Bras 101: The Great Post-Exchange Debate
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I bought the Bali 3488 several months after my mastectomy. I tried the cotton sports bras that hook in the front at first but after several months of getting my expander filled I needed some with a little padding to of set the uneven shape. I continued to wear it after my reconstruction and I have been looking for a more comfortable bra.They tend to bunch under and I am constantly pulling at the bottom of it. Just got the Genie bra today and I will see how that wears. Only draw back is that you have to pull it over your head. Glad I found this thread. Great information here! Thanks
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Tessy - try stepping into it instead. I found this to be much easier, especially with my change in flexibility after all of my surgeries.
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Thank you! Never thought of that! Will try it tod
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It worked great, thanks! I wasn't sure if it would fit over my hips!
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I am a definite pear shape. I was really skeptical the first time I tried putting it on that way as well!
Glad it worked for you! 0 -
Tessy--- I am still wearing the Bali 3488 15 months after exchange surgery. Underwire is still too uncomfortable for more than a couple of hours. I'd be interested to know if you find any other bras you like. The only part I don't like about the Bali is that they roll up under my boobs too!! Other than that, I think I would have lost my mind this last year over bras. As much as I'd love to fit in a cute bra, I've discovered comfort is my first priority now!
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lala1,
The Bali 3488 is comfortable! I bought them months ago before I discovered this site. I like the Genie Bra also. I went to Nordstroms yesterday to see what they have to offer. The lady who specialized in mastectomy bras was very nice and helpful. I didn't like any of the bras, they were not comfortable to me but I did like the Amoena balancer insert and the Amoena cami with the shelf bra. I am going to call my insurance company tomorrow to make sure I do all the necessary paper work to submit. I have a 10% co-pay of the total cost so that is not bad. Yeah, comfort is definitely better than cute at this phase for me also!
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I had a nipple sparing bilateral mastectomy in January and will have exchange surgery in two weeks. Was told by my PS to bring a front closing sports bra to wear following surgery. Would welcome any recommendations as to which bra/bras would be best.
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Liz24,
Lots of people find Walmart has good options from Fruit of the Loom for front close bras post-op, etc. I am in Canada and in a smaller city and did not find my Walmart carried the same options that many other women seem to talk about here. I ended up getting Marena front close post-op bras, but I have also heard of some women liking Under Armour front close bras, etc. I would probably go check out Walmart first if you can though to see what they have!
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Liz24--If you have a breast center at your hospital that carries prosthestics and such, that's a great place for post surgery bras, and insurance will pay for them. I bought 2 after my mx in Dec 2012 and still wear them to sleep in every night. They are just so comfortable and easy on/off (they hook up the front) and I have to have compression at all times or I have pain still.
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Liz - the hospital gave me a surgical bra after BMX & another after Exchange. (Edited to say I woke up from surgery in a bra each time that was then mine) The PS gave me an additional surgical bra at my first appointment after BMX for the first TE fill. I wore them for several weeks w/Kotex pads & then mini pads inside across the incision lines. I also bought a couple of WalMart Fruit of the Loom bras. There are several styles that cost $8-$12 for a two pack. Those work well during chemo when they are accessing the port.
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I woke up from my surgeries wrapped to the hilt in a big ace bandages. Left those on until I went back to the PS 4-5 days after surgery. Didn't need a bra until well after that.
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I woke up from each of three surgeries (BMX, exchange, revision) in a surgical bra which I had to wear for various lengths of time depending on the surgery. BMX was several weeks, exchange and revision just a few days.
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I too came home with a surgical bra…velcro on the front.
In the back of my bra drawer, I found an old hook up the front sports bra and another zip up the front sports bra that I wore for weeks after my exchange.
Here are some links to some of these front attach sports bras:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Fruit-of-the-Loom-Comfor...
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Danskin-Now-Foam-Front-Z...
http://www.barenecessities.com/under-armour-armour...
http://www.barenecessities.com/enell-wire-free-med…
And the Marena bra which a lot of us wore post-surgery:
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Thanks. I purchased the Fruit of the Loom bra from Walmart in two sizes, but just returned them both. The problem is that because I am tall - 5'9" - if the straps are not adjustable the bras are all too short for me. A front close, adjustable strap sports bra is nearly impossible to find.0 -
Estel,
Thanks for the info. I have done a lot of research and none of those bras has adjustable straps (see my previous post). I am going to try the Under Armour bra, but expect that it also will be too short.
If anyone knows of a front closing sports bra with adjustable straps, please let me know. Thanks.
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Liz24,
There is this bra from Anita with adustable straps:
http://www.herroom.com/anita-5523-active-front-clo...
I actually had tried that bra on and really liked it (very nice quality), though did find the band was very snug (I normally wear about a 30-32 band and my snug ribcage measurement is 29.5", and found the band felt like a very snug 30 which would be great if using for actual sports as I like to wear them as snug as I can get for that purpose...so I would have gone up in the band size personally if I had got it to deal with swelling after surgery and for comfort)
I went with the Marena B2 instead as I did not know what cup size I would end up at as I was doing direct to implant (has adjustable straps too, just not sure if it would be adjustable enough for your height but it is VERY stretchy fabric so maybe it would, or you could even sew on some extra hooks (just get a bra extender and stitch to end? I am 5" shorter so have no idea!). The Marena was good too as the front close had three sets of closures...came in very handy as swelling came and went!
