what's it like to have a mastectomy/reconstruction

Hi Ohilly, Can't help you out concerning the reconstruction as I haven't had it yet nor do I know if I will but as far as the mastectomy is concerned there is less pain than imagined. I wasn't on anything stronger than tylenol 3's and it was sore but more numb due to the nerves cut during surgery. I can't remember how long the drain was in for but the nurses were pretty happy with how it was healing so I don't think it was too long. Chemobrain!! It can be a bit of a pain sleeping, showering and dressing with the drainage tube but it doesn't last long. For a while anything touching it bothered me so I wore loose clothing and held my seatbelt when driving. It is still numb after about a year and a half but it takes nerves a long time to heal.
Hope this has helped
jan

Hi, I had a bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction on Dec 17, 2007. Physically, the surgery and recovery were pretty easy. My plastic surgeon moved to the area 2 years ago after spending the last 13 years teaching at the University of Florida Med School. This had several advantages: First, since he is new to the area, he has fewer patients than most docs and spent a lot of time with me. Second, he is up on the latest techniques. I left the hospital after 24 hours with NO DRAINS, permanent implants (no expanders), and a sports bra. I had little pain but was sore. I highly recommend the no drains option. The doc can drain your breasts in his office if there is fluid buildup. During the draining, you don't feel anything. The second day, I walked to the corner of my street and back. Then, as the anesthesia euphoria wore off, I became slightly sorer. I was able to get through the first week on only the occasional percacet (sp?) at night to help me sleep. I mostly relied on Tylenol or Tylenol PM in the evening. I did have some strange pains: sharp pain in my side due to upset nerve endings and irritation at the incision site. Tylenol helped. By week 4 all pain was gone even though I was still sore and tired. I thought I could go back to work but since I have a high stress job, my doc wanted me to wait 6 weeks before I went back to work. Also by week 4, I was walking 3 miles a day. The immediate reconstruction definitely has advantages: hopefully only one surgery, no expanding. The doc was supposed to install 450cc implants which were going to be smaller than my previously very large (and droopy) breasts. Because my skin was not able to stretch, he was only able to install 360cc implants. Therefore, I have gone from a DD cup to a B cup. This has taken some getting use to (the psychological part). But, I dealt with this by going straight to the store and buying cute spaghetti strap tops. This lifted my spirits because I have never been able to wear this style. My doc has insisted that it is no big deal to go back in later and install larger implants. I have decided to wait and see how I like my new look. It “grows” on me every day. My breasts aren't perfect, but they weren’t before either. I am definitely starting to love my “young, perky” breasts! Good luck with your surgery. The hardest part is making the decision to have the mastectomy which is behind you. You will still have those “I can’t believe this is happening to me” moments. Immediately after surgery you won’t feel great but it is definitely bearable. Every day you will look and feel better. Good luck!

Feeling Marvelous in Florida

Ps: How could I forget? My biggest problem was constipation 1 week from surgery (11pm Christmas Day). I thought I would die. Be sure to ask your doc for stool softners!!!

I sorry about your cancer. I had invasive ductal carcinoma and my tumor was 2.5 cm. I had a bilateral because spots showed in the other breast which turned out to not be cancer. My nodes were clear and they sent my tumor to Oncotype for recurrence rate. I wound up only having to be on Arimidex for five years so I feel really blessed. As for the surgery, it was not painful at all. I did come home with two drains and they came out after two weeks. That long only because the output was too much after one week. They don't hurt. They are just awkward but you learn to adjust. I needed help with washing my hair and that's about it. I slept in my recliner because only sleeping flat on my back caused me to be uncomfortable. My daughter did stay with me a few days and it was a big help. I have a physical job and took two months off, although I believe I could have gone back after a month or so with some restrictions. I am 64 and did not opt for reconstruction so I don't know about that. I do know that, for me, the operation was a breeze. Good luck to you.

I can't remember the websites I found that had pictures, but some of them do. Just search various sites related to "mastectomy", "breast reconstruction", or related topics. I had double mastectomy with 7 nodes removed on 12/23. I was home for Christmas with my husband, Mother, and 2 pre-teen daughters to help. I took pain meds the first day, and off and on for a few days after that, if I was going out or being more active, but it was not bad. I had drains, but I had been warned ahead of time, so I got 2 post-mastectomy camisoles (1 from ACS catalog called TLC, the other from the hospital gift shop). They are comfortable and have pockets designed to hold drains...I highly recommend them, but get a size larger than your normal t-shirt size. The drains make a lump under clothes, and you may have trouble lifting your arms for a few days, so it is useful to have loose-fitting shirts that fastem in front. A wonderful tip about showering with drains...get a strip of gause to tie around your neck like a necklace to pin the drains to...lets your hands stay free and keeps the weight from pulling on the incision. I slept in a recliner, or with lots of pillows in bed to keep me semi-upright...it made it easier to get up...and I stayed on my back (used to sleep on my side). I want to have reconstruction, so the plastic surgeon put in expanders. The drains were out for me in about 2 weeks. I was off work for 6 weeks. I felt well enough to go back after 5, but they had to get a sub and had to have specific dates, so it was 6. I have been back to work for 4 days (I am a Speech Pathologist in a public school setting) and have been fine. I have to finish chemo and radiation before the reconstruction surgery can be done, probably close to a year from now by the time the effects of radiation are healed up. I prefer the idea of using my own tissue because it rarely has to be redone, whereas implants usually will have to be replaced eventually. Recovery from surgery using your own tissue is generally more difficult, so that's a disadvantage. However, my experience with the expanders is leading me away from implants as well. They are not painful, but after 7 weeks I am still constantly aware of their presence...like I have a plastic bra that is a bit too small.

Best wishes with all your decisions.

two things to add: it was a tummy tuck of course, not a "tug". Your plastic surgeon should have some before and afters of his work. This greatly reassured me that I was doing the right thing for me and had the right surgeon. I was so encouraged after that consult!