recovery time

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grandmagail
grandmagail Member Posts: 28
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
You ladies are wonderful and have helped me so much. I'm having a double mastectomy on the 5th of November. I realize everyone is not the same, but can anyone tell me about how long that I will be off work with just the mastectomy, if everything goes well? I have a stand up job. I cook breakfast to order and operate the register. I'm pretty sure they will let me just do the register for a while. Chemo would most likely start three weeks after surgery and continue for six months. We don't know this for sure, but will be likely. I have catastrophic leave and FMLA papers to fill out and I am so confused. My daughter-in-law, who is a RN for an Oncologist told me that she would hate to see me take all my leave with my surgery and then be the type that gets so very ill with chemo that I won't be able to work. My brain is on overload again. I would appreciate input on this aspect. Thank you all so much.

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  • newboobs
    newboobs Member Posts: 121
    #2
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    Hi Gail-- I had a single mastect and took almost a month off from work - but really needed a few more weeks. I am self employed, so I know how you feel about working. Plus- going thru cancer, work is one of the few things that you have a bit of control over. I'm not sure about the dble mastect. recovery time. Ask your surgeon for advice. Just be careful picking up, pushing or pulling anything. Prayers for a speedy recovery!
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #3
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    Hey, Gail....only had a lumpectomy....am self employed, so I had to 'go back' to work asap (I had been off 2 full months already battling the colon cancer).

    I took it slow. If I got tired, I sat. I am a computer consultant, the only thing I did NOT do was lift (I found a georgous man to help me..lol...as well as getting the job done, it was GREAT eye candy!). I took my infusions on Wednesday. Thursday was GREAT, Friday morning too, Friday afternoon/evening was so-so, Saturday I always 'hit the wall'. Just watch how you do....

    Hugs, kathi
  • 3cbrca
    3cbrca Member Posts: 206
    #4
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    Hi Gail

    I had a double mastectomy in April. I took 7 weeks off (I'm 55 and was in really good health-other than the obvious). However, I did neoadjuvant treatment and so before my surgery I had completed 20 weeks of chemo. I also started RT 3 weeks after surgery. Working is psychologically important, but don't rush back - It takes more than you think to completely get your strength back. I worked parttime through all of it and now on my one year anniversary I'm taking 3 months off to sleep, excercise and eat properly and feeling stronger everyday.
    We're all different, but some little bit of excercise every day really helps. Take care of yourself and take advantage of the insurance/leave so that you can work on getting well. Best of luck. I'll be thinking of you (and all the others who have paved the way)- that's the day I have my first f/u PET/CT scan.
    She
  • cabbott
    cabbott Member Posts: 1,039 Member
    #5
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    It is certainly true that we are all different. When I had my mastectomy, it was done as day surgery at a large breast center. They told me I would want to go out for dinner that night. I didn't believe them, but they were right. I ended up at Burger King. I did the exercises they gave me like clockwork and I could touch my target mark on the wall by the second day. I missed all of 9 days of work as a school counselor. When I went back I could not lift anything heavy. A gallon of milk was about the limit and I didn't hold that very long. By 6 weeks after, I could lift the milk and was starting to carry the dry laundry in from the line. By 12 weeks, I could do about everything except jar lids. They are still hard, even after 5 years! Thank goodness for teenage sons!
    As for chemo, it varies from one person to another. One teacher at my school had hers scheduled for Fridays at 2 PM. She was always back at school on Monday mornings. Later she told me that Saturdays she didn't eat much and Sundays she usually took naps. She never got really sick to her stomach though she was sometimes nauseous. After work she usually napped too or took a very early bedtime. In all, she missed two or three days of work all year. Not bad for someone battling cancer. Another person I know, however, needed the entire 9 months off. Chemo really put her out of commission. She needed the time off to just keep going. If and when you have chemo, definately insist on anti-nausea medicines and take it BEFORE you need it starting with the very first time. Walk daily, even if it is just around the house for 5 minutes. Drink lots of water. Call the nurses when something seems off. They can help. It is always easier to help when the problem is small, so don't wait.

