When scheduled for a mastectomy, life can go by in a blur. Women and their families have a ton of preparation to do before the surgery, but they also need to plan for life after the mastectomy.
After surgery, getting back to normal as fast as possible becomes a high priority. A lot of women will consider reconstructive surgery, but there are a lot of great reasons for not wanting to go through with reconstruction.
The most significant deterrent will be that going through yet another surgery is too much of a daunting prospect, and many reconstructions require more than one return visit to the surgeon’s table. There are also some health issues which will preclude reconstruction as an option.
Every woman will have to weigh the pros and cons when making a decision. Quite a few will choose not to go through more surgery. Instead, they will consider a mastectomy prosthesis. Here are a few tips to guide you if you think this is the route you may take.
1. Try the prostheses out before making a final decision.
After your surgery, you are probably very near to convincing yourself that prostheses are the way to go. However, this shouldn’t deter you from trying them out and getting an idea of how they will look and feel.
Caring Touch Medical Inc. provides a comfortable environment where you will be taken care of by a highly trained all-female staff who understand the challenges women face during this trying time of their lives.
2. Wait until you are fully healed.
After six or eight weeks, you should be well on your way to being fully healed from the surgery, but your surgeon will let you know if you are ready for a fitting. This is important as it will ensure your measurements will be accurate and the custom-made garments will provide the most comfortable fit.
3. Make sure you have adequate insurance coverage.
You should always check your insurance policy to find out what will be and won’t be covered by your agency, including how many bras and prostheses are covered per year.
4. Take your bra with you.
Prosthetic bras are designed to blend in with different prostheses and have adjustable straps. Fitters will recommend you find a bra you will be comfortable with before coming in for a fitting. You can also purchase bras designed to work well during different activities such as swimming, dancing, or Pilates.
5. Keep your post-surgery puff bra.
It can be inconvenient to put everything on just to make a quick dash to the grocery store or pick up the kids from school. Your post-surgery puff bra can be an acceptable stand-in when you aren’t too concerned about your looks.
6. Schedule a follow up fitting.
Your prostheses may be a perfect fit now, but this can change over time, and it may start to cause discomfort. Regularly checking in with a follow-up fitting will ensure your prostheses always provides the maximum level of comfort.
Here’s What To Do Now
Preparing for a mastectomy and going through recovery afterwards will be challenging, so it is essential you get all the support you can.
Call Caring Touch Medical Inc and schedule an appointment with their professional and understanding staff today. Click here to find our location closest to you.
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