Double Mastectomy 4 months on

[Leonie68]

Hi Lorraine,

I was wondering how you have healed after your bilateral mastectomy and implant reconstruction.

Have you got used to the implants and how they feel?

Has the feeling of tightness round your chest gone?

Have you any sensation or is it numb as BCN warned me.

Any advice would be appreciated and hope all you ladies have found some relief from the tightness.

[Lorraine H]

This is my first post too.

I had a double mastectomy on 9th September 2018, sentinel node removal on right and reconstruction with Braxon implants.

I still have some swelling and numbness to the right but keeping up with the physio therapy exercises helps.

Getting comfortable in bed is a problem as I like to sleep on my side and worry about damaging my new boobs, or them moving! 

[Eagle]

First Post so bare with me. Its ten weeks since my double mastectomy and left lymph removal. I too get confused. I still have fluid to my right side, hospital reluctant to remove it. Numbness to upper left arm and armpit, it feels swollen when I touch it but I'm told it's not. Down to nerve damage they say and could take many months to ease and may not fully recover.
I still can't Ware a bra and I'm taking Gabapentin to ease nerve pain. Saw my consultant yesterday, she said it will be months before all this settles. Still fi d it uncomfortable in bed depending on nerve pain. I didn't think it would take this long but when you think what the surgery involves I need to learn to be patient I guess. Don't know if this is of any use at all but I wish you a full recovery

[Charys]

Hiyer lallottier,

Sorry you've had no replies. I am just bumping this back up for you, and hoping someone sees it who can help. It might also be worth posting in the 'ask the nurses section'.

[lalalottier]

Hey, so I am 4 months on from a bmx. No recon. I had radio to one side. I Holy Spirit regular seromas that we’re reguarly drained. Each time I was drained the area would go concave rather than flat if that makes sense. Also when full, it would wobble like jelly. 

Now thoigh its flat a ross my chest, feels firm and maybe swollen? I can’t work out if it’s the bmx settling finally, or if it is actually swollen or not. A friend said if feels like normal flesh now. The skin isn’t warm or red. The dog ears hurt sometimes when lying on my side but that’s calming down. No swelling Anywhere else. The area feels numb too. So it’s hard to tell if it actually swollen or just normal ? I wouldn’t say the area is puffy looking. 

I text my surgeon and she’s going to check it this weekend. What are your thoughts? Worried about lymphedema....