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Dr. Jay Harness
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VIDEO: Dr. Harness - After A Double Mastectomy, How Long Is The Recovery?

Dr. Harness describes the recovery after a double mastectomy.

Dr. Harness, M.D.:
Depending on what her normal activity is, if she is a busy mom, it may take two, three weeks or more. The drains are usually in from a double mastectomy, somewhere between 7 days, sometimes up to two weeks. It depends on what her pre-mastectomy level of activity is.

If she is somebody who is working in a labor-intensive job where she is having to lift things and what have you, we’re talking a good four to six weeks potentially before she can return to such activity.

If she is working a job that she could do at a desk or a computer, she may be back to work even after a double mastectomy within a week.

About Dr. Harness, M.D.:
Dr. Jay Harness, M.D., is the Director at St. Joseph Hospital Comprehensive Breast Center. Practicing medicine for 35 years, Dr. Harness specializes in general surgery and medical oncology. Graduating medical school from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, he conducting his internship and residency at the University of Michigan Medical Center. Recognized nationally and internationally for his work in breast and endocrine surgery, Dr. Harness is the immediate past-President of The American Society of Breast Surgeons and is President-elect of Breast Surgery International. Dr. Harness can assist patients in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese.

Visit Dr. Harness at St. Joseph Hospital

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