I had a SNB and lumpectomy on Friday 26 March, and came home yesterday. I was told the breast nurse would call me about going to see her today to get some exercises from her, but she didn’t call. Will give her until early tomorrow morning then I’ll give her a ring - but when am I supposed to start exercising? My arm is really stiff and weak - I can’t hold a cup of tea with it, so should I try some myself before I see her? Don’t want to do the wrong thing and risk opening stitches or anything but I don’t want it seizing up.
You are supposed to start exercises straight away! I wasn’t allowed to go home til I’d seen the physio and had the exercise booklet. I would advise you chase them up!
I was the same.Saw the physio before op and was given two sheets of exercises.One to do 5 times a day with drains in,which I was told to start the day after the op .The other I had to do 3 times a day after drains were out(involved raising arms above shoulder level)
Me too. The physio came to the ward the day after my op and had me doing exercises before she left. The longer you leave it the harder and more painful it will be. Stupidly I learned the hard way when I was lax about doing them after I left hospital. Do chase them up.
Start NOW. The longer you leave it the harder it gets. You can download the exercise chart from this site. Easy peasy. But do get on with it. Helps so much later.
I’m another who saw the physio and was started on the exercises the day after my op. I was given both the hospital exercise sheet and the Breast Cancer Care one.
I never saw a physio at all and was just given the sheet of exercises to do. I started them straight away and have had no problems & that was nearly 2 years ago.
Hi, I had mx and ld flap recon with node clearance, 6 hours of surgery on Monday 15th Feb, started with exercises the day after, small movements first, followed the BCC instruction sheet, my advice, little bit as often as you can manage and increase gradually. Not had any physio. Hope this helps,rgs,xxxTina