Swelling advice please

Menda
Menda Member Posts: 128
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Had a double mastecomy last Thursday. I am now in a sports bra, still have a drain on each side. My problem is The muscle by my arm pits are so swollen they are causing the sports bra to "cut" into the skin any suggestions. This is not comfortable, help i am miserable. Ohhhhhh, I can't take the bra off I need the compression to reduce swelling, what an oxymoron (sp). :0

Comments

  • Dawne.Hope
    Dawne.Hope Member Posts: 823
    #2
    Definitely Call
    Hello Menda,

    Did they send you home from the hospital in that bra? I know I wore my ugly surgical bra for at least three weeks. It was not tight at all, but had velcro straps for the drains. I'm five months out from my DMX and only in the last month could I stand to have a snug sports bra on ... it hurt way too much and squeezed me way too much.

    Do call your BS. And if you still have your surgical bra, I would put that back on.

    Blessings,
    dh
  • faith_trust_and_a_little_bit_of_chemotherapy
    faith_trust_and_a_little_bit_of_chemotherapy Member Posts: 319 Member
    #3
    I'd call my surgeon...
    NOW.

    At the hospital they always want to know on a scale of :) to :( where you are when it comes to discomfort.

    Let the surgeon decide what you need...there may be things you may not even imagine that he can do.
  • Menda
    Menda Member Posts: 128
    #4
    Dawne.Hope said:

    Definitely Call
    Hello Menda,

    Did they send you home from the hospital in that bra? I know I wore my ugly surgical bra for at least three weeks. It was not tight at all, but had velcro straps for the drains. I'm five months out from my DMX and only in the last month could I stand to have a snug sports bra on ... it hurt way too much and squeezed me way too much.

    Do call your BS. And if you still have your surgical bra, I would put that back on.

    Blessings,
    dh

    Thanks
    Will put the surgical back on. Thanks.
  • camsgram
    camsgram Member Posts: 106
    #5
    Hi Menda try taking it off
    Hi Menda try taking it off while resting and hold your arms folded resting on "them". It will give you a break and it really helped me. Good Luck! Kathie
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #6
    camsgram said:

    Hi Menda try taking it off
    Hi Menda try taking it off while resting and hold your arms folded resting on "them". It will give you a break and it really helped me. Good Luck! Kathie

    I wore the cami, this
    I wore the cami, this weather cant be helping!
  • cahjah75
    cahjah75 Member Posts: 2,631
    #7
    I wore
    Menda, I am still wearing the compression bra that the surgeon put on me following bilateral mastectomy 3 1/2 weeks ago. I wash it once/week and wear my camisole to bed. I had the drains removed 1 week post op and when I took my first shower I was surprised to see how swollen the areas above where the drains had been were. It's most likely normal but if you are really uncomfortable call your dr. I can say I'm still feeling a lot of discomfort too. This is no picnic. Hang in there.
    Char
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #8
    cahjah75 said:

    I wore
    Menda, I am still wearing the compression bra that the surgeon put on me following bilateral mastectomy 3 1/2 weeks ago. I wash it once/week and wear my camisole to bed. I had the drains removed 1 week post op and when I took my first shower I was surprised to see how swollen the areas above where the drains had been were. It's most likely normal but if you are really uncomfortable call your dr. I can say I'm still feeling a lot of discomfort too. This is no picnic. Hang in there.
    Char

    Oh My Lord .. I felt pain and called my PS asap
    what I was told was to unfasten the bottom 2 hooks for 2 hours .. It was extremely uncomfortable for me, not to mention the pain. My 'support' bra was nylon (HOT) and had velcro straps. Perhaps, I am speaking about a different compression/support bra

    Our breasts, arms and lymph nodes are swollen due to surgery .. did I mention those drains .. no need for us to suffer with any discomfort from a 'support' garnment.


    Vicki Sam
  • Menda
    Menda Member Posts: 128
    #9
    VickiSam said:

    Oh My Lord .. I felt pain and called my PS asap
    what I was told was to unfasten the bottom 2 hooks for 2 hours .. It was extremely uncomfortable for me, not to mention the pain. My 'support' bra was nylon (HOT) and had velcro straps. Perhaps, I am speaking about a different compression/support bra

    Our breasts, arms and lymph nodes are swollen due to surgery .. did I mention those drains .. no need for us to suffer with any discomfort from a 'support' garnment.


    Vicki Sam

    Thanks
    I have put the surgical one back on. The swelling is still there but better. I am not used to being sick or hurt this is all new to me. The surgeon discovered that my last blood work was 22 years ago......for pregnancy. I will keep this one one and turn the ac down temp should be near 100 (+) heat index. Ok I am going to have to learn patience. I think that us going to be the hardest.

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