Profilatic mascetomy

Hi Little Red,

The mastectomy recovery was the worst part of the whole process. I was only in hospital for 3 nights but my drains were in for 3 weeks which is not the norm. I had a local anasthesetic pump to the site as well as morphine on the push of a button but the morphine made me feel worse than the pain so I went off that. I could move my arms and had exercises to do every day from then physio, but you are not supposed to raise them over you shoulders until the drains are out. I had help to bath and wash my hair but I wasn't allowed to shower with the drains in. Once they were out I started to do the extra exercises and was pretty much back to normal in a couple of weeks. I had the second op, expanders replaced with implants, nipple reconstruction and my ovaries removed, about 8 months later (had to have chemo in between). This was nothing like the first op, I was in hospital for 3 nights again but the pain was controlled by panadol and recovery time was a lot quicker. I was back to normal after the drains were removed (2 weeks this time).

Most people don't have the drains in anywhere near as long as me and my surgeons said there was not really any explanation for it just that every person's body heals differently. So it is probably safe to say that your recovery time will be much quicker than mine.

I had the tattooing done about 2 months ago (about 3 months after 2nd op). This was relatively pain and hassle free.

My plastic surgeon is very happy with the  overall results and I must say that the results are much better than I had expected and well worth all the hassle. It is now about 1 year and 2 weeks since my bilateral mastectomy and first stage reconstruction and I feel very happy with my decision and have never looked back. 

I hope this has answered at least some of your questions and happy to answer anymore you may have. 

Chal