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Eastmum's avatar
Eastmum
Member
8 years ago

Next question - on waking

Hi again - still gathering info before my DMX (@kmakm - this might help you too!) and my next question is - what were you wrapped in when you woke up from surgery? I know each surgeon has their own technique so I need to ask mine this question, but I'm keen to hear others' experiences to find out what the possibilities are.
Will I be in bandages? or a support bra? Is there one drain on each side or more than one? Do they normally give you a urinary catheter? I'm having vertical incisions and my nipples are going too, but will be having skin sparing and straight into air expanders. If I end up having an axillary clearance on either side, will that have consequences for how they bandage me up?
So grateful for everyone's help during this dash through the unknown! 
mastectomy
side-effects
surgery

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  • primek's avatar
    primek
    Member
    8 years ago
    I'd give the breast care nurse a ring. I was given 2 zonta pillows and drain bags at time of surgery planning. Oh...actually they forgot the bags but the bc nurse whipped down to car and got them for me the next  day when she visited.  Makes mobilising a lot easier. 
  • Eastmum's avatar
    Eastmum
    Member
    8 years ago
    Hi @primek - thanks those bras look great! No I haven’t got any drain bags yet. Do they give those to you in hospital? Should I make contact with the Breast care nurse before my surgery? 
  • Eastmum's avatar
    Eastmum
    Member
    8 years ago
    Thanks @Zoffiel and @primek - that’s great info especially about the drains. I thought there would only be one on each side. Good to know! 
  • primek's avatar
    primek
    Member
    8 years ago
    I had 2 drains each side and just some hyperfix stretchy tape on my wounds. My surgeon liked us to wear a post op bra immediately and has specialist  fitter visit 1st thing next day to fit. His preference was an erilan amoena post op bra. No clips on your back. A Target post op bra is pretty good too. 

    Also no catheter for me . 

    I only  had sentinal node biopsies so no visible scar from the clearance all done under the skin. 
  • Zoffiel's avatar
    Zoffiel
    Member
    8 years ago
    It's possible you will be catheterised during surgery but it will usually be gone by the time you get back to the ward.

    Two drains per side seems to be the norm for mastectomy, one high and one low. That does depend on the surgeon.

    As for bandages and wraps, I was very surprised to peer  down the front of my gown and only see a couple of bits of tape after 2MX (nipple sparing)and expander recons. I gather they are more likely to bandage now than they used to. All this stuff changes, wounds kept dry, wounds kept moist...hard to keep up.
    As them, they all do things differently. Marg x
  • Eastmum's avatar
    Eastmum
    Member
    8 years ago
    Yep @kmakm I sure am - some great info there! I was thinking those are all ‘unwrapped’ pics - unless there are no bandages usually? I’ll go back and have another look through. Guess I’m just the kind of person that likes to have as much info as possible. Thanks! 
  • kmakm's avatar
    kmakm
    Member
    8 years ago
    Hey@Eastmum, are you in the Breast Reconstruction group? There's some photos there I think of people immediately post-surgery. Plus I've found the women there are experts!

    I'm having a DIEP/TRAM and my PS said I'll have a catheter. I'll be exposed as they have to monitor the blood flow to the flap, every 30 minutes to start with.