I am having both my breasts removed early next week, they tell me it will be painful when I wake from operation, please anyone having had this op ? was it very painful, and any tips on how to overcome pain in first few post op days. I am also having exanders inserted at same operation. I am very new to sites like this on (first time ever used one) I am feeling very emotional at moment despite good family support I am not sleeping well and am so tearful is this how I should be feeling is this what YOU felt, am I normal in this up and down emotional rollercoaster I feel that I am on and it is getting faster and faster, thanks for any help you can give me Charliejack x
Hi charliejack,
Welcome to BCC, so sorry you had to join this club! 
During your surgery and afterwards you will be given strong analgesics to help with the pain. For the first 24 hours after my mx I had a Patient Controlled Analgesic unit with a button to press if the pain was bad. The hospital will be very clued up about this and will make sure that you are as comfortable as possible. I was sent home with a further supply of oral painkillers when I was discharged.
Do you have a breast care nurse who can talk you through what’s involved and how they will care for you post-op?
Your emotions will definitely be all over the place at the moment and its quite natural to feel tearful and scared - I know I was in the days leading up to my surgery!
Is it worth asking your GP if you can have a few days supply of sleeping pills to help you get some rest? I was unable to sleep in the run up to my op and this really helped me.
Nymeria x
Charliejack
You are as normal as the rest of us. Roller coaster rides are par for the course I’m afraid. I’m nearly 3 years from my DX and still very occasionally the enormity of what has happened and fear of the future overtake
me and the tears follow.
I had both breasts removed and was only in hospital overnight. My surgery was done one evening and I went home the next afternoon. My pain was surprisingly minimal although I did not have reconstruction. Someone who had your surgery I’m sure will be along soon to help. If you are in pain speak up there is a whole range of painkillers out there to deal with it, both in hospital and to take home. They will only know if you tell them.
Good luck
Andie
Hi CharlieJack and welcome to the BCC forums
In addition to the support you have here already please feel free to call our helpline on 0808 800 6000, the lines are open 9-5 weekdays and 9-2 Sat and our team are here for you
I am posting links to the BCC publications ‘Your operation and recovery’ and Breast reconstruction’ which you may find useful, you can read or order copies here:
Take care
Lucy
Hi Charlie, I had a bilateral mx last December though I didn’t have expanders or reconstruction. Like Andie I didn’t have a lot of pain. Immediately after the operation you will have had strong pain killing drugs. Later you will be given other painkillers to help you through. The hospital staff won’t let you suffer so let them know how you are feeling.
I am sure you will be fine. The thought of it is honestly worse than the actuality.
Best of luck.
Hi there
I am not surprised you are feeling tearful, its a scary thing to be going through.
I have had a quite a few operations, and I can honestly say that they keep on top of your pain, because you heal quicker and better when you arent in pain.
When they come to see you before the surgery mention how scared you are about the pain and I am sure they will reassure you and give you plenty of drugs while your asleep so when you wake up you will be tired but comfortable.
Good luck
xx
Hi CharlieJack
I had an mx and immediate recon and I had hardly any pain - I didn;t need the really strong morphine pain killers. Just had anti-inflammatories and paracetamol!
Hope all goes well for you.
Dx
Hi Charliejack
I had an MX on my left breast on the 19th of July. When I woke up i wasn’t in any pain at all - just felt a bit sick for a day! As everyone says, they really keep on top of your pain and within a couple of days i was taking only paracetamol and another painkiller that I’ve forgotten the name of. I was in for 5 days because I was draining a lot of fluid and they wanted to keep me in. I didn’t mind really - i didn’t want to be dragging the drains around at home.
I’ve found the weeks since the op more uncomfortable than i was prepared for and I’m passing this on because I wished someone had told me it would be normal to have such swelling under my arm and the nerve endings around my armpit, arm and breast are extremely sore - like being sandpapered. But a combination of paracetamol and ibruprofen are really all i need to keep this under control. One of the women on this site recommended gentle stroking of the area as well and that has really helped.
