At last! I have a date, thursday 11th Been a 6 month wait after chemo. I’m not looking forward to it, but that’s surgery to me in general.
Can I ask for your experiances please? How long does it take. How long did you stay after and the healing process. It would be a great help.
Thanks for reading x
Hi elttiks, I had this as two seperate ops 10 days apart, as I had SNB with the first op that found nodes impacted, so slightly different from you, but I was only a day case for both and in fact only in for an afternoon for the Ax clearance.
In terms of recovery, as you are having both done, I would plan to take it easy for a couple of weeks - I was back to work 48 hours after my first op, but for the ax clearance took a week, and really I wasn’t fit then. You will probably find that there are sensation changes in your arm on the ax clearance side, and stretching/lifting will be difficult at first, so it is important to do the exercises they will give you to help with this. Important to watch for swelling - seromas can be a common problem and should be reported to your surgeon (or bcn if you have one - I haven’t spoken to a bcn since December and we are in the same area) especially if you start to feel unwell or the swelling is hot and red as this may need antibiotics. Hope this helps xx
Hi Elttiks, i agree with all projectwoman says. Mine wasn’t the full clearance,i had WLE & sampling & it was a day case, i did have to stay overnight but that was due to the anaesthetic. My wounds were glued so no stitches or dressing which was great.As they found cancer in the nodes i have to go back monday for a node clearance. I was given a sick note by the hosp for 2 weeks which i took. My underarm was quite sore with 4 nodes so i guess it will be the same if not a bit more for full clearance, it felt numb for a while as well & tender as if it was sunburnt. My BCN gave me a little heart shaped pillow to put under my arm & it was a godsend. You might want to get a comfy sports bra, although i did go braless for the 2 weeks i was at home as i felt that was more comfortable. Be aware of the risks of lymphoedema as well. I’m sure the surgery will go fine for you, good luck Heather x
Thanks Ladies, that helps. Project woman, never once have I spoken to my bcn. She phoned and left a message after dx and I never returned the call. Hjv, i’ve bought a couple of sports bras. Hell like i’m going jogging, but don’t want them jiggling lol. I’ll be packing for an over night visit, tho have been told one day, but you can’t for see and I don’t know what time i’ll have to go in.
My down side is I suffer from anx and have to take betablockers to keep me upright. I was off work for 4 months last year with what they thought were seizures. When they did my MRI to the head, we never knew that bc was sat a few inches away time a bomb. Nothing I can do about that now.
I don’t want this done, but the tumours hurt like hell, and it hurts more now i’ve had a mammo last week. Baby steps eh?
Sounds like I had your surgery 
A wide local excision and axillary dissection (24 nodes out). My lump was at the top so I only had one incision and they did the whole op through that.
It was nowhere near as bad as I expected for starters. Nowhere near.
Operation took about 2 hrs. I was off the ward for about 4.5hrs as I was very sleepy after anaesthetic (I like to think that my kids exhausted me and I took the opportunity for a nap).
Pain was controlled easily with the tablets they gave me. I was surprised how restricted my shoulder was at first but now 8 weeks later it is fine. Totally normal. I can reach for stuff out of cupboards etc. The worse of the pain is the underarm, and the actual scar bit.
I went home the following morning with my drain still in. Then went back and had the drain out 72 hrs later. That didn’t hurt at all.
I started lifting my children again 2 weeks later, and do most things now. I am getting some lymphoedema though, so maybe I went too fast, but with young kids I kind of had too really.
I was frightened of the surgery as well - chemo becomes a comfort zone doesn’t it?! But TBH life post surgery and chemo free is actually far better - once it is done you cam kind of relax a bit.
Wishing you lots and lots of luck xxx.
Thanks Manny :o)
Taking everything on board x
Hi,
I had my op (LWE and Ax clearance) on 4th Aug in Gloucester Royal. I live alone, so had to stay overnight, but that was not as bad as I thought it would be. I felt fairly good from day 1, with a lot more movement in my left arm than expected. 4 days on and the scars are healing nicely, although the one under my arm is the sorest.
I bought myself some new bras that could hold a prosthesis before going into surgery. All my underwired ones have been chucked away. I started wearing these new bras before my op and found them so comfortable.
This is my first treatment, so now I wait to be called back to see what happens next.
I hope it all goes well for you.
Hi Elttiks, i had my 2nd op for ANC clearance today, thanks to a wonderful anaesthetist i managed to come home this afternoon. Usually im sick as a dog! As u can see i’m well enough to be on the computer but will keep my posts to a minimum so i don’t exert my arm. I think it depends on where the tumour is as to whether u have the clearance done through the same incision as the breast op. My lump was underneath my boob so quite far away from my underarm so i have to have an incision there. it is quite sore but controlled well with painkillers. All in all i feel ok at the mo. Good luck with ur op on thurs, be thinking of u, love Heather x
turl1. I too am at GRH on Friday. Never been there for treatment before, so this is new to me. I’m normally at Chelt, but need ultrasound in theatre. My surgeon is Miss V, well she was intil yesterday. She’s had an accident over the weekend and needs surgery, so will be a day behind with Mrs F on friday.
hjv123. My breast lump is on the top of my boob, above my bra, so it’s planned that they go into the nipple and tunnel to it, hense the ultrasound.
All sounds jolly doesn’t it? :o/
Hi just to say you will be in safe hands with Mrs F. Good luck for Friday x
Thank you :o)