Hi! I also had problems getting enough specific info which is why I've posted on here to help others. Please bear in mind that I had the mastectomy done seperately a couple of years before the reconstruction. Mastectomy: Whilst in hospital after the mastectomy I just wore the hospital gown as I had leaky drains in for 12 hours. Then they sent me home with no drains and I wore a baggy button-up shirt like this one for about two weeks. It made it easy to change clothes as my armpit was sore where they took a few lymph nodes to check them. The breast area wasn't sore at all. I did get a small seroma but it didn't affect the bra size in any way. I wore the same bra for the mastectomy and for the delayed reconstruction. I had the mastectomy at 8pm and I went home at 10 the next morning. I was up and about pottering at home thereafter although I did watch a lot of tv as I didn't want to hold much more than a cup of tea for the first few days. It got easier every day and I could do more and more. Reconstruction: After the delayed reconstruction this year, day and night, I wore a bra like this full cup sumptuously soft one with padding. I wore my usual size, I didn't have any significant swelling at all. The consultant really liked the shape of the soft light padding which helped to maintain/mould the shape of the new breast whilst it healed. It was very comfortable to sleep in. I'd suggest you buy one bra in your size, one in the next cup size up, and one bra back expander. Then after the op get someone to return the ones you don't need and get a few more in the correct size. On top of the bra, whilst I had drains in for 24 hours in hospital, I wore the hospital gown. Thereafter I wore a sleveless yoga top like this one. Combined with just the cycle shorts it looked like I was alwys on my way to the gym! For cycle shorts I wore expensive power shorts like these for 6 weeks, to compress the scar and to mould the thigh into a decent shape whilst it healed. Well worth the money. I was on the cusp between 2 sizes and so I got the bigger one. The lycra was very strong and it was the right choice. For trousers I wore cotton joggers like these over my cycle shorts. They were very cheap, and quick and easy to wash if the leg wound oozed at all. I had the delayed reconstruction on day one and I went home on day 3. I was up and about immediately but I was told not to sit down for I think 6 weeks unless unavoidable e.g. for the car journey home from hospital. Standing, walking, & stairs were no problem. Getting to sit eg on the loo was very difficult for a week or even two as I was very worried about tearing my stitches out or opening the wound. My legs were very restricted in the amount the skin at the rear would stretch and they took exactly 6 weeks to fully recover. So do expect to eat standing up at the kitchen counter and to be very cautious lowering yourself onto the loo in the early days. Plus you may have read my whinges elsewhere on this site about not being able to reach my feet to put on my socks or cut my toenails. All these recovered well, it just needed patience, plus a bit of care and luck with the wound healing. It's nearly 6 months after my reconstruction now and I am thrilled with the result. My surgeon is going to do a small breast lift on the unoperated breast, then 3 lots of lipo fat transfer over the next few months so the 2 breasts are as identical as possible, and also nipple construction and tattooing. Apparently you usually need 3 lots of lipo as 50% of the fat transfered gets reabsorbed each time. So in maybe a year from now I will have finished all the reconstruction work. I hope this covers everything you wanted to know and do ask if you need any more info. I guess that a double reconstruction will be more demanding on you in the recovery period than a single one and I wish you all the best.
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