3 weeks after surgery and still hurt

dlparrs
dlparrs Member Posts: 1
edited February 2017 in Surgery - Before, During, and After

Hi everyone. I am new here. I have done lots of reading. It's almost 3 weeks since my BC surgery. I had lumpectomy with reduction (so both sides are the same) and lymph nodes removed. I keep telling myself that everyone is different, but wishing I felt better. Things are going well, according to my Doctors.

I have been taking it easy and being quite lazy. I am scheduled to go back to work next week, which will put me at 3 weeks. I just don't know if I will be ready. I still have mild pain, and not much energy. I still have some stitches, bruised, swelling. Under arm area still pretty sore and also numb. Sleeping on my side is difficult. Takes several pillows and even still hurts.

I am also feeling emotional. I was a 40 H, and had wanted a reduction for years, so I'm OK with that. Once swelling goes down, I should be about a 40 C or D.

I will start radiation in a few weeks. I will not need to have Chemo. For the most part I am keeping a positive attitude.

Well, that's my story.

Linda

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Comments

  • Bootscootin
    Bootscootin Member Posts: 70
    edited February 2017

    So sorry that you are still having pain. If your doctor says things are going well then they probably are. I think people are just different in their pace of healing and pain tolerance. I have been so happy with my reduction and wish I had done it twenty years ago. I did not have drains and had a lot of swelling that took weeks (maybe months) to completely resolve. You are doing the right thing by resting and taking it easy while your body heals

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  • ravzari
    ravzari Member Posts: 277
    edited February 2017

    3 weeks is still pretty early in terms of healing, so it's not abnormal to still feel sore or not be able to sleep on my side or to still be sore. Usually minimal heal time from things like a BMX, lumpectomy, reduction (or a lift and reduction), etc...is considered to be 6-8 weeks and it may be up to 6 months before things feel completely normal again. The numbness may or may not get better or resolve; for some people it completely resolves, for others it partially resolves, and for some the numbness is permanent; taking a good B vitamin supplement can help with nerve regeneration, but there's no guarantee with that.

    When I had my BMX it took almost a full 8 weeks before I was comfortable sleeping on my side.
    Trying to do so sooner than that, and it was just painful/uncomfortable and left me store in the morning and it was almost 12 weeks before I could sleep on my side without wearing some kind of compression top or I'd wake up sore.


    Edit to add: If you're still having pain that isn't lessened or taken care of by OTC painkillers, or that is intolerable even with them, it may be worth checking with your surgeon; at 3 weeks, most people are beyond needing narcotic painkillers to control pain.


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  • mustlovepoodles
    mustlovepoodles Member Posts: 2,825
    edited February 2017

    Linda, you've had a pretty major surgery.  Three weeks isn't really a lot of time to recover from a big surgery.  I had LX, re-excision, and BMX.  I would consider your LX with reduction to be comparable to my BMX.  After the BMX I was able to manage pain during the day pretty well with arthritis-strength Tylenol, but at night I needed a narcotic. The pain wasn't horrible, but it was enough that I couldn't sleep.  Having to sleep on my back until things were healed was very hard--I don't sleep easily on my back and I had to be up on a wedge.I didn't need a sleeping pill, just pain relief.  What a pain in the butt! Lack of sleep made it hard to manage the pain. I took one narcotic every night for about 4-5 weeks.

    Everyone recovers differently. IMO, you are really expecting a lot of yourself, maybe too much.  The lack of energy and the increased emotions are very common after any kind of surgery, but especially after something like this. Most women feel attached to their breasts. It's the outward sign of our femininity. Not every woman feels this way, but a lot do. That's why most choose reconstruction over life without breasts.

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