Tips and advice for mastectomy

Hi, I had a single mastectomy last week. I also have a full on 2 year old! It was my biggest worry that I couldn’t look after him afterwards, but I’ve done better than I thought. With regular paracetamol I can still play with him etc. Just adapted things like where I sit for his bedtime to hold his hand still (his rules!). One great think I bought was a bag to carry the drain as will have it at home for at least a week. They kept asking me in hospital where it was from and how I knew to get one!  Look up Drain Dollies on Instagram/google. Nice patterns too! 
Apart from that- extra long phone charger so it reaches your bed, face/body wipes & lip balm, eye mask for sleeping with all the lights/windows would be my tips! 
good luck- we’ll get there! X 

Hi Ksh, that’s so good to hear. I would love it if I could still do the bedtime story etc. I’m going to look the bags up now because I’ll be coming home with a drain too. Thanks for the tips. I hope you make a speedy recovery, sounds like you’re doing great xx

I am having a single mastectomy on 24th june so not long after you. Been told I will not be coming home with a drain  it's good to read everyone's comments x 

It’s comforting reading other people’s experiences isn’t it. Makes you feel less alone! I will post here how I get on. Good luck for the 24th xx

I had a right side mx 15 months ago and it was no where near as bad as I thought it would be. I choose not to have reconstruction too. I have one large breast and one flat now but no one would know as the prosthesis is amazing. I can wear vest tops, as long as they are not low cut obviously. Sometimes I wear my softie still if I feel like it.

My tips:-

Drink plenty of water

Make sure you do the exercises they give you EVERY day

Drink Yakult everyday, helps with the healing according to my consultant.  I still drink it now too.

Rest and do not do any lifting even THE KETTLE,  for a few weeks.

I had a seroma but it soon settled down.  I was in hospital overnight at the height of Covid and came out within 24 hours WITHOUT a drain as there wasn't much in the drainage bottle overnight. I was told I would have the drain in for a few days.

I was sick during the night but think that was due to the anesthetic and felt much better afterwards.

I had these contraptions on my legs to stop blood clots which kept me awake most of the night. They kept tightening up every couple of minutes  like a blood pressure machine. But they put my mind at rest tbh.

Never really had any pain, only took.painkillers for a couple of days.  Felt like sunburn at the side of body possibly due to lymph node removal.

Used the little v shaped cushion whilst sleeping. The hospital gave me a little goody bag.

Hope this helps.

Just rest and get over your operation. Keep positive and think the cancer will be gone once your operation is over

Don't think of it as loosing a breast but being cleared of cancer.

Good luck in your journey.

Regards

BoobyJ

Hi BoobyJ. Thanks for this. I’m glad your mastectomy went well. I had my pre op a few days ago and feel a lot better about it. Got lots of good tips. They also gave me lots of things! I got my softie, my post op bra, a heart shaped pillow, a drain bag, a care package. So I feel all set! They also doubled everything up so my 2 year old daughter has her own drain bag, pillow etc which I think is amazing! That’s a great way of looking at it, hopefully on Wednesday I’ll be cancer free. Thanks for all the tips. Take care xx

Wishing you well B32, it’s so useful hearing from ladies who have already had a mastectomy, I was to have mine 30th June, now 7 July, ... some very useful information on this thread x

Thank you. So much useful information isn’t there. The ladies who have commented have been so helpful! I will pop a message in the thread about how I get on incase I have any tips. Good luck for the 7th July! I felt so alone when I was diagnosed but not now. So many amazing women xx 

Will be thinking of you Wednesday. 

Good luck. X

Booby J

Hi I see you have had your operation today and I hope you are recovering well. I had mine two weeks ago and went home the same day. Not much pain and am now recovering well. I put a bit of Savlon on the sore bits after the dressings had been removed and it made i more comfortable. Good luck. xx