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Hospital Stay after unilateral mastectomy

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Asovey View Drop Down
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    Posted: Jul 23 2018 at 12:51pm
On Wednesday I am scheduled for a mastectomy of my right breast. I had a lumpectomy and auxillary lymph node disection back on June 8th. I am having the mastectomy because DCIS was found in my right breast even though the mass was completely gone. I really do not want to stay overnight in the hospital. In fact, that is making me more anxious than the actual surgery. I have read online about women who went home the same day and some who stayed 2 or three days. I am not having reconstruction at that time as I have to have radiation. Did anyone out there go home the same day?
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Beth TNBC View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Beth TNBC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jul 23 2018 at 6:54pm
I had my mastectomy in March. While I did not go home the same day, I was not considered as 'in patient hospitalization' either. My surgery started at 11:00 AM and was finished mid afternoon. I stayed in a private cubicle that evening and night, had breakfast, was checked by my surgeon and then discharged. It really was not that bad and this is from a person who had NEVER been in the hospital or had surgery before (except when my daughter was born). I also did not have reconstruction and will start radiation this
Wed. Hang in there, Asovey.
                    
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Kellyless View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kellyless Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jul 24 2018 at 12:35am
I hate staying in the hospital as well! Loathe it, I feel like a caged animal when I'm there. That said, I think I'd work on quelling that fear and therefore placing so much significance in getting out of there the same day. I know it happens, but in all my years of hanging around here I've not seen it happen much at all. One night is typical, two nights aren't uncommon either. I had a lumpectomy and FULL axilla dissection in 2009 as outpatient. In hindsight, because of the large dissection I should 've spent the night. I ended up with complications that probably would not have happened if I'd stayed one night.
The mastectomy is a way way bigger surgery. Even with my big dissection the first time, the mastectomy was exponentially a bigger surgery. It's a lot longer surgery so you are given a lot more anesthesia. You wake up slower and groggier. I had a lot more pain, I'm grateful I stayed and had the IV pain meds the first night. Your ability to use your arms, do things for yourself right away is quite different and harder. Having the awesome nurses help me and show me how to move, get around etc. without stress and pain in my surgical sites was very helpful. You have four drains, so again the nurses help on dealing with those was helpful as well. The next morning I stopped using the IV meds and switched to pills. I was much more lucid and clearheaded, so I had the nurse to over bandages and drains again with me and my husband - he was also stressed and tired on surgery day too! I think staying there a night was way less hard on him as well. I was outta there by mid day, so a lil over 24 hours. I truly believe I and my husband (he's my amazing caregiver thru all of this) were way better off staying one night.
What are your biggest fears about staying a night?
PS: up your protein intake the week before and after recovery! You'll heal better and faster if you feed your body more protein than usual.

Edited by Kellyless - Jul 24 2018 at 12:39am
IDC, 2.2 cm, Stage IIb,lumpectomy 1/30/09 ACx4,Tx4 36 rads
6/1/16 Local recurrence same breast, same spot 1.8cm Carb.4x every 3 wks, Taxol 12x once wk. Dbl Mast. PCR!! Reconstruction fail, NED!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Meadow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jul 24 2018 at 1:28am
I didn't have a great experience during my post-mastectomy stay, but still, I was glad I stayed a night. In the hospital they gave morphine, but they won't let you go home with morphine. Morphine is probably more effective, plus I get terrible side effects from oxy, so bad that I used it for only 24 hours after getting home. Also, they have to teach you how to manage surgical drains, and I think I would have absorbed zero of the information the same day as the surgery.
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Asovey View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Asovey Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jul 24 2018 at 12:08pm
Thanks everyone for your replies. If I have to stay, of course I will, but I would want a reason other than pain management. I know how to take care of the drains from the auxiliary disection I had last month. Had that sucker with me for three weeks. The surgeon is supposed to call me later today. For now I am just trying to keep busy. I just want this OVER!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 123Donna Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jul 25 2018 at 7:02pm
I was given the option to go home or stay overnight.  My surgery ended up being my surgeon's second surgery of the day so it didn't start until late morning and probably was over around 4 or so.  I ended up staying overnight.  My surgery was at a surgery center.  I think there was just one other patient that stayed overnight and we had the undivided attention of the two nurses on duty.  I was super nervous as I never had surgery before so I asked if my husband could stay with me.  They brought in a small bed and he stayed the night in the room.  I can't say he got much sleep with them checking on me all the time but it gave me peace of mind.  If your surgery is early in the day and you feel up to it, I'd say you could go home the same day.  It really depends on how you feel after the surgery.

DX IDC TNBC 6/09 age 49, Stage 1,Grade 3, 1.5cm,0/5Nodes,KI-67 48%,BRCA-,6/09bi-mx, recon, T/C X4(9/09)
11/10 Recur IM node, Gem,Carb,Iniparib 12/10,MRI NED 2/11,IMRT Radsx40,CT NED11/13,MRI NED3/15

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Asovey View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Asovey Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jul 28 2018 at 1:41pm
Thanks Donna: I did end up coming home. I really have had very little or no pain. Emotionally, th8ngs have been very hard and I did not expect that. I do have depression and anxiety, but I thought getting the mastectomy over would make me feel better. Nope. Can’t stop crying. Scared and sad. Luckily, I do have Ativan but I hate to take it. Hoping things improve with time.
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