All things bras & prosthesis
Comments
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Barbara and Diana, I tried the new Trulife Impressions forms yesterday and ordered a pair. I have some extra tissue at the bottom on each side and am concave at the top. These forms seemed to seal really well against my chest wall and felt very comfortable for the brief amount of time I had them on. These will be the first forms that fit well enough for me to wear them unpocketed if I choose to do so.
I have been going flat for quite awhile. I had issues with bloating and major abdominal discomfort and found wearing a bra on a daily basis to be very uncomfortable. Well, I found out about a year and a half ago that I'm gluten intolerant and now having that well under control I recently tried wearing a bra again. I've been able to wear one for the last week, which gave me the incentive to go in and try the forms when I just happened to be walking past a medical supply shop, went in and asked and found out they had just gotten the forms in. Now I'm just waiting for the prescription from my doctor and my insurance information to be faxed to the shop.
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River Rat,
That's great that you've got your abdominal issues under control. Please let us know how you like the Impressions. I tried them myself (as I reported earlier in this forum), but I'm thinking I might go back and try them again and maybe bring a couple of different bras with me. I'm overdue for new forms covered by my insurance. I'm particularly interested to hear how you find wearing the forms right against your skin. Please let us know once you've had a chance to wear them for a while!
Diana,
I hope your infection clears up soon.
Barbara
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RiverRat, I am glad you posted about the trulife Impressions, I have not seen them in person, my fitter is going to see if she can get some to show me, but I am interested for the same reason you are, to fill in the uneven or concave places on me, something I can wear against myself. I would love to hear more when you get yours and wear them. They seem to be pricy, but would be worth it if I actually wore than rather than add them to a collection.
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Erica, would you recommend the radiant impressions form based on your experience? I watched the video and it looked very interesting.
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Hi beacon800,
Are you talking about the custom-made version? Based purely on my own experience, I just didn't see the need for them since most of the regular silicone forms I tried molded nicely to my chest. I think if I'd had a unilateral mastectomy, I might have felt differently, as the custom version can create a close match to your existing breast. It wasn't an insurance issue for me, as my insurance would have covered the Radiant Impressions.
Also, I asked a fitter who carried them (she was trained to take the impressions, etc.) whether I would sweat with the silicone against my skin. She acknowledged that the silicone formulation of the Radiant Impressions wouldn't prevent sweating, although the form has "ventilation" holes designed to minimize it.
One thing that's interesting and different about both the custom and non-custom Impressions is that the silicone formulation is unique--the form doesn't have any polyurethane covering. I'm always saying I don't like the feel of silicone against my skin, but actually, when I put a regular Amoena, ABC, or TruLife form against my skin, what I'm feeling isn't silicone, but the polyurethane envelope that encases the silicone.
When I tried on the new Impressions non-custom form a couple of weeks ago, I liked the shape of the form (some TruLife forms seem too "mature" and droopy for me, but not this one), but what I didn't like was that the front of the form looked almost bumpy under my bra, not silky smooth like most breast forms. The fitter said that this was an effort to make the form more "lifelike," but my real breasts weren't lumpy in the way this form was! The fitter agreed that they looked too lumpy, by the way. She only had one form in my size, so one reason I want to try one (or better yet, two) again is to see if that's the way they all look. Perhaps that one was a fluke. If the custom Radiant Impressions were made the same overly-lumpy way, they certainly wouldn't be worth the extra bucks to me.
Sorry for the long answer. Bottom line, before I ordered custom Radiant Impressions breast forms, I'd try on the non-custom Impressions and see what you think. The custom forms won't be that different, just more contoured to your chest.
Here's a link to the Impressions non-custom form, so you can see what it looks like:
http://www.metromedicalonline.com/trulife100.html.
Barbara
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The Impression form that I tried on the other day wasn't lumpy. I'm now hoping that the additional one on order is also not lumpy.
