Bras 101: The Great Post-Exchange Debate
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Delilahbear - Sorry about your elbow! Ouch. Hope you feel better soon. Glad to know those ugly bras still come in handy. I still have mine too.
Prayers for healing.0 -
Oh no, Delia! Feel better!
T
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You're all scaring me!! Im going to go home and put my bra on right away. My PS said I never need to wear one, so I took it literally. I'm so comfortable without it! I can't get on herroom here at work (damn filters) so I'll have to check it out tonight when I get home.
I have some sporty ones that hook close in the front that I bought in a 38 (not sure why since i"m a 32). Do you think that will be okay instead of a big "regular" bra? I don't want my pocket to heal wrong!
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Delilah sorry about your accident. Hope your feeling better soon. Since I also work at SOma I know what you mean about having lots of pretty bras. But when I first started working there I still was in the expansions process so could not wear any. Pretty ironic to be selling them and not able to wear them myslef. I was so excited when I got my first ones and I have a ton of them now with the matching panties of course.
I sleep in the barely there sports bra they are very comfy.
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Lauren -- don't fret. But DO get a bra that fits properly. I don't think a 38 band would do anything much for you if you're a 32!
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We certainly have a multitude of recommendations from the medical community regarding the wearing of bras after exchange.
I had my exchange on 7/5 , saw PS for post op on 7/19 , removed stitches and admired his work including the breast lift to the native side. I asked him about bras, he said I could wear anything (wire, underwire). And never did he mention that I needed to wear a bra 24/7. Do you think it has anything to do with the size of implant (mine is a 450 cc silicone)? I had a uniMX earlier this year, and was a 38C prior. I don't think that was all that big, I am 5'7" about 160 with a long torso.
So I have been going without a bra in the evening at home and for sleep especially since it has been so hot. I hope going without is not going to give me any bad effects later on.
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Janiceg415, good question about whether PS recommendations are varied based partly on size of implant. I've wondered too if the individual PS experience with post exchange revisions leads him or her to recommend bra, no bra, underwire etc. Im guessing - I just find it weird (and a little scary) that like so much of this BC stuff, doctor opinions are all over the place. Even though I trust my doctors, the wide range of practices out there always leaves me questioning what I've been told.
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I'm officially on the hunt for a nice, soft, comfy no wire bra that's not going to cost me a fortune. Wish me luck ladies!
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Lauren - If you find one come back and tell us what you've found.
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Hi ladies, looking to order some wirefree. Can anyone give me a review of any of these:
Natori contour no-wire #137025, Natori cool fit soft cup #139056, Natori yogi wire free convertible sports bra #731035, Wacoal basic beauty contour soft cup #856192, wacoal awareness contour soft cup #856167.
If anyone has tried any of those, id love to hear your opinion. Im 5'3", 130lbs, mentor high profile 600 cc silicone, and am 34DD. Thanks for any advice!0 -
shore1 - I wore the Wacoal awareness right after my exchange and it was fine. Can you go somewhere and try them on, even if just one of them? I live 3 hours away from the nearest Nordstroms but my local Dillard's carries Wacoal. It might help narrow down your choices. Also there have been times that I ordered three or four and then returned what I didn't want. Barenecessities and herroom.com both have great return policies.
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Dawne-hope, I have a Nordstrom & several L&T near me (can't go 5 miles in Jersey without a mall) but they didn't have as good a selection in the store as herroom. Ill check back in here after I buy though. Thx.
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Thx for the info.
Sorry about your elbow Delilah,but you have to admit that is one funny story, I have several of the ugly bras with the velcro shoulder straps and I am keeping them handy in case I ever need them. Odd question tho: Is how long can we have these stupid TE in? I have had mine since Feb 13! Nice Valentine present. Surg was rescheduled for Aug 30th from Aug 2 cause a root on the tooth died,dunno how that happened and so got a toothache fever and PS didnt like all that and the endodontist says shes crazy. oh really? How about his office staff who said they would hold my chk until aug 20 cause I had no money due to med bills from BC and they frickin cash it the minute I walk outta the office. Lucky no chks bounced so i tried to xfer some money to my other acct but now its on hold til Mon! Then I was gonna use the credit card but found I cut up the new one and still have the one that expired in June. I called my fiance for help and he said he'll be right over to eat all my remaining food! lol...good thing I bought chinese food and filled up the gas tank last night. Hope the rest of you girls survive all this. I want new gel boobs for back to school even if I am too old to go back to first grade.
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Shore1 -- is there a Bra Smyth near you? That's a chain in NJ (where I also am) -- they have one at the Short Hills Mall if that's anywhere near you. They have a very good selection of bras. I especially found it helpful to go there when I was looking for wire free (which are NOT well stocked in any stores, even Nordies).
