Connect
← Return to Bilateral Mastectomy without Reconstruction Recovery Timeline
Discussion
Bilateral Mastectomy without Reconstruction Recovery Timeline
Breast Cancer | Last Active: May 27, 2023 | Replies (78)Comment receiving replies
@gina5009 thanks for sharing your amazing survival/success story. You are like the bionic woman now with all those replacement parts. So glad you're still with us and enjoying life. My great aunt had uterine cancer in her 30s, had controversial cobalt treatment at the time, and then went on to live a wonderful healthy life to 93. I'm glad they don't do radical mastectomies anymore. Sorry you lost use of your arm for a year. My cousin had a single mastectomy, and like you, had issues with symmetry after that. She told me she advises people either none or both. The lady that fitted me for prostheses said even with reconstruction symmetry is an issue with a single mastectomy.
My double mastectomy was 10 years ago and I lost a lot of range of motion (ROM). I've never been past 85% since, but it's good enough for daily living. Initially, my arms froze a little more each day until about five days after surgery I couldn't move my elbows away from my side. It scared me. It was challenging driving to my appointments or anything else. I've had 2-3 months of PT on three occasions over the years to regain ROM and reduce swelling and tightness (lymphedema). I still have pain issues, but I have a nerve disorder so that is no doubt the reason. Each body reacts so differently. Like you, I'm just happy to still be here. I'm already imagining what your 100th birthday celebration will be like! 🙂
Replies to "@gina5009 thanks for sharing your amazing survival/success story. You are like the bionic woman now with..."
Connect
I am really surprised to hear of your arm difficulty. I never had a bit of trouble following my simple mastectomy, and only had trouble with that arm after I fell and broke the head of the shoulder joint in three places. I now have an artificle shoulder replacement. The only time I seem to have any edema is when I have blood draws. They have to use this arm, because the left mastectomy is off limits. When I had the Valve replacement they also had to use this arm, but very little after event even though they had to enter an artery in my wrist. Much easier then the groin. Interesting you have a nerve disorder. After all these years, I have Trigeminal Neuralgia. That is how they found the MGus. Routine testing. I have pretty much quit driving. My son has moved in to my home, and he takes me to all my appointments. I have gotten very lazy. I can still drive and have a license (eye sight is quite good), but I think it is smart not to drive unless I really, really need to. I do take high blood pressure medication which has a diuretic. My ankle swells considerably since I had the cancer removed from my leg, but I also have the hip and knee surgery and you cannot have that much surgery all on one side without some disruption of the circulatory system. The diuretic keeps the swelling down considerably. Have they tried any diuretics for your edema? Your kind words and good thoughts will brighten my day, and I look forward to my next "New Part".
Gind5009