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mastectomy/reconstruction - How painful is this?

Posted: Feb 24, 2010

I'll be having a mastectomy with an immediate reconstruction soon. Can anybody tell me how much pain I can expect? I was back to work after my TVH in 3 days with almost no pain whatsoever, so I generally bounce back fast, and I'm young (42). Of course I can ask the surgeon when I see him again, but if anybody can fill me in in the meantime, that would be great. I want to be mentally prepared.

;

Here's my story...it's long, but even I find it amusing. lol - Tired&CrankyMT

[ In Reply To ..]

JSFI was my motto throughout my ordealâ�¦"Just Sayâ�¦" I think you can figure out the rest. With that in mind, here's my mastectomy/reconstruction story:

I woke from surgery to find myself in the recovery room with my specialist telling me "margins are clear, we got it all." My reply to her was a very groggy...Get away from me, you're the last person I want to see. Lol Sorry doc, it was the anesthesia.

In recovery, I was fine both mentally and physically, wasn't thinking about the surgery I had just undergone. I was sitting up in bed, little to no pain, just lots of uncomfortable hot flashes. A nurse took my vitals and was soothing me by icing down my ankles and wrists. Ahhâ�¦what relief. I love you nursey, muahs, thank you, thank you, thank you. I was talking and laughing with that nurse. She got me a little bucket of ice water so I could dip my hand in the cold water and cool off on my own while she helped other patients. The hot flashes from the anesthesia were icky.

Then along came "Nurse Ratchett," who decided to invade my peace. Seeing my fingers dancing in the ice water on the side table, she quickly snatched it away while yelling at me, treating me like a child, telling me I can't have it for whatever stupid reasoning she came up with. I asked her for my ice back and she said no. I'm awake 5-10-15 minutes and already I'm being aggravated??? Whoa, back off you F miserable B! I may be in a recovery bed, but I am far from being helpless or meek. Go bug someone else.

My arms were flailing, even the arm I wasn't supposed to be able to move for 2 weeks, as I gestured Nurse Ratchett with a single finger while screaming at the top of my lungs every curse imaginable, announcing her bedside manner sucked-A and letting her know she better keep her distance from me. GIVE ME BACK MY ICE YOU STUPID B!!!!!! How dare her disturb my momentary peaceful state. That's a no-no.

As this was going on, my mother came into the recovery room with instructions not to disturb me because I was "still sleeping." Not even close, mom. Nurse Ratchet had my blood boiling. Pain, sleeping and hot flashes were the furthest thing from my mind while Nurse Ratchett was around. Nurse Ratchett kept away from me the rest of my time in recovery and I finally did get some ice again. My mom just sat there by my side, quietly laughing to herself.

That evening while on the geriatric women's floor, I had refused the routine pain medication again because I felt no pain. When the nurse tried to strap me down to the bed with SCDs, I immediately asked her if I would be able to get up with those things on. She said no. I told her I don't want them and got up from bed and walked around unassisted with my IV in tow. The nurse told me I would be staying in the hospital for 3 days. Wrong! I told her I was going home in the morning and to ready my paperwork, that I can be just as miserable at home as I could be in the hospital, I'd rather be home. I chanted to her, I'm not staying another day, I want to go home, get my papers ready. Gosh, I would love to read my actual chart. Lmao

Later that evening I choked down a huge cheeseburger and French fries with an ice cold Pepsi while wondering why my throat was feeling sore. Lolâ�¦Duhhhâ�¦maybe because I was intubated for surgery and was screaming just moments after extubation? Ya think?

My mom was on the phone to family letting them know I was okay, but she didn't think the hospital staff would be okay after dealing with me. My poor mom spent the night sleeping on a chair by my bed.

Bright and early the next morning, freshly sponge bathed by myself and dressed in my street clothes with the assistance of my mom, the nurse came in my room letting me know I had been signed me up for the support group. Ummâ�¦I donâ��t think so. I refused to attend the support group and surround myself with other women who may or may not have a handle on their own situation. The last thing I felt I needed was to be placed in a room with strangers, to cry and feel sorry for myself knowing I just went through 6 months of life hitting me hard in all different directions (death, divorce, custody, selling home, relocating and now cancer), and have it pointed out to me all the more that I am on the geriatric women's floor at the age of 33 and they want me to attend group counseling with women much older than me, thinking for 1 second we have something in common that would offer me comfort? I told them unless they could find me another woman in her 30s who has gone through the exact same situations as myself, I'd not be participating in group. Get my papers ready, I'm going home.

I then played a couple hours of darts with the magnets on the magnetized board hanging on the wall in my room (private room), smiling at the nurses as they passed by my room, every once in a while sticking my head out the door reminding them to ready my paperwork for discharge. My specialist gladly discharged me home at the 24 hour mark. Lol

Yes, I was a horrible patient, but my mother was glad to see I had a spark of life back in me immediately. She sat quietly at the side of my bed laughing inside as I doled out my own orders for my aftercare to the doctor and nurses. She never told me to shut up, behave or be nice. She was happy to see "me" coming to life again.

