This is my second post since finding out that I have to have a mastectomy on 6 Jan. Very apprehensive as you can imagine as it’s now only 2 days away! Anyone got any advice on what I should take into hospital with me and how best to cope when I get home? I’ve been told I will come home with the drain in. Is this a problem to deal with?
Thanks
Hallo Polly2shoes. I had a mastectomy on 28th October. I was admitted at 7.45am and was disharged 12 hours later.
I just took in a dressing gown, slippers, towel and a toothbrush/toothpaste in case I had to stay the night. I didn’t bother with a nightie or pyjamas as I just used the hospital gown and got dressed again afterwards.
I can’t give you any advice regarding drains as my surgeon glued the wound together so there were no drains, not even a dressing.
I can remember feeling a huge relief after the mx.
I hope someone else will come along with advice for you about the drains.
Good luck for Thursday and let us know how you get on.
Hi Polly
Sorry youve found yourself here, but glad you now have a date to get the op over with.
After reading the post from ‘mouseybrown’, its clear different surgeons/hospitals have different approaches.
I was in for 8 days, had 2 drains and came home with 1. The drain was no problem coming out in hosp(not so good at home but thats cos district nurse hadnt seen a vacuum drain before…)The surgeon had used a long length of the tubing and had it well taped to my body which was great.
I stayed a bit longer cos I produced such a lot of fluid, I live a very long way from hospital and live alone.
I had no pain after op, just took paracetemol for few days to deal with little discomfort.
I had front opening jammies which were great. The hospital provided those paper gift bags to hold the drains in as you are really mobile from early on. It means you can go off the ward without trundling a stand with you. Some folks use a fabric shoulder bag.
I had dry shampoo-fabby for feeling a bit more human-an ipod, change for the fone, and some puzzle books.Another good tip is to have a nice big scarf to drape over your shoulder to disguise the ‘void’ till you get your comfy (a wee soft pad for your bra)
I hope it all goes well and Im sure youll be on here soon giving your best tis to others!
Its just over a year since mine and I an hardly beleive that time had past so quickly.
Love Cathie x
Hello Polly2shoes, I had a WLE and ANC on the afternoon of Christmas Eve and was discharged the next afternoon. Are you staying in overnight?
I took knickers, nightshirt (they’ll give you a gown but if you’re in overnight you might prefer your own, and one that has buttons at the front is easier for getting on and off when you’re stiff and also for examinations), basic toiletries, slippers, dressing gown and my phone. I took some money but didn’t need it. I also took my Kindle that my husband gave me for Christmas and made me open on Christmas Eve so I could get some books on it to take in. It was brilliant and much easier than dealing with heavy books. I was private so had my own TV and radio but if you’re on a ward you might want an ipod or something like that.
I had a drain in for eight days. I found the best thing to carry it in was a Christmas gift bag as that had a flat bottom so always stayed upright. If you’ve got a bag with a long strap that would go across your body that would be useful then you wouldn’t forget to pick it up when you move!
I found it an annoyance more than anything - having to carry it everywhere - and I kept trapping the tube down the side of the sofa cushion and pulling it. It was very well taped onto me though so wasn’t going to go anywhere! I had my bottle changed after five days as it was quite full then after two more days they released the vacuum to try to slow it down, which worked and it finally came out the next day (last Saturday).
I had waterproof dressings on so was allowed to shower with the drain in, but I was careful not to aim too much water over that side of me. It wasn’t the problem at night I though it would be, even though I had the tube going across me as I sleep on the wrong side of the bed. The tube was plenty long enough but it hurt to roll over anyway (and still does 
) so I didn’t move much, I just lay on my back or propped on pillows. I was rather stiff in the mornings from not moving much!
By the way, my daughter christened my drain bottle “Calvin”, so if you see him referred to in any of my posts, that’s what I’m talking about!
All the best for Thursday,
Jane xxx
Polly - I had mx on 12th November - I went in on the Friday morning, and was discharged on the Saturday morning.
Front opening pjyamas are best, so you don’t have to lift your arm very high. If you can get to M&S - they do great vest tops with built in soft cups, much easier than a bra to get on (I pulled them on over my legs, rather than over my head to start with!), and the cups give an illusion of a bust too - and are big enough to accommodate the cumfie/softie boob you will prob. be given. You will have a little swelling, so a bra may well not be comfortable for quite a while. I’m now seven weeks post mx, and still won’t wear a bra for longer than a few hours - though my wound healed beautifully.
I took in a small ‘sausage’ pillow from Tesco (think it was £4), and that was brilliant - stuck it behind my neck pre-op to get comfy on the bed, and then it fitted under my arm, down my side etc post-op - best £4 I have spent in ages. The breast care nurses in Salisbury also give out little heart shaped cushions that have been made esp. for bc ladies - but my little sausage was fine!! (Sounds rude, actually…lol).
The idea of the drain freaked me out - but it was actually ok. Alarmingly long bit of plastic tubing - the drain will touch the floor when you stand up, so be warned - so a shoulder bag to carry it in is a very good idea. It also keeps it close to you, so you don’t catch it on anything, or forget and try to walk off without it!! It’s not the most attractive thing, either, so hiding it away in a bag is good for morale. Where I am, the district nurses came out a couple of times to check it, but emptying it is a piece of cake, you’ll be shown how to do it in hospital - and it really is easy. My drain came out a week later.
Ipod or similar would be good, I also took my nintendo ds with me and a good book. Your own drinks would also be good, as tea rounds on the ward are not that frequent, and hospitals are hot and dry… I also took in a pack of Jelly Babies… but then, I go nowhere without my Jelly Babies these days.