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Glad to hear the one you tried was okay, River Rat. I hope the one I tried was just a fluke.
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Thank you Erica - I should have mentioned that I am interested in the non custom ones, the ones from TruLife. Lumpy bumpy doesn't sound too good
let's hope that one was a defective one. I like the idea of the very light weight. Like you, I do not like the feel of the normal silicone foobs on my skin. I always need some fabric between me and the foob. However maybe this one is better in that regard. I'm looking forward to reviews from others as they try them out.0 -
Reporting my first experience with a fitter. UMX in March, and have been wearing TLC weighted foam foob with bras recommended here by all you helpful ladies, comfiest of which has been the teen St. Eve bra from Kohl's. I wasn't ever very booby, 36A or B at the most. The fitter was friendly and pleasant and had had bc herself so was unfazed by my scar, however selection seemed pretty limited - both forms and bras. I got the Amoena Energy 341 in a 5 - shape seemed to fill in at top of blank space better than the other shape I tried (which I think was a triangle). Got one bra (Sassybax) that looks very like a Genie bra, but with easier pocket. It seemed everything I tried had an extra upgrade cost to it - the form because of the Comfort material (or something), and the bras with any sort of moulded shape to them. I thought that was a bit odd. I ordered an Amoena Lara bra - felt comfy but she only had in red in my size and that wouldn't be me (although maybe I should break out and go more colourful with my undies now?!). I am wearing the TLC form and St. Eve bra again today, and suspect I may go on doing that most days. Might get another in a slightly bigger size now I feel a bit more secure about sizes and shapes. May do some online ordering of bras for same reason - can you use insurance for online ordering? So thanks to all for the suggestions and feedback given here, I did take my notes with me and found them all very helpful. I'll come back with my feedback of the form and bras once I have worn them a bit.
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Hum - When I was fitted, I had a lot to choose from and no upgrades - Yes, you can use insurance for online ordering!
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barbiecorn,
How does it work to use your insurance when ordering online? Have you found sites that will submit insurance for you or do you order and then submit the claim yourself to your insurance company?
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I will have to check with my insurance company also - I had met my deductibe for year already so supposedly would be paying nothing myself (but ended up paying the upgrade extras). Only insurance restriction seemed to be a $$ limit for the year, they didn't set out rules for e.g. 2 forms, 4 bras or anything like that. Had to go to a provider on their approved list of course. I'll check and see if any of the online vendors are included. Be interesting to hear what others have done.
Jo
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On line you order and submit the claims yourself. Only a certified fitter submits the forms for you. But I paid nothing out of pocket to the fitter - her business was all cancer related, wigs, prosthetics, etc.
I just had my BMX in Feb. this year and I received the prosthetic, swim prosthetic, 5 bras, different styles and 2 camisoles. The fitter said when my insurance sends me the check, then I should pay her. I haven't received the check yet from the insurance company. I am on Medicare and supplemental insurance. Barbie
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I got my Trulife Impressions forms yesterday afternoon. After not wearing anything heavier than microbead forms and usually nothing for the last two years, I wore them all afternoon and evening and all morning today so here's my initial impressions of the Impressions:
When I looked on the MetroMedical website according to the size chart, unless I'm reading it totally wrong, for a 36A they recommend a size 6. This would be totally WRONG. I got a size 4 and it gives me a very full 36A, less full 36B.
I will say that they are much more difficult to get in the bra pockets than my other silicone forms were, but I think I'll be wearing them unpocketed most of the time. I think it's a combination of the forms' stickiness and wide footprint that makes it hard to get them in the pockets. Also, once you get them in the pockets you have to kind of work it around and get everything smoothed out - it's kind of hard to describe really.
