Morning Team
I’m having my surgery tomorrow!! Looking forward to getting it done and my lump evicted.
Any advice on recovery times, pain levels, when will radiotherapy start etc… Just looking for advice from people who have been through the same.
Lots of Love to everyone.
Hi @littlehaba, I wanted to wish you all the very best for tomorrow’s surgery. I hope everything goes smoothly. If before surgery you’d like to speak to our team of breast care nurses, you can reach us on freephone 0808 800 6000 (Mon-Fri 9am-4pm; Sat 9am-1pm), or by posting in our Ask our Nurses board here: Ask our Nurses your questions - Breast Cancer Now forum
I found this page on our site that may be useful as it’s about surgery: After breast cancer surgery | Breast Cancer Now
Sending our warmest wishes
Bernard
Hello @littlehaba
Welcome to the club no-one wants to join.
From what you have said I’m assuming you are having a lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy which is one of the most common surgical procedures for breast cancer.
Whilst for the surgeons and your team this is a relatively straightforward procedure don’t underestimate the impact of having a general anaesthetic and any surgery: the body needs to heal and this takes time. You will be advised on pain management and will no doubt be given a huge amount of information about your recovery from the surgery. My advice is follow the advice given, absolutely do the shoulder exercises, stick within the exercise guidelines (even very fit people are told not to walk for more than 15 minutes in the first few days) little and often and patience are the name of the game!
Follow your surgery you will have your results appointment which will determine next steps for treatment so it’s not really possible to give you definitive timescales at this stage. Please try and be patient, be kind to yourself and allow your head and body to heal (speaking as someone who found the mental and emotional impact much harder than the physical impact)
Sending you lots of love and hope everything goes OK for your surgery tomorrow
AM xxx
Welcome to the forum. I wish you well for your surgery tomorrow. Am sure it will be fine. I found recovery was 2-3 weeks and pain was managed with paracetamol. I had SNB so took a bit longer the first time for my arm to recover. I had two lumpectomies. I dId the exercises every day which helped with movement etc. Radiotherapy is normally 8-12 weeks after surgery if you are having it. I also found going for a walk after a few days helpful and stopped me from sitting around. Take care xx
Hope you surgery went well. At little.late but you will need a soft t shirt bra or front opening to wear for a few weeks 24/7 post surgery also front opening PJ’s, shirts and top button or zip. After surgery you’ll find raising your arm to squeeze in tops without front opening sore and uncomfortable.
Hopefull.yiure already sorted if not get someone to.pop to supermarket like Asda Georg t-shirt bra pack Ribbed Comfort Bras 3 Pack | Lingerie | George at ASDA
Or Primark for shirts, cardigan/jumpers with button or zip openings.
Don’t forgot this is big surgery and they have cut deep.i to your breast and poked around j to your armpit. Take time to rest. Also consider doing www.pennybrohn.co.uk scar workshop it’s 3 part.uk charity based in Bristol it discusses moisturising, massage after 6 weeks to prevent lumps/fibrosis and the scarring associated with radiotherapy. Which is not really talked about at the hospital as I’ve just had my first appointment, the say at little redness! Best advice from the workshop is to treat before lots of good.moisturier that suit your skin cover the full great and around the back.
Thanks for the advise.
Surgery went well - went down at 0900, woke up at 10:45 and was home for 17:00.
Got dressing check/clinic this evening.
Codeine are giving me the runaround - feel sick as anything.
I got the front fastening bras from the breast care team at the hospital. And treated myself to some front fadten PJ’s from Asda (just happened to be part of their tickled pink range for October).
I’ll look into the scar workshop things - thanks so much.
But all in all im feeling good. X