Bras 101: The Great Post-Exchange Debate
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Delilahbear - I hope your 'old' ones work too. It sounds they might. But time will tell. Prayers for quick healing. xo
Dulcigirl - Heading over to check now. Remember that I've had 3 years to collect them. I literally cried the first time I came to this thread and there were links in to the header to supportive, yet pretty bras. I'd never seen such pretty bras. I'm making up for lost time.
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Ok. Stopped at Nordstroms on my way home today. I specifically wanted to try non-underwire. Guess what? Even my big Nordstroms only had 2 wireless bras in my size. :-(
And only one of them seemed like a possibility. I am wearing it right now, but it is starting to feel too tight in the band, so we shall see. I will try it again tomorrow before deciding. It's a Wacoal, feels very soft, and looks about as sexy as any sports bra I have, but if it helps with the pain, I'm in.
I also tried a few sizes in the Wacoal Awareness that I bought a few weeks ago and loved, but that hurt after a few hours. That bra!!! I had to go up one band size and down two cups to get a good fit!!! That one is underwire though, so I won't try it til my wirefree experiment is done. I'm going to try returning the original. (Not Nordies.) i was fitted by two ladies, one of whom worked for Wacoal and that bra was totally wrong for me!!! This one actually fits. Hope it doesn't hurt!
Happy bra fittings, ladies!!0 -
Found a couple of deeply discounted underwires today! YAHOO !!! Rushed home and excitedly tried them on. First the Natori (only a number on the label - 1232124) fits way too snug across the foobs. Maybe I need a bigger cup size in this brand... do they run smallish? Then the other, Maidenform 7969, just did not fit my bod well at all. Cups gaped and did not feel supportive, underwires not quite wide enough... nope. So both failures, and back they go. Guess my beginners luck is over, and here I sit in my CalvinKlein, still.
Dulci - hope your new wacoal works out for you! How is the Great Wireless Experiment going? Are you still feeling better wire-free? How long is the test period?
DawneHope and Dulci - thanks for posting your bra storage pictures! Quite a collection you have there DawneHope....I want to be you when I grow up! And knickers too! And Dulci, I lovelovelove your backofdoor usedtobeshoestorage bra storage solution! Looks like it works great. And yes, I think you could do at least three on each row, and probably double up too. So get out there and shop!
I actually bought a men's tie-storage rack and I'm testing that out for my bras. They hang nicely and are easy to see, but I'm not sure if they will all tumble off when I try to take one off to wear!
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Rose,
You don't try on the bras IN the store FIRST!? LOL?! Wow...I'd go crazy that way...have a hard enough time going through so many rejects BEFORE I get home...:)
Violet0 -
Ha!! I think I could probably triple layer...which means it could hold 36 x 3! Lol.
My wireless experiment? Well, I had to work the last two days so I had to wear an underwire so it wouldn't show. Today through Saturday I should be able to get away with t-shirts and wireless. My new Wacoal wireless will be tested well today!! I must say I was quite discouraged yesterday while shopping. Even my large Nordstroms does not have wireless in my size. In fact the girl that helped me basically said they don't make them my size. :-(
I went down one cup size for my Wacoal, but it is soft, stretchy, etc. It feels pretty supportive and I did read last night that they even advertise it as good after some surgeries due to its having some compression. I really, really love the way the Awareness brand Wacoal cups fit me. And it was great to figure out the quirks of getting the Awareness underwire to fit properly...for me that involves going up a band size and down two cup sizes.
I tried on some very lovely Chantelles, too. They can even make a nude colored bra look pretty!!!0 -
Pretty nervy of me, huh Violet? I usually would want to try them on in the store, but yesterday I was just running through on a tight schedule and didn't want to take the time. Also, I was only getting the two styles, so not too much to haul home (and now back). But even when I try on in the store and think my purchase is great, I leave tags on and try it around the house 'gently' for at least a couple of hours to see if it's still comfortable. I was thinking of you when I grabbed the Maidenform.... but don't think it was the same model you like so well... just some older discontinued model that was at Ross. Oh well, some days are like that.
So Dulci, I'm glad the Nordie visit was fruitful. Figuring out how to get a good fit in the Wacoal UW is wonderful! And hopefully the nowire Wacoal will work for you now during the Great Experiment.
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"The Great Experiment" update: I am loving this wireless bra!!! The only oddity was when I ran through the basement and up the stairs to grab the phone. The girls are very well contained in this one, but it's not a sports bra and when I ran they moved as one. And there's plenty of them. I really thought "if these things get wound up they could fling me across the room!"
Just another random thought from a formerly B girl. It's a whole new world, ladies....
