I lost my left breast and the lymphnodes under my left arm
I can't reach up or around to my back after the mastectomy. I still have such Sharpe pain at the left side where the mastectomy was done to the point of having to clutch where my breast was.
Mmy cancer & mastectomy was 7 years ago. Doctors have no reason I have this pain.
Try to be gentle with yourself about this. The body can be more unpredictable than we think. When those nerves start to regrow, they don’t always grow back just right. I would talk to my doctor about this. I had to have some desensitization after some reconstructive surgery on my shoulder. It took some time but it did get better. Have you seen a physical therapist about this?
I was up and around that afternoon and in the shower the following day..I was given the mobile blood clot prevention kit for my legs but ended up not needing to where them since I had no issues preventing me from getting up and walking and doing what I needed to do. The more your able to get up and walk the easier it will be for your blood flow and circulation helping everything move..my drains came out 1 week and 2 days after my surgery which was a double mastectomy as well and after 3-4 wks I no longer wore the binder. As you hear and see how different we all are only you will know your limitations and what your body is able to handle. Don't push yourself beyond your limits and rest when your body needs it and move around when your able and ask for help with anything having weight . Good luck and day 1 is always the worst and will get better and easier with every new day!
I was up and around that afternoon and in the shower the following day..I was given the mobile blood clot prevention kit for my legs but ended up not needing to where them since I had no issues preventing me from getting up and walking and doing what I needed to do. The more your able to get up and walk the easier it will be for your blood flow and circulation helping everything move..my drains came out 1 week and 2 days after my surgery which was a double mastectomy as well and after 3-4 wks I no longer wore the binder. As you hear and see how different we all are only you will know your limitations and what your body is able to handle. Don't push yourself beyond your limits and rest when your body needs it and move around when your able and ask for help with anything having weight . Good luck and day 1 is always the worst and will get better and easier with every new day!
I did have a few button up shirts, or zipper hoodies, but I managed very well by putting my tee shirt on the bed and leaning forward/bending over, pulling the shirt towards me until my head got through. Then I was able to do arms without lifting my hand above my head. Anything loose or stretchy will be pretty easy.
I was up and around that afternoon and in the shower the following day..I was given the mobile blood clot prevention kit for my legs but ended up not needing to where them since I had no issues preventing me from getting up and walking and doing what I needed to do. The more your able to get up and walk the easier it will be for your blood flow and circulation helping everything move..my drains came out 1 week and 2 days after my surgery which was a double mastectomy as well and after 3-4 wks I no longer wore the binder. As you hear and see how different we all are only you will know your limitations and what your body is able to handle. Don't push yourself beyond your limits and rest when your body needs it and move around when your able and ask for help with anything having weight . Good luck and day 1 is always the worst and will get better and easier with every new day!
My situation exactly. Home the same day with no pain. Drank lots of water. Every time I drank some, I got up and walked around or used the bathroom if I had to. Was instructed to do it all through the night (if you have someone at home, they should walk with you at first). Put myself on a timer. Had to sleep sitting up. I did not have a binder until my reconstruction 2 months later. I had expanders for 2 months and they gave me a front hooking sports bra to wear. My nurse told me to just get a few more on Amazon (if you don’t mind shopping there), and they were inexpensive, same exact one.
They went up a few dollars since. I still wear them for yoga or exercise. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MG4OHD4/ref=dp_iou_view_item?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I lost my left breast and the lymphnodes under my left arm
I can't reach up or around to my back after the mastectomy. I still have such Sharpe pain at the left side where the mastectomy was done to the point of having to clutch where my breast was.
Mmy cancer & mastectomy was 7 years ago. Doctors have no reason I have this pain.
I had a mastectomy and 6 nodes (3 positive) removed in 2021. Was treated successfully for cording and now loosening of the fascia and scar tissue in pectoral muscle where it connects to shoulder. I had similar ROM deficits. Seek out a PT who works with EXCLUSIVELY with lymphedema and cording patients!! It's not too late. You will be amazed. Good luck.
High everyone. I haven’t been in here for quite awhile. I had my final implant surgery done in December of 2021. The plastic surgeon took the right breast expander out and put in the permanent implant and also put a new one in my left breast which I had cancer in 1995; so he said it needed replaced because of the age of it. Now, ten month later I got an infection in it. Put me on antibiotics for the ten days. There are still red marks where the infection is. He doesn’t want to give me anymore antibiotics because they gave me stomach nausea. Going in to see him in another week so he can assess what he can do next. The left implant has always been feeling tight and sensitive to the touch. Doesn’t move at all. The right implant needs to be redone also. Looks like half of it is flat and very saggy . At this point, he did say that they could be fixed to look more symmetrical. I’m a little worried about this. Why weren’t they done properly the first time? He of course said that sometimes happens; referring to the left breast implant with patients who had radiation previously. I didn’t have this problem with any infections with the first implant done by a different plastic surgeon. I would have gone back to him, but had my mastectomy local to my area. Now, wondering also about how my insurance will handle this so called repair job! Don’t know if this would be covered by insurance, since the surgeon is at fault for not getting it right the first time. I just want to get this over with before the end of the year.
