Just had my surgery Monday some questions...

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NicoleRod
NicoleRod Member Posts: 2,906
edited March 2019 in Living Without Reconstruction After a Mastectomy

Hi all! I just had my double Mast. on Monday (3 days ago). I am not having reconstruction. This was my 2nd time diagnosed 1st time was INSITU right breast stage 0 . This was stage 1 they said they got clear margins but I get the final pathology report on Wednesday the 27th at my re-check. They will tell me then also if I need chemo. I was HER2 Negative both times but Estrogen Positive. I feel really good and haven't taken or needed any pain meds. Today I started experiencing what I believe is nerve pain???> It feels like a zing or electric shock quick and short but ughhh annoying. I am just wondering if anyone can tell me will this lighten up if so usually when?

Also I wondered if someone can tell me how long it usually takes for the swelling to go down enough to know what I will really look like? Is it like a few weeks or a week?

Any help you can offer I would love.


Thanks, Nicole


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  • Gonnabeatthis
    Gonnabeatthis Member Posts: 73
    edited March 2019

    I called them zingers! They were pretty frequent, several times a day for the first few weeks. I still get random shockers from time to time but not very frequently. My surgery was January 9th. By 4-5 weeks out (cleared for activity) they were either gone or I had just become so used to them (they do calm down in intensity) I no longer really noticed them.

    All/most swelling went down by about the 4-5 week. Biggest problem with the swelling was I needed a bigger bra.

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  • NicoleRod
    NicoleRod Member Posts: 2,906
    edited March 2019

    Thank you I feel hopeful!!!

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  • alto
    alto Member Posts: 233
    edited March 2019

    The zingers calmed down in a couple of weeks for me. At least they're short.

    If you’re feeling more discomfort now, the meds you were given at the hospital may be wearing off. Anti-inflammatory meds might actually be good for you while healing. I took the bare minimum after my first surgery, but then I read they could actually help prevent cancer spread after surgery, so I took them for 10 days after. Who knows? I was really sore then anyway so it took the edge off.

    I had a very small amount of swelling, seemed to calm down after a couple of weeks, maybe three (under my arm). I had steristrips so I didn’t get to see the scar for over a month

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  • NicoleRod
    NicoleRod Member Posts: 2,906
    edited March 2019

    Alto...no doggie ears as far as I can tell. I do seem to look a bit concave in some areas though, my husband thinks some of the part that is puffy is from where the tube for the drains are...??? Maybe..maybe not. I do not have any steristrips on my scars they are not covered. they are decent as far as length I knew they would be because 1. I had a C cup. 2. The left boob the non cancer one was still a C cup the right was smaller from the prior radiation. 3. The right (cancer one) my cancer was close to the chest bone. So between the bigger boob on the left and the cancer closer to the bone with the right both scars are not to far from the chest bone to start. the scars do not bother me at all..I only am concerned about being concave. I guess I will have to wait and see.... Thanks for the info about the pain. I am taking the nerve pain pills.

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  • Darnit_DDD
    Darnit_DDD Member Posts: 40
    edited March 2019

    My surgery was a little over two weeks ago, how long until the stinging burning sensation along the incisions lets up? Also wondering at what point side sleeping becomes a realistic option?

    I know everyone is different so timing and healing is relative... thanks and best wishes to all on this journey.


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  • rachelcarter35
    rachelcarter35 Member Posts: 368
    edited March 2019

    I started to side sleep when my drains came out. Luckily one side came out a week before the other side so I was able to sleep on that side at about 4 weeks. I remember that at about 4 weeks that tight stinging feeling went away. If the healing were like a curve at first it seemed to be a steady small hill of improvement every day and then at about 4 weeks the curve got much steeper and the improvements seemed much more significant, like I'd got around the corner. That was my experience. I know we all are unique in how we heal. Hope that helps.

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  • alto
    alto Member Posts: 233
    edited March 2019

    Nicole_Rod, those drains really do make your skin stick up around the edges. For me, my drain wrapped all around the border of the surgery site. I thought the doctor had left me with a bony protrusion, until I realized it was the end of the drain near my sternum... ;) I think it will probably be about 3 weeks before everything starts to calm down and settle into place.

    Darnit_DDD, did they give you the nerve pills (gabapentin/neurontin)? What you are describing sounds like nerve pain. I had it right away and started taking the meds, but I hear other people have late onset nerve pain.

    I could gently roll on my side around week 3, but it didn't start getting comfortable until about week 4 (drain tube scar).

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  • NicoleRod
    NicoleRod Member Posts: 2,906
    edited March 2019

    Thanks Alto!

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  • Darnit_DDD
    Darnit_DDD Member Posts: 40
    edited March 2019

    Thanks all for the feedback!

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