How Do You Get Back to Doing ‘Normal’ Things After Breast Cancer?

Everyone’s cancer journey is different, but there are things you can do to ease your transition back to what feels like your baseline. Always consult with your doctor to make sure you’re ready.

After I completed breast cancer treatment — including chemotherapy, bilateral mastectomy, and reconstruction — I knew things would be different.

My body looked and felt different. Mentally, I wanted to return to “normal” as quickly as possible, but physically, that transition proved trickier.

I learned that getting back to what feels normal after breast cancer is different for everyone. It depends on your diagnosis and treatment, plus what normal means to you.

You may need more time than others to get back to routine activities like going to work, exercising, or being in the sun.

Before returning to your everyday routine, it’s best to talk with your doctors to ensure you’re safe to resume those activities. Along with your doctor’s advice, here are some general guidelines to safely return to your regular lifestyle after breast cancer treatment.

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Returning to work after breast cancer

If you were able to take time off during cancer treatment, you may be thinking about returning to work once treatment ends. For me, getting back to work gave me a welcome distraction from cancer treatment and the anxiety I still felt afterward.

Receiving a medical release from your doctor is critical before returning to work, particularly if your job involves any kind of physical labor, including standing for long periods of time. To ease the transition, you may want to return on a hybrid or flex schedule, work from home, or explore other options.

Know your rights

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) may cover reasonable accommodations like modifying work schedules or settings. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) protects your right to take extended time away from work without fear of losing your job.

When I returned to work, I spoke with my supervisor and human resources director to create a schedule that allowed me to ease back in without pushing myself too hard. Your doctor can provide documentation for your employer to help you get similar accommodations if you need them.

Returning to exercise after breast cancer

Exercise can be an important tool for healing and strengthening your body after cancer treatment. But when and how you exercise may be different from what you did prior to treatment, particularly with surgeries.

According to post-op guidelines at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, it’s a good idea to pace yourself and start with low impact exercises like walking to rebuild strength and endurance. They also recommend specific types of exercise depending on the type of surgery you get.

These include:

• Lumpectomy or partial mastectomy without sentinel node biopsy: Avoid activities that bounce or jostle the breasts for 2 weeks postsurgery, and perform shoulder range-of-motion exercises beginning a few days after surgery.
• Mastectomy without reconstruction: Begin shoulder range-of-motion exercises even with drains, and return to low impact exercise like walking once your pain is under control.
• Breast reconstruction: Return to low impact exercise 4 weeks after surgery, and don’t lift your arms above shoulder level until cleared by your plastic surgeon.
• For axillary node dissection: Avoid heavy lifting for 4 weeks and repetitive motion of the impacted arm for 2 weeks after surgery.

The most important thing to remember is to follow your doctor’s advice on returning to exercise after breast cancer surgery. With their blessing, the second thing to keep in mind is to listen to your body. If an exercise causes significant pain or fatigue, stop.

Returning to sun exposure after breast cancer

Unless you’re a vampire, you’re likely to have regular sun exposure. Those rays can impact your body differently after breast cancer treatment.

Chemotherapy and radiation can make your skin more sensitive to the sun’s rays. That sensitivity can last months after treatment ends, depending on your medication and your skin’s natural sensitivity.

If you’ve had surgery, it’s important to protect scars from sun exposure. This is especially true 6 months to a year post-op but may continue to be true for life. The sun’s rays can cause scars to become discolored, thickened, or hard.

That doesn’t mean you have to stay indoors, but be sure to take extra care when out in the sun after cancer treatment.

Sun safety tips

According to the American Cancer Society, these tips can help you stay safe and avoid skin damage in the sun:

• Avoid direct exposure during the hours when UV rays are strongest, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• Wear broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 or higher that blocks both UVA and UVB rays. Reapply regularly, especially if you’re swimming or sweating.
• Wear protective clothing like rash guards, shirts, and hats with a UV protection factor (UPF), particularly if you have scars.
• Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes and the skin around them.

The bottom line

Returning to regular activities after breast cancer treatment can help you feel like yourself. Still, it’s important to remember that your body has changed and to adapt to those changes to enjoy activities safely.

Your doctors can help you decide if you’re ready to return to certain activities. It’s important to follow their instructions to ensure a smooth healing process.