Bras 101: The Great Post-Exchange Debate
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Val, thank you for sharing! So much to learn! I am beginning to think I too have a bra fetish. Shopping and shopping for a variety! I appreciate your expertise about the bras~
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and Val, what to do when you have so many bras that you can't close the drawer any more? it's really ridiculous and I hope I've stopped but I just figured out that I really should be wearing a 32 instead of a 34 in my favorite Natori bra... just a year ago I had only 3-4 bras that fit rather poorly, and my drawer shut so easily.
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Kristinka -- what to do is: bring the ones that don't fit or that you don't wear to Las Vegas and trade em/give em away
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Kristen: I've just about given up on cramming all my bras into the drawer. They are curently in a pile on top of my dresser
but they really are easily accessible! And I'm with you--I now know that I was wearing the wrong size before bc.TCK
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Val/Deborah, Thanks, that all makes sense. My goal for this trip had been to go to Nordstroms, but you know how that goes...never made it. I WILL go in October though! Anna, I have that gap and have found that I actually am glad for it because it allows my nips the space they need so that they don't lose projection so much. It's not enough gap to show in my clothes now that I have nips but before nips I just couldn't wear those bras. Kristinka, did you post your bras on the bra exchange thread. I'm sure somebody could use them. If not, like Lilah said, take them to Vegas. Julie0
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I'll probably be coming to Vegas with 10 bras to give away. Even many that are the "right" size don't fit and I'm hoping there is someone who could use them. I'm just so amused b/c I never was a bra gal (my old ones are 36, and just flop around me)
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OMG
I went to Nordstroms in Farmington, CT and found the most wonderful angel. Now my real boob and my foob look like they belong on the same body - under clothes of course. I can wear some of my shirts that I've been dying to wear. Happy days
Thank you all for the advise!
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Thanks Julie for sharing! I am hoping that once I get the nips this will solve my problem. Kristinka, I am like you, it seems all I do is bra shop now trying to get the right bras for these new girls, can't wait until they eventually have their faces! Anna
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Another big "hurray" for Nordstroms! They really are angels......bra angels......
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Val, you and Deborah are my angels! Always there helping us all and I thank you both from the bottom of my heart. I love that I do not feel alone any longer on this journey.~ Anna
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Anna, I thought of you while in the shower this morning. I just remembered that when I was fitted for a bra before nips I complained about the nipple gap in the bra and the woman told me I needed to pull the shoulder straps tighter--it helped some.
Julie
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Curious - Is anyone not getting nipples??? Why have you made that decision? Right now I am not interested. On TimTam sight it gets me tempted. I am still waiting for my exchange. I also had a large tumor removed after my BMX. Maybe 2 surgeries so close together and exchange make 3 I am just tired of being tired and in pain.
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Excellent point, Julie. I think most of us used to wear our straps much looser than they really should be. After my exchange, when my PS first adjusted my bra the way it should be, I couldn't believe how snug the straps were. He had me loosen them after the nip surgery so they wouldn't be compressed, but I've since gone back to the snugger straps. Just feels better to me....go figure....
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Hope -- I think nip surgery is often done in the office (with local anesthetic)... although some doctors DO admit you for full blown surgery, many don't. So it's possible that getting nips would not be the same as having sugery.
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Julie and Val, I never thought about the straps but you are right we should have them pulled tighter than we were used to. How did you all decide on what procedure you were going to do for the nips?
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Guys, here's a query; re: sizing. My lat flap has a "pooch" of tissue at the base of it, where it made a seroma that I have not fixed yet.
This makes anything smaller than a 38 band make me swell up and be really uncomfortable.
I am naturally about a 35" or 34" inch ribcage.
What do I do? Go for comfort? I can get it fixed down the road but in the meantime the girls aren't getting the support they need and my PS said no underwires.
