Bras 101: The Great Post-Exchange Debate
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Wacaol Awareness are my favorite bras too. I feel so good in them!
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My favorite bra - the Anita "Daytona", is on sale at Herroom. I love this bra! The most comfortable bra I own and it really has a great fit.
http://www.herroom.com/anita-5600-rosa-faia-daytona-shadow-stripe-underwire-bra.shtml
I wear a 34 E in this bra. The band is a teensy bit more snug than my Chantelle or Freya bras, but not by much.
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whippetmom - Thanks for letting us know!
I've never tried an Anita bra but heard marvelous things about them. It looks a lot like some of the LeMystere t-shirt bras! I've struggled to find a comfy t-shirt bra … and the LeMystere ones are amongst the ones I like best … so I'm thinking maybe I need to try it.
It says it is being discontinued. I hate it when they discontinue your favorite bra.
Snatch it up while you still can …
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Watch herroom.com and barenecessities.com right now because there will be some fabulous sales coming up…especially after Valentine's Day.
It's a great time to snatch up some of your pricey favorite bras.
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I ordered a black one....
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So glad I found this thread and all the suggestions for comfortable bras! I'm only three weeks post exchange, but already know that none of my bras from before BMX are going to fit me and I had quite the collection... I've been getting by with either nothing or sports bras (only when necessary) during the transition, but a girl always needs a pretty bra, right? ;-)
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whippetmom - Yayyyy! If I wasn't going on a trip in a couple of weeks I would order one too!
AZ85048 - AbSoLuTeLy to the question, "…a girl always needs a pretty bra, right?" Yes, yes, and yes! xo
I donated my bras that were still in good shape to a local women's shelter. They were happy to have them. Go and get fitted … because you're probably going to be a bigger cup size than you think (because of width) and then just enjoy getting re-stocked!
Congratulations on your exchange! Keep us posted on your new purchases. 0 -
Greetings, Bra 101 sisters! I know many of you don't know me, but I used to hang around her a lot
. My life has changed a good bit in the past couple of years, and spending time on the computer just isn't a part of it. However, today is a special day for me, and I could not let it pass without reaching out to you all. Five years ago today, I had my bilateral mastectomy…..which means TODAY I HAVE BEEN CANCER-FREE FOR FIVE YEARS!! In many ways it seems like yesterday, yet in others like a lifetime ago. When I started this thread, I wanted to "pay it forward" and hopefully help some of you - as those who journeyed before me helped me. I am so thankful to DawneHope for taking over the reigns of this thread; I am so happy to see it's still around. Just remember that there IS life after BC, and it's a beautiful one! Sending hugs and blessings to you all!!0 -
val61 - Again, CONGRATULATIONS! Five years; that means I only have four years and seven months to go!
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val61 - CONGRATULATIONS!
We miss you but what a blessing to be able to move on.
You're such an inspiration in so many ways.
And an amazing bra mentor too!
Much love to you. And congratulations, sister!! xoxo
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Yay, Val !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Yay, Val! And LOL "used to hang around here" -- um I'm pretty sure you started this thread
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Congrats Val!
I am 3 years 5 months since my BMX.
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Hi Carrol! How are you doing????
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Tina doing well. Just some minor joint pain now, I think probably from the Tamoxifen. My knees are the worst because they have fluid build up and if I workout too much they swell up like pumpkins and get really sore. My elbows crack a bit too. Pilates is really hard for me, and the last few days a few fingers are sore maybe from the cold weather. Sometimes if I talk on the phone a long time my hand falls asleep. All my hair came back the way it was. Lashes and brows only thinned during chemo but pretty all back now although I don't have to tweeze or shave as often. When food tasted good again I gained a ton of weight so still working on that. But I am a weight watcher leader now. Maybe a little tiny bit of chemo brain, but I always was a little spacey and I am going to be 50 next year.
But I did pilates yesterday, the best I could, then zumba toning after that and today I am sore so going to take a zumba gold class. So all in all I think I am doing very well, life goes on and I am glad.
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How soon after your exchange can you start getting fitted for bras?
