Double masectomy with reconstruction?

christald21
christald21 Member Posts: 55
in Breast Cancer #1

HI, 

  I  will try and make this as short as possible.  I am set to have my surgery on the 25th.  First it will be 8 weeks since my last chemo.  So i am worried that it is so long since my last chemo that some of cancer might of come back.  Although the doctors don't seem concerned.  I did have IDC with her2 so i am still doing Herceptin every 21 days.  with my surgery i will be having double masectomy with also lympnodes removed, and then reconstruction with expanders put in with drains.  From my understanding this surgery will be the most intense out of all the other ones that will follow.

My questions to all of you that have had to go through this.  Just how long does all this take, for recovery?  How much pain is involved, and any good advice while i am healing from the first surgery?   My reconstruction surgeon says it will be roughly 6 months before i can get the implants put in, as long as no complications.  I am  nervous as hell.  And i want to go  back to work too soon.  I am a casino dealer here in Las Vegas, and a partime fitness instructor too.  Which i have had to put it all on hold during my chemo. I am hoping i can go back and do all of this while the expanders are in, but might have to modify a few things. 

Comments

  • camul
    camul Member Posts: 2,537
    #2
    It depends on how you heal.

    I went back to work within 4 weeks of Mastectomy where I too had expanded and they removed 19 lymph nodes. I had no choice. Company was in middle of merger, my position was being deleted.  Needed benefits and paycheck.  Then was told 2nd day back, New position was out of state.  Oncologist was not thrilled, I drove home every Thursday evening, back Sunday night for Friday appts.  

    Started exercising, walking right away, then he let me build it up.  Worst part of the surgery was the drain tubes, but that was a week. My surgeon had me walking the walls right away and never had any mobility or lymphedema issues.  

    Main thing to make healing easier, is put what you need at easy reach for the week or so after surgery.  Drink lots of liquid to wash everything through.  Have food handy for the days following so no grocery shop.  When you are in good shape going into surgery, the healing tends to be smoother and faster.  Just don't rush everything.  Give your body the time it needs to heal!

    For me, I was expecting the surgery to be so much harder than it was!  Had surgery Wed. Came home Thursday, took 2 Tylenal w/codeine when I got home. Didn't need any more pain meds after that.  Hysterectomy was about an 8 out of 10 pain level, Mast. Was more like a 3-4 out 10.

    Hope it goes well for you.

    Carol

     

     

  • Clementine_P
    Clementine_P Member Posts: 518 Member
    #3
    Not bad for me either

    I had a similar experience to Carol only my double mastectomy and placement of expanders occurred before my chemo.  I stayed one night in the hospital and the next day went home.  The drains were definitely a nuisance and unsightly but, like Carol said, they aren't in very long.  Within a day I was walking about 2 miles.  You can exercise when you are feeling up to it with the expanders in place.  They were not very restrictive for me - but while my expanders were in place I was having chemo so aside from walking about 5 miles a day I didn't do any vigorous exercise at all.  As for pain, I had very little as well.  Carol gave you some very good pointers - I will just add that you should wear button down garmets at first so you don't have to pull things over your head and on your way home from the hospital bring a pillow with you.  This way the seatbelt won't be bothersome to your chest area.  You should be able to work with the expanders in.  Take it easy on yourself during this time, though.  Being nervous is about as natural a feeling as there is.

    Best,

    Clementine

  • bevaschia
    bevaschia Member Posts: 53
    #4
    Good advice from everyone

    Good advice from everyone here.I didn't have expanders.  Bilateral mastectomy.  I stayed one night in hospital.  Could have gone back to work immediately, but opted to just rest a few days.  Took vicodin pain meds for at least two days per the doctor...but then switched to extra strength Tylenol and it was adequate.  Drains were in a week and a nuisance but doable.  Removal of drains was a piece of cake for me pain wise.  On no pain meds now.  Things are just numb.  Had to wear a compression bra for two weeks, didn't care for that, but they said it was a necessity so I followed the direction.  I was really surprised that the entire surgery and recovery has been relatively easy for me.  Worst part was having to sponge bath for a week---advised no shower until drains come out.  I wore zip up sweatshirts, but have good range of motion.  Good luck to you.  You can do this!  Please keep us updated.  

     

  • raqmatt
    raqmatt Member Posts: 2
    #5
    bilateral or unilateral mastectomy

    Decisions to make????  There is cancer in one of my breasts and I am defintely having a mastectomy on that breast.  I am considering having a double mastectomy for various reasons.  Doctor said not totally necessary to do a double mastectomy, but my choice.  Cancer risk goes down about 2 percent with doing a double mastectomy.  Has anyone ever had to make this decision?  What did you do?  After talking to one doctor, he said that he's never had a woman come back and say they regretted having had a double mastectomy, but he has had them come back after  having a unilateral and wished they would've done a double.   There's pros and cons to both.    

    I would appreciate anyone's input, please.  

  • raqmatt
    raqmatt Member Posts: 2
    edited August 2016 #6
    bevaschia said:

    Good advice from everyone

    Good advice from everyone here.I didn't have expanders.  Bilateral mastectomy.  I stayed one night in hospital.  Could have gone back to work immediately, but opted to just rest a few days.  Took vicodin pain meds for at least two days per the doctor...but then switched to extra strength Tylenol and it was adequate.  Drains were in a week and a nuisance but doable.  Removal of drains was a piece of cake for me pain wise.  On no pain meds now.  Things are just numb.  Had to wear a compression bra for two weeks, didn't care for that, but they said it was a necessity so I followed the direction.  I was really surprised that the entire surgery and recovery has been relatively easy for me.  Worst part was having to sponge bath for a week---advised no shower until drains come out.  I wore zip up sweatshirts, but have good range of motion.  Good luck to you.  You can do this!  Please keep us updated.  

     

    good advice

    So glad to hear  you're doing well after a bilateral mastectomy.  Makes me feel at ease since that's the route I think  I will be going.

  • Lisa-Nana to 5
    Lisa-Nana to 5 Member Posts: 16
    edited August 2016 #7
    I'm not the norm!

    well, I'm not the average BMX patient. I had DCIS in 2008 and decided after much thought, research and prayer to do the bilateral. I lost my mom to BC when she was only 38 so the decision to take them both off was really a foregone conclusion. I had expanders in at mastectomy. My body rejected one after 1 month and then the other in 2 months. Finally, 4 months after mastectomies, I had latissimus flap reconstruction with cohesive gel implants under muscle. The recovery process wasn't as bad as I had imagined. I slept in a recliner with a pillow behind my low back for a couple weeks since I couldnt lay on either side or belly and I'm just not a back sleeper.

    Now, Fast forward...... I was cancer free for 8 years, but unfortunately just this month have been diagnosed with IDC in the same breast that started all this mess in the first place. I say all this not to scare or discourage anyone, but to say to be sure to continue to do self exams and push for some type of imaging if possible. I was told there weren't any needed. I've read on here, though that some women get MRIs every few years.  I was told I had a less than 2% chance of recurrence but here I go again. I would still do it all again, but I'm just saying examine regularly and report any little thing that seems unusual. Better safe than sorry. 

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