Hi ladies. I am 2.5 years post MX and 2 years post reconstruction having a LD flap. After losing a lot of weight and the false side not changing size to match the other one I decided to have an op on the other side. It is two weeks since I had my op and it’s still really painful to move about. I feel like I have two giant melons strapped to my front and I only have small boobs. My consultant said one week off work and now starting to panic I still won’t be fit enough to go back next week! I was just wondering if anyone else had any experience from having this op.Xx
Hi Poppy,
I had my symmetry operation 9 weeks ago now. It is only in the last 2 weeks that I’ve felt comfortable in bed and I’m not worried about rolling over and causing pain on my operation side. I’m still wearing a sports crop top to sleep in though. My wounds took a long time to heal, I put this down to the battering my body has had over the last year or so; lumpectomy & SNB (Dec 2015), chemo (Jan - April 2016) & radiotherapy (May 2016).
I had to wearing dressings on the wounds for 6 weeks after the op. I think just a week off work might be unrealistic but it depends on your job. My BC nurse told me not to go back to exercising until at least 6 weeks after, due to my slower healing I’m still waiting to get back to my normal routine of gym, swimming & pilates. Only started pilates so far. The gym won’t let me come back until I’ve got a note from my Doctor to say I’m fit to return. I was made redundant last year so not had to negotiate time off work with an employer, although I have been job searching. I think the key is to listen to your body, it will heal and things will settle down but maybe not as quickly as your consultant says. It took months for my left side to settle down after the lumpectomy and even now I get the occasional twinge of pain. My surgeon told me that’s normal and it can take a long time for the nerves in the breast to settle. Btw I am so pleased I had the symmetry operation, for me the results are fantastic. I spent a year wearing a prosthesis on my left side and just couldn’t wait to get the op done and start feeling normal again! Good luck with your recovery and I hope you are happy with the results. Big hugs,
Vik
Any operation takes time to recover from, and rearranging tissue and muscle will take it’s toll. I hope you are doing your exercises to keep everything moving . I had a symmetry op 3 years ago and I still massage the scar tissue as it gets stiff. I am sure your workplace and gp and occupational therapist can come to agreement as to when you are fit to return to work as we all recover in different ways. Good luck sweetie!
Hi I had WLE and Lymph node clearance at end of January and have my last session of radiotherapy tomorrow. Now I am wandering whether I should ask if I could have some surgery as my boob which has had all the tratment is smaller than the other one and one nipple seems lower that the other which make me look very odd. has anyone else had similar problems and had surgery?