Hi, I have surgery booked for 17th May, they said I may have to stay in over night depends how the op goes. Any recommendations please what I need to take with me? I think Im having axillary clearance although have an appt next week to discuss SNB. thanks everyone.
Hi nessp
I had a WLE and axillary clearance and I took pj’s that open at front. Also loose fitting tops and cardigan for during day. As all my bra’s were wired I did buy a new sports bra from M&S (very soft material) in a larger size as I wanted to wear a bra straight after op (surgeon also recommended this).
For the rest, just toiletries and plenty to read!
Hope this helps,
Nikki x
If you’re having a full clearance, it would probably be more than overnight - i was in for 4 days with a drain. For the SNB, its usually a day case or overnight depending on how you react.
I found earplugs very useful due to a snoring old lady on my ward! And an easy book or magazine to read as your concentration might be limited after GA. As Nikki says, front opening things are good if you can’t raise your arms much and soft clothes that won’t rub on wounds (and that you don’t mind getting a bit dirty - i got iodine on everything!). Baby wipes or facial cleansing wipes are good in case you can’t be bothered to wash or just for freshening up if its hot in the ward.
There is probably a thread on here somewhere with a huge list of stuff but you wont need too much if its just a possible overnight.
Hope it all goes well for you.
Al x
Something with music on it so you can plug your earphones in, turn the volume up, shut your eyes and zone out for a little while. It can feel very intense, so being able to shut everything out can be really helpful.
A bottle of squash perhaps, as you may be expected to drink lots afterwards to help flush out the anaesthetic or blue dye if you have blue dye (depends on your op, your surgeon will tell you about it if it’s relevant). Drinking gallons of water can be tedious, so something nice to make the water taste better.
A pack of your favourite biscuits for afterwards to nibble on.
I took a post op bra from M&S (bought a sports one too but have never worn it as too “supportive”). Also pj’s that open at front but with shorts (long trousers can trail in the loo, if you get my drift!) and slippers for the same reason.
I had a talking book cd and also George Michael, he was a god send at 3am as old lady in bed opposite groaned and gurgled with her machines pinging all night. I had full clearance and had to stay in over night as I reacted to the anaesthetic and also had 2 drains which were taken out in the morning before I went home.
This may not be the case for you but they took the dressings off and I went home with the wounds uncovered which was very scary, apparently it helps to heal the wounds quicker and I also had no pain meds, was told to just take paracetamol. Also, watch out for constipation from the codine/morphine, agony if you don’t catch it early!
Good luck for 17th, the op itself is not too bad and I was over the worst in 3 weeks and back at work until chemo after 5 weeks.
DaisyGirl x
Different hospitals seem to have different policies regarding drains. I’ve never had one with either WLE, SNB or axillary clearance and so I’ve gone home either the same day, or the next day when I was the last op of the day.
Some hospitals will give a list of things they want you to bring or not bring or you may be able to find a list on the hospital website.
Besides pajamas, slippers and a change of comfortable underwear, I suggest a dressing gown–trying to get to the loo while attached to a drip and still wearing a hospital gown is a challenge, to put it mildly, especially if there are male visitors on the ward at the time. Something to read, something to listen to if you have it, a small amount of change or cash. Basic toiletries, simply because you don’t know for sure how long you will be there–my hospital asks people to use wipes for washing and to throw them away rather than bringing a sponge or flannel. If you normally use things like cleanser with cotton wool, bring a bit. Hand lotion. Toothpaste & toothbrush. (Aside from the wipes, I just put my overnight travel kit assembled from samples in.) Maybe earplugs and maybe the kind of eye mask you used to get on long haul flights.
Wear something comfortable and easy to get in and out of so you can wear it back home if you don’t want to carry too much.
Good luck, and I hope your stay is a short one.
Cheryl
HI there, the only thing I’d add to Cheryl’s wonderful list is some of your favourite food if you have something easy to take in like biscuits or whatever, just in case you miss a mealtime or the food isn;t up to much, bw Nicola
Water in bottles with a sports top so you can open it with your teeth, as one arm will be sore after the op and the other may still have a cannula in it and so be a little sore/not so easy to use.
Eye mask
slip on slippers
anti bacterial hand gel
chocolate
Hope it goes well,
Vickie
I’d add a nice gentle moisturiser; hospital air-con can be very drying; and lip salve.
Good luck.
thank you everyone, thats really helpful, I wouldnt have thought of half of those things. Ness xxxx
Hi
I had WLE (twice) & only expected to be there for the day, but told to bring what I needed for an overnight just in case. Luckily I went home late afternoon on both occasions.
Apart from the obvious good book; facial wipes & I took small travel size toiletries.
I also took my Nintendo DS & a couple of favourite games; mind you I used this on the day surgery ward whilst waiting for my op’s.
The lady in the next bed had brought in a lovely fluffy pair of slippers; but they were so fluffy the nurses were worried she would slip on the hard floor as no grip. She therefore had to wear the normal shoes she had worn in. Hospital gowns and high heels are very fetching please make sure you take in slippers which are OK on hard floors or of course your favourite shoes!
A word of caution; please don’t take anything valuable in.
