Hot Flushes after mastectomy

Hi Leesa

It's very early days isn't it, is it all healing up nicely ?

Have you been doing some gentle arm exercises?

I'm sure plenty of the others will chip in with general advice so I'm going to suggest getting a bit more mobile.

I had a problem with seroma and to me it felt like when you put a sweet in your mouth, Starburst?, they make your mouth water. My implant felt like my body was sending fluid to try and flush it out.

Sweating is the bodies way of flushing out stuff and at the moment I think this is the primary cause.

I found the arm exercises and a brisk walk did eventually help my fluid issue settle down, so, armed with a 500 ml bottle of water take a brisk walk to a nice green space and stretch those arms. Don't go mad, just 10 shoulder shrugs, 10 shoulder rolls, 10 arms out in front and back, 10 out to side and then 10 big circles if you can manage it. Brisk walk back and more water.

Cup of tea and relax 

Repeat every day for a week and see if that helps. Two weeks ought to sort it out.

After that it will be worth looking at hormonal imbalances that cause the usual menopause hot flush symptoms. I had a few hot flushes during chemo but that's stopped now and my last period was nearly two years ago, I'm hopeful that's it. Although I'd have happily taken a few hot flushes over breast cancer

Carolyn

X

Thanks Carolyn, I will try anything in the hope that it works! I have been doing the exercises the physio gave me, this has helped massively with stiffness in my shoulder and neck, as well as keeping good movement in my arms.... But just feel something isn't right.

The hot flushes are ruthless, and to a point I can cope with them, but feel I have more pain/flushes in my left breast than any where else if that makes sense. Just feels different?! More concentrated to that area. 

It is early days, and after being discharged was told to ring if I had any problems, but felt that when I did I was made to feel like a 'worry worm' and was dismissed until my follow up appointment in 10days time. 

Guess my feelings from knowing my own body is  that something is wrong. But being told that 'it's just a side effect and you can't expect anything else' was left feeling pretty stupid (and in pain/flushing) for even ringing.

I maybe worrying for nothing, but it's my worry and real to me and feel hopeless.

Thankyou for the advice on the exercises, and will definitely try them

Leesa xx

Hi Leesa

Anaesthetics are known to interfere with hormone levels. Women come off worse than men after surgery. Flushes happened to me post surgery. Flushes in women are typically connected to hormone levels. I didn't have a mx so didn't have any real pain after the WLE So can't comment on your pain levels. 

I think we tend to feel stupid asking questions. I don't think professionals think we are stupid at all for asking. Anybody working in healthcare does so to preserve life so never feel or be made to feel stupid. Its perfectly OK to question a healthcare professional to understand more about the reasons why they are saying flushes are normal Or anything else. 

Im hoping by my experience of flushes post surgery you feel more at ease. Mine stopped, and never returned. 

Hang on in there.

Julia X 

Hi Leesa,

It's worth mentioning to one of your healthcare professionals to be on the safe side. It probably isn't this but if it's worse on one side and more located rather than your whole body they need to rule out infection or some other surgical complication. It's probably not, but better to be safe than sorry,

Love Lucy

Hi,  I agree with others    

Yes do trust your instincts 

I only had single mastectomy but pain should diminish gradually

Do you have a temperature at all ? 

Have you had any follow up yet ? I thought a two week check up was standard. 

Does any part of either breast feel hot ?

The help lines are open unti 8 or you mught just be able to squeeze a call in to your breast unit before the weekend .

telephone

0808 808 00 00

I had to have a couple of rounds of antibiotics after fluid was drained 

Chat later

Carolyn

Unknown said:

Hi Leesa

Anaesthetics are known to interfere with hormone levels. Women come off worse than men after surgery. Flushes happened to me post surgery. Flushes in women are typically connected to hormone levels. I didn't have a mx so didn't have any real pain after the WLE So can't comment on your pain levels. 

I think we tend to feel stupid asking questions. I don't think professionals think we are stupid at all for asking. Anybody working in healthcare does so to preserve life so never feel or be made to feel stupid. Its perfectly OK to question a healthcare professional to understand more about the reasons why they are saying flushes are normal Or anything else. 

Im hoping by my experience of flushes post surgery you feel more at ease. Mine stopped, and never returned. 

Hang on in there.

Julia X 

Thanks Carolyn. I did phone the breast unit, and they told me there is nothing to worry about and any concerns will be addressed with my consultant at follow up. That leaves me another 10days to wait, and so was worried that if was something, it will gradually get worse. If it does, I think I will just take myself down there. Better to be safe than sorry. I don't have a temperature, and both breasts don't feel hot. Just my left feels 'strange' and seems more swollen than the other and feels to me like this is due to fluid. I did have a course of iv antibiotics before drains were removed, to catch any infection, and sound silly as my flushes are all over, but also feels very concentrated to my left breast.

Will keep an eye on how things are and make another call to the breast unit if no changes.

Leesa xx

I will do just that Lucy. Just felt like I was dismissed for being a worry wart when I did, but know myself there is something xx

Leesa

Hi LeesaW, 

I'm 10 weeks post mastectomy & reconstruction& I know how you feel! I thought I'd got over menopausal flushes, but since surgery the flushes have returned with  a vengeance! I've had an infection & lots of fluid build up where it feels like flu & the breast was hot & inflamed. However this is a different thing from the flushes. If you have an infection it will soon become apparent - I ended up in A& E then a course of strong antibiotics. The hot flushes, are like someone else said in this thread, part of the healing process. Your body is working hard to heal itself & that takes energy which produces heat. I use a hand held fan & try to wear thin cotton layers, sleep with the window open & have cool showers. Avoiding coffee & very spicy food  works too. 

2 weeks post op is very early days & your body doesn't know what's hit it! I struggled to realise that I couldn't do all the things I did before & had no idea what taking it easy meant! 

Do the exercises, a gentle walk every day & drink plenty of water. Most of all 

relax & give yourself time to heal. 

Best wishes Sharon xx

Hi Sharon, I think you are right and think I'm worrying due to frustrations of not being able to do anything! My body is still in shock, not to mention me. I've realised I don't make a very good patient! I will take the advice of clothing and walks and hopefully as my body repairs itself the flushes will subside! Fingers crossed. If you don't mind me asking, did you reconstruction entail any further day surgery for 'fillers'? I am due to go back in next month to have fat taken from my thighs and filled around my reconstructed breasts and have yet to find anyone who has had this done. 

Leesa xx