Mastectomy Fatigue

Hi. Hope your op went well.

Different situation, but I'm 5 weeks post a bilateral mastectomy. I was like your first one initially...good energy levels and pretty perky, albeit with decreased hunger levels. But this last couple of weeks, I'm just so tired; can't seem to get going at all.

I wonder if this is just your body dealing with it differently this time?

The advice I've had is to listen to my body, to not fight it and just to go with it as healing takes time and goes through different stages; it's still early days after your surgery if only last weekend.

Hopefully you'll feel brighter soon x

Hi NickW,

So sorry to hear that you had to go through that and thank you for your reply. Knowing that you're 5 weeks down the line and feeling a bit like me does make me think it's still early days. I will listen to your advice and hope it works for us both. 

Take care and good luck with everything x

Hi, sorry to hear this. I had a second mastectomy about 18 months after the first one, and like you, my experiences of each were very different. I’d been on 5 months of chemo prior to the first mastectomy and yet I was so glad to be getting out, doing all my exercises etc. The second time I didn’t have chemo (it was healthy tissue) but ended up having 11 weeks off work. I do remember being so overwhelmingly relieved to have my diseased breast removed, and maybe this had something to do with it. Don’t get me wrong, I wanted the second breast removed, but I guess that psychologically there was a difference as I had been so ill with chemo the first time round. I think that physically it was just as bad for the first mastectomy, but psychologically I was in a different place then, and that overrode the tiredness and post- operative blues. Xx 

Hello and sorry that you don’t have pep in your step yet.  Mastectomy is a big surgery and every surgery is different. You are still not even a full week postoperative so don’t be hard on yourself.  Also you are 4 years older too and that can make some difference too.  For now just do what you can and if you are too Tito go outside for a walk you can walk inside and get up and do that as often as you can.  Take care and hope you feel stronger soon.  Hugs to you.

Hi Barbara,

Thanks for your kind and reassuring words. They have helped a great deal x

Hi Cloudier,

Thanks for your reply and sorry to hear you've been through two mastectomies too. Your words have helped and made me realise that everyone is different and every situation is different.  I need to just accept that it will take as long as it takes . Good luck x