Being active helps with your recovery from surgery. You can start or return to your exercise program after speaking with your surgeon during your follow-up appointment. Start back slowly and gradually. You can start exercising with light weights (2 pounds)
about 4 to 6 weeks after surgery
.
How soon after mastectomy can I exercise?
Wait until
about 3 months after surgery
to do any resistance/strength exercises. If you have any shortness of breath, pain, or tightness in your chest, stop exercising immediately.
What can you not do after a mastectomy?
Avoid strenuous activity, heavy lifting and vigorous exercise until the stitches are removed
. Tell your caregiver what you do and he or she will help you make a personal plan for “what you can do when” after surgery. Walking is a normal activity that can be restarted right away.
How long after mastectomy can you raise your arms?
You will probably be able to do your normal activities in 3 to 6 weeks. Avoid repeated motions with your affected arm, such as weed pulling, window cleaning, or vacuuming, for 6 months. Avoid lifting anything over 4.5 to 7 kilograms for
4 to 6 weeks
.
How long does it take to recover from a mastectomy?
A mastectomy is an operation to remove a breast. It’s used to treat breast cancer in women and breast cancer in men. The operation takes about 90 minutes, and most people go home the following day. It can take
4 to 6 weeks
to recover from a mastectomy.
What is the fastest way to recover from a mastectomy?
Rest
: Rest and relax as much as possible. A double mastectomy is a major surgical procedure, and adequate rest gives the body time to heal. Ask for help: Ask friends and family to help with housework, meal preparation, and childcare. Avoid doing strenuous work or taking on too much.
Can you sleep on your side after mastectomy?
While it is possible to sleep on your side after breast surgery, it comes with some medical concerns that aren’t worth the risk. Instead, most plastic surgeons recommend that patients who have had breast surgery
sleep exclusively on their backs until they are fully healed
.
Can you lift your arms after mastectomy?
Use your affected arm (the same side as your surgery) as you normally would when you comb your hair, bathe, get dressed, and eat. Be sure to ask your doctor if you can lift heavier items.
You can exercise your affected arm while it’s raised
.
Do you need physical therapy after a mastectomy?
Early intervention by a
physical therapist can help women regain full function following mastectomy surgery
, regardless of whether or not a woman has had reconstruction. Rehabilitation is always tailored to each patient’s specific needs.
When can you sleep on your side after a mastectomy?
You can begin to sleep on your side again
two weeks after breast reconstruction surgery
. However, stomach sleeping is still not permitted at the two-week mark. You must wait four weeks before you can sleep on your stomach.
Can I take care of myself after a mastectomy?
Allow yourself to get extra rest in the first few weeks after surgery
. Take pain medication as needed. You will probably feel a mixture of numbness and pain around the breast incision and the chest wall (and the armpit incision, if you had axillary dissection).
How bad is mastectomy recovery?
You’ll be excited to know that most patients are back to their regular activities within
4-6 weeks
after a mastectomy. During this 4-6 week recovery period, patients can expect a fair amount of muscle soreness and discomfort.
How do you reduce fluid after mastectomy?
- Exercise. Exercise helps improve lymph drainage. …
- Bandages. Wearing a compression sleeve or elastic bandage may help to move fluid, and prevent the buildup of fluid.
- Diet and weight management. …
- Keeping the arm raised. …
- Preventing infection. …
- Massage therapy.
How long does fatigue last after mastectomy?
It usually lasts 3 to 4 weeks after your treatment stops, but
it can continue for up to 3 months
. Hormone therapy deprives the body of estrogen, and that can lead to fatigue that may last throughout your treatment or longer.
How long does the pain last after a mastectomy?
Right after the surgery, you will probably feel weak, and you may feel sore for
2 to 3 days
. You may feel pulling or stretching near or under your arm. You may also have itching, tingling, and throbbing in the area. This will get better in a few days.
What not to say to someone who had a mastectomy?
- DON’T: compare it to a boob job. “I don’t care about a new pair, I want my old ones back – MY breasts. …
- DON’T: say “you’ll be fine!” …
- DON’T: keep talking about our nips. …
- DON’T: ask why we didn’t just get the lump removed. …
- DON’T: ask to see them.
