3 weeks post OP.

kmenurse
kmenurse Member Posts: 217
in Breast Cancer #1

I had my Bilateral Mastectomy on 4/26/13...  3 weeks ago.  And the drain tubes were removed, 2 weeks ago.  I was wondering how long the breast skin that was left for reconstruction will remain swollen.  I look like I have breasts under my arms, and with the tissue expanders... I look like I have 4 breasts.  Its worse on the right side where they removed 20 lymph nodes.  The pain is minimal... I manage with Ibuprofin now.  I know each person is differant but how long did the healing take you.  Kathy

Comments

  • Patti1967
    Patti1967 Member Posts: 186
    #2
    I had my bilateral on Sept 5,

    I had my bilateral on Sept 5, 2012.  I didnt have a skin sparing, I did have 13 nodes removed from my left sides and just the three on the right.  My right side is a new normal as in no swelling.  My left from under my arm to where your bra band would be is still swollen not near as much as it was right after surgery, and they say it may never go down, lymphedema and I was and still am faithful with exercising my left arm.  

    Have you asked your surgeon?  Hugs:)

    Patti

  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #3
    Patti1967 said:

    I had my bilateral on Sept 5,

    I had my bilateral on Sept 5, 2012.  I didnt have a skin sparing, I did have 13 nodes removed from my left sides and just the three on the right.  My right side is a new normal as in no swelling.  My left from under my arm to where your bra band would be is still swollen not near as much as it was right after surgery, and they say it may never go down, lymphedema and I was and still am faithful with exercising my left arm.  

    Have you asked your surgeon?  Hugs:)

    Patti

    Bilateral Mastectomy Sister here ...

    6 lymph nodes removed in my case, not 20 or 13.  It took me about 4 months before I felt that I looked somewhat normal = pre bilateral state.  What also helped me was physical therapy, and daily recommended exercises.  Lymph edema is a SERIOUS issue - be so so careful.

    What does your Plastic Surgeon/Oncologist say?  What about applying frozen pea's wrapped in a hand towel several times a day to help with the swelling?  I also use frozen pea"s to help with the inflammation - which was okayed by my surgeon.

     

    Vicki Sam

  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #4
    Seromas?

    Posssibly seromas from the drains being taken out too soon?  I had a unilateral mast. (no recon) in Oct '09.   I had done 4 DD A/C's neoadjuvant with one drain being taken out at 2 weeks post OP.  3 weeks after surgery I started 12 weekly Taxol with 1 drain still in.  A week later, surgeon took it out even though there was sttill more drainage than ideal but he felt that it might be causing irritation - thus more drainage.  Wrong - not healed enough and I wound up dealing with a large sseroma for many weeks.  On the day of last Taxol, I had a new CAT as was starting rads the next week and radds Dr wanted a new one - the seroma was still showing up on it (along with gall bladder sludge [yes that is a legit. medical term]).  Talk to your Drs.

    Winyan - The Power Within

    Susan

  • hope67
    hope67 Member Posts: 181
    #5
    Since we had surgery on the same day,

    maybe we can do some comparison. I have some swelling next to my armpit, but it's no so bad. On my last appointment my surgeon said that if it's going to get worse, maybe they would have do drain it. You should talk to you doctor. What I find the most annoying is the belt I have to wear to press expander down. It goes under my armpit and above expander and breast and puts some pressure on my stitches and expander and causes a lot of discomfort. And I have to wear it all the time, even at sleep. Expander was filled twice, first during the surgery and ones after and I believe it won't be needed much more, at least I hope so. On Friday I have scheduled second surgery to remove all nodes, so here we go again.

    Take care, Carmen

  • kmenurse
    kmenurse Member Posts: 217
    #6
    hope67 said:

    Since we had surgery on the same day,

    maybe we can do some comparison. I have some swelling next to my armpit, but it's no so bad. On my last appointment my surgeon said that if it's going to get worse, maybe they would have do drain it. You should talk to you doctor. What I find the most annoying is the belt I have to wear to press expander down. It goes under my armpit and above expander and breast and puts some pressure on my stitches and expander and causes a lot of discomfort. And I have to wear it all the time, even at sleep. Expander was filled twice, first during the surgery and ones after and I believe it won't be needed much more, at least I hope so. On Friday I have scheduled second surgery to remove all nodes, so here we go again.

    Take care, Carmen

    Hi Carmen... I miss spoke on

    Hi Carmen... I miss spoke on the drain removal time, they were removed two weeks after surgery.  I also have tissue expanders but no belt. I only had one fill because the surgeon filled them as much as he could at time of surgery and Yes they are very uncomfortable.  I did find that wearing a cami with built in bra helps with the swelling.  I started wearing them after I posted.  The compression helped a lot.   Do you have to have Chemo/Radiation Tx's  I will have Chemo.. 6 treatments 3 weeks apart.  I can't have the final reconstruction until after the Chemo...  :-( .....  Kathy

  • hope67
    hope67 Member Posts: 181
    #7
    kmenurse said:

    Hi Carmen... I miss spoke on

    Hi Carmen... I miss spoke on the drain removal time, they were removed two weeks after surgery.  I also have tissue expanders but no belt. I only had one fill because the surgeon filled them as much as he could at time of surgery and Yes they are very uncomfortable.  I did find that wearing a cami with built in bra helps with the swelling.  I started wearing them after I posted.  The compression helped a lot.   Do you have to have Chemo/Radiation Tx's  I will have Chemo.. 6 treatments 3 weeks apart.  I can't have the final reconstruction until after the Chemo...  :-( .....  Kathy

    Kathy, I don't have treatment plan yet,

    it will be known after path result from the second surgery. I believe I will have chemo and no rads.

    Carmen

  • survivorbc09
    survivorbc09 Member Posts: 4,374 Member
    #8
    Rague said:

    Seromas?

    Posssibly seromas from the drains being taken out too soon?  I had a unilateral mast. (no recon) in Oct '09.   I had done 4 DD A/C's neoadjuvant with one drain being taken out at 2 weeks post OP.  3 weeks after surgery I started 12 weekly Taxol with 1 drain still in.  A week later, surgeon took it out even though there was sttill more drainage than ideal but he felt that it might be causing irritation - thus more drainage.  Wrong - not healed enough and I wound up dealing with a large sseroma for many weeks.  On the day of last Taxol, I had a new CAT as was starting rads the next week and radds Dr wanted a new one - the seroma was still showing up on it (along with gall bladder sludge [yes that is a legit. medical term]).  Talk to your Drs.

    Winyan - The Power Within

    Susan

    Just sending a gentle

    Just sending a gentle hug.

    Jan

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