Swollen breast

Five weeks ago I had a right breast mastectomy and a TRAM flap reconstruction at the same time.  My reconstructed breast is still swollen and much larger than my remaining breast.  It gets irritated if I wear a bra, but that is the only way to have any symmetry (summer clothes are challenging with no symmetry).  How long might I expect this swelling to persist?

[Archibald S Miller III, MD,FACS]

You can expect the problem to last for months. But, each week it will get slightly better. It takes God nine months to make a baby, let it take nine months for your new breast to settle down.

                            arch s miller ms md facs