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Exercise after Mastectomy

rizzo15
rizzo15 CSN Member Posts: 153 Member
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
It has been 3 months since my mastectomy. My surgeon saw me a couple times after surgery and he thought I was doing great with the daily exercises he gave me. Lots of illustrations and descriptions with the exercise sheets. I do the exercises at least 30-40 minutes a day. I used to do an hour a day, but my oncologist suggested I was overdoing it, and I cut back a little. The last week or so, I'm noticing my flexibility has gone down some. If you've had a mastectomy, do you think this is normal? How much exercise did your doctor recommend?
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Comments

  • jake10
    jake10 CSN Member Posts: 202
    #2
    My surgeon didn't recommend any excercises after surgery. My arm is fine and I don't favor it at all. I only had 5 nodes removed so if you had more taken that may be the difference. If you are noticing a problem ask you doctor to send you to Physical Therapy and they can evaluate you problem and give you a better plan for home exercise. Beth
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  • sandytrif525
    sandytrif525 CSN Member Posts: 106
    #3
    Hello Rizzo, My doc did not recommend any length of time to exercise and I hate to admit that I am bad at doing any at all. I get stiff everyonce in a while and will do arm lifts or walk the wall, but out side of that not much. I had 24 nodes removed and tram flap reconstruction. Sandy
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  • bunnie
    bunnie CSN Member Posts: 233
    #4
    Hi i had a mastcomy in jan and i did my exercise twice a day.the suggestion of seeing a physical threapist is a good idea becase you could be developing Lympadiam.probally not though but it woudnt hurt to talk to some one.Bunnie.
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  • Snookums
    Snookums CSN Member Posts: 148 Member
    #5
    I did my exercises and things were great and then, out of the blue- Lymphadema came to visit a little in my hand. So, I called my onc and bam- i am in Occupational Therapy. I thought I had flexibility but my ot puts me thru it. She massages some but stretches and exercises (building strength)the most. I am so glad I am going to OT I know it will help me in the long run. She even calmed me down about the little Lymph. I had! If you can get the dr to send you I say do it! Again, the more we know and learn to protect ourselves the better off we are in the long term! Good Luck and God's Blessings.
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  • rizzo15
    rizzo15 CSN Member Posts: 153 Member
    #6
    Thanks all for your suggestions. I think I really will have my doctor refer me to a physical therapist. I have one muscle on the inside of my elbow and one muscle running down my forearm that are particularly strained. I think that even a sports medicine physical therapist could pinpoint exactly what is happening and suggest exercises that could help me out. I'm pretty undisciplined about my eating habits, but I am very faithful about doing my exercises. I think if they show me the right exercises to do, I could probably do a lot to fix myself (so to speak).
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