Hello all. I am due to have this done within the next week or two no lobes or any other area involved, any others who have had this and how long to get over it. I know this can vary depending on size of area I believe mine is less than 4cm ( think I got that right). As I do most of the daily running of our home from cleaning to decorating and gardening ( husband has heart failure achilles tendonopathy and fibromialgia ) quite worried as to how we will cope if I can’t do it all. We have no family around us or any other support as such being quite isolated really no friends nearby either. We only moved house in August. He is not totally immobile or anything just tires very easily and sometimes can’t cope. Hope I’m not on a waffle again. Best wishes xx
I also had a WLE last sept & a 2nd in November (mainly as area larger than they thought as no lump etc unable to know until samples checked in Path lab.
On a praacticable level; I made sure house was in fit state to leave for the week it took me get over the op. My husband doesn’t have the health issues yours unfortuately has just usless round the house!
The main issue is not really being able to lift anything heavy on the side that was operated on, for me this even came down to the kettle for a couple of days. Hubby managed that part!
He did however rise to the challenge when I flashed my bruising & swelling at him. He cooked all meals; even put washing on (not too much turned pink).
Are you able to make plans that meals are prepared in advance, even for the first few days;as long as your hubby can get to a shop/takeaway if needed I’m sure you will be fine.
For me it was in the preparation to make sure neither myself or hubby needed to do anything much for a week. He got pretty stressed as I’m the one that normally sorts everything. Apart from the odd cold he had never known me to be ill so a bit of shock. Made him realise how much seemed to get done without him realising! He discovered cooking and has done most of the cooking since.
I’m about to start Radiotherapy in March. I’m sure you will recover from your WLE quickly. Within about 2 days I was doing light tasks, only need to remember not to go onto automatic pilot and realise you’ve picked something up that was a bit heavy.
I wish you well
Lynne X
I live on my own so had to do things. I cleaned the house and froze meals before hand and used other hand for the kettle etc. It is surprising how quick you get used to it. Do the exercises often and you will get use of arm back quickly. Good luck.
Duckess, I found the procedure really quick to recover from. I also had Sentinel Node Biopsy where they take one or two nodes from under your arm to test, but you say you’re not having any nodes taken, so you won’t have that to worry about.
The surgery was very straightforward, and I’m very impressed with the scar, which in my case is just around the areola and already it’s faded beautifully.
I didn’t drive for a couple of days, as the anaesthetic takes some time to work its way out of your system so you wouldn’t be insured. I actually stayed in on the day of the op because I’d gone down to theatre quite late in the afternoon, and I just slept for the whole of the following day. I felt well enough to drive on the third day but limited myself to just little journeys until I was sure I felt ok, which I did. Just have to reposition the seatbelt to make sure it wasn’t pressing on the wound. Drink lots and lots, carry a drink bottle around with you, to help flush out the anaesthetic. Drink well beforehand too, to make sure you’re well hydrated and it also helps them to get the anaesthetic cannula in too.
I was very bruised afterwards, and as mine was close to the skin the skin in the area feels a bit numb, but that’s coming back and wasn’t and isn’t a hassle at all.
If you can do a bit of prep before you go in - bucket cookery of chilli, spag bol sauce, the odd pizza or two, that kind of thing - you should be absolutely fine. And who really cares if the hoover doesn’t come out for a week?
Look after yourself, let things slip a bit, but you should be feeling yourself again (well, kind of!) in a very short time.
Good luck
CM
x
Take care xx
Duckess, I got over the one I had a couple of years ago very quickly. You will need to rest quite a lot the first day, just gettin over the anaesthetic, but after that you should start to bounce back. So if the house is reasonably clean and tidy and if you have something that can be heated up or thawed easily for a couple of days, you should be fine. You will probably be in a similar state to your husband for 2-3 days, able to do just a little before needing to rest, but then you will find you can do more and more. Leave heavy housework and gardening until you really feel up to it, it won’t hurt to let things go for a short time. Resting as much as you need will speed your eventual recovery.
(I had no problem lifting a kettle with 2-3 cups’ worth of water, but my DCIS was very small and the incision was on the underside of my breast.)
