Hello all, This is my first post here. I had a Left mastectomy 3 weeks ago and am now waiting to start chemo followed by radiotherpy. I am stage 2/3 and Grade 3 with 4/16 lymph nodes positive so all a bit scary at the moment but I’m trying to get some normalacy back into my life otherwise I think I will go insane! Can anyone tell me how/when they felt it was OK to start driving again after surgery? I don’t want to jepordise my recovery but I’m itching for some independence. Also how long before doing light excercise like a slow walk for example! Thank you in advance for any thoughts on this.
Tess
Hi
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June, moderator
Hi Tess
I also had a left mastectomy 3 weeks ago but had a recon too. Did you? Because of that I think it will be a few more weeks before I am ready to drive. A bit too tender still.
I went for a ‘very slow’ walk weekend before last. It was great but I did find I had to consciously stop my left arm from naturally wanting to swing. Must have looked a sight. I think you have to gauge for yourself how much or how little you can do. As soon as you feel tired, stop. Listen to your body.
Take care, Lyn xx
Maybe I was a bit fool hardy but I went out in the car about a week after my masectomy. I had changed my car for one with power steering as the old one was very old and it was suggested to me by a friend that I would find it very heavy to drive. My BC nurse said it was OK to go out walking as long as I held the dogs lead in the non masectomy hand and just did as much as I felt comfortable with.
It is great to get out into the fresh air even for a short walk or a sit in the park so enjoy it if you feel up to it.
I can’t remember how soon I was driving, but I was back at work 17 days after surgery & was driving then. I was walking everyday as soon as I was home from hospital and running after three weeks. So go for it!
Hi Pasman, No unfortunadely no reconstruction just yet - I was hoping for it but they decided against it on the day and quite rightly it seems as I will be having chemo and radio. I might have to get a dog I think! Roadrunner you’ve given me hope! I’m in the same position as you littlemrs - I need to change my car for one with power steering but I can use my husband’s in the meantime as mine is a heavy old beast - an excuse for a bit of shopping. I think next week could be the start of driving again which is very exciting.
I was hoping to start walking this weekend but the breast cancer nurse thinks I have developed a seroma - it has just come on in the past few hours - trust me to start suspicious sweling on a bank holiday Friday! I’ve described it to her over the phone and she is sure that’s what it is. Got me down for a moment but I feel OK again. So it’ll be a quiet weekend with no excercise and then back to hosp on tues to see if they need to drain it.
Thank you all so much for responding - my friends and family are very supportive but I really needed to hear from other women going through the same thing. take care all - I feel better for hearing from you all!
Tess
When I was waiting to have my lymph nodes out, the breast care nurse said I should be able to drive again after about a fortnight. My husband replied “what a great result”, as I’ve never driven! Afraid I’m too nervous as a passenger and I think if I wanted to take driving lessons I’d have to attend hypnotherapy first.
Hi
I had a mastectomy in June. My breast care nurse said I could start driving as soon as I had good movement in my arm. I think I started driving about 3 and a half weeks after the op - short distances at first. Walking and exercise - I think you need to listen to your body - do what you can but don’t over do it. I started taking short walks about 2 weeks after the op and then started swimming.
Good luck.
Liz
oh dear this thread has depressed me lol
i cant not drive for 2 weeks i will be stranded!
is recovery any quicker if i have wle
i was hoping for walks with my dog soon after
oh dear
I drove after 2 weeks, having had a left mastectomy, just a little tip, I bought a small sponge which i used to put between myself and the seat belt as this was uncomfortable without the sponge.
Someone did say though I should not have driven so early on as if I had had an accident the insurance company could have refused to pay out.
Good Luck everyone
Rxx
Hi Lincslady,
I actually drove 2 weeks after WLE but was told it would be okay after 1 week. The only reason it was 2 weeks for me was because I didn’t need to drive before that. It might make sense to check with your insurers but it would certainly be good to speak to your bcn if you get on well with her.
I was going for walks 3 days after surgery but initially only short ones as I got quite tired at first. You might also need to be sure that your dog doesn’t pull on the surgery side…
Eliza xx
hi
thankyou
my dog dosnt go on a lead so thats not a problem with pulling
i usually drive up the rd to the woods and off we go
ive just got to see i suppose
I had a double mastectomy with full axillary clearance on one side. I asked my breast care nurse about driving and she said that I needed to feel confident I could an emergency stop without causing myself pain and also to check my car insurance.
As I’d had the axillary clearance I found that arm much stiffer plus I developed a seroma which made it uncomfortable with the seatbelt.
I live in the countryside with no shops in walking distance so I have felt a bit cut off. However I’ve been not to jeopardise my recovery for the sake of this. I’m now having chemo and as I get so dizzy and unwell with this I’ve made the decision not to drive. It is difficult but I can’t feel that I’m safe on the road.
Walking - I did that as soon as I could. Very short walks at first say about 5 minutes and then build it up each day. Go with what your body feels right.
best wishes
Elinda x
I didn’t drive for about 6 weeks after mast with full node clearance, this was mainly due to limited arm/shoulder movement, my GP was very strict on this. I did go out on very good long walks starting about 4 days after discharge and think this helped build me back up to face the chemo.
While on FEC chemo I wouldn’t drive for about a week, I was so dizzy and groggy like a fog all around me for about 4 days I would have been no safer than a drink or drug driver. Taxotere I just had lifts on chemo days as 52 mile round trip but was easily able to drive this myself once herceptin without chemo + rads.
I wouldn’t risk driving if I didn’t feel confident to be physically able to action an emergency stop, even if it means walking or relying on others, its a better option if a kid was to run in the road and you weren’t focused or quick enough to respond.
Debbie