Got my op date

Hiya,

 I don't think you should consider going to work the next day. It is possible you will be on strong painkillers - the ones I took made me feel very sleepy. I did have a full mx not a partial one though. 

Personally I would suggest booking off 1-2 weeks if you can. Be kind to yourself.

Cwtches,

Gay xxx

Hi , great you have your date, I definitely felt better to have sometinging started. Re time off... every one is different so you may get lots of conflicting stories but in my case (lumpectomy and node sampling) I was signed off by the hospital for 2 weeks to start with. The wound was much bigger than for a previous lumpectomy, I think because the surgeon used the same excision for the beast removal and the node sampling. And previoulsy I just had a fibroadenaoma removed whereas this time I also had a wide local excision, to leave a margin round the beast. After the 2 weeks I did not feel remotely ready to go back (physical job with a lot of moving and handling) so GP signed me off for further month. Longer story involved waiting for radiotherapy but won't go into that now.

BUT other ladies here have had much less time off so I may not be at all typical. It will really come down to how you feel (and you must listen to your body and put yourself first) and also to the nature of your job.

Sorry it's so much sooner than expected, I'm sure otheres will soon pop in with their experieinces so you get a broader picture of what lies ahead. I'll just add that the op was straightforward, I enjoyed the anaesthetic and I didn't have much pain at all!

Love and hugs, HFxx

i had a mastectomy in April, i would say give yourself time to recover. I had a full mastectomy and left the hospital with a drain still fitted which wasn't removed until 2 weeks after my surgery. You may not have a drain if you are having a partial mastectomy but something to consider. 

Maybe ring your breast care nurse and ask them about recovery time and going back to work. I was told i couldn't lift anything for at least the first 3 weeks, you also have to be careful with any wounds you have. But like i said mine was a full mastectomy with immediate reconstruction so different to your op.

Please look after yourself though and make time to rest. 

You'll also still be under the effects of the anasthetic, and your arm will be stiff and sore.... and there's the drain bottle(s)!!

Hi

think you might be being a bit optimistic about returning the day after but if it helps to judge I had a lumpectomy with reshaping of boob, (almost a therapeutic mastectomy but not quite) and sentinel node lymph biopsy on may 22nd, had to stay in overnight as it turned out to be a longer op plus I was v nauseous from the anaesthetic. I was back driving on the 26th and at work on the 28th. 

Depending on what you do, how you get there and how long you’re there I’d probably give yourself a good 5-10 days 

good luck with everything xxx

Hi, 

I had a lumpectomy and sentinel node removed. I was in hospital as a day patient.  It will depend on the position and size of the tumour whether you need a drain. I didn't need one and as a result I didn't need a nurse to do the dressings. My husband did the anticoagulant injections. If you have dye for the node removal, your wee will be blue and sometimes areas of skin. If your job involves lots of arm movement... ....keyboard skills, lifting, writing,.....you might find your arm is a bit painful and stiff. You will be expected to exercise it with simple movements but not overdo it. The painkillers can be strong and you may notice it as they wear off.

Personally, I couldn't have worked for a few days but I didn't feel particularly unwell after the op. My lumpectomy began my treatment. I didn't even know I would need chemo until after the tumour had been analysed so for the two weeks in between the op and the surgeon 's review life was quite calm. I probably could have worked after a few days but I was already retired so it wasn't a question I had to answer. 

Hope that helps a bit......I know a lumpectomy is very different to a mastectomy.  I hope yours goes  well next Wednesday but I'm sure it will. I was advised to take front fastening pj's and a soft bra. I got a front opening cotton one which was very soft....no wires or lace....and I still find it useful to wear on check up days. ( especially winter appointments as it means I don't have to totally undress).My surgeon also recommended wearing the bra 24/7 but I know those instructions vary from area to area. I don't know how much the bra helped keep me in shape but my surgeon did the neatest  job. I have a good balanced shape with tiny scars.

Cyber hugs.

Love Karen

I really believe you need to have a bit of a think.

Just because they send you home the same day doesn't mean this is a minor surgery. It can take a couple of days to get over the general anesthetic alone.

You need to take care of yourself. If you do too much you risk a whole range of complications. 

The guidelines are returning to work after two to three weeks. And then it depends on your job.

Please take care.

Hi

My experience:

My surgeon said I couldn't go anywhere for at least a week because of the high risk of infection. My onco said I should wait until I got cleared at my post-op check up (2 weeks after my op). My boss said I couldn't go back to work until I got a sick note from my GP. Everyone else said I should take all the time I needed. I had 5 weeks off in the end but only cos my work was shut for Christmas & New Year and my GP was away on holibobs - alright for some! Incidentally, I wasn't due to have my op until Jan but it was brought forward 2 months cos the cancer was so aggressive.

3 weeks after my last chemo I had full mx & node clearance on my right side by day surgery - no drains were necessary. The next day I felt like I hadn't just had major surgery and wanted to go back to work. I didn't because my immune system was still very low from the chemo and I couldn't risk ending up in hospital with an infection. However, I got severe cabin fever and after 7 days of being constantly pestered by my over-caring son (which incidentally stopped after that first week!), I was either going to kill someone or escape back into the real world! After getting cleared by my onco, I went into work pretty much every day and annoyed them until I got bored or my boss told me to leave, which ever came first. The 3rd & 4th week I spent walking around London almost daily. On Christmas Day, fatigue hit me like a freight train so that was fun! 8 months on, fatigue comes and goes, so I just take it one day at a time.

Initially I was worried about taking too much time off work (I was on a zero hours contract so no work meant no pay) but then I realised that if I'd gone back too soon, I may have ended getting sick maybe even having to be hospitalised, therefore needing even more time off.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, everyone reacts differently so there's no way of knowing how long it will take you to recover. All I can suggest is that you listen to your body and take all the time you need to heal.