They have a wider/fuller footprint than the ABC 1042 size 4s that I had in the past. They don't feel like they just sit on my chest. They encompass my remaining breast tissue and fill in the concavity I have at the top. When worn unpocketed they sort of suction to my remaining breast tissue to the point that in a Coobie or Genie bra it takes several seconds for them to pull away from my chest when bending over and when I straighten back up they re-suction. I don't have to really press to get this to happen. I did try pressing to see if they would suction tighter and not pull away at all when I bend. When I pressed pretty hard they did appear lumpy, so maybe that is what happened to Erika. The form is light enough that it doesn't pull the bra off my chest by enough to be a problem and I think in a more structured bra they might not even pull away at all. I'm not sure that would be the case with a larger size.
As for the hug test - they are better than foam, but not as "huggable" as traditional silicone forms.
As far as heat - yesterday it was 81 degrees upstairs in my house so I went upstairs and did some light exercise and didn't feel like my chest was burning up. In fact I didn't feel that my chest was sweating at all, but when I felt between the form and my body there was the slightest dampness. Other silicone forms and foam have both been too hot for me so this is a major improvement.
All in all I think they're wonderful, very comfortable with my uneven chest wall. If I were nice and flat and traditional forms worked well for me I don't think I would like these so much. But unless they start feeling a lot hotter their coolness might be enough to sell me. I would recommend buying these somewhere with a good return policy because they are much different from what you would be used to.
I'll report more as I wear them longer and in higher temperatures.
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I just want to clarify one point to my post above about the Trulife Impressions. They don't feel sticky to my skin. They're just very sticky to the bra fabric.
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Thanks for the initial report, River Rat! I like the sound of the larger footprint without more projection, which is what I've been looking for all along.
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Riverrat, I SO much appreciate your findings...I intend to try them also, if my fitter can't get them in, I will order online.
You really did a fantastic job of describing the Trulife impressions,.....I am looking forward to them fitting better to my concave chest area...and the wider fuller footprint, that is exactly what I need!
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Crystalphm, I hope that you like them as much as I do when you get to try them. I put them on at 6:00 this morning. It's now just past 8:00 in the evening and I'm just thinking about going up and taking them off. I have no chest pain. Other forms have all given me chest pain. I think it's because since they didn't conform well to my chestwall they created pressure points. To be able to wear a form for so many hours after not wearing anything other than microfiber, and even that rarely, for over two years is really impressing me.
I've had a fairly active day and they've stayed pretty darned secure most of the time. The times they have pulled away from my chestwall have been so gradual and they so quickly re-suction that it hasn't been bothersome. Also although my chest is very slightly damp when I check it hasn't been enough that I notice without checking for it and my chest still hasn't felt hot.
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River, could you please tell me what bra you are wearing on day 1 of your Impressions? Are they laying against your chest or in pockets?
Thanks so much!
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Crystal, I've been wearing them against my chest in a Coobie bra. I will try a more structured bra soon, but first I wanted to just judge how the forms felt and didn't want to throw a new bra into the mix. That will be another hurdle.
There are also some care instructions for these forms that differ from other silicone forms so if you get them online I don't know if you'd get that information so I will post that info soon.0 -
River Rat,
If you go to the TruLife webpage about Impressions (http://trulife.com/all-products/womens-health/breast-forms/impressions-1/impressions) and watch the video on that page (scroll down a little to find it), a little over a minute into the video it demonstrates how to put the form in the pocket. It shows the woman cupping the entire front of the form in her hand; I think that's to avoid the problem of stickiness. Of course, with some pockets, it's not possible to fit one's entire hand in the way that's shown in the video, but I think it's still worth watching.
Tomorrow, I have an appointment with my fitter to try them again (she promises she'll have two size 4s waiting for me). This time, I'm going to bring several bras to try them in, to get a sense of what, if anything will work well. I'll report back after I've tried them.
