After surgery: lumpectomy and axillary lymph node dissection surgery
What are some things I need to do after my surgery?
Deep breathing and coughing
Do deep breathing exercises as soon as possible to help your lungs recover after surgery. It is best to do these exercises while sitting up in a chair. But they can also be done lying in bed.
- Take a slow deep breath in through your nose, filling your chest and stomach like a balloon.
- Try to hold your breath for 1 to 2 seconds.
- Slowly blow out through your mouth, like you are blowing birthday candles.
- Repeat 5 times.
- After the last breath, cough to try to clear any phlegm or mucus from your lungs.
- Do these deep breathing exercises 4 to 5 times a day in the first 48 hours after surgery
Movement
- You should move your arms soon after your surgery.
- DO NOT cradle your arms against your chest.
- For the first 4 to 6 weeks following surgery:
- DO NOT lift anything over 10 pounds.
- DO NOT do any heavy pushing, pulling or repetitive movements with the affected arm(s).
- A physiotherapist you will see in the pre-operative breast cancer surgery education class will show you exercises that you need to start 24 hours after surgery.
What can I do to ease the pain from surgery?
- You will be given a prescription for pain medication before you leave the hospital after your surgery. Please take the pain medication as you are told by your health-care team.
- You can also use Tylenol (acetaminophen) Extra Strength.
- You can also use Advil (ibuprofen) in addition to the Tylenol.
- DO NOT use Tylenol or Advil if you are allergic to them.
- DO NOT take Tylenol Extra Strength if you have been prescribed Percocet (oxycodone) or Tylenol 3 by your doctor.
- DO NOT take Advil in addition to Celebrex (a stronger anti-inflammatory).
- DO NOT apply hot or cold packs to the incisions or arm. The numbness around the incisions may leave you unable to feel any burning of the skin caused by the packs.
How do I take care of my surgical incision (cut)?
- Leave the outer bandage on for 48 hours. You can then take it off.
- The incision is covered with adhesive paper tape called Steri-Strips.
- Leave these Steri-Strips in place for 10 days after your surgery.
- After 10 days, you can take off the Steri-Strips while you are in the shower (the water makes it easier to remove them). They may come off on their own before 10 days. This happens to many patients and is not something to be concerned about.
- There may be one stitch at the end of the incisions. It can be removed by your surgeon at your follow-up appointment. Or, it may just fall off by itself. (It is an absorbable stitch.)
- A small amount of blood on the bandage or Steri-Strips is normal.
- A good supportive bra (no underwire) can be helpful to wear day and night. If this is uncomfortable for you with the drain, don’t wear the bra until the drain is removed.
What about my other medicine (pills)?
- Restart your regular medicine after surgery unless your surgeon has told you not to.
- If you normally take Aspirin or a blood thinner (such as Coumadin), ask your surgeon when you can start these medicines after surgery.
- If you have any questions about your other regular medicines, please contact your family doctor.
I hear a sloshing noise in my breast. Is that normal?
- It is normal for fluid to collect in the breast where the tissue was removed. You may “hear” the fluid. It may sound like a “sloshing” noise. The amount of fluid may reach a peak 2 weeks after surgery. It is then gradually reabsorbed by the body.
- If the area gets very swollen and you have a lot of pain, call the breast nurse between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday to Friday. The phone number to call is 416-480-5000. This is not an emergency. Some of the fluid may be drained and this may make you feel better.
When should I get medical help if I run into problems?
If within 72 hours of your surgery:
- You have a lot of bleeding from where you had your surgery. “A lot of” means a completely soaked bandage.
- Or, you have a lot of very bloody drainage in the drain (need to empty 3 times in 8 hours),
Call your surgeon’s office. Or, if you cannot get in contact with the surgeon’s office, phone the general surgery resident on call at 416-480-4244.
If you have any of the symptoms listed below — and it is between 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday — call the Breast Site Nursing Team at 416-480-5000. If the symptoms happen outside of these times, call the general surgery resident on call at 416-480-4244 or go to the closest Emergency Department.
- Your incision (cut) gets red, swollen or very tender to touch. You may have an infection that needs to be treated with antibiotics.
- You have a temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher for over 24 hours. You may have an infection that needs to be treated with antibiotics.
