Mastectomy Recovery Tips?
Hi all! My name is Tori and I’m new to the crew! I am halfway through chemo and will have a double mastectomy this December. I am very much a planner and was wondering if anyone had any tips or item recommendations for surgery recovery!
Edit: Hi all, thank you so so much for your advice and kind words! You all are so incredibly supportive and thoughtful, I am so grateful for the help!
Hello there! I actually made a blog post about my tips after my own surgery in 2022. Hope it’s helpful!
https://www.mitzistarkweather.com/blog/2022/8/11/mybilateralmastectomy
Don’t buy anything… I have so much stuff and loan it to people for their double mastectomy. It gets pricey and I bought every single thing known a man. Give me a call and we can connect. I am in Overland Park. 816-509-3972.
Do you have a lift chair/ recliner?
Peace Out Cancer will lend you one for your recovery. Search for them on Facebook.
One thing I’d do differently is exercise my shoulders sooner. I developed a frozen shoulder or scar tissue, not sure which. Consult your doctor on the right time to start and some exercises that would hopefully prevent this from happening to you.
i volunteer for them and it helped me aooo much! You don’t know you need it until you are there and so nice
Hi Tori,
Sorry you’re going through this. I’m two years out from my bilateral mastectomy and over 1 1/2 from reconstruction.
Like you, I was a planner. It helped me feel a little more in control.
1) A recliner really made all the difference. I slept in it for about 5 weeks.
2) Comfy pjs that button up in front
3) Slip on shoes or slippers
4) Amazon offers a comfy waist band type item to tuck your drains into
5) Shirts that button up the front
6) Having a handheld shower attachment helps a lot
7) I also bought a little stand for my blow dryer so I could sit in front of it and dry my hair
8) Amazon offers a pillow that you can wear that felt so good to me for weeks
9) I changed my lights out for smart bulbs that I could control from my phone
10) I also used a side table a lot next to my recliner
11) Get your meds filled ahead of surgery, and ask for zofran so nausea won’t be a problem
12) Don’t overdo it during recovery! Follow the post op instructions carefully.
Hope this helps! It’s ok to be scared, sad, or whatever feelings come up. Hugs to you!
I literally just saw your post; got out of the hospital yesterday (again) but I have to quit procrastinating and find where I can take these things from the 1st part of my journey so someone, like you, can just go pick them up. Like nice bras (front closure, some with pocket), dry shampoos I didn't use, camisoles with pockets for the drains; well you get the picture. Even those nice comfy front button shirts because everything is about you being comfortable, feeling pretty, enjoying the fragrance of a candle and listening to your body. I'm almost 3 months out from double mastectomy and challenges keep coming up but small steps - forward. Wishing you many small miracles every day because once they happen and you see them, they pop up regularly. I will find where these 2 sacks go today! I promise. They may be your size? Big hugs, Teresa
I echo the ladies above. The recliner from Peace Out Cancer was a lifesaver. Beautiful organization as well.
Having a rolling cart set up in the bathroom with all of the drain stripping and incision care products was super helpful. Lets you have things like Bacitracin, clean wash cloths, sterile qtips, and gloves all in one place without cluttering up the bathroom. Large alcohol wipes for stripping drains, and spray Aquaphor with 2x2 sterile gauze pads over them were in constant rotation for me.
A Moyoama wearable mastectomy pillow and cushion for the car were a great addition. Not necessary, but so nice to have.
I also liked having a RecoverEase drain holder that fit around the waist for those days when I had to leave the house. I felt it did a better job allowing me to discreetly hide the drain bulbs than a lanyard around the neck, although that was great for home. Also liked having a mesh drain bag that hung around my neck for showers.
A group of friends got together and purchased a Prairie Wear Hugger Prima bra for post surgery. Stupid comfortable and still my favorite bra almost 6 months out from surgery.
One thing I wish I would have done prior to my surgery, was get used to having friends help with the more sensitive parts of care and feeling comfortable with people actually seeing my chest and results of the surgery. My spouse was the only one I let help me shower and clean drains the first week or 2. My friends wanted to help, but I felt very weird asking them and allowing them to help with things like that. If I had to do it all over again, I would have prepped us all for the whole help me shower, dry off, and dry my hair thing and I would have been less self conscious about letting them help with drain care and incision care.
Happy to chat if you have questions. Feel free to send me a message if you need. Best of luck to you!