Need advice from all my mastectomy gals--scheduled for Friday--YIKES!

salls41 said:

Bi lateral
I had bi lateral mastectomy and being as honest as the day is long, I do not recall much pain at all. Most of my pain has been from the reconstruction inserts. The worst part of all of it for me was dealing with my drains.. just very inconvenient. I think the fear of the surgery is worse than the surgery itself! But again, this is me. Prayers for you!!
{{{Hugs}}}
Sandy

The decision is made....My prayers are going up for you...and I wish you the best and a speedy recovery...if you have any anti anxiety meds...Pop 'em! I have no advice as I had a lumpectomy....

God Bless
Hugs, Nancy

jamiegww said:

Glad you won't have to wait too long.
I had my right breast removed and I don't remember any pain except from the drains. One of them was stitched in and it hurt whenever pulled on. I had a morphine pump while in the hospital but I didn't need it. I have to be honest with you, I don't like being lop-sided. My insurance wouldn't cover removal of the non-diseased breast so I still have the left one. (It's too bad they couldn't at least move it over to the middle.) With my recent recurrence I asked my onc if it would qualify me to get the other breast removed but she said no because it wouldn't make any difference in my survival. Oh darn! I'm praying for you and I know you can do this.

HUGS!!!
Jamie

Pleasantly painless...
Like you, I would have preferred surgical symmetry, but my surgeon gave me pretty much the same reasoning as yours.

I was surprised by the lack of discomfort with my right breast mastectomy, actually. The drains were a surprise, I had not been advised about them beforehand. I found wearing an oversized zip front hoodie made it easy to pin the drains inside where my breast once sat. Also, the hoodie was easy to get on and off as the layers, stitches inside and staples outside, limited my range of motion. The nuisance was measuring the output of the drain, but that was removed within 2 weeks in my surgeon's office. Staples were removed later, no need for anesthesia for either.

My advice, wear zip fronts or wrap fronts items while your range of motion is limited. I found elevating my head/back slightly and having pillows around to support my surgical side was beneficial for sleep.

Listen to your body, let people help you, and know that there are people caring for you.

carkris said:

I have bilateral
I have bilateral mastectomies both done years apart. I did not find it too painful, just hated the drains. Honestly they end up cutting nerves so you end up numb.
It is hard to do reconstruction on radiated breasts, but I want you to be aware that if you choose reconstruction in the future particularly after chest radiation, it will be an involved surgery with uncertain result. this is why I do not have reconstruction. I have had my entire chest radiated after removal of my breasts.I would also not get the result I would want. I would be hours in the OR. and my husband and I just dont want to deal with it. I would ask if the result would be better now as opposed to later. perhaps a plastic surgeon consult. I am relatvely ok with my chest less state. but I know for some women it is very difficult and you can only determine how you would feeL. I wish reconstruction would be easier because it would be nice to have it. I agree with Jamie it was actually harder when I was lopsided. Just couldnt match with a prosthesis. I also am one who got a second primary and wished I had done the second breast. problem is, you get busy and there never seems to be the time to plan that "elective" surgery. I am not telling you or even know what you should do, but I wanted you to think about the things I have brought up. Perhaps women who have had both removed at the same time can weigh in.
You have been throgh so much I wish you werent going through this. Love

Ialso bought a small pillow
Ialso bought a small pillow at target and used it to rest my arm on. especially in the car. it helped with the arm pain you can feel.

Renee i had bil mastectomy and i didn't even have to use any pain pills at all,my Dr.said that there would be very little pain more discomfort from the drains my son and daughter took turns on emptying them for me and cook all my meals for me, in a week i was up and about but not doing any chores.The drains came out a week after surgery but every one is different as we all heal at a different rate.And no infections, i also had two lympnodes removed from each side.Got some lymphodema (i don't thing i spelled that right) under armpit on right side but nothing i can't live with,i also did not have reconstruction at my age i didn't want more down time than necessary.I don't see why doing both sides is any different than doing just one side have you talked to your onc to get her input.My friend also got me a pair of P.J's that had pockets to put the drains in.Please don't get the jitters it really is not as bad as you mite think.I had made up my mind to have bil before i even say the surgeon an afterwards he said it was a good we did both as there was so much calcification deposits that i was at high risk of eventually losing the other in time.I have never regretted my decisions. Hope this helps keep us posted.I also just read where one of the lady's had staples i didn't have any just dissolving stitches.
Hugs Frankie

Renee, I had a bilateral. Left cancer side was modified radical with lymph node dissection, right was simple and mostly because I wanted to be even.

For me, the worst pain was in my left arm. While in the hospital, first trip trip to the bathroom I was feeling wobbly. Out of habit I reached with my left arm for the grip on the wall as I lowered myself to the toilet. Holding that grip moved my arm in way it shouldn't have gone right after surgery. It was the worst pain ever!! so don't do that!! I actually ended up staying in the hospital an extra day because took that long to get that pain under control. Honestly, I don't remember much pain from the mastectomy itself. But I sure remember that arm.

The nurses kept me in ice packs, and sent them home with me too. The surgical bandages were removed before I went home. I had steri-strips on the surface. I was able to shower on day 2 or 3.

Full disclosure, I do have adhesions in the left axilla. I still have some pulling from the adhesions when I work through a full range of motion. I can do 95% range of motion with no problems...but that hasn't kept me from doing everything/anything I want to do. I did work with a PT to get there. I also have LE on the left arm, chest, and back. I had no complications or issues with the right side at any time. It has fully healed now, and the surgeon is happy with the result.

Yes, to zip/button front comfy clothes till you get better range of motion. Yes to pillows. I slept with a wedge pillow and several smaller ones to support my arms. My husband still helped support my back for a week or so getting out of bed. Others here said they slept in a recliner for a bit.