Actually -- I see they only have the one store in NJ and two in NYC (also they do online sales):
http://www.brasmyth.com/page.php?t=info&p=storelocations0 -
Lilah, thanks for the tip. Im pretty far from short hills, but good to know in case im ever up that way.
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Shore, let me know how you make out. I'm looking for the same.
Also, are all the good bras a molded cup? I feel like that adds padding, which I don't need. Also, they're taking up too much room in my drawer.0 -
Lauren, for me molded bras have been the way to go. I got mine at SOMA and the lady pointed me in the direction of the bras that fit well for recon. The molding wasn't thick at all.......
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Tatiana123
I prefer the molded cup bra also as it helps to hide any slight imperfection of the shape of breast after reconstruction. I definitely could not go with just a soft cup bra I think the difference in size/shape would be noticeable.
You are right LaurenM730 they do take up too much room in the drawer.
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I just bought the Natori cool full fit soft cup. I hope I like it because this trial & error shopping I've been doing is getting expensive. Can anyone tell me if bras fit differently once nipples are done? Seems they would because the cups would be filled differently.
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shore - I had the same experience as Kay. I didn't have a graft, mine was flap method where they take skin already there and twist it. I could see it making a slight difference if you got grafts...
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Oh, and shore...return those bras if they don't fit. I bet I returned two dozen bras at the beginning when I was learning what would and wouldn't work for me. I hope the Natori works for you...keep us posted...
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I also prefer unlined bras (and particularly dislike molded cups). I think a good fitting, comfortable bra is the way to go -- period. The rest is up to you!
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Lilah
For me the only way to disguise the less than perfect shape of the breast w/implant is to wear a molded cup. Sometimes we don't have a choice especially in form fitting clothes. It I could get away with not I would especially in the hot summer months.
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Shore - good question. My nipple surgery isn't until the fall, and I didnt even think about that...
I would return any that don't fit well. I'm sure most stores, especially Nordstrom, is great at taking things back. Especially if they are the ones that measured you and they don't fit right...
Did anyone's bra size change a few months after exchange? I don't want to spend too much now if I'm going to have to buy even more some months down the road.
And I'm wearing one today, although I really didn't want to. I feel so restricted after being so free since January. Damn bras!
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For what it's worth, my PS recommended I not "spend a lot on bras" until after my nipple surgery as he was doing some "pocket work" on one side as well. In the surgery report, it says he actually took out both implants and put them back in! He indicated there might be swelling that would also impact the fit. Two months out from the nipple surgery, I'm bra shopping. Yes, I now have a Nordstrom charge card and have already gotten my $20 off certificate and a bunch of coupons. I haven't gotten the bill for those first three bras yet. Now that I've had a good fitting and bras I like from Nordstrom, I'm going to try other places suggested by folks on this thread. Anyone have good luck at Dillards?
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I went bra shopping about a month after exchange (and wore the post-surgical Marena bras they gave me until then). But at that point I only bought a few bras in case there were changes. As it happens, the changes that occurred were that I lost weight LOL -- so I did go down a size.
Janice -- my apologies; of course I've heard that before -- that the molded cups help even things out (are you a uni?) -- I too would wear molded if I had that issue and I'm sorry you have no choice.
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What bras do you prefer for weightlifting? I have been wearing the Tata Tamer when I do cardio, but want to start lifting again. Do you work your chest?
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nlm - I'm with kayb .... whatever is clean.
I usually wear the Bendon Max Out just because it is the most comfortable for me. I have LE and I've found the doing anything/any exercise that engages my pec muscles makes it worse. The only thing I've been able to do are again, what kay suggested ... presses on an incline. Doing flys ... be careful because remember these implants like to go towards the armpits and that exercise would only help it to do so.
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Lilah
My frustration on the shaping of my reconstructed breast is obvious, I am giving it until my 3-mo f/u to see what happens and hopefully get PS to understand my concern. I see so many good pictures of reconstructions (and some not so good) , I wouldn't say mine is bad, it just doesn't look the same in roundness. So I don't know what should or shouldn't be expected from reconstructive surgery?
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janice415 - I was disappointed with the projection. While I felt HUGE with my TE's and they hurt, I did like the projection. I don't have and it is not possible to have the projection we had with our natural breasts. Silicone and saline just don't 'project' out. Once I realized that and mourned that ... I'm happy now. I think we don't go through a natural mourning process of losing our breasts until is over and part of the sadness we feel after the exchange is coming to terms with our loss. It's healthy, I think as long as we don't stay there. For some, revisions are necessary to get where they want to be. For me, getting exactly what I had before ... that isn't possible and I have some really great bras that help me look like I did before.
They really do change with time. I hope you can come to terms with yours soon. xo 0
