Lumpectomy without drain - how long is real recovery time?

Recovery experiences can vary quite a bit from person to person, especially when it comes to returning to physically demanding work. Many community members have found that while basic daily activities might resume around the two-week mark, getting back to more strenuous activities often takes longer as the body heals and any swelling subsides. Hopefully others in the community will share their experiences with both drain and no-drain recoveries to help with planning the time off needed.

I had a drain that plugged up and also s posis abscess that I was lied to about until a year later during physical therapy when my tech seen it in my chart. I healed within 2 weeks because that was when I started 6 weeks of radiation ,5 days a week. Almost 10 yrs later , my breast shriveled up. They say it's back and in my hip bone also. My sentinel dissection removed 29 lymph nodes . I never experienced lymphedema until last year when breast started shrinking. I put off chemo but am gonna give it a shot soon. My arm and breast are affecting me enough now that I'm risking it . Nothing to it but to do it ! Felt great for past 10 years . Mine was lumpectomy and drain put out two or three bags of fluid daily. For 4 days? Positivevibes only !!

I had lumpectomy with SNLB on 10/22. I barely needed Tylenol. I had no drains. Minimal swelling and bruising. The snlbx site was mare tender than the lumpectomy site, but completely manageable. I mostly was tired. Finally felt more or less at my usual energy level by 11/1