail. I think you'll be tearing out stitches if you raise your arms that soon.

The best thing you can do is get baseline measurements from a trained LE/PT before your surgery. Below is a link with some facts about LE. Most docs don't know much about it, but yes, it is real.

http://www.stepup-speakout.org/

SusanGA

Minus Two, thank you so much. I did get the baseline measurements and they actually ordered the garment. I guess they wanted me to have it just in case. I was wary of the over the head stuff so I am grateful that you concurred. It is amazing how you have to figure all this stuff out for yourself. Docs are really in denial about this potential complication.