My Aunt was recently rushed in with a blood clot on her brain & had emergency surgery & is recovering well. But she had on 3 rings which went missing. Apparently the nurse who removed them was not able to put them in the safe as normal & she put them in my aunts personal bag; when checked later they had gone. 1 was her wedding ring; 1 was my grandmothers wedding ring & the other a diamond. She was rushed in & in the confusion her husband didn’t think to leave them at home or check for them; it was noticed when she was well enough to leave intensive care. Police were called in CCTV etc checked they were convinced it must of been a member of staff all very unpleasant for everyone especially the nurse who blamed herself and we have lost my grandmothers wedding ring which can’t be replaced.
I only wore my wedding ring in & left my engagement/eternity rings at home. Also ask they tape your ring finger if like me you want to keep it on.
Hope all goes well I received the best care during my 2 ops and recovered nicely.
Regards
Lynne
May sound silly but I was told if I wore cotton pants, I could keep my own on, but if not I would have to put paper ones on for the op. Also slippers were suggested but I found (my son’s) crocs better because they are less likely to pick up germs and/or easier to clean afterwards
Hi
I had a WLE in 2008 (it may have changed since) but I was in for 5 days because of my drains etc.
Some of my work colleagues bought me earplugs and eye shields. which were great.
I was so nervous when I arrived on the ward but there were some people who put me at ease.
On the night before my surgery, the woman in the next bed asked me if I wanted any beer or kebabs? She had had a mx that day day and was still connected to a drip etc. I declined and she donned her coat, pulled her drip behind her and went off down the road outside the hospital. She came back, dragging her drip behind her, with a carrier back full of beer and kebabs from the local shops!
I don’t recommend that, but it did put me ay ease. I thought ‘if she can do that on the same day as a mx then I should be OK’ and I was.
You’ll be fine
mal
I went in on the Sunday night and had a WLE on the Monday afternoon, I was ‘let home’ on the Tuesday afternoon as I had no drains. I made sure I had money for the TV thingy over the bed at least I could use the headphones and mask any snoring etc.
Earplugs in case you end up staying on overnight - the ward I was on had a lot going on & I didn’t sleep at all.
As I had a drain, I also found it better to wear my own PJs rather than the hospital gown when I was walking to the loo etc - that way the drain comes out at your waist rather than rucking up the gown.
I also took crocs rather than slippers - on the basis they were easier to clean before & after. Remember you’ll also be wearing those lovely white stockings, so you can’t wear flip-flops.
White stockings? You were lucky - mine were green!
Jane xxx
Nessp, good luck for the 17th.
There’s already loads of good advice posted for you, I would back up the front opening PJs (I got some really cheap ones and chopped off the arms to make taking my BP easier), a dressing gown that covers your backside and the earplugs and biscuits! They put all my stuff, inc mobile phone, in a large carrier bag and sealed it, and it followed me everywhere, I only wore my wedding ring which they taped on my finger, and took a small amount of change, about £5. All the best. Pxxx
Hi Nessp
Lots of good advice already.The only thing I can think of that has not been mentioned is a “carrier bag for the drain” that is if you have one. I asked a similar question beore I went in for my WLE & ANC in December. Luckily I did not have a drain so don’t have first hand experience but several people told me to take a small carrier bag ie gift bag, so that you can put the drain into it making it easier to move around when you need to especially when going to the loo. Constipation has been mentioned - don’t under estimate how rotten that can be. You will probably be given Morphine post operatively and it really can make you very “bunged up”. I was sent home with Codeine tablets to take for pain, a side effect of which is major constipation- (I didn’t need them) so if they give you codeine tablets ask for Movicol as well.
All the best for the 17th - let us know how you go.
Diana
at out unit all WLE go in the morning and go home in the evening regardless of SNB or ANC… the only difference would be if you had another condition which required stabilising the day before eg insulin controlled diabetes or if you werent well enough to go home or didnt have anybody at home that night… your unit should give you an idea of whether an overnight stay is likely.
some folk recover really quickly and sitting up having tea & toast within an hour of being back on the ward other folk feel rubbish and cant face food for hours.
those with drains (generally mastectomy patients) get given a little knitted shoulder bag to carry their drains around in.
also you are likely to pee and sometimes even poo blue following the SNB for a day or so.
good luck with your op… i hope it all goes smoothly.
Lulu x
Hi
I read this thread before going in for an MX last week - still in - day five - waiting for drains to come out. Second one is out today and home this evening - Hurrah!
The list on this thread was really helpful, lots of other women didn’t have ear plugs, or headphones or an eye mask and I found these invaluable. Hospital is quite noisy and I’d have got a lot less sleep without silicon ear plugs and an eye mask. There are a couple of other things I’d add if you’re thinking you may stay in longer. And having met a few women here who didn’t expect to be in so long - not from breast cancer but for other things I’d pack as if you were going to be in for a few days just in case.
-
3 sets of pyjamas in case you’re in for a few days
-
A small towel for drying your face
3 A flannel
- Some crystallised ginger. ( I bought some because I like it anyway and it was the only thing I could eat without being sick for the 24 hrs following op)
5 Some lavender oil - or some other essential oil you like for sprinkling on your pyjamas or pillow. Just to give you a nicer smell around you
6 A pen!
7 Some body lotion for after your shower/bath. to rub on your legs when you get to take the tight socks off once a day.