Radiation shortly after mastectomy

wlo002

Hi everyone. I am scheduled for a bilateral mastectomy and TE insertion and then I will be starting radiation 4 weeks after (as long as healing isn't a problem). I have concerns about being able to keep my arms overhead for the treatment and the continued healing from surgery. I'd appreciate advice and to hear about similar experiences to know more about what to expect. Thanks in advance!

Palesa2018

Hi wlo002, I'm scheduled for radiation as well, have had the mastectomy with direct to implant, no TEs. Curious to hear about similar experiences. I have searched the site and there doesn't seem to be a lot on radiation post mastectomy with TEs or direct to implant.

All the best, please post how it goes.

LaughingGull

Hi there,

I had unilateral mastectomy (right) with tissue expander placement, plus axillary lymph node dissection on April 27th and started radiation on June 5th. At the end of May, one month after surgery, I already had nearly full range of motion and I would have definitely been able to raise my arm to get into position for radiation treatment. It was the axillary surgery, not the mastectomy or tissue expander, what interfered with raising my arm. That being said, during that month did a lot of stretching exercises and physical therapy to recover range of motion. Started slowly with wall-crawling exercises some five days after surgery, and physical therapy some two weeks after surgery. The therapist gave me a bunch of exercises to do at home, like 5 different stretches, and I would repeat each of them 10 times, and did this 3 times a day. I was off work -it would have been hard to fit this in a normal day.

Best of luck!

LaughingGull