Mastectomy scar

I am having a Mastectomy 24th August...plus auxiliary node clearance.... Did u have auxillary node clearance too ? I am glad u only had drain in only 3 days.. As for the scar...I will want to get air to the area for healing purposes.. asap...but don't know the protocol .I will have the same scenario,but the sooner I except  my scar and I guess look at it,I can move forward...Mentally...I wanna get back to exercise and swimming too...

Hi,

I must admit I was in tears first time I looked, I’m having a delayed reconstruction due to Covid and I didn’t have a dressing on just steristrip, I could only see myself as mutilated, I also had a bit of seroma so that didn’t help. My op was just over 4 weeks ago and I’m fine with it now, in fact I think the scar is pretty neat. I think your brain and body needs to remap itself to the new you, after the first time I looked I sort of half looked whenever I was undressed and after a couple of days I was used to seeing it. Did you have reconstruction? 

Thanks all for responding. I had my sentinels nodes removed. Luckily I haven’t had much pain so not really had to take painkillers.   Originally they told me they wouldn’t be putting a dressing on but when I woke up I noticed they had put one on. I know I have to start getting used to it but every time I think I will have a look I get scared and change my mind. I didn’t have a reconstruction and I advised my consultant that I wasn’t sure whether I would want one, they advised that I due to Covid reconstruction wouldn’t be an option but if I can’t to have it at a later date I can do. I had internal stitches and then they used glue. How long did it take you to get your full movement back in your arm? 

Hi, I pretty much have full movement now but I didn’t have any lymph nodes removed at my mastectomy, I did at my first op and felt my arm was a lot tighter after than one. I had a lumpectomy in May, then another one to clear margins in June and finally the mastectomy last month. I have been good at doing the stretches and haven’t found it too bad to get my arm loosened up. The feeling has mostly returned too, I still a bit numb around my armpit but otherwise feel pretty much back to normal. It sounds like you had the same as me with stitches and glue and as I said I think the scar is very neat. Maybe just sneak up on it like I did or you might find if you just look it’s not as bad as you are imagining. Once you do look you will find you get used to it pretty quickly, I honestly thought I wouldn’t after that first look but it’s just part of me now. Let me know how you get on.

Hi

I had mx mid Feb followed by ANC mid March, I didn't have a challenge looking at it but found touching it quite uncomfortable in terms of not being a 'nice' sensation. My scar is luckily very tidy which probably helps.  Like my touching the scar I am sure you'll get used to looking, and bear in mind you still need to familiarise yourself with the area to ensure there's nothing that needs reporting to your support team.

Good luck

Hi All, thanks for your support and it’s reassuring to know that it does get easier. I know it’s going to be hard first seeing it but I think overtime like you said it will just be a part of me. The longer I leave it the harder it will be so just need to face it head on. I’m slowly getting the movement back in my arm but my chest area is really tight so it causes discomfort. It’s only half way through week 2 so I guess I shouldn’t be so hard on myself but I just want to be able to go back to as much normality as possible. I think tomorrow will be the day I remove the dressing. Will let you know how I get on. Thank you all for your advise and sharing your experience, it is so much easier discussing with others that have been through it. Did any of you have to have further treatment after your mastectomy? 

Hi again

I had further treatment as needed an ANC after sentinel nodes came back positive after mx and then radiotherapy.  I am hoping to have a DIEP reconstruction when I am able to (these have been held up by the blasted lurgi!).

Sam

Hi Yorkshire_defector,  they haven’t advised yet whether I will need any further treatment but during my first appointment my consultant advised that I should work on the basis that I would need chemo, radiotherapy and hormone therapy and if I didn’t need to have the treatment then it would be a bonus. I’m hoping I find out soon so I am able to plan and get organised. How long following your mastectomy did it take you to regain full movement in your arm? It will be 2 weeks on Monday and I struggle with the advanced exercises. Am I just expecting to much this early or should I be concerned? 

Hi, I’m waiting for the results of the Oncotype test at the moment to see if I should have chemo, I had thought it was just going to be hormone therapy and radiotherapy but they really like throwing me a curveball just when I think I can see the finish line in sight, I really hate the horrible limbo of waiting for results. Like Yorkshire_defector I am hoping for the DIEP reconstruction, if I have to wait for a year it might as well be for the best! 
As long as you keep doing the stretches it does get easier day by day, my chest was quite tight too, I think because I had some Seroma but that is going away now. I am still careful with that side, as in reaching and lifting, I was told it would take about 6 to 8 weeks to fully recover. 

Hi, so I finally removed my dressing today and looked at my scar. The scar was bigger then I expected but all seems to be healing well. I thought I would get emotional seeing it but I was ok. The only thought that kept coming to my head was I am just glad the cancer has been removed. I think at some point it will probably upset me but just going to take each day as it comes. Yeh I agree the waiting for the results and being in limbo is hard because you just want to be able to move forward.