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Dulci - must take care with those things
!!! I'm thinking that is the reason big bossoooomed ladies run "like girls", with their arms crossed over their front - must tame those things! Also, take care to remain upright with straight back, so as to not tip over frontways when hurrying forward
. Sounds like that new wireless has you happy and pain free though, and that is priceless!0 -
Rose---I also tried all the Maidenforms. They were what I wore for years pre BC! Now I can't find a single one that fits around this oh-so-wide implant. I did go and buy a couple of Calvin Kleins. One definitely won't do. It's a demi cup and I have found that type sits right where I have partial cleavage feeling, so as I move, it sends out "shocks". I have to have a cup that holds the whole boob. The other CK is ok. I wore it for an hour last night so I'm going to try for 2 hours tonight. I figure for me to keep it, it should be comfortable enough to wear out to dinner with friends (say 3-4 hours). I need a bra with a wide underwire. I'm guessing that's what Nordstroms is for.
Speaking of Nordstrom, can anyone tell me what the procedure is to get bras paid for by insurance? My insurance is with Humana which is not in network with Nordstrom. Humana says they will pay for 6 bras a year but no one seems to be able to tell me if that is mastectomy bras or any type bras. I know I need something from my PS but am I asking for a bra prescription? Can I buy the bras then get the RX from PS and mail in to insurance? Can I buy any bra and say it's a MX bra? Guess I could just buy a couple when I make it to Nordstrom next month and send in my receipt and see what happens. Then if they pay it, I know I can buy up to 6! I want to make sure I'm doing this right since I'm already fighting the mx bra/wig shop that I got my post surgical bras from. I paid up front cause she said she wasn't in network. I sent in for reimbursement and Humana paid her cause she was under contract. She still swears she isn't and that Humana is lying so right now she still has all my money plus the money Humana sent her. And it's alot!! Looks like a lawyer is next..... Crazy woman should not be working with cancer patients!
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I think your best bet is to ask your insurance what the procedure is. Supposedly mine covers 4 per year. I ave to go online to their site, download a form and submit it with a receipt. I have not done it yet, but I'm really hoping it works for my "regular" bras.
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I have Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Nordstrom's is a preferred provider. I went by my local Nordie's and the mastectomy fitter happened to be there so I picked her brain about the procedure. She said I get a presciption from my doctor for 'underwire support bra's'. Bring it to her with my insurance card and bam, they do the rest of the work. I called my ins and the rep checked and she said they would cover whatever the doctor prescribed, up to a 'reasonable' quantity and cost. I probed as to what that meant, and she said she regularly sees presciprtions for 4-6 bra's. Reasonable cost she guessed would be up to around $50 each. If I go over whatever the magic amount turns out to be I will be billed a 'copay' for the rest of the cost. Checked with my PS and he said he'll write the prescription when I'm ready, but probably another 3 or4 weeks at least for me.
I agree that probably you should call your insurance and get the coverage details and procedure from them. Don't want to end up with another fight on your hands.
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Oh, and that's interesting about the Calvin Kleins. You mention that the demi cup didn't work. I was just shopping at amazon in another window on my PC. In my cart I have a Bali that I think I really want to try, and a CK demi cup that is there because it is marked down to $12 in red. But I was mulling if I thought the demi would work for me. Would it have enough foob support? Would it be comfortable on the foobs? Hate returns for online stuff, so I try to be more cautious about what I order in the first place. So I think I'll not do the demi for now. Glad the other CK might work for you. Pretty wide, right?
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I had a DIEP reconstruction and had a binder in the hospital. My PS would loosely close it following his daily exams because to tight can cause circulation issues but some support was necessary. No underwires were allowed. I found a sports bra did the trick and it was comfortable! It all depends on your reconstruction procedure. As with everything, consult with your doc.
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hmmm.. i may check with my ins. I have bcbs also, but didn't think they would cover as I am in "regular" bras now and my ps was okay with bali no underwires at kohls and ofcourse just said underwires are not to hit, sit on implant in any way...so ps would write script for underwire support bra???
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That's the way my Nordie's fitter said to have it written. Not sure, but seems like it might work if left more general, like "support bra's"? Seems like it should be ok, and that way you have more leeway to pick what you want/what works. I'm not sure if the insurance company would care that they are underwire or not. My rep at the BC said they would cover whatever the doctor prescribed. Smart to check your specific BC coverage though.
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I need to check also because I have bcbs too.
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Hi, I am new to this blog and would love some feedback from all you ladies. I had reconstructive surgery 6 months ago and found the bra experience lacking in every way including the PS's advice. I decided to create my perfect post surgery bra that could be used from immediately after surgery through the entire recovery process including possible migration issues. For those of you who experienced complications and uncomfortable bras, what would be the improvements you would make for the perfect bra? I hope this is ok to ask everyone these questions. We are the best individuals to answer these questions since we went through it. Most PS's don't quite understand what it is to endure a painful inadequate garment. Please help if possible. Thanks.
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BrilliantContours---For me, the perfect bra would have wider underwires and by that I don't mean the wire itself but the width around the breast. I am having a very difficult time finding a bra that doesn't sit on my implant which is much wider than the native breast. Also, I am now a D cup and it seems all the D cups come up so high under the armpit. My armpit is much more sensitive since my mx so all these bras rubbing under my arm just bother me! So those would be the two things I am looking for. Hope this helps!
