How do I manage my pain?
Your health care team will give you a prescription for pain medicine before you leave the hospital. Please take it as directed.
- You may have some pain in the area of your back incision (surgical cut).
- You may also feel pressure and tightness under your chest muscles.
Your pain should get better over time and you will start to need less and less pain medicine each day.
If your surgeon gave you a prescription for antibiotics, please follow your surgeon’s instructions.
Some pain medicine can make you constipated. If you not have a bowel movement (poo) for 3 days, speak to your pharmacist about taking stool softeners or laxatives. You don’t need a prescription.
To prevent constipation:
- Drink 3 to 5 glasses of water every day.
- Eat foods that are high in fibre, such as whole grains, bran, fruits and vegetables.
What can I eat and drink after surgery?
You can eat your usual meals at home.
Eating foods that are high in fibre (whole grains, bran, fruits and vegetables) and rich in protein and vitamin C (citrus fruit, orange juice) can help with healing.
How much activity is safe?
For the first 2 weeks after surgery:
Only move your arms as high as your shoulders. Ask your health care team for the “Functional Rehab after Breast Reconstruction” pamphlet for more information.
For the first 4 to 6 weeks after surgery:
Do not lift anything heavier than 10 pounds (5 kilograms), such as small pets or a bag of groceries.
You can do light self-care activities, such as:
- take a shower
- brush your hair
- take a walk
- get dressed (avoid straining or stretching too hard)
When can I bathe or shower safely?
You can shower 48 hours (2 days) after your surgery. Everything can get wet including the drains.
NO baths or soaking your incisions for at least 4 weeks and until they are fully healed.
What about my drains?
Some patients leave the hospital with a Jackson Pratt (JP) drain in their back, breast or in both areas. The drain helps remove extra fluid from your body.
Your health care team will work with the Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) to send a nurse to help you at home. Sometimes you may need to go to a clinic.
- We will show you how to take care of your drain before you leave the hospital.
- Your surgeon will let the nurse know when to remove the drains.
How to take care of my drain(s)
- Empty the drain at least 2 times a day (in the morning and evening), or more often if needed.
- Remove the fluid from the tube attached to the JP drain every 4 hours when awake. This prevents the tube from getting blocked. We will show you how to “milk” or “strip” the tube in the hospital.
- Wash your hands before and after milking or stripping the tube and emptying the drain.
Important: Record the date, time and amount of fluid you remove from the drain every 24 hours. Keeping an exact record of the fluid helps us to remove the drains safely.
How do I take care of my incisions?
Patients may leave the hospital with either a clear dressing (bandage) or a gauze dressing over their incisions (surgical cuts).
If you have a clear dressing (bandage) over your incisions, keep it on until your follow-up appointment. You do not need to change your dressing.
If you have a gauze dressing over your incisions, you can remove it 48 hours or 2 days after your surgery.
- Leave your steri-strips on your incisions. Do not remove them. The steri-strips will stay on until your follow-up appointment. They may start peeling and falling off on their own. This is OK. All your stitches will dissolve.
- Don’t put any oils or lotions on your incisions for at least 3 weeks to prevent infection. Speak to your surgeon at your follow-up appointment about when to start self-massage on your scars.
- Do NOT place any ice or heat packs on your incision. This may hurt your skin.
Wearing a bra
If your surgeon asked you to wear a bra after your surgery, wear it during the daytime until your follow-up appointment. You can remove it at night when sleeping.
What can I expect if I had a tissue expander inserted?
Patients with tissue expanders need to come to the clinic for expander inflations. During these visits, the doctor will expand the pocket and skin.
- You need to start coming to the clinic 2 to 3 weeks after having the tissue expander inserted.
- Visits are once a week or 1 time every 2 weeks for 6 to 8 weeks.
- Do NOT lift anything heavier than 10 pounds (5 kilograms) on the day of your expansion visit and for 1 day after the expansion visit.
- You may feel some pressure or tightness in your chest underneath your muscles. You can take ibuprofen (Advil) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) to help with any pain or discomfort before or after the expansion.
Important: The tissue expander has a metal port. You cannot have MRI imaging while the metal port is in place.
What problems should I watch for?
Go to your nearest emergency department if you notice signs of infection:
- Fever of 38 degrees Celsius or higher that lasts longer than 24 hours
- Bright red, hot, swollen incisions and skin
- White pus or fluid that smells bad
Call your surgeon’s office or go to the emergency department where you had your surgery if you notice:
- One or both of your breasts swell or grow suddenly
- A change in colour (such as red, purple)
- A lot more swelling, pain and/or redness in the area of your back incision
When is my follow-up visit?
Call your surgeon’s office to schedule a follow-up appointment for 2 weeks after you leave the hospital.
Who do I call if I have questions?
Call the Clinical Nurse Coordinator, Breast Reconstruction at 416 340 4800 extension 5161.
Drain output chart
Use this drain output chart to record the date, time and amount of fluid coming out from your JP drain. Keeping a record of the fluid helps us to remove the drains safely.