Best wishes,
Cheryl
Thanks for all your replies and advice. I am lucky in respect that my husband can cook and we do freeze meals if we know we have a lot of appointments comming up. The main thing is being able to make a cuppa ! cheers and thanks again much apprieciated.xxxx
Mary Grace - My wife was similar. 23rd Decemeber WLE/SNB and when we got the results there was not enough clear margin so more needed. The first op involved an overnight, the second was day surgery.
She was uncomfortable for a while after the first op, this second one has had less impact on her.
Paul.
Thankyou so much for all your replies, I was told the operation woud proberbly be this comming Thursday but now it may be the week after. My main fears at the moment are if I have a bad time with anaeshtic. They are doing it under a local to try and cut down the effects if any. Sometimes the fear of how ill I become after meds is worse than anything else, crazy situation. As my husband says maybe at last after seven years of being virtually unable to tolerate most meds they might discover through all this why!. I have previously over the years had c.t, barium enema ultra sound all on the stomache area’s but nothing shows. Blood tests have all been o.k. Just having a rant to myself really. Best wishes to all of you xxx
When it comes to being afraid of medicines, you’re in really good company here, because all of us who have had or who are having chemotherapy have been really scared while waiting. If they know you have trouble tolerating anesthetics and are making plans to deal with that, it’s a good beginning. They won’t send you home until they are sure you are in a stable state and you will be encouraged to drink plenty of water and show that you can keep food down before they send you home. I suggest light meals the first day you are home, with fruit and the like to fill in the gaps, plus those cups of tea.
Cheryl
Hi You are right, they are keeping me in overnight for observation were as it would have been done on a day appointment going home later that same day. It’s been a fear of mine the past years that I would need surgery for something and how would I cope, well that time has come. There are so many on here who’s posts give me strength and lessen the fear. Water does help flush the anaesthic quicker out of the system I believe and as for the tea can never get too much of that. Thanks for your advice much apprieciated and best wishes to you x
xx
I had WLE and to be honest, I felt completely back to normal the day after. I DID have a bad reaction to the anaesthetic but as soon as the sickness had passed I was OK. I didn’t have any muscular problems or pain at all. I was quite amazed by it.
I had more pain a couple of months after than I did at the time of the operation.
Jo
Thanks Jo90 I feel more reasured than I did. Same as you Mary grace I have to have a wire in first. Trying to do my relaxation ( listening to calming visualisation c.d’s ) they help at times I think it depends what sort of mood I am in when I wake up in the mornings as to how effective they are.
Best wishes to you all xx
Some cancer centres offer alternative therapies, and you might find yours offers hypnotherapy. I have heard some reports of it being very useful for pain relief and some of the more sensationalist stories talk about using hypnotherapy for anaesthesia for ops, so it might be worth investigating.
What sort of probs do you have with meds? Is it with specific types? You might be lucky and find that you cope reasonably well if you have others to help, e.g. anti-nausea if you get really sick with them.
Hello ChoccieMuffin. Started to have probs about seven years ago, sort of right across the board from anti-acid to paracetamol. I have had loads of tests over the years but no -one can explain it. Can get a fever, pain in right side , stomache problems, wee probs. Sometimes just one of these sometimes all. Had c.t scans barium ennema and loads of blood tests but all come up blank. One nurse said sometimes people can just become sensitive to things for no apparent reason. Just my luck eh! They are keeping me in overnight so if I do have bad reaction I’ll be in the right place.
Best wishes to you
As a bit of hope, seeing as the anaesthetic is intravenous rather than swallowed you might find that you don’t react too badly to it. Although nausea is a common side-effect of anaesthesia they can give you intravenous anti-nausea stuff that should really help to calm things down.
Certainly just as well you’re staying in overnight, and I’m sure they’ll look after you. Good luck.
Thanks, got my date to-day for procedure it’s the 24th ( next Thurs ) be glad to get it over and done with in one respect, but then again it will be another wait and worry untill my follow up app. I’m told ten days after to find out if it is only as they think. Everyone on here has or is going through the same worries and I should try and concentrate on the one thing at a time, 'stop this brain of mine rattling on '.
Best wishes to you xx
Duckess, we’ve all been there and there’s no magic way to stop worrying. Even keeping busy and keeping your mind occupied only go so far, but you might find that arranging whatever you can with your surgery date in mind makes you feel less helpless about it all.
Cheryl
Thanks so much feel a bit issolated at times ( no friends around or family ) this site is a god-send. Best wishes to you xx