Lumpectomy surgery is usually performed as an outpatient procedure and takes about 1 hour. Make sure you ask your doctor about the specifics of your procedure, including whether they'll use a general or local anesthetic. If they plan to prescribe pain medication for your recovery, ask for the prescription ahead of time so you can get it filled in advance. This will allow you to focus on your recovery after your surgery and have your pain medications on hand as soon as you need them.
After your lumpectomy, your breast will likely feel sore and tender and will usually have some bruising and swelling. Although most patients can go back to work within 2 to 3 days, your recovery time may vary depending on the specifics of your procedure, so it's important to ask your surgeon about your individual recovery details.
Learn more about lumpectomy recovery in our related blog post; it may help you think of some additional issues you should discuss with your surgeon before your lumpectomy.