Forum Discussion
mastectomy tomorrow
Hi ladies, tomorrow I go in for mastectomy and axillary clearance. I'm first up in the morning so at least won't be waiting long. Any tips are welcome. How much pain are you in when you wake up. I'm f...
@LMK74 very best of luck for tomorrow.
when I came out of surgery I was groggy and slept a lot for the rest of the day.
There was very little pain, I had a drip with a PCA (patient control analgesic) hooked up but used it only once.
I was given Panadol 6 hourly and that was all I needed. Very little pain.
Showering the next day, I was wobbly and negotiating the drains while trying to lather up was tricky, as was drying myself but by the time I left hospital I had worked out a routine.
Breast drain came out day 3. Quick and felt slightly unpleasant but it didn't hurt.
The tenderness in the lymph node area seemed to increase when I got home, as did the drain site under my arm, but still as long as I remembered to take the Panadol it was okay.
Doing the exercises made me feel a bit sick at first but my arm worked really well.
Now 2 1/2 weeks out, the only thing I have difficulty with is stretching right up high.
I am still a bit swollen under the arm and where the top lymph nodes were removed on my chest in front of my shoulder, and it is numb and tender there, bras rub.
I have just discovered some soft bras in Best and Less $10 one has a zip up the front and the other is a crop top style but they have removable padding for a bit of support.
Lots of lovely colours and patterns in the crop top style to make you feel feminine and pretty.
I could only find the soft zip up ones in black.
I have taken the padding out of the mastectomy side as it digs in a bit at the moment where I am tender but otherwise they are lovely and soft to wear and the padded side gives my left breast a bit of support.
All things considered I was surprised how little pain I was in, and as soon as the underarm drain was out I felt amazing. I used the satin carry bag from the breast care nurse to hide the drain when I went to the shops, I was out and about a few days after I came home.
The nurse from the hospital came twice a week to check my wound and drain and to collect the bags. My last drain was out on day 11.
I hope you have an equally positive experience.
Let us know how you go. Jennie
when I came out of surgery I was groggy and slept a lot for the rest of the day.
There was very little pain, I had a drip with a PCA (patient control analgesic) hooked up but used it only once.
I was given Panadol 6 hourly and that was all I needed. Very little pain.
Showering the next day, I was wobbly and negotiating the drains while trying to lather up was tricky, as was drying myself but by the time I left hospital I had worked out a routine.
Breast drain came out day 3. Quick and felt slightly unpleasant but it didn't hurt.
The tenderness in the lymph node area seemed to increase when I got home, as did the drain site under my arm, but still as long as I remembered to take the Panadol it was okay.
Doing the exercises made me feel a bit sick at first but my arm worked really well.
Now 2 1/2 weeks out, the only thing I have difficulty with is stretching right up high.
I am still a bit swollen under the arm and where the top lymph nodes were removed on my chest in front of my shoulder, and it is numb and tender there, bras rub.
I have just discovered some soft bras in Best and Less $10 one has a zip up the front and the other is a crop top style but they have removable padding for a bit of support.
Lots of lovely colours and patterns in the crop top style to make you feel feminine and pretty.
I could only find the soft zip up ones in black.
I have taken the padding out of the mastectomy side as it digs in a bit at the moment where I am tender but otherwise they are lovely and soft to wear and the padded side gives my left breast a bit of support.
All things considered I was surprised how little pain I was in, and as soon as the underarm drain was out I felt amazing. I used the satin carry bag from the breast care nurse to hide the drain when I went to the shops, I was out and about a few days after I came home.
The nurse from the hospital came twice a week to check my wound and drain and to collect the bags. My last drain was out on day 11.
I hope you have an equally positive experience.
Let us know how you go. Jennie