Recovery Time For A Mastectomy

Criss, three days is crazy! It'll take longer than that. Everyone has a different experience with mastectomy, so it's really hard to predict what you'll feel like when. My best advice would be to get referred to a physical therapist pre-mastectomy, and talk to him or her. You'll waant to do PT after the mastectomy, and my experience is the PTs have a really good idea of how long it'll take you to be up and around, feeling better, lifting, etc. Best of luck - PJH

Cristina, my surgeon told me a three-week recovery from mastectomy, but it was closer to six weeks before I had full range of motion.  I think I was driving in about two weeks, but it was hard to reach up and over to get my seat belt fastened longer than that.  Everyone heals at a different pace, and I had lots of lymph nodes removed, so you may get well faster than I did, but three days?  

One thing I've learned about insurance and outpatient surgery is that if the insurance company thinks it's an outpatient procedure, the hospital schedules it that way, but if you aren't ready to go home that day, the doctor can then admit you overnight.  I've had to do that a couple of times because anesthesia makes me nauseated.  Ask the surgeon whether you can stay in the hospital longer if you don't feel well enough to go home.

I'm going to go with Phyllis on this one.  Though I was released from the hospital after 2 days it was weeks before I could do certain activies.  like PJ said everyone heals and responds differently.  You may not need meds, while others do.  I was in pain for quite a while and the drain tubes only made it worse.  Your doctor will likely tell you no lifting over 5 pounds and the best thing for your arm is to stand nxt to a wall and slowly crawl you hand up the wall till your arm is straight.  It will take some time and a PT will help - as does a nerf football being squeezed in your armpit.  Most importantly is for you to go at your own pace - don't let someone rush you into recovery too soon.  Also don't just take it and chalk it up to being strong - take the time you need, let others care for you if possible.  One thing that PJ didn't mention that surprised me was her anesthesia theory.  If your surgery last for 5 hours expect to be in and out of sleep for 5 days.  I think it's fairly true cause from all my surgeries I don't recall much of the first week home.  your body will need that rest to recover, so don't push yourself too hard, ok.

I hope it all goes well for you - and really, do not let them push you out of the hospital following your surgery if you don't feel up to it.  you really should spend at least one night there - in fact I do beleive they just passed a bill to stop drive through mastectomies.  Good luck!

Angi

I just had a bilateral.  I was off the narcotic pain meds by 1 1/2 weeks since they seemed to not be doing much.  I went on Tylenol and alternated with Motrin for these past two weeks.  Really by week 2 I could drive small distances, but found it fatiguing.  I also had mostof my mobility back by week 2 (except for putting shirts on over my head or extended reaching).  However I still have pain from both sensory nerve damage as well as nerve re-growth.  It's not the end of the world pain, I have days where I don't take anything, but it's kinda' there.  I also got expanders put in and by week 2 I thought I would die if I didn't get them out they were so "present" and uncomfortable, but by week 3, they were doable.  Mostly for me the strange sensation is the nerve re-growth and now, in week 3 it seems to be changing daily and the numbness is disappearing.  I'm sure it will be at least 6 weeks for a total recovery.  Good luck to you!

I had a mastectomy and 4 lymph nodes removed 10 days ago. I was up walking within 3 hours, actually waltzed with my husband in the halls 5 hours afterwards. I was discharged 24 hours after surgery, and began limited (computer) work while in the hospital. I am still being gentle about lifting with my left arm, but I can write, carry a cup of coffee, hold my large digital camera, etc. etc.

The lymph nodes have caused by far the most discomfort and limitations on my movement. I have been extremely fortunate and had very little pain. Advil is doing the job just fine. But I do tire easily, and am forcing myself to take it easy. And the lymph node area swells if I am too active - bouncing along bumpy roads, or using my arm a lot. 

All that said, outpatient sounds crazy to me. It was comforting to have the nurses there to make sure things were really going as well as they seemed.