Recovery time after mastectomy

[breese222]

When should the pain disappear after a bi-lateral mastectomy?

It's been almost 4 weeks, and I'm wondering if it ever goes away, or there will always be residual pain?

[breese222]

Second thought, could we compare our ages, to see if that might account to some degree, for our physical differences/reactions to this?   I know that might be rude, and I understand if you don't want to answer, but I will be 75 next month.  :)

[breese222]

Thanks for your response.  I'm glad to hear that this isn't that unusual.  As for seeing the doctor, I meant to get an explanation for this and when I could expect it to go  away.  I am disappointed to hear that you are still having this "raw feeling" for that long, because it definitely interferes with my quality of life.  I guess I can hope it will lessen more in time to come.

Thanks again.  :)

[japdip]

I think what you described would be something that I would NOT describe as pain. I had similar sensations .... the heaviness and the numb/raw feeling but I never thought of it as pain. In fact some of the "raw" feeling remains after several years post-op. I don't really notice it anymore but it's there. Like Sue I had no pain at all except for the nerve problem but that didn't last very long. The use of pain medication for a month following surgery is much too long in my opinion.  Kindest regards .....

[breese222]

Thanks so much Sue, for your response.

Perhaps it is because I was small breasted and only weighed 104 lbs, that caused this difference for me.  If it continues after my prescription runs out, I'll just have to see the doctor again.  One month anniversary tomorrow.  :)

[SueYoung55]

I'm so sorry you're having that pain with yours. If that was me I would definetly talk to my doctors (everyone you see for treatment) about it and see what they say. Hopefully others will chime in here but to me that wasn't what I experienced at all.

Best wishes.

[breese222]

No reconstruction.  I just have this heavy feeling all across my chest... large area that feels like a concrete block laying on it, and when the meds wear off, it seems raw.  It's not too bad, and is diminishing, but I was just wondering if that heavy feeling is here to stay.  Surely the sensitive, raw feeling is not.

I occasionally get those shooting nerve feelings as well.  Thanks for your response.

[SueYoung55]

What kind of pain are you feeling? And, did you have reconstruction?

After my mastectomy without reconstruction, I would get strange nerve ending pains when the nerves were trying to rejeuvenate. Other than that, I did not have pain.

Please try to describe the pain and where you're having it.

Best wishes.