Bras 101: The Great Post-Exchange Debate
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OK ladies, I posted some pics on the forum and "Zara" has made her debut!
A buying tip I've learned is to check the 'clearance' tabs on herroom.com and barencessities.com. I posted 4 bras that I bought for $15 on clearance in the last six months. It's a little risky because you can't return them when they're that cheap but so far, I've been pretty lucky!
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Great tip, Dawne! And if they really don't work, then you might be able to sell them to someone here! I saw this gorgeous yellow Chantelle bra (older style, I think it was called "Africa"?) at TJ Maxx last week - actually I've seen it for months. Size 32DD, so too big for me. It's only $9.99! I was tempted to just buy it and see if anybody here wanted it, as it wouldn't cost much to ship. If anybody DOES, I'd be willing to go get it - if it's still there, that is.....
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Actually ... I have some 32DD Wacoal underwires that I bought shortly after my exchange and now I can't wear them.
Any 32DD's out there?
We have a deal for you! xo
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Dawnenabler-Hope, I am going to check your pics out as we speak.
Val, ...........lingerie organizers? Sweet mother of Freya. Are there any other secrets you are keeping from me?!? I will waterboard you if need be.
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val61 - I didn't know it was OK to fold the unlined over like that? You're not going to harm them? If I do that I'm gonna have more room in my drawer! And you all know what that means ...
And I'm with Cameron, lingerie organizers? Do tell!
I organize mine by color & by size too! 30D's by color 32C's by color. I like the inside out thing for knowing you've worn it once. Good idea!
I'm lovin' this how to organize and care for bras 101 discussion!
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Cameron....I am catching up on all of these posts and getting such a kick out of you. And calling Val "Sweet Mother of Freya"....oh...lordy.....
Off to look for suction cups!
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please someone come to my house and organize my drawers! I am currently tossing all my precancer heavy duty minimizer bras. I sure hope my PS will eventually allow me to wear underwire bras, I am just 10 days post op and wearing sports bras and binder to bed. I went smaller and there are so many pretty choices in c cups. I really hope I don't alway need to wear a bra, especially since I went smaller??
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Christine, support 'em so they stay where you want them! Even C cups need support, IMO. There isn't a lot holding them in place, without a bra.
Whippetmom, I found hooks at CVS that are suction cups with hooks that flip down to apply the suction and keep them from falling. Works like a charm!
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LOL Cameron on "sweet mother of Freya" -- omg you are all so funny tonight! I am REALLY laughing out loud!
Val - I love that you have such a system... and the color coding! OMG you would probably shudder if you saw the haphazard pile I keep my bras in. (You too Cameron).
Dawne -- I suppose you could always sell ones that don't fit well on ebay
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No....Cameron's not calling ME "mother of Freya"....tho I'd of course be honored.....she's CALLING on that "mother" to knock some sense into me....
Tomorrow I shall take pix of my lingerie drawers and post on Lilah's thread....:). And yes, I think it's fine to fold the bras in half-right between the center wires. Nothing is being stressed. Now you have more room for bras!
Night- night y'all!0 -
Heh -- not to knock sense into you, Val... because she wants to do as you do! Can't wait to see photos of this.
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Me neither!
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I am stoked! It's like a virtual field trip.
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Thanks ladies for the advice, the incisions are healing really nicely. I feel great today like I didn't even have surgery five days ago. I get to see my PS on Friday so I can ask all of the important questions.
I guess I am really bad, I have always washed my under-wire bra's even the expensive ones in the regular wash depending upon what color they are. I also dry them, I have never used special care on them, and I also only wear them once before they go in the dirty clothes hamper, every night before bed when I take my shower to the dirty clothes hamper they go..........I feel so bad
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Meiko -- you are normal (I do pretty much the same except no dryer). We just have some very passionate bra owners amongst us
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mieko - totally agree with Lilah! I only owned about 5 bras before BC, washed them only when they smelled badly, threw 'em in the washer without a thought. It's only now that i've become obsessive! 0
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Hi, I had a skin sparing unilateral mastectomy with immediate tissue expander placement in May My right boob is big- size CC or D and I am amazed at differences between my old and my new boob. The new is small, hard, perky, and just in the right place, but the old boob is hanging all the way to my knees! I have never realized how comfortable is to have small breast!... Yes, it feels like a "truck is parked on my chest", but I look younger and thinner
Now, my biggest issue (forget about the fact I am kicking cancer ass) is that I can't afford the luxury of not wearing a bra and most bras are too tight or they don't offer enough "support". What kind of bra did you all wear? I need something to hold up my right breast and hold in the expander without killing me in the process. Has anybody found a solution? I will not be able to exchange my expander until next year and I am convinced that you feel better if you look better during this "healing journey"! Help!0 -
I know Lilah and MBJ both had a Uni MX and dealt with one natural breast and one TE. They'll be along soon to offer advice and tips. xo
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I had a reduction and lift on mine to achieve symmetry. Ralston is your PS talking with you about doing that? I did have to wear a bra while I was getting fills... at first I actually had to use an insert in my TE side to even myself out... but eventually the TE was expanded enough so that I was OK without it. I wore a sports bra for a long time and then, when I was really sick of it, I wore one of my old bras with the wire taken out on the TE side (my PS did not want me wearing wired bras at that point).
