Returning to work after mastectomy

I only had 4 weeks off after my mastectomy, and then went back to work. It would have been only 3 weeks but I had some complications with pain relief. As you say, we're all different, so it's best to check with your breast care nurse, GP or surgeon when you can return.

Hi , glad to hear your LNs were clear and you're through your mastectomy.  I'm still pre-op (so not able to advise from personal experience) but do you work for a large company? If so, your manager may be able to put you in touch with occupational health. They are able to look at the risks specific to your role, and advise on possible adaptations to your work. Even smaller companies sometimes have occup health support so may be worth asking. Good luck xx

Hi , lovely replies already from folk here, thought I’d add my experience. It’s such an individual thing so I’d firstly say, listen to your body and also to your emotions as we’re all different. The nature of your job matters too - you mention heavy lifting which I would think is best avoided for longer than your 4 weeks so far. 
In my case, I thought I’d be off for a couple of weeks after my lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy. But the wound was much bigger than I’d imagined (one incision to access the lump and the nodes, so right down one side). Also my job was very physical (special needs teacher), with a lot of moving and handling of young people with unpredictable behaviour. In the end, I was off for 4 months in total, which covered my radiotherapy and a few weeks after. It was a huge shock to be off so long, I was lucky that my school was very supportive, but I definitely needed that time. 
As you’re not having radiotherapy you may feel ready to go back sooner than I did, but you’ve had a bigger op so do give yourself enough healing time. These are major ops even if done by day surgery. Of course some people actually prefer to get back to the ‘normality’ of work and equally some people wouldn’t get paid so I know that I was very lucky in this respect. 
Wishing you well for your recovery, love and hugs, HFxx 

Can you ask to do less lifting in your job?  If you read the MacMillan info on going back to work it explains that you have some new rights once you are diagnosed with cancer including the right to as for “reasonable adjustment”.  Sadly I’m miles away from being able to go back to work - mid-chemo with RT yet to come and I had all my lymph nodes removed (20 were cancerous) so I’m going to have to have a rethink about my job as there are some things I won’t be able to do it want to do for a long time - heavy lifting is out but I also did a lot of presentations and I don’t feel like me with a prosthesis and a wig… check out the MacMillan advice and chat to your employer.  You could also ask for a staged return where you go back shorter hours or lighter duties for a while.  Before we realised how advanced my cancer was and it looked like I’d be back at work by now the MacMillan nurse did advise me to take time if I could afford to as once you are back if you find it’s too soon you can get a bit “stuck”.  One of my friends did this - she was so keen to get back to normal and was then hit by a wave of unprocessed emotional stuff - another just slipped back in to a desk job with no issues.  You know yourself best, what you can manage, what you need and what you want life to be like now - we’re all different so if you want to, go for it but please take care of yourself with lifting. 

Hi, Maysie123,

I had lumpectomy and sentinel lymph biopsy 5 weeks ago. I’m still due for radiotherapy. I stayed at home for 3 weeks and then returned to my very physical work. My job includes heavy lifting throughout my shifts,

I was worried about it but I really wanted to get back to it since I live on my own and needed to be out and about…

I work in a big company and got a phased back to work, I didn’t lift anything at the first week and a half and only now, around 5 weeks post OP I’m starting to get back to the lifting and regular chores, still not exactly as I used to be but getting stronger every day and feeling more confident.

I agree that it’s a very personal recovery process and there in no right or wrong, I asked the Dr and nurses for advice and only done things once I was sure it’s safe.

Good luck x