Barbara
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Barbara, thanks for the video. It also includes the care instructions so anyone that gets the forms should watch it. In addition to the way that they show squeezing the water out of the form after the weekly cleaning my fitter showed me a couple of other ways that they were taught in their training. She said that you can put the form with the backside down on a towel and push down hard and fast to push the water out. She also said that they told them that if you still had a problem getting all the water out you could put it on a towel on the floor, again backside down, and step on it - of course no shoes! I would be afraid to try that.
I agree with the women in the video about it being extremely comfortable and cool. My only problem with it so far is finding the right bras for the form. I have a couple of bras with pockets that do fit but many of the bras I had before are too skimpy across for these forms, they stick out the side. I also went out to look at bras to wear with the form against my skin and didn't find anything yet. The challenge is to find a bra that will accommodate the width of the form that also doesn't have more projection than the form will fill. The bras that looked like they might work didn't have strap adjustments and didn't have long enough straps for me. I only looked in one store and didn't spend a whole lot of time so I'm sure I'll find something soon. So for right now I'm still wearing them in Coobie bras. They also seem fine in the Genie bras but I just find the Coobie to be cooler.
Barbara, I'd be interested in what you have to say after you try them. If you find a bra style that they work well in please post the info.
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The Impressions forms really have a lot to recommend them. Today, I tried them for the second time. I liked them, but they just didn't fit me quite right. The size 4 has a big footprint, almost too big for my chest, and definitely too big for all the bras I tried, yet not as much projection as I would have liked. On the plus side, the form is extremely lightweight and much more comfortable directly against my skin than the typical silicone covered in a clear polyurethane film.
The fitter told me that the TruLife rep thinks this form is the wave of the future -- i.e. silicone without that film, very lightweight, more breathable. I'm hoping that at the very least, the form is popular enough so that TruLife brings it out in smaller sizes (4 is the smallest right now; I would probably have preferred a size 3) and eventually in different shapes with different projections.
In a PM to me River Rat made a brilliant suggestion--that the Bali Crop Top bra might work well with the form. I agreed and planned to bring one of mine with me to try. I even took it out and put it on the table by the door. Then, like an idiot, I forgot to bring it! I suspect it would have worked better than anything else I tried.
River Rat, please let us know whether you keep enjoying the Impressions. I realize you're only a few days out from getting them. I'm interested to see how you like wearing them, especially as the summer heats up.
One of these days, I'll bring my Crop Top bra back to the store and try the Impressions on with it.
Barbara
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The dress is lovely and looks terrific on you. First try at post-mastectomy clothing? Amazing!
Edited to add: Was the dress deleted? Maybe I am just cuckoo!0 -
Tina, thanks, no it is still here somewhere. It was my first try, but I am encouraged to try some more. It gets up to 100 here on a regular basis in the summer, so comfort is at a premium.
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I was so ready to deal with the fitter yesterday when she called and said I needed to bring $400 with me because I had not yet reached my deductible. I was deflated, I should have kept track of such a thing, but I didn't. So now I will wait until i hit that limit and then go.
it took the starch out of me because I *hate* going to the fitter. I hate that she tries to unload old stuff on me and I probably hate that she is model-beautiful and has no clue what a mastectomy feels like. I hate that she is my only choice in this area.
but...I sure well get these Tru-life Impressions!!!! I will be watching my deductible like a stock market crawl line and call as soon as I hit it....wow, probably one blood test would do it.
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Ladies , does any one have a link to order ameona bras to be delivered to New York. Thanks
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infohh, I've had good results with Metro Medical online. They also have discounts on many Amoena bras. Here's a link:
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infohh,
There are a number of excellent online websites, almost all of which carry a full selection of Amoena bras and breast forms. They will deliver anywhere in the U.S. You can find links to the sites women have found to be the best in the Helpful Links section of my non-profit website, BreastFree.org. I have personally had particularly good success with MetroMedicalOnline, Park Mastectomy Supply, and Women's Personal Health resource (links to all of these can be found in the "Helpful Links" section). Hope this helps!
Barbara
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Any updates on the tru life Impressions? Please?
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