Single Mastectomy: What will Recovery Time be like? How long?

Thank you for your reply and pointers. I talked with my nurse navigator today and she concurs with your experience. I will be doing an saline implant. That surgery will not be until next year. I am lucky that I have two grown kids willing to help and a great support system. Doing as much ahead of time as possible!

Be well and thank you again!!

Corey

Hi @ccc1965 10 days should cover it, I would think, but maybe more depending on age?

I had the same - right side plus lymph nodes on right, with expander put in, followed by radiation and a DIEP Flap done a few months after.

My husband was able to care for me and our baby pretty well during that surgery.

Depending on your reconstruction type I would suggest you save the big guns of caretaking for reconstruction. Mine was so much bigger than the mastectomy (8 hours verses 2, 1 day in hospital verses 4), and my body was in much worse shape because by then I'd added a second year of active treatment.

We were taken off guard by the immensity of that surgery, and by that point had gotten into the second tier of our social/family support network, and they were not up to the challenge.

But if you can get caregiving for both surgeries, go for it!

Hello, I am Corey - new here. Almost done with 20 rounds of chemo - June 27th the last day. I will be having a single right mastectomy with most if not all lymph nodes removed from armpit and clavical area. Will be doing expander in right breast for implant reconstruction next winter/spring. After mastectomy I have 5 days of radiation for 6 weeks. My question - I live alone but have a great support system - how long will I need a caretaker? Is it someone just popping in or round the clock? First 10 days are covered with 20 hour a day coverage, meal train set up, neighbors on call. Is that sufficient? Thank you for your opinions! Wishing you all the very best!! Corey

Thanks for this timeline and your upbeat message.

Good morning Colleen - Thank you! I am recovering very well from my bi lateral mastectomy 2 weeks ago. The dreaded drains were removed in just 6 days; pain is easily managed with tylenol and I am able to dress myself with only occasional help. I want women to know that the procedure is not always a horrible experience! And I am fortunate enough to have been eligible for a goldilocks reconstruction technique which retains and reshapes healthy tissues in the chest area into small breast like mounds rather than leaving the patient with a completely flat or concave chest. I am now awaiting results of the Onco test in order to eliminate the need for radiation or chemo. This is the only downside in my status...the pathology report from surgery showed some properties that increase my risk of return. I hope you are well and will have a very blessed day.

@holly33, thinking of you as you recover from surgery.

Holly, @holly33, wishing you the best with your surgery tomorrow! Take it day by day. 🙂

Lisa - Thank you for sharing your healing timeline with me. Surgery will be a bilateral mastectomy with Goldilocks single step reconstruction this Tuesday. I don’t really care about the reconstruction but the surgeon suggested the Goldilocks because I have enough skin to make that work for what he describes as just small mounding without the niples. Ten weeks of healing would mean that I would not miss the season of rowing !
Holly

Hi @holly33, You are going into surgery in excellent condition, I believe that helps. It will be tough at first. Give your body the weeks that it needs to heal. You’ll be able to some stretching after a couple of weeks, check with your surgeon.
I had a single mastectomy, flat closure, no reconstruction. At four weeks I was feeling much better, and I was back in the gym for aerobic activity at 6 weeks. I was playing pickleball at 7 weeks. I likely could have played at 6, but I was reluctant to start too soon. I’m at 10 weeks now, and have full range of motion. I have some tightness across the chest area, but I have full strength in the muscles. What type of surgery are you having?

Thank you for posting your recovery experience. I am happy for you that you got back to running in 6 weeks. I am a rower and very concerned about the length of time it will take me to regain range of motion in my arms in order to get back into a shell or to use my rowing machine at home.