We don't have a nordstrom in our entire state (we have a Nordstrom Rack, but I don't think they do the bra fittings, right?), but I have a meeting out of state 5 weeks after my wife's surgery date. The meeting will be almost next door to a mall that has a nordstrom and I thought the timing might be perfect to take her along with me and let her get fitted by a pro. Otherwise, I'm not sure when we'll be around a nordstrom again.
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whitnack check into if you have a Soma Intimates they do bra fitting, call and see if they have someone who specializes in reconstruction.
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Depending on your doctor's orders you can try it. The thing is...she will still be changing. So if she is fitted at that time she may still have swelling. She will also still be doing more "drop/fluff", so I sure wouldn't invest much. I was fitted at around 3 weeks. I bought one good bra and wore it a lot!! After 3-4 months I was able to go shopping and find a style that fit and was very comfortable.
Don't limit your looking to just Nordstroms. There are also boutiques/specialty shops that do fittings. If you'd like to post a general area where you live you might get some responses from ladies who have found helpful shops. Even your plastic surgeon's office might be able to share names of goid fitters.
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As suggested by Dulcigirl can also see if you have any specialty lingerie and/or mastectomy boutiques around where you live. I know Nordstrom is often mentioned on here but they definitely are not the only place where you can get fitted after reconstruction. I just think they are often recommended as in the US at least they are fairly common and most are familiar with them. I am in a small city in Canada and have never stepped foot in a Nordies (though I have shopped from them online!) and we have a small lingerie boutique that also sells mastectomy wear AND does fittings for women of all shapes, sizes, including those who have had mastectomies and reconstructions. I go there for my pre-surgery bra fittings, and will go there afterward as well because they are such lovely and compassionate ladies, and I like supporting a local small business.
But as Dulcigirl said above...I would NOT spend a lot of money at this point as things will settle down. I am naturally a size (32DD) that you can't find "on the shelf" at department stores or discount stores so have been going to boutiques since I was 20 or so. What I usually do is get fitted and buy ONE bra where I get fitted (because they are usually pricey at $100+ and am not willing to spend $300-400 on bras 1-2x a year, but like I said I also want to support them) and then go onto herroom or bare necessities or something and order a couple more of the ones I tried on that I liked...usually at half the price even when not on sale. She should probably be "refitted" again in a few months (more reason to go local, unless you want to travel out of state to Nordstrom every time she needs new bras...because it is actually smart to get fitted at least once a year as bodies can change...and she may even need to have a couple different sizes in her drawer. I for example fluctuate between a 30E and a 32DD depending on how much I am lifting at the gym! I know some women need to have 2-3 sizes in their drawers to deal with hormones and such (obviously she won't have her own breast tissue so this won't be the same issue for her))
And yes, check with the PS as to what he wants/recommends at this point. Every PS is different.
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Once I knew my favorite style and correct size I've even shopped for bras (NWT or N without) on Ebay. HUGE savings!
The other plus at Nordstroms was that my fitter told me if I wore it a bit and it was not comfortable I should return it!
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Thanks for the replies. Thanks for the tips for options other than Nordstrom. Didn't know if other places could handle reconstruction fittings or not. We do have a Soma Intimates about an hour away as well as a Victoria's Secret, Kohl's, Macy's, etc. I'm sure there are other, small boutiques out there, we'll just have to find them.
Good to know that there could possibly be swelling this time around as well. After the PBM, she had general swelling around her ribs and underarms. This threw off her band size measurements by a couple of inches. I guess she could have the same swelling this time around and that would affect her fit.
Looks like there is a large discrepancy from website to website on what size bra she should be looking for (I know things will probably change from TEs to implants, but she is still curious). Most websites (Herroom, Nordstrom, Kohl's) have her size as a 32D. However, other sites like VS and Soma have her as a 34B, and even other sites have her measurements equaling a 30G and 30F! I'm sure things vary a little from brand to brand, but could there be that much difference? Could you wear a 34B in one brand and a 30G in another?
