Re: Recovery after masectomy

nikkib

Hello everyone I am new here.... I am a female age 55 and I was informed a month ago that I had cancer in my right breast. I have decided to have a bilateral masectomy and wanted to know approximately what my recovery time would be.

tiger

Hi Nikki, I am Tiger, I had a mastectomy I am not sure what they call it, they removed the whole breast and nine lymph nodes.In the recovery room I had alot of pain in my arm,but demerol cured that right away, i did have movement,i could get my arm up to my chest without too much pain, there were drain tubes in my chest,sticking out of my side, they came out once most of the fluid in my chest cavity had drained out, they slipped out pretty easy too. I only stayed in the hospital for two days, they were going to send me home after one day,but I asked to stay over and extra day and get my wits about me, as my parents were staying with us to help for awhile.Once at home I did my exercises and about 1 1/2 weeks after surgery the staples came out,forty four in all, i wear a 42 dd bra,in three months i was healed enough that I could get a prosthesis, I wore it for awhile,but now I dont, It is too heavy.If i had of had foresight, i would have had the other breast removed at the same time.when i go for reconstruction on the left one,i am going to remove the right one and have both rebuilt out of my belly, I have had two children by c section and i have enough loose skin and fat to make two lovely little boobies!! It is called a Diep flap. Your surgeon should be able to answer all your questions, the thing I found was I favored my left arm, because I am right handed,its not that it hurt, i just did not think about using it, so my husband constantly reminded me to move it around and get mobility back, after about three months i was completely back to normal,and I was not even emotional about loosing the breast, once I found out there was cancer in it, it ceased to be my breast, My husband and I were both glad to see it go,after the surgery i looked down and laughed because one side was flat and the other side stuck way out,when i dont wear my fake boob there is a noticeable difference, but i am used to it by now and could not care less what people think.Good Luck and keep us posted. Tigerxoxox

tiger

Hi Nikki, I am Tiger, I had a mastectomy I am not sure what they call it, they removed the whole breast and nine lymph nodes.In the recovery room I had alot of pain in my arm,but demerol cured that right away, i did have movement,i could get my arm up to my chest without too much pain, there were drain tubes in my chest,sticking out of my side, they came out once most of the fluid in my chest cavity had drained out, they slipped out pretty easy too. I only stayed in the hospital for two days, they were going to send me home after one day,but I asked to stay over and extra day and get my wits about me, as my parents were staying with us to help for awhile.Once at home I did my exercises and about 1 1/2 weeks after surgery the staples came out,forty four in all, i wear a 42 dd bra,in three months i was healed enough that I could get a prosthesis, I wore it for awhile,but now I dont, It is too heavy.If i had of had foresight, i would have had the other breast removed at the same time.when i go for reconstruction on the left one,i am going to remove the right one and have both rebuilt out of my belly, I have had two children by c section and i have enough loose skin and fat to make two lovely little boobies!! It is called a Diep flap. Your surgeon should be able to answer all your questions, the thing I found was I favored my left arm, because I am right handed,its not that it hurt, i just did not think about using it, so my husband constantly reminded me to move it around and get mobility back, after about three months i was completely back to normal,and I was not even emotional about loosing the breast, once I found out there was cancer in it, it ceased to be my breast, My husband and I were both glad to see it go,after the surgery i looked down and laughed because one side was flat and the other side stuck way out,when i dont wear my fake boob there is a noticeable difference, but i am used to it by now and could not care less what people think.Good Luck and keep us posted. Tigerxoxox

Judi H

Masectomy and how long to recover?

I have had dcis in the right breast three times now.  Two lumpectomies and one radiation treatment.  Now they want to remove my right breast and do reconstruction of that breast and a breast reduction on the left side.  Has anyone done this?  What does this entail and how long to recovery because I have to move and drive in four weeks.  Thanks!

Apaugh

Judi H said:

Masectomy and how long to recover?

I have had dcis in the right breast three times now.  Two lumpectomies and one radiation treatment.  Now they want to remove my right breast and do reconstruction of that breast and a breast reduction on the left side.  Has anyone done this?  What does this entail and how long to recovery because I have to move and drive in four weeks.  Thanks!

Prayers going up

You have had a rough time.  This is something to talk to your surgeons about.  Everyone of us heals differently.  I am sure no one here wants you to push it.  

Please keep us posted on how your doing.  

I posted a forum about updates.  Please post there is you can.  

Many hugs and prayers going up,

Annie

wallis2

Judi H said:

Masectomy and how long to recover?

I have had dcis in the right breast three times now.  Two lumpectomies and one radiation treatment.  Now they want to remove my right breast and do reconstruction of that breast and a breast reduction on the left side.  Has anyone done this?  What does this entail and how long to recovery because I have to move and drive in four weeks.  Thanks!

Hi. I had the procedure last year and I recovered in 2 months, but everybody is different. fI had a lumpectomy and after that bilateral mastectomy.   I had both removed and I made the cholce, but didn't want reconstruction because I feel better with both of them off.  I had very large breast(44 DDD).