Starting to feel scared about lumpectomy

Hi Eigna I am sorry you have to be here but you will find lots of great advice from these ladies. I had my lumpectomy end of April surgery was at 2:30 and I was on my way home at 5:00. As soon as I got home I ate and took a nap. Depending on the size of the lump and what you do for work you could need a week or two to recover. I went back part time after the first week but I have a very physical job. I only need Tylenol for pain and lots of ice. If you can't find anyone to pick up your kids, ask for a surgery time in the morning so your husband can get you home and then pick up the kids. There may be someone to talk to at your hospital that can help you with arrangements. Try not to worry too much. The surgery was surprisingly straight forward and so was the recovery. I am sure there will be others here soon to give you more advice. Good luck and feel free to come here as often as you need.

My surgery was outpatient, as I think most lumpectomies are. Besides the breast tumor (IDC and DCIS) I also had 3 lymph nodes removed. I didn't use any narcotics for pain relief, only Tylenol, and not a lot of them. I've actually been tested and have "normal" pain sensitivity, so I don't think that my pain relief choices are out of the ordinary. Within a few days I could have gone back to work if I'd needed to, though I might have kept short days for the next few. (I'm retired.)

As to the kids, how old are they? You could check with the teachers to see if there is another reliable parent in your own neighborhood who could help you. Or school bus, if they are on a designated route and old enough to be by themselves after school.

Ditto on surgery being relatively uneventful. I was the last surgery of a long day for my surgeon, and I still went home that evening. Woke up and was just fine. In fact, I asked my friend who was staying with me if I could make her some coffee!

I took horse pill ibuprofen but didn't need anything beyond that. Walked 3 miles the day after surgery. In fact, I scared people who expected me to be down for the count. I looked tired, but no worse than after a good trip to the dentist. I work mostly at home, but certainly could have gone back to work the following Monday. Surgery was Wednesday.

I was riding my bicycle ten days after surgery.

You should plan on being just fine. - Claire

I took a week off work but it wasn't enough. The whole next week the nurses I work with kept sending me home early so I could take Percocet... apparently I was pale from pain and looked scary. My lymph node biopsy was the part that really hurt. That kept me moving slowly for a few weeks. The meds helped though. Many women seem to bounce back more quickly, but I definitely didn't I was also only 38 and pretty physically fit at the time. I recommend a back up plan in case you are super sore like I was. I have job that is a mix between desk work and walking around talking to people.

So far in the responses, FOUR bounced back, TWO had complications. The odds are good.

Six for bounced back quickly.

The one thing that surprised me (and others have said the same) was how uncomfortable the sentinel node surgery was. Makes sense, though, there are loads of nerves and muscle insertions going on in our armpits.

But I walked 3 miles two days after my lx, and was running the following week. I was tired, but I always am after general anesthesia so that was nothing unusual.

I wore a bra 24x7 for weeks and that helped my discomfort a lot. My breast didn't like moving around at all so I just kept everything still.

I am a tall 68 yo woman. After my lumpectomy surgery I was home by 1 pm. I managed pain with Ibuprofen 800s for a few days, then Tylenol. I slept in a recliner at night for over a week. The surgical bra was very confining; SO happy to move on to sport bras after a week or so. Due to node biopsies using my surgical side arm was painful. My situation was aggravated by my having arthritis and needing a knee replacement, so movement was slow and standing up from a sitting position was difficult because I could only push up with one arm. All that being said, the experience was bearable. I remember thinking that if I had to I could have worked after a week. I actually gave a 45 minute presentation to a group one week out

Eigna, check with your doctor. They'll likely put a bra on you after surgery that will work for the first few days at least. You'll probably be told to keep a bra on 24/7, other than showering, for several days or more. Also check Walmart for the soft cotton bras that have a set of about 7 hooks up the front. There's a little less structure to them -- no underwires -- but in fact they do keep everything fairly well in place for most use (not running or bouncing!) You said you want a bra that closes in the back. Is that just a general preference? Your range of motion might be limited (it is for most people, at least somewhat) so reaching to the back to hook your bra might be impossible. Of course there is always hooking it in front and then turning the bra around. Also you might be told NOT to use an underwire bra. For radiation, I was specifically told not to.

MountainMia, did your doctor provide a bra for a lumpectomy? Mine didn't, I didn't know that might be a thing.

Huh! Guess mine was holding out on me

edj3: I really feel left out. I did not get a hospital provided bra post-lumpectomy for either my first or "revision" lumpectomy. Was not told what to wear post-op either. I had ace bandages wrapped around my chest that did not stay in place on either occasion (were falling off even before I left hospital. No one suggested a sports bra though navigator told me about Fruit of the Loom soft cup bras later. Unfortunately they do not support 40DD's. Could not wear a sports bra because most go over the head and previously had rotator cuff surgery (plus sentinel node site location) that made that impossible. So finally PT suggested a zipper fronted sports bra that helped. Incision site made bra comfort a challenge since incision was under breast and low. I would ask if they do provide a bra post-op rather than assuming that they do. It pays to be prepared if they don't.

Eigna- I was also a 40DD. After I was “released” from the surgical bra (Turkeypoult is not kidding), I wore Bali Comfortflex wirefree bras. They are sized S-M-L-XL-2XL-3XL. The recommended size for me was L, but honestly, the XL was way more comfortable. They got me through mammosite radiation -and holding that balloon catheter in place was quite a feat!

I have no connection to Bali bras at all

I didn't get a bra from my BS either. She also didn't mention me wearing one after surgery. But my surgery was kind of scheduled next day so not a lot of time to prepare. And add me to the list of those who bounced back quickly