Survey pole....how long after mast were you able to safely and comfortably drive?

[spiritualabundance]

I know getting back to normal will take some time. I am just curious how you all did. Thak you!

[caya]

I has a single mastectomy - MRM - I was driving about 4 weeks later. I had 16 lymph nodes removed, and I religiously did all the arm exercised the physical therapist showed me. I think this really helped my mobility.

all the best
caya

[MaineRottweilers]

I had my mastectomy on Tuesday and went out shopping on Saturday. I returned to full time work, as a Vet Tech, on Monday, after my drain was pulled. I didn't find the mastectomies challenging but I only had them done one at a time.

[Debbie L.]

After bilateral mastectomies with node dissection on the left side, I was driving (stick shift) within days. Apart from the annoyance of the drains, I found recovery from the surgery to be easier than I expected. Reconstruction and/or needing narcotic pain meds would affect how soon one could return to full function, including driving.

Debbie Laxague

[PinkGirl]

My arm was okay for driving within a few weeks .... I didn't drive much because there was so much going on with appointments, scans, starting chemo etc. that I didn't trust my concentration. Like Caya, I did those damn exercises religiously 😈.

[jaykay]

As soon as I got rid of my drains - about 10 days. Only because it was hard to position my seatbelt :-). Would have driven sooner except for that. I was out walking my dog after 6 days. Had a sentinel node biopsy so minimal lymph nodes removed and had pretty decent freedom of movement

[exercise_guru]

I had a double mastectomy with spacers and lymph nodes removed on both sides. It took about two and half weeks to remove the drains. I was on pain meds for quite awhile but everything healed without complication.

I think it took me two to three weeks to really want to drive.

[Lucy]

I was released to drive when they removed the drains, about 11 days after the surgery (double mastectomy). However, I did not have full range of movement yet so I did very little driving - and none for more than a couple of miles travel - for 4 or 5 weeks after the surgery.

[LizzElliot]

I drove a few days after mastectomy. Less than a week. So long as you are not on painkillers and they are well out of your system.

[spiritualabundance]

I drove less than a week after surgery, once drains were removed. The driving wasn't what bothered me. What bothered me was that the seat belt ran right across the front of my chest and with a bilateral, there was no comfy spot and I'm a seat belt freak. Once you can find a way around that, it really was easy for short trips. Good luck