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I would not recommend Victoria's Secret. I have never had a good experience with fitting there, and they do NOT carry a variety of sizes (they tend to have band sizes between 34-38/40 in stock and if you are a 30 or 32...they are fine trying to put you in a 34 or 36 since that is what they have and use "sister cup" sizes which is NOT the way to fit someone into a bra (sister cup sizes...basically as I am a 32DD, my "sister" size would be a 34D, 36C, etc...but these later bras would NOT fit me properly, would not give me proper support, and would be horribly uncomfortable). They can't even fit their models properly (check out their catalogs....even aside from the bad photo shop jobs, their models are in too-small bras most of the time!).
Also, using the measurements on websites BEFORE you know what you are actually doing is useless and I have only ever come across maybe 1 or 2 "reliable" bra size calculators on specialty sites...and I only say they are reliable as their results matched up with what I have been professionally fitted for many times. She should get professionally fitted, period. My understanding from what you have said is that she was naturally smaller breasted to begin with and there is some more leeway there in a bad fit, but with her reconstructed breasts she needs the right size. Do not go by "bra size calculators". She needs a woman there with a measuring tape, and who will bring her bras to try on and to see how they actually fit on her...not just her ribcage but her actual breasts.
Things do not vary THAT much between brands. Some brands will have small discrepancies (like I might fit into a 32DD in one, and a 32D in another depending on cup shape/panels and wire shape...in Freya I have to go up or down a band size...I cannot remember...but I also need to change my cup size) but no, it would not make sense for her to be 34B in one brand and 30G in another even in very different brands. Band size is related to rib measurements...it is not like vanity sizing you find in women's clothing lines where one company's 6 might be another company's 2. If she wore a 30G her "sister size" in a 34 would theoretically be like a 34E (but again, this is still a difference of two band sizes which is not right way to go about it...many women in ill fitting bras are in ill fitting bras because they wear too large a band size...you want a snug but comfortable band as that is where the support really comes from).
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It helps to understand that there are "sister sizes."
Basically a 36B =
34C=
32D=
30DD...
As the band decreases, the cup increases.
Now, will all of those be supportive on the same person? Nope. You want a snug band. And if underwire, the wire should just nicely encapsulate the implants but not pinch or press on them at all. This is why it takes LOTS of trying on in order to find your best fit AND why it helps to have a Certified Mastectomy Fitter. Does VS have employees that measure? Sure. But you need to ask about Certified Mastectomy Fitter to be sure your fitter is trained. Reconstructed breasts are just not the same.
I have not found any of those online calculators to work for me. Best bet is LOTS and LOTS of time in the dressing room.
Swelling after exchange? My PS said I still had a bit of swelling at 2.5 months out.
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The Wacoal traveling rep is in town this week at Dillards so I had a fitting. I am just about 3 months out from my exchange. I wouldn't have done this even a few weeks ago as I could still notice changes in shape every couple of days. They seem to have stabilized now so I thought I'd try it and find out what cup size my Allergan 410 FF 740 cc gummy bears fit into. Turns out I am a C. If you have that size implants, you can get a good idea of what you'll be - of course depending on how your chest wall is shaped.
I was really surprised that I didn't fit into all of the Wacoal bras in my size. In fact most of the ones I tried were too big in the cup and I was getting discouraged. Wacoal is made for women with natural breasts, not geared to reconstructed breasts, but because they have so many styles, the rep was sure she would find one to fit me. After an hour, we came up with 3 possibilities, style 855192 in the Basic Beauty line, $50 & 85567 in the Awareness line, $65 ( both underwires) and the best - 85276 in the Awareness line, $60. It is nice because it does not have seams on the side, has nice soft cups, and will adjust if there is residual swelling so it could be good for someone out of surgery. They are much cheaper on eBay if you can find your size.
Although my band size indicated to the rep that I should have a 36, I found it to be really tight in all the styles I first tried even though the cups were too big. After the TE experience and dealing with uncomfortable tightness, I don't ever want to feel that super tight ace bandage feeling again, so I went with a 38 and in the styles I mentioned above, it is perfect. If I lose some weight and some back fat, the hooks can go down to a 36. If I'm swollen after my next surgery, the band and cups will still be fine.
