Newly diagnosed - double mastectomy
Hello everyone, I'm new on here and sending hugs as we all need them <3. Firstly I am not great on computers but have read the helpful notes about posting so here goes. I had a recall from my mammo...
Forum Discussion
Hi @Poodle_Lady55
I am sorry you had to join this club, the initial few days after diagnoses are an absolute mental mayhem. I can totally sympathise with you. I had a lumpectomy to start with then had chemo. I did not need to have a mastectomy but chose to have bilateral mastectomies. I found the hospital stay and recovery quite straightforward. The first drain was removed in the hospital, I think on day three. I stayed in hospital for 4 days, the second drain had to be removed a bit earlier than expected because the stitches around the drain site opened and started bleeding in the night. I knew from conversations with the breast nurse that this wasn’t an emergency so waited till the next day for the surgeon to remove the drain. I had an haematoma and a few seromas that had to be drained twice. The breast surgeon said all these things are small setbacks and nothing to worry about. You will need help at home as your arm movement is a bit limited. I did not have much pain but some ladies have had to take tablets to relieve the pain.
i did not have reconstruction so unsure of that side of things. My advice would be to ask for detailed information from the surgeon and the nurse. Ask for contact numbers and whom to contact for any questions when you go home.
Good luck with your surgery.
I am sorry you had to join this club, the initial few days after diagnoses are an absolute mental mayhem. I can totally sympathise with you. I had a lumpectomy to start with then had chemo. I did not need to have a mastectomy but chose to have bilateral mastectomies. I found the hospital stay and recovery quite straightforward. The first drain was removed in the hospital, I think on day three. I stayed in hospital for 4 days, the second drain had to be removed a bit earlier than expected because the stitches around the drain site opened and started bleeding in the night. I knew from conversations with the breast nurse that this wasn’t an emergency so waited till the next day for the surgeon to remove the drain. I had an haematoma and a few seromas that had to be drained twice. The breast surgeon said all these things are small setbacks and nothing to worry about. You will need help at home as your arm movement is a bit limited. I did not have much pain but some ladies have had to take tablets to relieve the pain.
i did not have reconstruction so unsure of that side of things. My advice would be to ask for detailed information from the surgeon and the nurse. Ask for contact numbers and whom to contact for any questions when you go home.
Good luck with your surgery.