I’m a week post op, bilateral mast with immediate reconstruction using implants. With a free nipple graft. Although I’m still bandaged up, I’m happy with the results I can see. While the pain has been manageable I was wondering on the following:
How long does the tightness last? This is proving quite difficult to deal with.
2.How long before you were able to sleep on your side? At the moment I’m sleeping on my back only and finding it difficult to sleep.
When does the swelling reduce?
Do you have any sensation in the breasts?
I have very little energy, I hope this will improve over the coming weeks. Any tips would be much appreciated.
I’m just six months after a unilateral mx with implant reconstruction - I hope I can be of some help.
Tightness: I’d say I felt quite tight for about a month but the swelling does start to subside a few weeks afterwards and with that the tightness gradually reduces. Six months on and I don’t really notice anything like this anymore and it’s not uncomfortable.
I’d say it was about a month before I could lie on the surgery side without discomfort. As I’d only had one side done I did have the option to sleep on my non-procedure side after drains had been removed.
My surgeon said that swelling could remain to a degree for up to six months but as I mention above I found I was quite swollen for about a month but started to notice a steady reduction after that. I felt comfortable enough to go out and join in our local street party 15 days after my operation. I was astonished at the time how little pain there was.
I was lucky in that my nipple was saved but it has absolutely no feeling in it which I miss. At first I could barely feel anything but over the last few months I’ve started to get some sensation back around the outside where the breast touches the chest wall and I’m gradually noticing more feeling further in on the skin approaching the nipple.
I won’t pretend that I would not prefer to have my natural breast back but I am pretty pleased with the way my reconstruction has settled down over the last few months and aesthetically the result is good - well I think so anyway! I am certainly in no discomfort six months down the line and very pleased with the way it’s healed.
My BCN told me to eat lots of good quality protein to aid the healing process.
Hope you get your energy back soon. Remember it takes a while to get over an anaesthetic so that’s probably contributing to your lack of energy. Plus you have no doubt been through a very traumatic time emotionally with all this so no wonder you feel exhausted. I certainly was.
I just had left breast mastectomy with immediate silicon reconstruction on 7 Dec.
I healed really quickly within 2 weeks, but suffer with seroma buildup so I’m swollen above my implant which is uncomfortable, but my surgeon prefers not to drain it as I’m now having chemotherapy. I was able to sleep on that side comfortably after my last drain was removed 3 weeks later, although sometimes it depends on how much seroma has built up during the day.
I don’t really have any sensation on my reconstructed side, it does still feel like a foreign body!!
However, that doesn’t bother me right now, I think I’m just so used to everything hitting my body that I can’t remember what normal is anymore!!
You are very early days though so try not to panic or worry unnecessarily (although we all do!!)
Take care xxx
Hi Naz,
I had a dilateral mastectomy. The tightness lasts a couple of weeks, but generally eases a little each day. I found I could sleep on my side after 4 weeks (2 weeks after the drains were removed), but the swelling took a few weeks to go down.
I have no sensation on the front of my breasts (other than I can feel the implants on my chest wall when I press them). I found after 3-4 weeks I would get strange waves of ‘tingles’ like cold running water over my boobs as the nerves repaired themselves. Strange but not uncomfortable.
1 week on is almost no time. do rest up and listen to your body. It does get easier and each day you’ll get a little stronger.