My Breakthrough
Mastectomy
This is an operation to remove the whole breast.
Women are usually advised to have a mastectomy if:
If you are having a mastectomy, your surgeon should talk to you about whether you would like to have breast reconstruction either at the same time as your mastectomy or at some time in the future.
When you get to theatre, you'll have a general anaesthetic, so you'll be asleep during your operation and won't know anything about it.
There are two types of mastectomy:
Your surgeon will also remove one or more lymph nodes. These will be examined in the laboratory to see if the cancer has spread. There are three ways to check your lymph nodes:
Be sure to tell your doctor or nurse. They can give you anti-sickness drugs and/or painkillers. Everyone feels pain differently; some people need more painkilling drugs than others. There's no need to be in pain. Taking painkillers regularly, before the pain comes back, will help you recover more quickly.
You can start eating and drinking as soon as you recover from the anaesthetic.
After your operation you will probably have a drip in your arm to give you fluids so that you don't get dehydrated. You'll probably have one or two tubes coming out of your chest and armpit. These will drain stale blood and excess fluid out of your wound.
Your nurse or doctor should tell you about the care of your mastectomy wound.
If you have not had breast reconstruction, a breast care nurse should tell you about breast prostheses.
Procedures vary from hospital to hospital. But you should be able to go home about 7-10 days after your mastectomy operation. Take it easy when you first go home. It's best not to:
How soon you can go back to work will depend on your profession. Your doctor can advise you.
Losing a breast will probably make you feel emotional too, perhaps a bit tearful, even if you are planning to have breast reconstruction. Take your time, and don't feel pressured into pretending everything's fine if it isn't.
- They have a very large tumour.
- Their tumour is large compared to the size of their breast.
- The cancer is in more than one part of the breast.
If you are having a mastectomy, your surgeon should talk to you about whether you would like to have breast reconstruction either at the same time as your mastectomy or at some time in the future.
Before your operation
Procedures vary from hospital to hospital. But you'll probably go into hospital the day before your operation, especially if you are having surgery in the morning. You won't have anything to eat or drink before your operation. A nurse will check your temperature, blood pressure and heartbeat, and you may be given a drug to help you relax.When you get to theatre, you'll have a general anaesthetic, so you'll be asleep during your operation and won't know anything about it.
During the operation
The operation takes about 1.5 hours.There are two types of mastectomy:
- Simple mastectomy - this involves removing just the breast tissue.
- Modified radical mastectomy - this removes all the breast tissue and all the lymph nodes.
Your surgeon will also remove one or more lymph nodes. These will be examined in the laboratory to see if the cancer has spread. There are three ways to check your lymph nodes:
After the operation
When you wake up, you may:- Feel 'slightly woozy'.
- Feel sore in your breast or armpit.
Be sure to tell your doctor or nurse. They can give you anti-sickness drugs and/or painkillers. Everyone feels pain differently; some people need more painkilling drugs than others. There's no need to be in pain. Taking painkillers regularly, before the pain comes back, will help you recover more quickly.
You can start eating and drinking as soon as you recover from the anaesthetic.
After your operation you will probably have a drip in your arm to give you fluids so that you don't get dehydrated. You'll probably have one or two tubes coming out of your chest and armpit. These will drain stale blood and excess fluid out of your wound.
Your nurse or doctor should tell you about the care of your mastectomy wound.
If you have not had breast reconstruction, a breast care nurse should tell you about breast prostheses.
Procedures vary from hospital to hospital. But you should be able to go home about 7-10 days after your mastectomy
operation.
- Drive for 3-4 weeks after your operation.
- Lift anything heavy or do repetitive movements (like ironing or vacuuming) with the arm on your affected side, for at least six weeks. Even then, gradually increase the weight of things you are lifting.
- Swim or play sport until your scar has healed - about 4-6 weeks.
How soon you can go back to work will depend on your profession. Your doctor can advise you.
Your recovery
Remember that a mastectomy is a big operation, and it will take you time to feel fully fit again.Losing a breast will probably make you feel emotional too, perhaps a bit tearful, even if you are planning to have breast reconstruction. Take your time, and don't feel pressured into pretending everything's fine if it isn't.
You may find it helpful to talk to someone about how you feel.
You may find it helpful to talk to someone about how you feel - either at the hospital where you are being treated, through your GP, or through a support organisation such as Breast Cancer Care at www.breastcancercare.org.uk. 
Also within "Treatment"