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Laura, a photo just for you. Sans the cat/husband
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Anna: The key is that the band size and cup size need to be spot on and you might have to go through a lot of frogs to find a prince, but you will - have patience. I have found that the bras with memory foam - which sort of form to your breast mound - do the best at addressing that center defect. The theory for the "memory foam" is that it should respond and form to the warmth of the skin. My skin seems to stay at the same low-grade chill factor, no matter the weather. Natori's memory foam seem to work best for me. Freya has memory foam, but it is not quite as effective as the Natori - for me. The Chantelle C-Chic [the unpadded version] has a stretchy cup fabric which works well for the reconstructed breast. Anita is another bra mfr - very good quality bras and the center gore of the bra just fits amazing on the sternum and the underwire does not gape in the center, like even other higher end bras seem to do. Anita makes post-surgical bras as well. A very well-made bra.
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Annie you are beautiful!!! (Definitely NOT your husband
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Thank you, so are you! However if I took a full body shot, you'd see the bat wing arm holding the camera and the big ole butt down below, so hence the head shot.
xox
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LOL -- well um yeah my body is far from perfect but who's counting?
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Deborah you are so special to us all here! I thank you for all that you do in helping each of us here! I will continue to look for the prince! Patience, patience! Thank you!
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Anna...I have the same problems
Deborah....As usual you know the answer...thanks.....I am planning to take a trip to Nordstroms in the next few weeks. I figured I should wait a few more weeks since only 4 weeks post exchange.
Lilah....wow, I love your new picture....you look great!
I have been away for a week...still trying to catch up on here.
Pat
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Yes, Lilah! So lovely to see you au' naturale! Your hair should be about 3 inches by Vegas!!! About where Laura's was last year.
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Artsy and Deborah: thanks
It is what it is -- I am enjoying the extreme change of it (I've always had long hair)... and YEAH I can't wait for 3 inch long hair and VEGAS!0 -
With LE, I have been told NO MORE UNDER WIRES for me...this makes me so sad.
I am going to try to get to Nordstroms this weekend to see.. what, if any bra gives lift and support for us.. with no under wire.
You know... it is a good thing our dear Lord gave me the ability to bounce back from CRAP fast... 'cause I am about to LOOSE IT....
Can one person be punished SO MUCH???? GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
Half way kidding...
anywho.... if you all have a good lift and support bra that has no under wire, let me know.
TY!
Bald head is just for other sisters that wanted to see me before I had Mast and during Chemo
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Thanks, Estepp. You beat me to it. I think more of us than not are told no more underwires, but so much of the bra-talk is about those pretty Freya's, etc. Anyone have some good suggestions for the NO UNDERWIRE GIRLS?? It seems especially hard to find small sizes [the new improved (??) me] that offer good support, and maybe even look nice!
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Yes, I do. Victorias Secret Angels Wirefree. Amazing little thing that gives great support and no wires!!!
Laura, Lilah, both of you are lovely!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think you both are darling with the buzz cuts; hey, Demi Moore kept hers for awhile cuz she knew it looked good. With such beautiful faces, who looks at hair? Just gilding the lily
. Anyway, in just a month or so, the hair will be longer, and then you'll probably want to keep it short cuz it looks good
love
annie
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Hope - Just ask some of the gang who've been here for awhile....I was completely tortured over doing the nips. I wasn't so much afraid of another surgery (my PS does them in the OR under general, though a light general), as much as I was afraid to mess up what I thought was a pretty good result as it was. Even the night before my surgery, I was in bed and crying to my dh about it. He just said, "honey, you don't have to show up tomorrow." Well, I did, and I am SO HAPPY that I did. Honestly....my PS drew out the nips with the sharpie, took a pic, then showed me to check placement.....in that instant, I completely understood what he'd been trying to tell me....it really does make a difference.....it just makes them more "real." However, everybody's different....some of us have issues that preclude doing nips, so opt for 3D tatoos, which also "complete" the picture, so to speak......others decide that they're just fine without any kind of nip, though it's probably a fairly small percentage. My PS said about 10% of his patients are like me (debating) but over half of those eventually do them. Food for thought.....0
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Jershua and Laura - I suggested a couple of bras for KristenPink that were wireless and I'm pretty sure they worked out. I just need to find where I put that info.....or maybe she'll pop in here and help.....
Laura - You are a strong and amazing woman.....and most importantly, we love you!!!! Hang in there!!! (and GRRRRRRRRR all you want!)
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