High everyone. I haven’t been in here for quite awhile. I had my final implant surgery done in December of 2021. The plastic surgeon took the right breast expander out and put in the permanent implant and also put a new one in my left breast which I had cancer in 1995; so he said it needed replaced because of the age of it. Now, ten month later I got an infection in it. Put me on antibiotics for the ten days. There are still red marks where the infection is. He doesn’t want to give me anymore antibiotics because they gave me stomach nausea. Going in to see him in another week so he can assess what he can do next. The left implant has always been feeling tight and sensitive to the touch. Doesn’t move at all. The right implant needs to be redone also. Looks like half of it is flat and very saggy . At this point, he did say that they could be fixed to look more symmetrical. I’m a little worried about this. Why weren’t they done properly the first time? He of course said that sometimes happens; referring to the left breast implant with patients who had radiation previously. I didn’t have this problem with any infections with the first implant done by a different plastic surgeon. I would have gone back to him, but had my mastectomy local to my area. Now, wondering also about how my insurance will handle this so called repair job! Don’t know if this would be covered by insurance, since the surgeon is at fault for not getting it right the first time. I just want to get this over with before the end of the year.
Welcome back @d13. I'm so sorry that you're dealing with a nasty infection with the implant replacement. It can happen that radiation affects the symmetry of breasts. I hope things work out in your favor with insurance coverage.
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Try to be gentle with yourself about this. The body can be more unpredictable than we think. When those nerves start to regrow, they don’t always grow back just right. I would talk to my doctor about this. I had to have some desensitization after some reconstructive surgery on my shoulder. It took some time but it did get better. Have you seen a physical therapist about this?
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3 ReactionsThanx glad everything was fine with you. I'll have no problem then I do not like sitting my recovery will be quick.
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1 ReactionLet me ask you another did you have to have button up blouses
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1 ReactionI did have a few button up shirts, or zipper hoodies, but I managed very well by putting my tee shirt on the bed and leaning forward/bending over, pulling the shirt towards me until my head got through. Then I was able to do arms without lifting my hand above my head. Anything loose or stretchy will be pretty easy.
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Helpful -
Hug
4 ReactionsMy situation exactly. Home the same day with no pain. Drank lots of water. Every time I drank some, I got up and walked around or used the bathroom if I had to. Was instructed to do it all through the night (if you have someone at home, they should walk with you at first). Put myself on a timer. Had to sleep sitting up. I did not have a binder until my reconstruction 2 months later. I had expanders for 2 months and they gave me a front hooking sports bra to wear. My nurse told me to just get a few more on Amazon (if you don’t mind shopping there), and they were inexpensive, same exact one.
They went up a few dollars since. I still wear them for yoga or exercise.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MG4OHD4/ref=dp_iou_view_item?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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Like -
Helpful -
Hug
3 ReactionsI had a mastectomy and 6 nodes (3 positive) removed in 2021. Was treated successfully for cording and now loosening of the fascia and scar tissue in pectoral muscle where it connects to shoulder. I had similar ROM deficits. Seek out a PT who works with EXCLUSIVELY with lymphedema and cording patients!! It's not too late. You will be amazed. Good luck.
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Hug
6 ReactionsI had unilateral mastectomy on Monday. No pain, but I still take Tylenol and Ibuprofen.
My friends who had double mastectomy they highly recommended a recliner to sleep on it ( lazy boy recliner).
I sleep on the bed with multiple pillows.
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2 ReactionsYes I have just had bilateral mastectomy with expanders in and yes you do need to sleep up right I'm at my 4 week mark.
High everyone. I haven’t been in here for quite awhile. I had my final implant surgery done in December of 2021. The plastic surgeon took the right breast expander out and put in the permanent implant and also put a new one in my left breast which I had cancer in 1995; so he said it needed replaced because of the age of it. Now, ten month later I got an infection in it. Put me on antibiotics for the ten days. There are still red marks where the infection is. He doesn’t want to give me anymore antibiotics because they gave me stomach nausea. Going in to see him in another week so he can assess what he can do next. The left implant has always been feeling tight and sensitive to the touch. Doesn’t move at all. The right implant needs to be redone also. Looks like half of it is flat and very saggy . At this point, he did say that they could be fixed to look more symmetrical. I’m a little worried about this. Why weren’t they done properly the first time? He of course said that sometimes happens; referring to the left breast implant with patients who had radiation previously. I didn’t have this problem with any infections with the first implant done by a different plastic surgeon. I would have gone back to him, but had my mastectomy local to my area. Now, wondering also about how my insurance will handle this so called repair job! Don’t know if this would be covered by insurance, since the surgeon is at fault for not getting it right the first time. I just want to get this over with before the end of the year.
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Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionWelcome back @d13. I'm so sorry that you're dealing with a nasty infection with the implant replacement. It can happen that radiation affects the symmetry of breasts. I hope things work out in your favor with insurance coverage.
Has the infection all cleared now?