Be sure to find out exactly what exercises/stretches they want you to do post-surgery. And when you should start those. It will make a difference in how quickly you feel better.

I hope this helps. Try and stay calm, and I'll be there on Friday. I'm praying the surgery goes as expected, and your recovery is smooth.

Hugs,

Linda

I only had the right side and the pain was no where near what I expected. They took 19 nodes and I had 2 drains for a week. Like CC said take the meds for the first few days, it enabled me to move easier. I didn't have any problems with movement. 2 of my sisters were with me the first 2 days and when they left, I was back to cooking, and by the 2nd week, I was back to my routines, except couldn't vacuum for 6 weeks!

I will be on the bus on Friday.

Hugs and Prayers,
Carol

missrenee said:

Such great advice
Thanks to all of you for your great tips. I, too, am having a drive-by. I check in at 1:30, surgery is at 3:30 and I'll go home that evening. I told my surgeon that sort of scared me--not spending at least one night in the hospital. But, on the plus side, they say a lot of post-op infections come from hospitals, so I guess one way to look at it is--the faster you get out of there the better.

Thanks for the advice about taking the pain meds--I usually try to brave it and not take them, but I will follow your advice and take them. I did purchase a wedge pillow today. Also (and I thought this was brilliant!) I went to one of our local craft stores and purchased a small child's apron which ties around the back and holds crayons in a pocket at the front. I thought it would be perfect for holding the drains AND it only cost $1.97! My son said I should think about giving these out at surgicenters/hospitals to mastectomy patients as a way of giving back. I think that's a great idea.

Anyway, if anyone has any more tips--please let me know. I need all the help I can get. Oh, and I'll be sure to ask about exercises and when to start them.

Thanks again.

Hugs, Renee

I had
a lumpectomy in 2009 and a bilat on July 9th. I have had little pain and have good range of motion. I had the "noninvolved" side done because I fought about it. The right side had been radiated and has given me fits: post op infection and a seroma. The other side has been fine. I stayed one night and the best tip I got was to have a shoelace to pin the drains on while taking a shower. I live in a fifth wheel and slept a few nights in the recliner because it was easier. I did not have nodes removed so I had an easier time there. I did not have reconstruction and don't plan on it. After the issues I've had with the right side--I'll be happy to just heal!

Good luck, we will all be cheering you on!

Maureen

Mastectomy
Good luck to you, excellent advice from all as always. You seem to be on top of things, the apron sounds a perfect solution to drains, wish I had known about them.

I'm a bilateral (one month apart).

My type of cancer commonly travels to both sides, infiltrating lobular. Turns out after breast reduction material was tested out of GOOD breast they found more cancer. This one does NOT frequently show up on mamos and didn't. So turned totally the best decision for me and the type I had plus no node involvement so wasn't sore like others in that area.

Bilateral is very good for balance and I had reconstruction same day as surgeries. Needed tweaking later but very happy with the look, no one would know.

The drains were very painful where they entered the body, they seem to take between one week to two weeks to enable removal. You have the right clothing, well done. Yes to cushions and yes to recliner if have one. I put my drain around neck to bathe. Please don't stretch, iron etc. Operations were totally fine just seemed to go to sleep and wake up without a part. Yes you get twinges and sudden pains on healing but honestly the drain and chemo were more troublesome. By the way if you do receive chemo, actually receiving it was just like giving blood more the side affects to deal with later on. Good luck to you.

Good luck
I can't think of any new advice that the girls haven't already given you. I too had a bilateral mastectomy and experienced very little pain. I took the pain meds for the first few days and was glad that I did. Don't try to be brave and not take them as once pain gets a foot hold you end up taking much more in the way of pain meds to get it under control than if you were just taking them from the get go. I just want to wish you the best of luck.

Clementine

lynn1950 said:

I had a bilateral. My
I had a bilateral. My surgeon was encouraging me to have a lumpectomy, but I really didn't want to be lopsided and didn't want to have to go through this kind of surgery again. So I insisted on a bilateral and it turns out that it was a good call on my part. The type of cancer I have is lobular infiltrating invasive with 7 of my nodes involved. Like others who had bilaterals, the only problem I had was a seroma in my cancer breast. Dealing with the drains for a couple of weeks was the biggest hassle. I really don't remember that there was much pain involved.

My insurance covered my bilateral. Be sure and check if you will have coverage if you wait to have a prophylactic mastectomy at a later time.

I am wishing that all goes well for you. Anti-anxiety drugs can help smooth the way. You will do just fine!

xoxoxox Lynn

I was a lumpectomy candidate
I was a lumpectomy candidate and opted for a left side mastectomy (in January) instead. My doc also discouraged having a bilateral at the time. I was lucky I decided to have the mastectomy because there was a second tumor that was never detected and took the surgeon by surprise. This, making me very nervous, has made me decide to have the right side removed in October. Tram flap reconstruction will also occur at that time as they also discouraged reconstruction at the time of mastectomy because they didn't know if I would need radiation pre-surgery (I didn't - just 16 rounds of chemo). I will have an expander put in the left side next week so the surgeon can make them symmetrical.

As far as pain goes, it really wasn't as bad as I expected. I only needed pain pills for the first couple of days. The drain was cumbersome, and I needed help drying myself off from the shower for 3 or 4 days, but was up and around and doing things myself after about 10 days and was back at work after two weeks. I found it very helpful to have several meals frozen and ready to put in the oven because I was not up to making any meals for at least a week or two. We also used a lot of paper plates during my recovery.

Best of luck to you. You can do this!

Kari