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Has anyone have to go up a band sz to accommodate the implants ..I usually wear a 34C but for comfort a 36C is the most comfortable ...
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sherry67 - I had to do the opposite, drop a band size and go up a cup size. Actually, two band sizes and two cup sizes. I was totally wearing the wrong size before bc. Used to wear 34b. Now, 30d.
Measure your rib cage, right under your breasts or your implants. Whatever that measurement is, your band size should not be more than four inches of that measurement. My rib cage is 28in and I wear a 30 band.0 -
Thanks dawn-hope I will do that because I have a small waist myself ...
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lala if oyu need a wider wire try a minimizer bra. The wires are more "C" shape as opposed to "U" shape.
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Just had my second reconstruction surgery and you can bet your @#$%$& that I will be wearing a supportive bra day and night for a LONG time to come. My perfect implants migrated and encapsulated and got infected after the first round. They don't look quite so great after the second - had to get a LDF after having nice clean implants only the first time. I'd hate to see the third. The problem - lymphedema!! Tight bras and underwire make my arm blow up big time after only a half day of wearing and this is dangerous for me. So far the Wacoal Clear Comfort in a size slightly too big is my friend. It holds me in place decently but doesn't cut off my lymph movement and activate my lymphedema - which in my experience and from all the communities I follow, is caused more by tight and underwire bras post-surgery than anything.
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Mariasnow - Congratulations on getting through your surgery. I too have lymphedema and I hate it!
One thing I 've learned about it ... is that it is different for everyone who has it and what causes a flare in one doesn't necessarily cause a flare in another. Have you seen/triend the Marena bras? They are not underwired and the compression around the trunk may help with the LE? I'm not sure in your case but here is a link so you can look through them:
http://marenagroup.com/comfortwear/product/products-for-women/breast-support/seamless-cup-bras.html
I know some of the ladies here on BCO on the LE threads use different cami/compression tops and that helps some of them. Some of them wear the underarmour compression shirts as well ... turned inside out so the seams don't rub and that helps some of them. Others find the spanx bras help them. It's weird in my case ... because I found those things make my LE worse. I have primarily in my fingers and my hands. And when I wear anything other than an underwired bra ... I hurt. It's strange, I know. But it is a good reminder that we are all different ... our bodies are all different ... and LE being the bitch that it is ... it's not a one 'cure' or recommendation fits all.
I'm sorry you're having to deal with the Lymphedema. For me, that was harder to deal with emotionally than having cancer. The 'gift' that keeps on giving.
Blessings on your recovery.
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Thanks Dawne-Hope! Lymphedema really sucks. I am grateful that mine is not that bad - only about 1 cm right now. Also, there is a theory and it was studied in China that LDF surgery improves lymphedema in women who had it post-mastectomy or post-exchange after TEs. My PS believes it and said he has seen it many times. Over a period of months - the live tissue coming through the underarm area where lymphnodes were removed seems to improve the flow for some. The China study was pretty positive that it is the way to go for lymphedema. I ended with with LDF construction after my initial exchange failed. My PS truly believes there is a silver lining for me based on what he has seen. We will see. I can say for CERTAIN, my hand is numb less often since the LDF. Wishing that we both keep finding the best ways to stay healthiest with the lowest side-effects! All types of compression seem to make my lymphedema worse. So yep, I totally get that we are all different. Anything tight makes it worse!!
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Mariasnow - What does LDF stand for? When my implants need to be swiped out that may be something I consider.
I often wonder if the LE would get better if I got de-constructed.
Some people are compression sensitive, which it sounds like you are. For me, it is a delicate balancing act. Too tight compression, I get worse. Too little and I swell up. It's enough to drive the most patient and forebearing among us CRAZY!
I am so encouraged that it looks like you have a good outcome not only with your reconstruction but also with the LE. Keep us posted. xo
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Hi ladies I found some real comfortable sports bras at Walmart for 9.99 and bought them and they give me as much support as the surgical bras do. My PS said as long as they work it's okay to wear them. I am really glad because the surgical bras were cutting into me and I was not happy with them at all. I also went down a band size too .
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Momto7 - I'm curious about which sports bra's you're talking about? Do they have some lateral support? I'm still in surgical bra's overnight and would love to switch.
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Momto7 - remind me please - when was your exchange? My PS OK'd sports bras 3 days after exchange when he removed the drain tubes. My surgical bra was actually pretty comfortable but had much too much coverage for summer tops!
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In case anyone is feeling frustrated and looking for a post-surgery or sleep bra this is a great online source:
http://marenagroup.com/comfortwear/top-sellers/products-for-women.html
They are great over the phone. If you describe what you are looking for they can zero in on the most appropriate bra for your needs. The stretchy sports bras from the department stores that most everyone finds so comfy after surgery and during recovery didn't work for me because the non-adjustable shoulder straps weren't long enough. Got a very supportive bra from Marena with adjustable straps that I still sleep in.
However, they do have compression garments and ones with stabilizer straps, etc. so best to get the OK from your PS before choosing something like that.
Best wishes!
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