72 year old TN stage 1: Simple Mastectomy recovery vs lumpectomy

exercise_guru
exercise_guru Member Posts: 716
edited February 2021 in Surgery - Before, During, and After

Hi Ladies

For those of you older ladies or who have friends or moms who are over 60 could you help me understand this surgery option for my MIL

I have a question for those of you who had a simple Mastectomy or double with one side prophylactic. I had BC 6 years ago and had a double mastectomy with reconstruction and quite a long recovery. Now My 72 year old MIL has been diagnosed with Stage 1 2cm triple negative BC rt side . I suspect she is going to have a mastectomy and hope to bypass radiation.

How was the recovery?

Do you remember h

She is wondering how many days she should have someone stay with her.

How long you had drains and if you could maintain them and take care of your own needs?

She also needs to get her second covid shot is is wondering how many weeks after surgery she will feel well enough to leave the house to schedule that.

She trying to decide if a double is a lot harder of a recovery.

If you could share some insight that would be so appreciated.


Also I am wondering if I am thinking about this right. What if she has the Mastectomy and then is node positive with TN. Would she still need radiation anyway and wish she had just had the lumpectomy. She 100 percent does not care about keeping her breast and she has colitis and osteoporosis and is very thin.

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Comments

  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited January 2021

    Hey guru - you've posted this on five different threads now. My suggestion is to pick one and run with it and delete the others. It's frustrating to see the same questions over & over and can't see what others have responded.

    To your original question (can't remember if I answered on another thread) I had a BMX at age 67 with expanders and implants down the road. I had recurrent cancer at age 69 - HER2+ with chemo, surgery, more chemo, rads & herceptin for year.

    How is her general health? I did fine with the surgery the first time. Actually I did OK the 2nd time too with chemo, but I lost 50 lbs and had lots of diarrhea. Yup I had drains. My son was here for a couple of days. After that, I maintained just fine. He stayed 5 days the first time for BMX & 3 days the 2nd time for ALND surgery. I drove myself, by myself, to every chemo & radiation & doctor appointment. Of course after surgery I had to have someone pick me up, but otherwise I managed by myself.

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  • exercise_guru
    exercise_guru Member Posts: 716
    edited January 2021

    Thank you that is very helpful. I am going to delete my post from the over 60 thread. I felt like it would be more helpful to ask someone here as many women choose to not have immediate reconstruction. I had immediate reconstruction with expanders and it was a 6 week recovery and brutal would not have done that again.

    I would very much like to figure out what a mastectomy is like without reconstruction and how long to expect the drains and the needed help so your response was awesome and I really appreciate it.

    If anyone didn't have immediate reconstruction and can speak to how long they recovered and what the drain situation I would appreciate it.



    My other question was about Chemo so I moved that from the over 60 thread to the TN thread.

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited January 2021

    Let me know where you end up & I'd be willing to copy my post to another thread.

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  • mightlybird01
    mightlybird01 Member Posts: 217
    edited January 2021

    I started to write an answer but I was only 50 when I had my unilateral MX without reconstruction, so I thought maybe that would not be relevant to your question. I did have it after chemo, so may have been in a similar state than when older, but before chemo.

    I think it depends mostly on the health of your MIL prior to surgery, how quickly she will recover. If she is fit and healthy she may only need very little help. Here is my timeline:

    1) I stayed over night in the hospital after MX

    2) for the next two weeks, I used my arm for light work such as cooking, feeding my animals (horses, chickens, dog) and did a lot of walking, but no carrying or shuffling or any other farm chores I usually do.

    3) My drains came out at day 9 (I had 2). After that I went back out in public. I could have come out before, but choose not too, just because it is a hassle with the drains and hubby was happy to do the shopping. And II had no reason to really go out.

    4) I stared doing my mastectomy exercises once the drains were out (can provide links if interested). To do those is crucial.


    During the whole process I maybe took 3-4 advils over the first 3 weeks. I had discomfort, but no pain. Mainly skin sensitivity which took about 6 months to completely subside. But by 4 weeks I was back to carrying and even doing all my farm chores.


    I think provided your MIL is fit and healthy now and manages her life well on her own, she would need help only maybe a few h 2-3 times a week for the first 2 weeks (or until the drains are out), mainly for shopping, vaccuming or carrying anything she would need carried. I don't think there would be a need for anyone to stay 24/7. I did all the cooking from the day after surgery and I was allowed to shower the day after too. I did not need help showering. So I felt really quite ok.

    I think it is very good to do walking after mastectomy. The gentle movements of the arms during walking is just the perfect exercise to not do too much but also not too little. If anything, it would be nice if she had a walking buddy. My hubby came for walks with me and the dog for the first 2 weeks and I think this was actually the best thing he could have done for me :-)!


    It is over 1 year now since my MX and I am totally happy with my decision to be half flat (I have small breasts to begin with). I have a bra where I stuff in a little stuffing when I go out and it looks good to me.


    Good luck!




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  • Hasta
    Hasta Member Posts: 7
    edited February 2021

    Hi Mightlybird,

    Your post is very helpful. I have been struggling with trying to find someone close by that can help me and my horses after my MX. Now I know that if I decide not to do reconstruction it will most likely be a easy recovery without much additional support needed. Now if only I could be so sure about not having reconstruction as you are. I'm not sure I'll be able to keep my "good" breast long term since it has suspicious calcification. I think I could get by like you do with one breast but two gone is a little hard to consider.

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited February 2021

    Hasta - I don't know how old you are, but I don't think your age is an issue if you're already active. I had a bilateral mastectomy with sub pectoral expanders at age 67. I needed help for the first week. After that I was up & going like normal - however I would not have been able to care for horses until several weeks out. I'm still grateful for the choice I made to do BMX. And the choice I made to do reconstruction. But it's a very individual choice.

    I just wanted you to know that I don't see age as a handicap whatever you choose if you are active & healthy.

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  • Cowgirl13
    Cowgirl13 Member Posts: 1,936
    edited February 2021

    Hasta, two things I would suggest re your horses. Wait a while before you start picking out their hoover because I picked out their hooves too soon and I swear I dropped a couple of stitches which left me with a divot. You might want to work with them on their ground manners now so that you will be able to hand walk/lead them without a lot of pushing and pulling. Would sure be happy to help with your horses but I'm in California. Good luck.

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