My mother's biggest fear was that I would just shut down after surgery and struggle getting past the psychological side of losing a breast on top of everything else I was already dealing with. Of course she was also worried about losing another child, this time her only daughter to cancer, but at the time my fate was unknown and that road was not one I was dealing with yet. I had no time for "what if," I was literally faced with do or die.

After much discussion with my mom and dad, they both understood my mindset was focused only on the present surgery and then waiting for the biopsy results. I told them I'd deal with in depth planning for my kids' future when I know my own fate clearer. I forced my mother's concern to shift from that and made it clear to her if she wanted to be there for me, then A, B and C are what I need from her currently. My mom secretly focused on my mental well being, worrying how will her only daughter feel about herself after this surgery and what can she do to help me regain that part of my mental well being? She saved her tears and worry for times that I wasn't in her presence.

Postop day 1, my mom quickly learned the answer was 'not a dang thing mom, I'm already back to being me and I still have no patience for stupid.'

Postop day 2, my brother called to see how I was doing. When I told him I was fine, that I was scrubbing my stove and cleaning the house using my arm on the mastectomy side, he jokingly commented, ah, that must be an unwritten part of my aftercare instructions. I really did feel fine and I could finally use my arm again and had no pain.

My mom was proud of me, I guess for bouncing back so quickly, which prompted her to tell the mailman, sanitation workers, FedEx, UPS, her hairdresser and the neighbors what I went through and just how strong a person I was. Gee, thanks for letting everyone know mom! Lol I learned to stop caring about who knew, this was my mom's way of dealing with me going through this. My mom bought me a pair of pink Super Girl pajamas with a big S on the chest, calling me her Super Girl. I still wear them today and I laugh when I think back to how these pajamas came about.

Two weeks postop, me sitting in the house waiting for the phone to ring with biopsy results, I finally decided I wanted to leave the house. I threw the phone on the couch next to my mom, telling her I am tired of sitting around wasting my time waiting for it to ring and that she could deal with phone watching for me. I jumped in my car and went to the store. Wouldn't you know my phone finally rang after I left. You obviously know the results or I wouldn't be here right now.

As far as reconstruction goes, mine was delayed for 2 years at the recommendation of my specialist due to the rarity of my cancer. The news of a 2 year delay was a hit to what was left of my self esteem prior to surgery. In fact, I was devastated by that news, all the while dealing with the other situations hitting me all at once.

After surgery though, different story as I quickly realized I could have died, but instead I was still here and I would be still able to be raise my 5 and 3 year old boys. I even met a man within those 2 years who made me realize all the more that it was no big deal losing a breast. Two years passed by quickly.

The reconstruction process for me was extremely uncomfortable and lasted about a year with monthly saline injections to fill the temporary implant used to stretch the breast muscle readying it for the real implant. That monthly 2 minute injection procedure would knock me out for the remainder of the day and bring about nausea and low-grade fever and yes it was painful for me.

Your reconstruction is going to happen immediately, so you will probably not experience the same discomforts I did. The nerves on my chest had regenerated in that 2 year period and I had feeling back in my chest area, you on the other hand will more than likely be too numb across your chest to feel much of anything. You will feel very dull itchy sensations though, just try not to scratch or you will scratch off bits of your skin.

Truffle, get past the psychological side of this ordeal and you've won half the battle. Keep that strong mindset and face whatever it is you are dealing with head on and remain positive. Crying and worrying about "what if" changes nothing. JSFI and know that we're all rooting for you to bounce back.

You're nuts - Anon

[ In Reply To ..]
You shouldn't be doing MT work - you should think about writing books and making lots of money. You're talented and funny, and have a wonderful outlook on life.

I'm printing your story, in case I'm faced with breast cancer, or someone close to me is. It puts everything in perspective. Thank you!

Thanks for sharing your story! - truffle

[ In Reply To ..]
You have made it sound like something I can surely handle. I think you are probably right that an immediate reconstruction will be easier than what you went through.

I'm eager to get the surgery over with. I still don't know what is in store for me as far as chemotherapy. It would be great if we could skip that part, but I'll do what I have to do.

I'm in good spirits and staying positive. I'm thankful for all the support from my friends and family.

Thanks for answering my questions, Cranky.

reconstruction pain/discomfort - Snow Bunny

[ In Reply To ..]
If the implant is placed over the muscle, you'll have less discomfort and return to full duty in a couple of days. If it's placed under the muscle, you'll feel like an elephant is sitting on your chest for at least a couple of weeks. Not enjoyable. But, the advantage is the breast won't sag as quickly as it would with over the muscle. --- And with future mammograms, make sure you get someone who is experienced with performing the procedure on women who have implants.

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