    My biggest problem the first week after the mastectomy was getting constipated from the pain meds. Take the pain meds, by all means, as long as you need them. But stock some Phillips Milk of Magnesia in the fridge so you don't have problems. Prunes just weren't enough. I'll spare you the details, but this is a common problem after anesthesia and on oxycodon. Another side of effect of surgery was a sore throat from intubation (the breathing tube). Hard butterscotch drops really helped there.

    See your doctor about what to take for side effects of chemo. Some herbs and vitamins are NOT recommended when you are on chemo. Some foods(like soy products) are not recommended for cancer survivors, at least not in large quantities. So if you have to have chemo, treat it like being pregnant. Call the doctor if you have any concerns, before you take any meds, and do everything he tells you to. Keep your appointments, and in 9 months plan on being a new person (minus the cancer of course!).
  • MichelleHM
    MichelleHM Member Posts: 13
    #6
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    I wish you the very best. I had a mastectomy and was home and cooking dinner within 24 hrs. I had a drain too. But my short term disability gave me a month off. I did have a tram flap which kept me out 1 1/2 months. The mastectomy was not that bad really.

    As for FMLA, I would wait and see how you feel. You know you can take it in little chunks of time from a few hours a day to a few days at a time or in one lump sum. It all depends on how you feel. Get with your Human Resource person at work to understand your rights.

    Please know that breast cancer is survivable. I have survived it for 12 years now. I plan to live to be a 100! Keep a positive attitude.
  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159
    #7
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    I "only" had a lumpectpmy, had lymphnode involvement, and went home with the drain, just as many of us do. I was diligent about doing the exercises as well, and though my recovery was not as miraculous as Cabbotts ( you go, girl!!!) I too made good recovery. Seat belts hurt me~ I remember that, and I couldn't sleep in my favorite fetal position, or on my stomach. I recall turning in my sleep to get into the fetal position and my body would wake me up and say NO in very loud and rude terms! But you know when you bite your tongue and you "play" with it and it seems huge, and you think it'll never go away? Ditto with sleep positions, etc. One day you are in agony, and then one morning you wake up in fetal position!
    I echo those who said to be careful with lifting! Perhaps you can sit on a bar stool while working the register? ASK! We women nurture, and we don't often feel we can ask for help. This is the time to get over that feeling and ask! Breast Cancer is not a crime~you are in recovery, and can use a bit of help! Most people who have no cancer experience don't know what to do for us. But oftentimes they are more than willing to accomodate us if they know what we need.
    Drink water to keep your system flushed and hydrated~ and welcome to the kick-a$$ ranks of Breast Cancer survivors!
    Hugs,
    Claudia
  • 3cbrca
    3cbrca Member Posts: 206
    #8
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    Gail
    Are you having full axillary dissection? That makes a difference in recovery - A "simple mastectomy" (no axillary node dissection) will let you get up and around much sooner. A "modified radical" or "radical" is going to require more time. I had one of each: simple on one side and modified radical on the other...
  • ladybluepgh
    ladybluepgh Member Posts: 76
    #9
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    hi Gail,
    I had a left br mast on sept 13..going back to work oct 22nd..already got the ok from my doc...he says I'm a A patient..lol...like the others lifting is definitely out for me for 2-6 months docs orders..but I can get help with that at work..I'm an xray tech and a lab tech and I do bone density testing too...while I do need help with lifing patients..I have lots of ppl who can help out...I'm really sore on the underarm on that side still but its getting better everyday...just got fitted last week for a prosthesis and its kinda heavy but I look better with it ;)....I took an FMLA from work and they told me to keep it for awhile until I know I'll be good at work again..but your doc can sign for an intermittent leave so you can take off only when you need too...take care..praying for you to have a quick recovery...God bless you
  • Sinnata
    Sinnata Member Posts: 1
    #10
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    3cbrca said:

    Gail
    Are you having full axillary dissection? That makes a difference in recovery - A "simple mastectomy" (no axillary node dissection) will let you get up and around much sooner. A "modified radical" or "radical" is going to require more time. I had one of each: simple on one side and modified radical on the other...

    I had a modified radical mastectomy with 14 nodes removed and 2 drains in for 9 days. It took awhile to heal. Although there was little pain involved. Some discomfort. I took no pain meds, only an anti inflammatory. Good luck on your journey.

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