It really is not as bad as you think it’s going to be - or that was my experience anyway. It seems such a brutal thing to have done, and I had a tissue expander put in as well. But actually I’ve adjusted to it and am doing the boring exercises, and looking forward to being better!
very best of luck with your surgery
Impatiens
I’m beginning to feel like a wimp saying that I needed strong painkillers after my surgery! 
Everyone’s experience is unique and the staff will make sure that you have the appropriate pain relief. Don’t wait until it really hurts as pain relief works better if it’s topped up regularly.
If my experience is normal, you should get the opportunity to talk with the surgeon and the anaesthetist just before surgery and you can tell them your worries so that they can reassure you.
Best of luck with the op!
Nymeria x
Charliejack, I haven’t had mastectomy but I wish you well for your op. The roller coaster is the vehicle of cancer, I’ve found.
Somethings to think of. Have you had general anaesthetic before? How did you cope with it? If you felt sick after previous anaesthetics, make sure you mention it to the anaesthetist, as nausea because of surgery is common and there are drugs they can give you if it’s a problem for you.
Similarly, how do you respond to codeine and other opiate painkillers? Some people get dreadfully constipated, and that can just add to the discomfort after surgery. If you’ve had these drugs before you may have an idea, but be prepared to need a bit of help to “go” if you are on opiates for any time. (Codeine just turns my guts to concrete but other people don’t have the same response, so it’s not inevitable. But you might want to get hold of something just in case.)
Best of luck, and use the forums as much as you find helpful, you will be astounded at the support from these lovely ladies, and men.
Thank you to all you lovely people who replied to my plea pre surgery for support, your comments helped me lots. My surgery went well I was kept in hospital for five days as I cant take anti-inflammatory pain releif I have been on codiene. My main problem is a rip roaring urinary tract infection following my surgery and trying to get it cleared up I am awash with water and anti-biotics!!! My surgery went ok, I still have the dressings on they come off tomorrow when I get my pathaology results (FINGERS CROSSED) my chest is uncomfortable which is to be expected I was amazed at the size of my stomach once my voluptoulous breats have gone I need to Diet, (Tee Hee) you gotta have humour! Tomorrow all will be reveiled for me and I will start another chapter in my life CharlieJack
Hi charliejack
Glad to hear that the surgery went OK. I know exactly how you feel when your stomach comes into view beyond where your breast was. Shock horror and a promise to diet was my thought too, shame is it still hasn’t happened.
Good luck tomorrow, will be thinking of you
Andie
Got my results yesterday from bilateral mastectomy, Grade 3 cancer,removed three sentineil lymph nodes removed also all positive for same cancer, so back into surgery for me next week for lymph node clearance! then it is 6 months of chemo, maybe some radiotherapy depending on results of clearance then herceptin for a year. So not the news I wanted or expected. Like all of us I have a long road ahead of me to travel. Chemo scares me so I need more info on that, my emotions are all over the place, sleep WHAT IS THAT I have not slept properly since investigations started seven weeks ago. Will keep you posted however if anyone has any tips re getting thro chemo please share with me all will be welcome. Charliejack x
Hi Charlie,
Sorry - that sounds like a lot to take in. Hope you are OK.
I am having chemo at the moment - am on 3 cycles of FEC and 3 cycles of Tax. I know that every drug has different effects on each individual but one things that seems universal is that if you do feel nauseous it helps to eat! something settling like porridge in the morning or plain crisps as a snack helps me. Also you must not suffer for no reason. If you are feeling very sick, have bad constipation/diarrhoea or feel incredibly tired rather than generally fatigued (which I think is pretty much par for the course) then tell your chemo nurse or your onc. There are lots of useful threads on here to read about undergoing chemotherapy as well and all the lovely people who post here are so helpful and supportive. You wont be alone.
Wishing you all the best,
Cannoliwings X