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Yes, I will have a reduction and lift on mine to achieve symmetry, but I have to wait almost 9 months before that. I have to wear a bra while I am getting fills ( believe me, I really need support for my right breast). All the bras I have tried (around 500!) are pulled down to the right by the "real" boob, so besides the fact that one looks bigger than the other, one is way higher than the other! I totally look like someone that should join a Circus! I have tried different prosthesis and inserts in my TE side to make "the girls" look alike, but they literally "extrangulate" the expander. I need something to hold up my right breast and basically nothing to hold the expander without killing me in the process. Has anybody has found or heard about the unibra? Bras to support one boob. Well, I thing nobody has designed them, but it will be a good idea
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Ralston, to me; it sounds like you are wearing too small a cup, and your band and/or bra straps are too loose. A properly fitted bra, with a band tight enough to support you should not allow one breast to pull down the other one! This tells me your cup is too small perhaps?
What is your ribcage measurement, right under your breast? You only need to add a few inches to that number to determine band size. Bottom line: Get a bra to fit your right side, and you should only need a bit of fluffy stuffing to even them out.
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Too add what Cameron said, I believe that underwires provide the most support. I know some ladies dont like them but I wore nothing but (I only own underwires) underwires when I had my TE's in and I felt supported.
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Thank you for your suggestion, but I already have tried cup C, CC, D, DD and even E. If I tight enough the bra straps to support the breast and not allow one breast to pull down the bra (it will never pull the other breast because the TE does not move) the bra on my TE side is pulled up all the way totally "cutting" on half the TE (believe me after I tried it looked like the TE was divided in two for couple of days! Actually I didn't know that the "filling" was going to respond like a "waterbed". My band size is 36 and my ribcage measurement is 34. I also have use the fluffy stuffing to even them out, but one always look way higher than the other or they are even but TE is being "suffocated" in the process. I love underwires, but they have not worked for with my TE. However, I highly appreciate your advice.
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Hang in there, Ralston! Believe it or not.....and I KNOW right now you're thinking "NOT".....nine months will pass quicker than you think! Let's see if we can find some solutions to help you through these months, though. Lilah and MBJ are our "uni-experts," as they've had to endure what you are. As for your bras, underwire is a definite "no-no" with TE's. The last thing you want is that wire exerting pressure to move the TE; you want that pocket to be positioned as best it can be to minimize any work your PS has to do at exchange. (fyi: pocket work doesn't feel so great....) Let me see what I can come up with, and in the meantime, hopefully MBJ will pop in and have some tips for you.
Cameron and friends - I DID take pics of my compulsively organized lingerie and even tried to post them on Lilah's thread on the pic forum, but for some reason the site wouldn't upload any of the pics - I kept getting an error message. I promise to try again very soon, as I'd hate for y'all to spend one more day wondering.......
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Ralston -- take a small razor to an underwire bra and remove the underwire from the TE side. This will result in easing up on the TE side. That is what I did. Also tighten the strap on the NON-TE side and loosen the strap on the TE side. If there is still a big differential you should be able to use one of those fluff filled inserts (adjusted as needed adding/removing fluff) on TE side to even yourself out. I was DD before BC (possibly even DDD but wearing the wrong size bra) ... but my TE was filled to 850 cc's so ultimately I didn't need the fluffy insert to even out once I was fully expanded. How many CC's are in your TE?
You should be able to take a bra you wore pre-BC, remove wire from under the TE side but leave it on the other side. Add fluffy insert on TE side. It should be OK. It won't be perfect but unless your PS has placed your TE too high, I can't imagine why you can't get them close. It's true you won't have perfect symmetry... one will hang lower (due to natural ptosis). The way I dealt with that was to wear loose tops. It's not ideal but it IS temporary.
Are you still having fills? Why must you wait 9 months? I had my MX surgery in December 2009 and had exchange with lift/reduction surgery in May 2011... which is 6 months.
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I think Lilah and Hillck had some great suggestions. You will find that PS have a variety of different opinions as to what should be worn on TE's (Underwire vs. No Underwire) or even (Bra vs. Sports Bra). I hope that you can find something that is comfortable for you. It sucks that your body is in discomfort because of the processes we have to go through and then to have restricted clothing that makes it even worse ...........NO FUN.
Good Luck
Meek
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Thank you for all your incredible ideas! Well, I forgot to mention that one of the reasons why I can't tight too much the right strap is because I have my port on that side. Anyway, I had an appointment with a Physical Therapist today and she performed the most amazing "boob/chest massage". I feel soooooo much better, but when I mentioned my "bra issues" she checked the lateral left wall of my chest (where the TE is placed). She told me that after some of your lymph nodes have been removed, it is not uncommon to accumulate fluid along the lateral chest wall creating discomfort with bra or clothing fit. The reason why I feel that I am "suffocating" my chest when I wear a bra, is because actually I am compressing my lymphatic system, so I need first to improve my lymphatic drainage through therapeutic exercises and movement and not wear anything that will compress my trunk/chest wall in the process (no bra or any kind of elastic around my chest for 2 months). The therapist recommended to use tank tops without elastic to help to support the right breast and actually works. They do not look perfect, but adding a little padding at least I do not look "abnormal". She said that after couple of months I will be able to wear a bra without feeling that I am killing myself in the process. The good news: I do not have chest lymphedema. Thank you again!
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Just posted bra pics and under new post-ugh, didn't mean to that.
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Ralston -- that is so very promising! Glad you got help and a short term solution that will lead to a good long term one.
Grey I will go and look!
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Ralston, I don't know if this could help or not, but I will do a bit more research. I just started working for SOMA Intimates and they have a bra that has little air inserts that can somehow be adjusted to even out breasts and lift. Will try to get some more info on the bra. I don't think it is underwired which would work for TE. These are the sorts of situations I hope I can help ladies with in the store.
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