Mastectomy this week-what to expect
So booked for mastectomy this Wednesday and feeling very overwhelmed with what to expect. What do I take to hospital, what do I do about bras etc then there is the day by day count down of losing a b...
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Hi Julie, so sorry you have to go through this crappy journey
I had a left mastectomy 8 yrs ago.Initially,I just wanted the cancer and breast gone ASAP. I’d had a lumpectomy and radiationon on the same Breast 7yrs before and so my recon options were limited.
When I first looked at my scar, I was high on painkillers and it didn’t look so bad.The drain was in for about a week and that was a real pain in many ways. I was in hospital for 3 days and the pain wasn’t too bad. You are quite numb across the chest- still am. I had a large binder around my chest and so I didn’t wear a bra for a few weeks. I found a singlet more comfortable to start with.Make sure you have a loose,button up shirt to wear home from hospital.It will hide being lopsided.It’s a big adjustment on many levels but you get used to it. I got fitted with a proper prosthesis 6wks post op and I felt more confident after that.You are kinda in battle mode getting through surgery and it’s later on that ‘mastectomy issues’ may surface.I didn’t do any farewell boob parties etc but I do wish I’d taken a photo of them as I now can’t remember We are here to chat any time about it. Best wishes for your surgery and a speedy recovery. Tonya xx
I had a left mastectomy 8 yrs ago.Initially,I just wanted the cancer and breast gone ASAP. I’d had a lumpectomy and radiationon on the same Breast 7yrs before and so my recon options were limited.
When I first looked at my scar, I was high on painkillers and it didn’t look so bad.The drain was in for about a week and that was a real pain in many ways. I was in hospital for 3 days and the pain wasn’t too bad. You are quite numb across the chest- still am. I had a large binder around my chest and so I didn’t wear a bra for a few weeks. I found a singlet more comfortable to start with.Make sure you have a loose,button up shirt to wear home from hospital.It will hide being lopsided.It’s a big adjustment on many levels but you get used to it. I got fitted with a proper prosthesis 6wks post op and I felt more confident after that.You are kinda in battle mode getting through surgery and it’s later on that ‘mastectomy issues’ may surface.I didn’t do any farewell boob parties etc but I do wish I’d taken a photo of them as I now can’t remember We are here to chat any time about it. Best wishes for your surgery and a speedy recovery. Tonya xx