How I Recovered From a Double Mastectomy
Key takeaways:
Alisha Lampley opted for a double mastectomy after being diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), an early, noninvasive breast cancer that’s contained within the milk ducts but can turn into invasive cancer.
She credits her positive recovery experience to careful planning and support from her friends and family.
She says a wedge pillow and a mastectomy pillow were her “two best friends” after her surgery.
When Alisha Lampley got a phone call instead of a letter after one of her routine mammograms, she knew something was wrong. Normally, she would get a reminder in the mail to schedule her next mammogram, followed by a written confirmation that the mammogram was normal.
This time, Alisha’s mammogram showed abnormalities, so she was called back in for a diagnostic mammogram and a needle biopsy. Then, she had to wait over the 4-day President’s Day weekend for the results.
The next week, she was diagnosed with stage 0 ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), an early, noninvasive breast cancer that’s contained within the milk ducts but can turn into invasive cancer. DCIS also increases the risk of having an invasive breast cancer diagnosed later on.
Weighing options: A lumpectomy with radiation or a double mastectomy
After being diagnosed, Alisha, who’s now 51 and lives in Nashville, met with a breast surgeon. The surgeon gave her two options: a lumpectomy with radiation or a double mastectomy. After doing some research, she chose a double mastectomy.
Alisha, who has two daughters, also had genetic testing for breast cancer, which came back negative.
During her double mastectomy, Alisha’s breast surgeon and plastic surgeon worked together to insert tissue expanders in preparation for reconstructive surgery. Her recovery went well, with her biggest complaint being skin irritation from the surgical monitoring stickers.
“I was complaining more about that than the surgery itself,” Alisha says.
A week after the procedure, a plastic surgery nurse removed the drains from Alisha’s breasts. “That was traumatic because I hadn’t eaten anything before the appointment. So after that, I made sure to have a protein drink before each visit,” she recalls.
Eventually, she had a follow-up appointment to discuss her pathology report with her breast surgeon, which was encouraging.
Muscle relaxers and pillows helped after surgery
Alisha’s double mastectomy was a skin-sparing surgery technique in which her surgeon saved as much tissue as possible for use with the tissue expanders.
Once home, Alisha kept a daily diary recording how much fluid was suctioned from her incision area by drains placed during the surgery. She also went to her surgeon’s office for weekly fills to her tissue expanders. The expanders serve as placeholders until the size and shape of the breast pocket is satisfactory for reconstructive surgery.
Alisha had to make several adjustments to her routine to deal with the discomfort following her surgery. She took pain medication and muscle relaxers to manage her pain and help her sleep. But she also used special pillows at night to help her stay in a comfortable position.
“The muscle relaxers probably helped the most because I couldn’t find a comfortable sleeping position in the beginning,” Alisha says. “I needed to be flat and inclined, so I had a mastectomy pillow and a wedge pillow. Those were my two best friends.”
She also had to limit her movement and avoid lifting anything over 5 lbs. Though, in addition to walking, she did range-of-motion exercises to help alleviate scar tissue.
“I wasn’t on bed rest, but I did take it easy. It’s important to make sure you walk, especially that first week or so postsurgery. I would walk in the house and around my neighborhood cul-de-sac.” she says.
Before the surgery, she had stopped drinking. And afterward, she began taking a potassium supplement, to address her previously low levels, as well as a vitamin D supplement and a multivitamin.
The next step in the process will be breast reconstruction surgery, which Alisha expects to schedule in the next few months. The final step will be consulting with a tattoo artist who specializes in free 3D nipple tattoos for breast cancer survivors.
“It’s nice to know that is something else I don’t have to worry about,” she says.
Overall, Alisha’s recovery went much better than she expected.
“Getting all the good news on top of having friends and family check in made all the difference,” especially after watching videos and worrying about what-ifs beforehand, she says.
Sometimes, she adds, she feels guilty that everything is going so smoothly when she knows that’s not the case for everyone with breast cancer.
Accept help — and don’t feel like you have to do it alone
For Alisha, learning to accept help has been key to recovering from a double mastectomy.
After Alisha’s surgery, her mother stayed with her for a couple of weeks, while her friends provided meals. Alisha took 6 weeks off for the procedure and recovery, and she’s planning to take another 3 to 4 weeks for her reconstruction surgery.
Alisha’s mom had a double mastectomy 11 years ago and was able to share her experiences with her daughter. “I knew how she recovered,” Alisha says. “And I knew I’d be fine.”
Alisha’s primary care physician also had a double mastectomy a few years ago, which brought her additional comfort. “It was good knowing she had gone through this same process and is fine today,” Alisha says.
Alisha’s words of advice for anyone undergoing a double mastectomy are: “Don’t feel like you have to do it all alone. Have a good support system. A positive mindset will make a huge difference, as will researching your doctors.”
Frequently asked questions
“The pain was nowhere near as bad as I thought it would be,” says 51-year-old Alisha Lampley of Nashville. “Initially, I was more tender than anything and stiff. Since all of the breast tissue was removed, I had limited mobility and felt like I had done about a thousand push-ups.”
It typically takes 6 weeks to heal from a double mastectomy. Alisha says she felt a lot better around 4 weeks after the surgery, but she knew to keep her activity level low since she was still healing.
“My doctor also recommended I not return to daily activities until after this 6 weeks,” Alisha says, explaining she waited to lift objects heavier than 5 lbs and do common housework until she got the go-ahead.
“The best thing I brought was my mastectomy pillow. It helped me rest comfortably,” Alisha says. “I also had small pillows that are made specifically to place when you’ve had lymph nodes removed.”
Alisha recommends having tops that button up since you will have limited arm movement. She also found properly fitting compression bras to be important. When she had fluid drains, she says, it was important to have drain holders so the drains wouldn’t accidentally get caught on anything or pulled out of place. But her favorite item was a wedge pillow that helped her sleep on her back and sit up on the couch or bed.
The bottom line
Alisha Lampley, a 51-year-old Nashville woman who had a double mastectomy, says accepting help was one of the keys to recovering from her surgery. But muscle relaxers for sleep and mastectomy and wedge pillows also made a world of difference.
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