Advice and thoughts please

Aliceinchains

My double mastectomy is scheduled for this coming Monday (5 days away) and I’m just curious what to expect? As far as the pain factor, what I can’t and can do, approximately how long does it take to get to where you’re livin your life again (so to speak).

Thank you for any thoughts and/or advice

sm627

Hi Alice,

Sending you good thoughts and lots of Hugs and Love for your upcoming mastectomy. I know that we are all different in how our surgeries go, but for me the physical pain was not bad at all. The drugs they give you in the hospital help a lot. When I got home I was given norco for pain management, but I didn't need to take it to often mainly at night to help me sleep. The rest of the time I got by with taking tylenol. The only really uncomfortable part about the mastectomy is having the drains they are annoying, but the good part is they come out in a week or two after surgery.

I felt very tired and took lots of naps for about a month and I wasn't able to move my right arm(the mastectomy side) very well for a few months. Physical therapy helped me so much with that and now I have full range of motion again. My BS said not to lift anything over 10lbs for about a month. My skin was very sensitive for several months after the surgery so I would use a warm wash cloth to clean my mastectomy side, and put the shower head over my shoulder to have the water slower run down my chest so it would not hurt.

Try not to drink ice water for about a month or two I noticed when I drank really cold water I could feel the coldness going down my chest a very wired feeling.

Over all the experience was not has bad as I thought it would be my advice would be to let people in your life help you has much as possible it will make the healing process go a lot smoother. Be kind to yourself and don't over do it. The one thing that no one told me about until after the surgery was over was how long it takes your nerves to wake up again after being cut. It can take up to a year. Every now and then I feel a nerve causing me a little pain, but it is getting less has the months go on.

Listen to your body and it will let you know what you can do and what things you might want to hold off on for a little bit longer.

Wishing you all the best!

Hugs,

Sara

Leydi

Since you posted on the "without reconstruction" forum, I'm assuming that you won't have any reconstruction at the same time as your bilateral mastectomies. This makes it easier/faster to recover! Beyond that, everyone is different. I took just under 3 weeks off work before returning full-time to my office job and could have returned a little sooner. I had ALND on one side and SNB on the other. I found the ALND site more painful than the mastectomy sites. I had 3 drains, two of which were removed after about a week but the last one was stubborn. I returned to work with that one!

The best tip I read on here before my surgery was that many women find sleeping in a recliner helpful. Otherwise, plan to prop up using lots of pillows.

I took one pain pill once I was home and didn't like the way it made me feel unsteady on my feet. So, I used only ibuprofen and Tylenol during my recovery. It would feel pretty painful upon standing and beginning to walk but would start to feel much better after walking around for a while.

Constipation is a frequent problem after any surgery. Consider starting a stool softener beforehand and continuing it afterwards until everything is back to normal.

Aliceinchains

Thank you Sara! Lots of great info!

Yeah, I was wondering about the feelings and sensations on them chest after the surgery, yikes huh?

Spookiesmom

The drains are a nuisance for sure. Check with surgeon as to when you can shower. Then use a lanyard or loooong shoe string to keep them out of the way.

Have everything you use daily at counter height. Or get a grabber for high items.

Get a camisole with pockets to put the drains in during the day. Insurance should cover that. If not go to Home Depot and get a nail apron.

Have a small pillow for under the seatbelt for the ride home.

Zip up tops or button shirts.

I didn't use painmeds after BMX. Slept in my bed with Spookie first night.

Now, 5 years later, I’m getting some sharp zaps on ca side don’t know what up with that.

Aliceinchains

Those are some great suggestions Spookiesmom!I’m taking notes 📝

Icietla

Hi Aliceinchains. I hope your surgery goes very well. Here are some more posts that may help about some of your questions. (((Hugs)))

https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/71/topics/861298?page=1#post_5120022

https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/91/topics/860041?page=1#post_5087021

Aliceinchains

Perfect! Thank you

Icietla

You are very welcome.