Mastectomy recovery time- how much time off work?

Hi, I had my mastectomy in 9th February  this year I had my  drain in for 11 days so District Nurse came every day to empty the drain I think it took about 2 month to get over it you are best to ask the staff when you can go back to work

Hello, I had a right side mastectomy on 2nd Feb & 5 lymph nodes removed. I have returned to work now after 10 wks off. I partly work from home and busy office. I took 8wks off and then added 2. I also started on Letrozole. 

I think I lay around for two weeks recovering from surgery and getting used to the whole thing. Then I wanted to make sure when I went back I was not going to need any more time off. 

I still can't straighten my right arm and have tightness with scar tissue.  Hard doing house work, dishes. I've just started back to yoga! Moving forward it's all good.  Wish you all the best with it x

I had a mastectomy with reconstruction at the end of September 2020 and went back to work in early January 2021 (so about 12 weeks) It might only take a few weeks to recover physically, but it can take it’s toll mentally. 

Even after taking 12weeks off, I had a delayed reaction and had panic attacks which I had therapy for.  From diagnoses to operation and recovery I just went with the flow and thought I’d coped really well but it hit me quite a few months afterwards, so just take it steady and don’t rush back. 

I had a mastectomy and axillary clearance, no drain, in December. I was recommended to expect to have 6 weeks off. The hospital did my fit note for my employer. I did use all of the  time.

My manager has been great and I can work from home. I felt ready to go back to work at 6 weeks. At the time I did think I could have gone back a bit sooner. But it was a blessing as I was only back at work for 3 days and then my chemo started. So I was well rested before having to tackle side effects of chemo.

I spent a few weeks recovering not doing too much which coincided with the Christmas period. But then took the opportunity to see friends which was good therapy. Then in the final few weeks I did more around the house and walking to build up my fitness prior to chemo.  It was nice to get the post op appointments done without having worrying about fitting it around work. 

But what I have learnt is that everyone is different and will have a different experience. You must do what is right for you. This will depend on how you heal and feel, what treatment you are having after, etc. 

Hi thanks it's good to hear everyone's different. I'm working on a really important project so don't want to miss too much. My manager has been great and offered to move me but I'm stubborn and don't want to move.my aim is 2 weeks off then half days for a week or so then back. I wfh and can work with camera off.ill need to play it by ear

Sounds like a good plan. I only had a lumpectomy and work from home. I had a full week off after then did a month of half days. But my manager has been incredible and I'm in charge of what I work. I have slowly increased my hours over the four days I work and during chemo I have worked 21 hours a week at the most. Had a few days sick due to side effects but nothing major.

Hi, I booked 5 weeks off (surgeon recommended 5-6) but honestly I could have been back after 2 weeks. I only had a lumpectomy but if your team is supportive and flexible then playing it by ear works well.  Driving could be a challenge, but if you work from home it's a lot easier.  Best wishes 

Hi, you will need to listen to your body, to be honest, and be kind to yourself.

I had an mx with implant (complications led to a repeat op 30 hours later.) I had 2 drains, which proved a bit of a bind when moving about. One stayed till 15 days post op. 

A general anaesthetic can take 3 weeks to fully leave your system, though I usually feel shaky just for a week. 

Hugs xxx

Hi, I recently had a double mastectomy without recon and took 2 weeks off work. My surgeon was happy to give me 4-6 weeks, but I also wfh, am self employed and enjoy what I do. I told my clients about my operation and they were all very understanding and didn't pile on too much pressure in the first few weeks. I maximised my 2 weeks by enjoying lots of walks, fresh air and relaxation and then I was rebooted and ready to work again after 2 weeks. I would have three tips if you go back after 2 weeks:

1) Make sure you take breaks during the day to stretch and do the exercises you need to to regain your range of mobility as instructed by your medical team

2) If you have someone who can help around the house I found it very useful. That way, I had time to focus on what I needed to do and my mum was on hand to keep on top of the cleaning, dishes etc, which I was told to avoid for a few weeks.

3) Have a plan b in place in case you're not feeling up to going back to work so you don't feel too much stress or pressure -  you never know how you might feel or if any other issues could arise after your op. The last thing you want is to feel like you have to work when you're not ready. 

A lot of it depends on the person, what you do, etc. I was happy working and felt good in myself, and I also prioritised getting good sleep and an excellent diet to aid my healing. Always remember that your health is so much more important than anything else and hopefully you'll be fine.

Wishing you the best of luck with everything!