Recovery of Mastectomy

Health encyclopaedia - Alphabetical Topic List

| A |

| B |

| C |

| D |

| E |

| F |

| G |

| H |

| I |

| J |

| K |

| L |

| M |

| N |

| O |

| P |

| Q |

| R |

| S |

| T |

| U |

| V |

| W |

| X |

| Y |

When you wake up after the operation, you are likely to feel very sore, but this pain can be controlled with painkillers. It is very important to tell your doctor or nurse when you are in pain, as they can adapt your medication accordingly. This is essential to your recovery after the surgery.

You will also have some tubes in place and it can help to know in advance why they are there. You may have a drip in your arm so that you can be given essential fluids until you are able to eat and drink again. You may also have one or more drainage tubes coming from the wound site (the area of your body that was operated on). These tubes drain blood and tissue fluid from the wound, to prevent them collecting and causing swelling or infection.

Your stay in hospital will depend upon the extent of your surgery, but it is normally between three and five days. Before you leave the hospital your specialist or nurse will talk to you about what to do when you get home. You are likely to need a lot of rest, although gentle exercises are recommended to relieve pain and stiffness, and to encourage healthy circulation in the area that has been operated on.

Your specialist or nurse will also discuss with you suitable bras and prostheses (bra inserts) if you have not had breast reconstruction. If this is the case you will be provided with a lightweight artificial breast shape (a cumfie) that you can put inside your bra. They will also be able to tell you how to look after your scar. If you want to know what your scar is going to look like after your surgery your specialist may be able to show you some photographs.

Recovering from a mastectomy can be an emotional time. Some people find it helpful to talk to others who have been through the operation, both before and after the mastectomy. You can get information about how to get in touch with others who have had a mastectomy, from organisations such as CancerBACUP (see Selected links) and from specialist breast cancer care nurses.