Small washkit, you may not be up to having a shower until you get home, but doesn’t hurt to be prepared. Mouthwash will freshen your mouth after the anaesthetic.
Pain afterwards - I only needed paracetamol. I was very surprised at how little pain there was - so hopefully you’ll be just the same.
Good luck hun.
Sophie xx
Hi Polly2shoes,
I have now had 4 admissions and I totally agree with everything the other ladies have said. However, I have always found hospitals to be very warm and so I used cotton, short sleeved front opening pj’s bought from Tesco’s £4 a pair and even more importantly for me was a “hot weather cooling spray” from Boots - a very fine water spray to freshen you up or in my case a short spray on the face to cool me down!!!
Do hope all goes well on the 6th. (I had a mx with immediate diep recon and was in just 8 days in total).
Kind regards,
Marjay
Hi, Polly2shoes - will be thinking of you. Yes, strappy camisoles pulled up over the feet or open fronted 'jamas. Drains are a pain - I kept forgetting I had them in - so, yes, put them in a bag. Why not swop sides of the bed which is what we did? I couldn’t bear the thought of the beloved elbowing me.
'cos I thought I’d throw up lots after the op, I asked the anaesthatist to mix me a cocktail with lots of anti-emetics which he did - so no problem. I wasn’t told that I would break out into GREAT sweat/HIGH temperature hours after the op or that I would look like a panda later and have white fingers. Don’t worry - it goes!!
Apart from the post-surgery exercises (pretend yr pratiaing to be an American cheer-leader - more fun than thinking: time for post surgery exercises. Also try and stand up straight: it’ll make you feel better and younger!
B
Now 6 weeks post mx and awaiting the next step. Can now sleep on my front and have got used to looking down in the shower at one boob. I was so nervous before op to the point of exhaustion. It all went well. As Sophie said, surprisingly little pain afterwards, more discomfort really. As for the drains I was given a trendy little bag to carry about. Thought getting drain tubes out would be horrible. No way, nurse told me to breathe in and they were done!! I didn’t feel ANYTHING. Was in 3 nights. make yourself as comfy as possible. watch rubbish telly,indulge in some magazines and take your own biscuits/ treats. Let everyone fuss over you and applaud your bravery. Couldn’t be bothered with bra and softie. Everyone knows why you are there so be comfy as you like and wear your favourite pyjamas. Front button ones are great. Good luck! Sending lots of positive vibes xx
Hi Polly2shoes, wishing you luck for tomorrow and a speedy recovery. I’m so glad you posted as I was thinking of doing the same as I am to have a mx with immediate LD and implant reconstruction later this month. I have already had four WLE and a tidy up op (ha!) to the same place (original diagnosis Sept 08 and recurrance Sept 10) so now its mx time for me. So the tips the other ladies are giving are great - keep them coming.
Anyone know how long it is before you can drive? How long you are not supposed to lift, push, pull etc - i.e. how long before you can make a cup of tea or open a bottle of wine! I’m right handed and mx is on right hand side.
Sue x
Hi everyone
Thanks for all your comments. It has been very reassuring and full of some good tips. Much appreciated. Hadn’t thought about strappy camisoles. Sounds like brilliant idea.
Will be off to supermarket soon to stock up on magazines and snacks!
BW - don’t quite get the panda reference but I’ll probably find out tomorrow. lol.
Sue, d’you know I was also wondering about the driving and (more importantly) the wine opening! I am also right handed with mx on right hand side.
I’ll let you know how I get on.
Thanks and wish me luck
Barbara/x
PS Polly2shoes is my husband’s nickname for me!
I had a double mastectomy on 14th Dec with 2 lots of drains on either side. I was in for 4 nights. Two drains were removed on the 3rd day post op one the next day and the last on the day I went home. They are more of an inconvenience than anything else. Getting them out was nowhere near as bad as I thought it would be. My wound was closed with dissolving stitches plus glue and covered in wide steri strips. It was possible for me to shower and wash my hair even when the 4 drains were in. I managed to buy button up the front nighties from Asda which were great.
Remember to do your exercises as soon as you can to keep your arm from seizing up.
Mx 18th nov, drains for 10 days(at home) fair bit a of swelling after removal, was very good girl with exercises and arm massage. Had a few probs with pain and cording but through them now, enough arm flexibility to drive after a fortnight. Can do most anything, am careful about lifting things above shoulder height. Sleeping in old postures still a bit difficult, have numb, or tingly, or soreish areas around my armpit and the back of my arm and chest wall, they shift about a bit, but generally doing ok and managing everyday stuff fine. Wound was a bit puckered and lumpy but smoothing now, still have a bit of residual bruising but happy really with scar. Off to get new boob next week as ones from hospital going flat and discrepancy in size growing.
Good luck with surgery hugs (((())))
I had left mx and anc on 12th November - was told no driving for two weeks - and so drove 2 weeks to the day, but in my automatic. Wasn’t convinced I had left arm strength enough to drive the Galaxy for prob another fortnight after that, but fine with it now. (It was the thought of the handbrake, more than the gears, and that car is a bit of a heavy lump).
If having node clearance you do need to be careful with affected arm for ever - but kind of balance it with still being able to live. I found myself having to remember ‘not’ to lift down saucepans, open jar lids, carry rubbish, carry shopping etc with left arm, as although right handed, I do tend to use my left for weight lifting tasks, weird, I know - so the actual feeling of not being able to do it can’t have lasted more than a week or so, prob. until the drains came out.
Hope all went well Polly, and good luck to you too, Sue.
Sophie xx