Hi @ppeg

I had a double mastectomy in October 2024. And I received tissue expanders during the same surgery. I had 4 lymph nodes removed. I’m getting implants and fat grafting on march 5. No chemo or radiation.

Until I got my drains out, I was pretty uncomfortable and cranky. I could not reach with my arms and could not lift or hold anything over 10 pounds. These restrictions lasted 6 weeks.

I slept in a recliner for 5 weeks. The recliner was so comfortable. Much more comfortable than lying in a bed.

I wore a plastic shower shirt until all of my drains were removed. I have a hand held shower which was very helpful. I also bought a hands free stand for my hair dryer from Amazon.

Button up shirts and pjs are a must.

There are helpful garments on Amazon that you can tuck your drains into. My favorite was a comfortable belly band with pockets for the drains.

I am a bit of a planner. I knew I wouldn’t be able to lift my arms. So I installed all smart bulbs before my surgery! So I could control them from my phone.

My tissue expanders have been filled by plastic surgery on almost a weekly basis.

So now I’m ready for the next surgery which other gals have told me is painful and daunting.

However, on the positive side, now I have great range of motion with both arms, although I will lose some of that with surgery #2. I can hold my grand children again and lift up a container of detergent. I can empty out the dishwasher. Very gently, I can do a few yoga poses, but the expanders are not comfortable. And my doctor is careful to make sure they don’t flip or leak.

It’s a long road. But women on this site have amazing personal stories. They’ve inspired me and encouraged me.

Good luck. Let me know if you need other creature comfort suggestions for post surgery.

Xo