Hi all,
I recently diagnosed and pre preoperative at the moment. I am 41 and have 2 children (age 5 and 10). I start my treatment in
earnest next week with a mastectomy, complete lymph node removal and a temporary implant. I will be several sizes different until I have the reconstruction surgery next year. I was wondering if you have any top tips to make the time in hospital and post operation period as comfortable as possible.
Thank you
Hi CoachK,
One thing that you realise on the forum, is that everyones experiences are slightly different!
Little things that I found helpful in hospital were: loose, open fronted tops - leggings or pj bottoms (it’s nice to be able to retain SOME modesty). Also my iPod with music, and a couple of audio books, hand cream and lip salve are always welcome in a dry environment. Wet wipes are good too, when you can’t get to wash your hands. Maybe some biscuits and juice? If you just can’t face a hospital breakfast, then a biscuit can be enough to put something in your stomach to help cope with the painkillers.
When you get home - lots of pillows, AND DO THE EXERCISES they give you! It’s very disheartening at first, but really does get easier, and you will reap the benefits.
Best of luck, and wishing you a pain/infection free procedure x
Hi coachK - agreed with all of the above - depending on the time of your op you may miss the hospital meal and after fasting before the op all I could think of was food! Lucky for me the nurse donated half her lunch box but if might be worthwhile taking something with you just in case you wake up hungry! Please don’t worry about the temporary implant - I have the expander implant at the moment (five weeks post op) and in all honesty when wearing a bra you can’t really tell the difference in size. I don;t get the permanent implant and the other breast matched until next year either but for me I needed to see something there when I woke up. Wishing you the best of luck x
Hi there
I’m new to the forum too.
I’m 43 and had a mastectomy and reconstruction four weeks ago - I’d agree with the tips others have posted, and as they say, it gets easier! I’m feeling well enough to be visiting friends, having pub lunches and enjoying the sunshine! Each day is better than the day before.
I remembered front buttoning/zipping tops for the hospital, but forgot to take in slippers and a dressing gown (I don’t own a dressing gown!). Slippers were useful for getting to the loo (saved having to put shoes on, or get cold feet), and a dressing gown would have been nicer than two hospital gowns (one on backwards, one forwards to save my modesty!)
I found the table on wheels that I had in hospital really useful (meant I could have all my bits and bobs within reaching distance), and a friend lent me one for when I came home. Meant I could get a drink of water in the night, reach my book etc.
Wishing you all the best for your op xx
I had my mastectomy as day surgery so didn’t have to cope with hospital food - they provided some toast when I was awake enough to eat, and then I went home! The most important thing to remember is the exercises - I stopped doing them during and after radiotherapy - its now more than a year and my shoulder and arm are still so stiff that I’ve got to have some physiotherapy. Good luck xx
Wishing you good luck for your surgery. In June I will be having a double mastectomy with tissue expanders in prep for the reconstruction xx
Hello i am having surgery in July…i wonder why some people stay for a few days and others i or 2 nights…i would prefer to stay until the drains are taken out as i will need daily visits from a district nurse…otherwise… i wont be having reconstruction…
I shall take a small overnight bag with wet wipes …biscuits …drinks and meds. so i now need to find a front opening top or two…i dont usually wear pj’s but after my two trips into hospital…most ladies wear them…and i’m getting to like them too!
Dulcie xxxx
I had a mastectomy and full lymph node clearance just before Christmas last year. I couldn’t have implants or reconstruction as I had to have 15 x radiotherapy sessions. I stayed in for one night and went home with two drains that staying in place for 7 days. I took into hospital my iphone and charger, book, front opening pjs, dressing gown, slippers, wet wipes, biscuits, drinks and some makeup.
Hi ladies
My 2 top tips:
1). Get one of those triangular support pillows, they make a huge difference, i took mine into hospital with me
2) do stick with the exercises, do as much as you can, they really do make the difference in the long term. The muscles start to tighten after surgery and unless exercised, we can get frozen shoulder problems.
Good luck, we are all there for you
Much love
Pixie xx
I am booked in for a mastectomy next week .Just read all your tips so thank I thank you all as I have never had an op so am a bit worried about what to exspect.
Thank you all for very useful tips. I have been in and had the op _ unfortunately following the first op my wound started leaking and opened up a bit so, despite best efforts of all cconcerned, I had to have it removed and converted to a flat mastectomy. This was a known risk and I am feeling OK about it. Wound now healing well. Chemo in a few weeks!
Joan - how did it go?
Am new here (only diagnosed yesterday) but thank you for all the tips for hospital…am now frantically hunting online for front opening pyjama’s and a decent dressing gown (would be shamed to put mine on in public!!) If anyone has any resources for pj’s, bra’s or vest’s that are CHEAP (as I’m broke) would be much appreciated…
Many thanks and best of luck to those recovering or having surgery…x x
Hi J-Lo,
Very quickly:
Cheap jammies/dressing gown - Primark
Cheap sport bra - ASDA or Tesco
Cheaps vests also Primark (but watch the sizes!)
Hope all goes well for you.
Hi Jo-lo
My mum got me lovely front fastening cotton PJ’s from Matalan, think they were £7 a pair. They also had cap sleeves so were really easy to get on & off. I also got the fabric sock like slippers as they arecreally cheap can be washed and you can wear them on the bed if your feet are cold. Used my dressing gown loads as the belt was great for carrying my drain around, Matalan & Primark will have cheap ones.
Good luck
S x
I always buy the Primark front fastening jammies - easy to get on and off - also their vest sleep top strappy vests are worth having too. My dressing gown (which I hardly ever use) was too heavy for the hospital and a pain to use. Sure Primark may have some cheap ones though. Remember roll on deoderant. We were given little bags to carry our drains about in. Some moisturiser for your body and a body spray for freshening up are good too.
All the best and hope it goes well
K M x
Thank you for all the advice…went on a spree this afternoon and am now the proud owner of 3 pairs of pj’s and some VERY unflattering underwear…Lol…local Primark now shut as I’ve cleaned them out!!! Ha ha
Roll on deo and moisturiser…do they have to be unfragranced?
TY in advance…x x
Thanks for the tips here - i have never had an op before and have to say i am scared stiff…i have no idea what to take so this is really helpful…
Thank you…