Instructions:
- Have someone else drive you home after surgery and help you at home for 1-2 days.
- Get plenty of rest
- Follow balanced diet
- Decreased activity may promote constipation, so you may want to add more raw fruit to you diet, and be sure to increase fluid intake
- Do not drink alcohol while taking pain medications
- Do not smoke, as smoking delays healing and increases the risks of complications
Activities:
- Start walking as soon as possible, this helps to reduce swelling and lowers the chance of blood clots
- Do not drive until you are no longer taking any pain medications (narcotics)
- Do not drive until you have full range of motion with your arms
- Refrain from vigorous activity for 4 weeks
- Restrict excessive use of arms for at least 5-7 days
- Refrain from physical contact with breasts for 3-4 weeks
- Body contact sports should be avoided for 6-8 weeks
- Social and employment activities can be resumed in 3-10 days
Incision Care:
- Avoid exposing scars to sun for at least 12 months
- Always use a strong sun block, if sun exposure is unavoidable (SPF 30 or greater)
- Keep steri-strips on, replace if they come off
- Keep incisions clean and inspect daily for signs of infection
- No tub soaking while sutures or drains are in place
- You may pad the incisions with gauze for comfort
- Wear garments (bra, ace wrap, taping) as directed by surgeon
- Refrain from sleeping on your stomach for 3 weeks
What to Expect:
- Expect some drainage onto the steri-strips covering the incisions
- You are likely to feel tired for a few days, but you should be up and around in 4-5 days
- Maximum discomfort will occur in the first few days after surgery
- You may experience some numbness of the nipples and operative areas
- You may experience a burning sensation in your nipples for about 2 weeks
- You may experience temporary soreness, tightness, swelling and bruising as well as some discomfort in the incision area
- Your breasts may be sensitive to stimulation for a few weeks
- The final shape and size of your breasts will not be evident for 2-3 months
APPEARANCE
- Most of the discoloration and swelling will subside in 4-6 weeks
- Scars may be reed and angry looking for 6 months. In time, these usually soften and fade
Follow-Up Care:
- Sutures will be dissolvable
- Continue with routine mammograms at a radiology center where technicians are experienced in the special techniques with implants
When to Call:
- If you have increases swelling or bruising
- If swelling and redness persist after a few days
- If you have increases redness along the incision
- If you have sever or increase pain not relieved by medication
- If you have any side effects to medications: such as, rash, nausea, headache, vomiting
- If you have an oral temperature over 100.4 degrees
- If you have any yellowish or greenish drainage from the incisions or notice foul odor
- If you have bleeding from the incisions that is difficult to control with light pressure
- If you have loss of feeling or motion
For medical questions, please call:
- 812-477-6600 Evansville Office
- 812-634-6600 Jasper Office