I also found this one on herroom, but I can't vouch for it, just posting it for you as it does have adjustable straps so might be an option:
http://www.herroom.com/spanx-1942-top-notch-bounce...
herroom does have a good return policy as long as things are not on sale, so it might be worth ordering them/some sizes to try on if you can't find them in store locally to try on and return those that do not work for you.
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Dive Cat,
Thanks so much for your advice.
I have not been able to find the Marena B2 with adjustable straps.
I had seen the Anita and almost ordered it, but the sizing seems difficult since they come in specific cup sizes. My PS says I will be a C cup, but not sure if I would have to order larger to wear immediately following surgery. I think the doctor's intent was to have a stretchy cup.
I plan on going to my local mall to check out the spanx and under armour. Also found Carefix Alice #329150 but not much info available on this one.
Surgery two weeks from tomorrow, so I have to make this a priority. Would like to have a couple of different options.
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I wore a JC Penney Zip Up the Front Bra after my surgeries. I don't think it is available any more but was similar to this one (except it came with different cup sizes, as I recall):
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Liz24...
Here is the Marena B2: https://www.marenagroup.com/comfortwear/product/comfortwear/surgical-bra-2-in-elastic-band.html
You just buy by band, not cup, as the cup stretches. They are very helpful if you chat online or email them. I have a beige and black one....the black one is a bit firmer in the fabric but still stretchy!
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Liz24 - I am also tall and long-waisted. I tried on so many of the bras recommended here, but the shoulder straps were never long enough. I spoke to a customer service rep at Marena and ended up with the B2 as shown in DiveCat's link. I just clicked the link and although the photos don't show it well, this bra does have hook and eye adjustable straps. If you read the description on the Features page it is stated there. This is a great supportive non-underwire bra. I wear underwire bras during the day, but this is still my go-to sleep bra.
Good luck!
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TinaT - it is my go-to sleep bra too! I love my Marena's - they are so comfortable.
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So how do you decide to wear a bra or not and if so what kind? My PS told me that I could either go without a bra or with, whichever was more comfortable to me. I'm a week out from my exchange and I tried wearing a front close sports bra and only lasted a couple of hours in it. It fit well, but just didn't feel good. I also had a couple of soft bra-lett kind of things that I can step into. These:
http://www.target.com/p/playtex-women-s-2-pack-coz...
These bras feel comfortable, but I would guess they don't offer alot of support. My implants are only 400cc so maybe I don't need too much support?? I feel silly but I don't know what I should be wearing/not wearing since my PS is in the camp of "it doesn't matter, do what's comfortable"
I don't have a Nordstroms near, but I checked and there's a Soma. Should I go there?
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Wow. I had no bandages or wrappings/bras when I woke up from my double mastectomy or my exchange! Both times I looked down and my new girls were under my gown for all to see. I must be in the minority. I currently wear my Hanes comfort bra daily (it looks kind of like a sports bra but has hooks in the back like a normal bra) and for dress up I bought 2 bras from Soma (non underwire). I also sleep in a camisole with a built in bra nightly because I still feel like I need the support 24 hours at this point (I am 2 months out from my exchange).
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kcat I went to Soma and found them very helpful. I had never been before and it is actually 3 blocks from my house!
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kcat - the link for the Playtex bra looks really comfy. Thanks for posting.
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kcat - My local Dillard's had good fitters. Are there any privately owned bra boutiques in your area? Those can be good too.
Here is a helpful link on how a bra should fit. Most of us were wearing a wrong size prior to BC.
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One of the cancer centers in my town has a lovely botique with great bra fitters. They don't carry underwires but have gotten other bras there. They handle all the paper work for my insurance and I haven't paid anything. My Nordstrom does not handle insurance for my company. I'm a great Herroom shopper.
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I just have to say that after falling for the reconstruction scam, subtly encouraged by apparently kind but cluelessly enthusiastic male surgeons, and losing an expander to infection, and weeks of big-gun antibiotics, and looking at all the spared skin my GS so kindly left behind, and the beautiful lollipop incisions on both sides now what with reduction on the other side, and reading up more since I have had time to reconsider, and finding out that I might never be able to exercise normally after having muscle tissue messed with either in implant surgery or flap surgery, I NEVER WANT TO SEE THE INSIDE OF A HOSPITAL OR OPERATING ROOM AGAIN. WHAT ARE THESE PEOPLE THINKING?0 -
Happy Camper - Everyone is different. I wanted implant reconstruction so I could just pull on my clothes & go & look normal in the clothes. That is still as important to me as it was when this all started in 2011 - everyday life w/o hassle. I've been fortunate not to have any infections to deal with but of course nothing is like it was before cancer. Yes I've had to give up a couple of exercises, but on the whole I would do the same again.
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