Normal side effects/actions following Mastectomy?

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erintbn12091
erintbn12091 Member Posts: 1
edited June 2014 in Caring for Someone with Breast cancer

I'm looking for some possible advice or maybe just an ear to my situation. My mom is currently recovering from a double mastectomy & reconstruction. I'm not certain on the stage she was/is at, but from what she says, it was very very minimal, but since it was her second time with breast cancer, both she and her doctor decided to go for the double mastecomy. She'd gotten the BRCA gene testing done, but the results wheren't in before the surgery. Thankfully (for my sake I guess) she doesn't have the mutation. 

We're currently in the 1st week of recovery which means she's dealing with the drains and still forgetting that she can't do every physical thing she used to do. At least not yet anyways. It's been really difficult for me because I don't want to treat her like a child, but she keeps forgetting things. She'll forget if she's taken her contacts out or where she put her meds or even if she's taken them. She says she's not in much pain, so she's not taking her pain meds as much, but all day today she's walked around in what seemed like a drugged state. No balance, mumbling, forgetting, unable to write properly and she nearly fell asleep while eating lunch.

It's starting to really concern me. I'm hoping this is just all the stress building up and her body is finally adjusting to her new situation, but I'm just paranoid. It's dinner time now & she appears much more coherent, at least on the phone, yet she couldn't log on to her bank account because she couldn't figure out the password. 

Is forgetfulness & loss of balance normal?

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  • melmcbee
    melmcbee Member Posts: 1,119
    edited June 2013

    Hi Erin. Im so sorry about your mom. It might would be wise to get her a pill box or something to make sure she isnt forgetting that she already took her pain meds and takes more than she needs. Pain pills make some loopy but I would be concerned she is over medicated. I would be concerned if it wasnt a medication issue that maybe a doctor needs to check out her neurological neurological function. Is she on chemo? I suffered extreme forgetfulness on chemo and after chemo. I hope you get the answers you need. I pray for swift healing of your mom.

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  • Ariom
    Ariom Member Posts: 6,197
    edited June 2013

    Hi Erin, so glad to see your mum has you to help her out.

    I think your Mother may still be suffering the effects of a very long anaesthetic. She had a lot done, so it must have been a substantial amount of meds. Add to that, any pain meds she is taking now, and confusion just mught be the result of that.

    I only had a Umx, no recon, but I don't respond well to anaesthetic, so I was pretty out there in the beginning. I really had to push my brain to function properly. I was told that it takes a month for every hour you are under, to really get over it all.

    I would suggest you mention it to the Doctor when you see him next. Otherwise, just continue what you're doing and treat your Mother gently while she heals. She is very fortunate to have you there.

    I looked after my Mother when she had a Radical Mx in '94, and my Daughter came and helped me out after my surgery at Christmas.

    Take care, and all the very best to your Mother for a speedy recovery!

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