So today is day 8 post surgery - lumpectomy and full node clearance. All the advice I’ve read has been to do the exercises given by the hospital from day 1 post surgery. The leaflet says 5 of each 3 times a day, has gentle ones only for week 1, then suggests adding in some more strenuous ones week 2 onwards.
Week one went well. My drain was removed y’day and dressings checked/replaced. The nurse was v pleased with how everything was progressing. So I started on the week 2 exercises today, but am beginning to think I’ve overdone it. My arm is more uncomfortable and restricted on movement than it’s been at any time since surgery. I’ve not torn stitches or anything and it’s not exactly painful, but I just wonder if anyone else has had a similar experience? I’m so determined to get as much movement as possible and normality back, as well as doing all I can to avoid lymphodema… it’s really hard to know how to get the right balance of rest and exercise
I only had one sentinel lymph node removed but as it was really swollen, advised to stick to the gentler ones until my follow up 2 weeks later. I hope that helps. xx
I was the very diligent with my exercises. I had a haematoma…about 4 days into week two I sprung a leak It was not pretty and I had to go to get the dressing changed every 3 days for weeks til it finally settled. The physio told me to stop doing all the exercises initially but just to make sure that I was using my arm. I think if you are doing the week 1 ones comfortably that is great…anything else is a bonus. Maybe leave it a few days but do the odd bit of lifting your arm a bit higher. Good luck xxx
I had mastectomy and 4 nodes removed, thankfully all clear, 3 months ago.
Please don’t try to overstretch. That won’t help. Only go as far as you feel a slight pull, as the excercise sheet instructs. You won’t get the result you want by going too far. When I was on week 2 I also clasped my hands behind my head and stood in a doorway with my elbow behind the doorframe and turned my body to VERY GENTLY stretch. It is important not to do the excercises so it hurts, only to stretch just a little more so you can feel it pull.
Please don’t hurt youself x
Thank you everyone that’s really helpful. I’ll definitely cut back a bit and go more gently for this week and see how things pan out. I’m back at the clinic next Fri, so will ask a bit more then. Be assured others put the star and lights on the tree - I was only allowed to sit with my phone and get the Alexa App to work with them! Results of pathology on 4th Jan - such a strange year and Christmas .
I’m grateful for this place and being able to write about what’s going on in my head when everyone else is full of Christmas.
Hey @suedot - glad to hear you are healing well! I am 3 weeks post lumpectomy and SLNB (3 nodes removed). I found the progression from the 1st week exercises to the 2nd week exercises quite a big jump and towards the middle/end of the second week I felt like my shoulder was feeling more stiff rather than less stiff. At my wound check I told the BCN this and she made me an appointment with physio. The physio said I have some cording (apparently very common), she did some manual manipulation and actually ‘popped’ one of the cords during the session (this did hurt a little but immediately I felt increased movement in my shoulder/arm). I have a couple more physio sessions so hopefully we can release more of the cords (perhaps worth asking for/investigating?). She also gave me the advice of rather than doing all of the exercises in one go (3 times a day) to instead try and incorporate them more into my daily life i.e do a couple whilst waiting for the kettle to boil as this increases movement throughout the day.
Hi Suedot
I am in a similar situation. I’m 11 days post lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy. Like you I found the 1st stage exercises very easy especially by day 3. The more advanced exercises are a different beast aren’t they. It’s the pulling that stings and the dull ache after. But as they say no pain no gain. And I really want to gain as I definitely do not have full range of movement in raising my arm over my head. We can do this as it’s a step towards our recovery. Hope you and everyone on this forum has a restful Christmas. Take care
That is a great thought to do in bits throughout the day. I shall definitely try that. I think it’s true lying down arms above your head one that did the damage, but it’s a bit better today so I’ll give it a couple of days, then start that one again more gently
As @Jess_1 says, incorporate a few randomly through the day. Quite often I wave my left arm around while watching tv or relaxing. It was about 6 weeks before I could put my arm straight up beside my ear. As already suggested, while waiting for kettle to boil, I was standing in kitchen doorway either with hands clasped behind my head gently pulling my elbow back, or my outstretched arm up to the top of the doorframe. Tall partner’s shoulders are quite good to rest outstretched arm on too! It makes them feel like they’re helping x
No you’ve done no harm, it does hurt to begin with, instead of religiously doing as stated, i broke it up into smaller pockiets some days and other days did in one group depending on how ‘fit’ i felt’. None of us overstrain and we are human after all and likely to forget the odd day. one year down the line, i still do my exercises, but am allowed a little restrain, due to old shoulder issue which hasa risen.
Enjoy you festive day, and if you feel like it try and incorporate the exercises in some dancing. love and light, ps look forward to tuesday although cold its forecast to by mostly dry and goon for walking off the day before’s indulgence. M xxx
I’m 5 days post lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy, and have to say it’s getting stiffer and more painful each day !!! Think it’s as it heals and tightens. I’m persisting with my exercises and taking regular paracetamol.
I suspect it’s part of the healing process, along with lots of shooting pains in the breast and nipple.
Take it easy. Start on week 2 exercises maybe every other day with week 1 in between. Dont overl do it but keep up some sort of movement. I over did it so stopped and regretted it later. One thing I did find helped later was massage. I’d had under arm lymph nodes removed and it was that area that was tight massage worked wonders.
That feeling in armpit is wierd isn’t it. If it’s numb surely it shouldnt be sore! I’m 3 months post mx and slnb. Soreness now an unpleasant memory but still numb. At least nobody can tickle me. I can’t feel anything x
Thank you everyone who’s contributed here. My area of numbness has reduced, but now in week 2 without a drain seroma around the wound site in my armpit has become my new challenge! The little v-shaped pillow given to me whilst in hospital is a God-send at night. The swelling goes up and down a bit, but it’s another weird feeling when my arm won’t hang naturally by my side. I know we are warned about these things that can happen, but I’m afraid I’ve taken a ‘I’ll be fine’ or ‘that won’t happen to me’ approach in my head.
So why am I telling you my lovely pink friends about this? Well this time it’s the seroma that’s made exercises over the last few days far less straightforward than the leaflet I’ve got suggests. I’ve watched a YouTube video too on one of the breast cancer sites which again makes it look so simple!
Anyway I persevere and with a hospital visit on Friday hopefully this time coming away with dressings removed too I am expecting to have a clearer understanding of whether I’m progressing movement wise as normal.
It was not pretty and I had to go to get the dressing changed every 3 days for weeks til it finally settled. The physio told me to stop doing all the exercises initially but just to make sure that I was using my arm. I think if you are doing the week 1 ones comfortably that is great…anything else is a bonus. Maybe leave it a few days but do the odd bit of lifting your arm a bit higher. Good luck xxx
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