Mastectomy

Hi Linda, so glad to hear your surgery is done. Yes, the worst bit pain wise has been the axilla. I had a level 2 clearance, but still get a bit uncomfortable on the chest in front of the shoulder. It's a bit of a strange discomfort, as it's numb at the same time. 

Best wishes when radiotherapy starts. I start this week.

Hope ypur recovery continues uneventfully. 

Take care, Lyn

That is great that it has gone well so far. I have a mental image of bionic woman with your battery pack.

Glad you are sleeping well, everything is so much more manageable when you aren't tired as well. Hope that fluid output is behaving and you get rid of your plastic friends sooner rather than later.

Jen x

Thanks Lyn,

were you fairly sore where your ancillary clearance was done. I have had level 3 ancillary clearance done, so under the arm, around the breast area and up I to the chest near the neck is quite sore. Imagine it will take a while to feel a little better.

linda xx

Thanks for that info Jen,

no, not having reconstruction as I will be having radiation in the new year so surgeon wouldn't do it.

i had my op two days ago. Yes, it is sore but much better than chemo. Sore also because I had level 3 lymph node removal. I have been doing my exercises although they seem quite easy at the moment! Don't want to over do it haha. 

Showering was a pain with the two drains and a battery pack I have for the pico bandage (this is a suction bandage) not all surgeons use them, unfortunately it's not been working but it has to stay in for 7 days regardless, silver chain nurses have been told to leave it.

sleeping hasn't been a problem so far. I tend to prop myself up with lots of pillows with the drains in a bag by my side. Hubby hasn't rolled on them yet!

i will also ask the nurse about my stitches tomorrow.

hope all is well with you. Xx

Hi Lindyloo. Isn't it a relief to get through chemo! I finished in early October, & had lumpectomy & axillary clearance at the end of the month. Surgery is much easier than chemo. 

How long the drains stay in usually depends on how much drainage there is. Most surgeons like it to get down to. 20-30ml in 24hours before removal, so you should have a referral to community nurses for management of that.

I didn't sleep too well in hospital, but other than that, not too many problems, although a little uncomfortable on the affected side.

I went & saw a lymphoedema physio before surgery, and again last week. She took some measuerements pre op, and repeated them last week, but said she would struggle to diagnose a confirmed case of lymphoedema before 12 weeks post op. 

Take care, hope all goes well, Lyn

Surgery apart from being nerve racking waiting for it to get started it isn't that bad. Take your bag for the drains to hospital with you and the little pillow for under your arm. I found the pillow to be a nice little comfort as I was terrified of halls and doorways that I might bump myself on that side.

I was released the next day and looked a million bux while I still had the painkilling hospital drugs in my veins but those wear off and I only had Nurofen and Panadol to take at home which almost didn't quite cut it for me. Sleeping was the worst for me as it was operated on the side that I usually lay on to sleep.

I have another op coming up Monday week for a auxiliary node clearance so this time I think I will get a script for something a bit stronger in pain killing to take home. It didn't help that the op is the same side as my main writing and do everything hand either.

I mostly showered with my back to the water and tried not to wet the operated side too much. When I got out I used Wet Ones antibacterial wipes to swap around the site and under my armpits.

Little tip for the bathroom, use a smaller towel not a huge bath sheet as you are going to be doing things one handed. Also put a seat in there to sit on for putting pants on while holding the drain bag out of the way. Hang the towel on a lower rack as it will be difficult hanging up on a high one with one hand.

In terms of the oedema thing they warn you of, I met a nurse today who knew quite a bit about it and said its not as common as you imagine with various ratings of affect. She told me to do my exercises they tell you to do and don't try to do too much too quick and I should be fine.

I had 51 stitches and they were taken out after 3 weeks.For the 3 weeks ,I wore a binder round my chest, and I only took it off to shower.I came to really like wearing it,it made me feel 'protected' and when the stitches came out the doctor said not to wear it any more, I was quite upset!!! I'm sure I got over it in about a day lol!!i could side sleep again during my 2 nd chemo round, which was about 9 weeks after my surgery. Cheers Robynxxx

Hi Lindyloo,

Are you having a reconstruction at the same time or just the mastectomy for now? The recovery will be a little different depending on which one.

Regardless of which, Robyn is spot on - do the physio exercises and take the pain meds. If you get concerned about cording or lymphodema see a physio who specialises in it and they can show you how to manage things early.

Asking how long the drains are in for is like asking how long is a piece of string, you are straight out of chemo so how has your body held up and how quickly can it heal itself? I had left breast done + start of reconstruction 4 weeks post chemo and the drain was in far longer than the right breast which was done 4 months later. The drains aren't gross just annoying, but they are better than getting a seroma and having to have it aspirated for weeks or months - remind yourself it is draining away all the crap. I use to put my drain in a messenger bag and get my friends and family to take me out to fill in my day (no driving while you have drains in).

I needed help with things like hanging out washing and vacuuming for a little bit but was quite able to manage personal hygiene, food prep and light housework - unless you are left handed you may find chopping a little awkward straight up and if anyone offers to help say yes regardless of how you are managing.

It is different to chemo in that you are sore rather than sick and it can be frustrating as you feel better but find it is easy to overdo things. As for side sleeping, again it depends on how quickly your body heals.

I had dissolvable stitches so didn't have to get any removed, different surgeons - different techniques, that may be a question to ask before you go in.

Good luck with it all, Jen

Thanks Robyn. How long is it before the stitches come out?

Your friend is right .i had a right mastectomy and it is not at all painful.it is more a feeling of stiffness in the first couple of weeks. Do the stretches that you get given,even if it hurts a bit.Try and get out and walk each day,because it really helps.Put things at bench height that you use daily,like coffee,tea etc.I hope that you find it ok.I only had my drain in for 24 hours,and I have never had lymphodema.i slept propped up on pillows for a couple of weeks.Once the stitches come out it really improves rapidly.Cheers Robynxox