Don’t believe from any consultant you are going to be up and running after three weeks. As I did well the bag which is sewn in by the way to collect your juices like are the size of a small pop bottle. You can’t move about easily. The local WRVS or something stíched little bags so no1 needed to see my claret looking juices. I also got a free small cushion someone made for under my arm. I went to my gp to get it off at one point they couldn’t as it’s stíched in. We had to drive for miles to nearest place Northallerton on a Wednesday. I had been given no painkillers so they just pulled it out of me. Despite what they say about paracetamol you need more than that.
I made appointment with my GP nurse to see to the dressings, weekly in advance. You may have breast care nurses who come out to your own home. That didn’t happen for me it was non existent.
It’s three months since January 5 th my arm is swollen underneath the skin is course like a rhino behind where I can’t reach. So again reached out to my gp who prescribes me DIPROBASE cream free. Well all PERSCRIPTIONS are free for five years after cancer.
I couldn’t lift my arm, properly still can’t combination of the lump which the consultants entourage prefer to call water based. It’s a haematoma hard un moving, I got two infections again gp saved my bacon with strong antibiotics and pneumonia. Yes and I’m not an OAP living in a damp house either. That were scary, they are very keen on getting you referred onto some breast prosthesis woman. However I have cancelled one appointment and have another on 30th but it’s pointless as the lump hasn’t gone yet. I think they often want to simply move the numbers along.
Oh whatever you do when you leave the hospital you are full of medicines painkilling etc after op, by day 3 plus at home. The pain kicks in so you need some and paracetamol won’t do.
Despite what nurses in friarage stated also you are despatched one day later.
You might be luckier, and able to get real answers from BCN nurses prior to surgery they don’t exist on Teesside at my hospital.
I got a carrier bag with plasters in waterproof which I took to my gp to change dressings
They put a smaller bottle on my side for the claret juices or gravy juices after a few weeks which I could put down the sink myself and unscrew.
U can’t do that with the first one it’s tied up in you in surgery I think hygienically.
I believed the surgeon and didn’t have enough food in couldn’t hoover my home. It was chaotic and I needed help, folk went to m&s brought milk cos I couldn’t carry anything it was my right arm/ breast
I can only speak from my experience and I didn’t have a double only single and no reconstruction surgery. I was out the same day as surgery. I believe for reconstruction you may have an hospital stay as the operation obviously takes longer and recovery time is longer. We are all different, and heal at different times so it may be worth asking the nurses on the forum. You should have a pre op appointment where you can ask more questions too. Sending you a virtual hug for a quick recovery
I had bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction with implants 7 weeks ago. The first couple of weeks are the hardest but once the drains are out it’s a lot easier. I stayed in hospital overnight and was discharged the following afternoon with antibiotics and pain killers (paracetamol and ibuprofen) I found the painkillers sufficient and after the first week only needed them at night, and then after 2 weeks none at all. It was difficult to sleep with the drains in but you soon get used to it. Get yourself a V pillow, I don’t know what I would have done without mine. I had a drain bag to carry the drains around - I had 2. Having the drains removed was very quick, I didn’t find it painful, more of a ‘tugging’ feeling which was over in seconds. I take arimidex, was started on it a month before surgery. Nobody said anything about not taking it prior to surgery so I took it up until the night before, and started it again the day after. I started driving again last week and it was fine. Just doing light house work, no hoovering or heavy lifting yet. Other than that I’m more or less back to normal. Everybody is different and people take more, or less time to recover, and we all have different pain thresholds so it’s best to listen to your body. Take painkillers when you need to, sleep/rest when you need to, and accept offers of help.