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Sandra, the 85567 is my favorite!
Just to clarify though...if someone has your style/size implants they might be a C IF their band size is the same as yours. If their band is smaller their cup size will be larger even though the implant itself has not changed.
Who knew how much science/math there was to fitting a bra?!!!
(I really like your original method for bra fitting!!! Lol.)I also have a Waccoal Awareness that is nonwired. It's equally comfortable and very supportive! If somebody wants the style number I can figure it out.
I do agree...for me Waccoal bands run tighter than others.
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Jeans, running shoes, boots … we all have a particular brand that fits our body best.
Bras are the same. One brand will work for one person but won't work for another.
You need to experiment and find what brand works best for you.
I was fitted 3 weeks after my exchange. Val61, the author of this thread, was fitted as soon as her drains came out (not all of us have drains after our exchange) but she was fitted as soon as her drains came out. We're all different. I was fitted in a Wacoal bra right after my exchange but I've found that Freya's work best for me. But there are many other fine brands that will work. You just have to try on several brands to find what works for you.
It takes some trial and error. But eventually you'll find what works for you. Once you do, as others mentioned above, you can find your favorite bra on E-bay or watch herroom.com and barenecessities.com and snatch up your favorite when it goes on sale.
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Whitenack,
just my opinion: be weary of the fitters from department stores. I was a uni-mx for many years and had to go yearly to a lingerie specialty shop to be fitted for prosthesis forms and bras. Over the years, the two experts told me what to look for as far as fittings so I had some idea of what to shop for. I will say that the very first time I got to look for "regular" bras (not for a prosthesis), I literally tried on close to one hundred before I found a couple sizes/styles to fit. It took me several months for the swelling to go down and I found that initially some of the molded, stretchy cups worked best (these were mainly Bali bras), they're not sexy as some but comfort was my priority. I still find them to be the most comfortable. if interested, I can suggest styles. The point about fitters: there was a "trained" fitter at a local Kohls, I asked her about how familiar she was with reconstruction. Of course, she said she knew. After measuring me and trying on several of her suggestions, it was apparent she knew nothing because the cups didn't fit at all. Similar experience with VS.
My main comment: it will take a lot of trying on and experimenting. Don't let your wife get discouraged, as the others have shared, once you find a brand/size/style that works, it will get easier.
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Whitenack - Good info here. Ask your PS first, as most have very firm ideas about when to wear bras and whether or not to wear underwires. Some say wear a bra 24 hours a day. Some say bras never needed. Some way no underwires. Others say mandatory. And it somewhat depends on the kind of implants. Also ask the PS or the nurse for a list of stores in your area that support BC patients. I agree - Victoria's Secret is out, as are most department stores - at least for now. These ladies are not exaggerating when they say she may try 100 bras to find one. I left in tears the first time I tried. So make sure she's not too tired & she has good range of motion & the swelling is down enough for her to move her arms a lot.
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In an earlier reply to my post, Dulci said that cup size changes with band size. I never knew this! I always thought the cup volume was the same, no matter what the band size. So I just spent some time researching this. Dulci is right but I don't feel so bad about not knowing about this because 80% of women in America think the same as I did. As I researched, I found out other things like the volume (how much boob will fit in the cup) is exactly the same on a 38C bra as on a 36D, 34DD, 32E, and a 30F. Seriously? Yes. Of course cups sizes on different brands vary, and even within a certain manufacturer, the sizes can vary based on different styles. But in the same style, by the same manufacturer, the cup volume is identical on a 38C, 36D, 34DD, 32E, and 30F. Who knew? Not me. Thanks for the heads up Dulci.
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Sandra, excellent lesson! That would be great in the header
Also, it depends on the individual garment worker and how good/bad QC is. The same two brands, sizes, styles can vary slightly. (my grandmother was in the garment industry and would say if they didn't make the quota on one size, sometimes other labels were sewn in). Have always kept that in mind because it has happened.
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