All things bras & prosthesis
Comments
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Crystal, I hope your forms come in soon because yes it is nice to have them available - to have that option.
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This is an interesting conversation - I went to a fitter earlier this year and she somehow talked me into the 1041 in size 7 - I had wanted to go smaller...but she said my body would look out of proportion. I am 5'4" and 150. I was large breasted pre-BMX. After ordering the size 7, there were all kinds of delays and it was almost 3 months b4 I got my forms. In the interim I used the inexpensive fill with fluff form, and kept it quite small. I got very used to being very small breasted and liked it. I am trying to get used to the size 7, and getting better at wearing them, but i wish I had gone smaller. Next time! What is it with size 7????? Must have been an "overstock".
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I don't get this proportion thing, The lady who sold me my first fluff forms also tried to talk me into mega-size.
To my eye, small suits me. At thisnpoint, if I do invest in "real" forms, I want them A-cup size. I am 5'8" and 125 or so (kinda scrawny at the moment) and have broad shoulders. but I don't see why the height and shoulders mean that I have to look busty.0 -
Strictly speaking it was explained to me that a measure of "proportional" would be to measure around the widest part of your hips, then around the foobs and the two measurements would be equal. If you are old enough as I am, I think the old ideal woman's measurements were stated as 36-24-36.
I am 5'6" and currently about 140 lb, with med/large bones and linebacker shoulders. A size 7 on me equalizes the top to bottom measurements and looking in the mirror with the stated criteria I get it and on some days even want to be it. But on by far most days I like the illusion of looking like I weigh less with the smaller foobs or flat. Also being smaller means they are not so likely to draw attention and as I go back and forth between foobs and flat, the transitions are certainly less jarring and far less likely to even be noticed at all. Another thing I have come to realize is that the people most likely to notice are fellow survivors or their friends and family. They are no more judging us as in anyway less than I would judge someone with a prosthetic limb.
Guys, this may not be the forum but it is mine so I am going to share it here. I think I have had a breakthrough as there have been several times lately that I lost my self-consciousness enough to ask myself if I was wearing foobs or not and had to glance down to check. I consider that a milestone
Barbara
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Starak, That is definitely a milestone! Does anyone know what cup sizes translate to in foob sizes? I realize that it varies with company, but in general? I got a 7, which corresponds to the D on the real side, but in reading about bras it would help to know what size people are saying works with a particular bra. I would love to have one of those barely there bras, but is that unreasonable with a 7?
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Wren44: Cup size is typically a combo of the foob size and the band size so that a 7 foob for me equals a 36D but is also equivalent to a 34DD, a 38C, or a 40B. Not an exact science but pretty close particularly with Amoena or ABC. As you are probably noticing the cup size goes up or down by one for each change in band size. My size 5 foob is a 36B which is the same as a 34C or 38A. In the real world, I find enough forgiveness in alot of bras so that I have actually worm my 5's in everything from a 36A to a 36C.
I suspect the size 7 with the Barely There will depend on how large a size bra you can get away with. I "think" it would likely be okay with an XL, just have to try it with an L, am really doubtful about an M.
Barbara
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Starak, yes, those are ideal measurements, and when I was young and slender I came pretty close to those, even with a small bust.
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I was measured as a 44D - and the size 10 foob was the one that matched the best. I don't have the option of picking a size since I still have one boob.
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Sorry if I'm rehashing something that's been covered already but I can't stand this. How the heck do you keep your bra from riding up? No matter what kind I try, the band slides up and rests right on my scar. For right now I only have a light foam form, that might be part of the problem, it's not heavy enough to keep the bra in place. I can't use a heavy form yet, so any advice on how to keep my foob where it should be and not up on my shoulder? lol
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I totally relate to your problem, Stormynyte. What I do is buy stretchy sports-type bras much bigger than my real size, extend the straps and let them hang on me. I'm a medium-size person, but I buy extra-large or larger bras. Anything that's snug or that doesn't have adjustable straps inevitably rides up. You have to experiment a bit, but I've found one or two brands that work for me with foam foobs (which I prefer to the silicon ones).
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I agree with Nagem and to go one step further, push the band up on your back just a little bit.
Barbara
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What worked for me was lengthening the straps as far as they'd go, then tightening the band by using the inner set of hooks. I didn't want a smaller sized bra because I was afraid it'd rub under my arms, but when it was loose, it rode up & didn't look or feel right. It sounds contradictory, but the tighter band made me a lot more comfortable.
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Finally found my way back here.
mumito- I'm doing my stretches and exercises like the therapist showed me. But I still have a lot of pain in the underside of my arm. All I was told at the hospital was I could shower after 24 hrs, how to empty the drains and they sent me home in a surgical bra. I had my post op visit yesterday and he told me I could wear my regular bra and get fitted in a few weeks. Then basically said unless you have problems with the surgery site we don't need to see you again.
Erica-I went to your site weeks ago trying to prepare myself.
It has a lot of great info, I'm just one who has to actually see something to get what is being talked about.I did stop and visit with the woman who will be doing my fitting. She went ahead and showed me a few and some of the bras. We got along really well and she made me feel very comfortable with the whole thing. So when I'm ready I feel like I will be in good hands. She did give me a soft little cotton one filled with batting for now. It works pretty good since the right side isn't that big anyway.
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One more thing: I've found that those soft-stretch sports-type bras that have an elasticized band at the bottom tend to stay put better and resist rolling if that elasticized band has vertical rather than waffled or horizontal ridges.
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nagem, Thanks for that tip about the band, I am going to look, Kohls here seems to have a big selection. it makes sense, vertical wouldn't roll as easy as stretched crossed.
Thanks.
Lostinmo, Of course you still hurt, please take it easy and be kind to yourself. One mistake I made was to rush wearing the breast forms, I was not healed enough and I kept setting myself back. Take your time!! I am thinking my doctor did not want me near a fitter for 8 weeks. Please let us know how you are doing.
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I just had a left breast mastectomy last week so it's a bit soon to be wearing a bra.
I'm basically broke and looking at the cost of foobs has discouraged me, so this idea has come to me. I could take one of my regular fully padded bras and just somehow remove the padding from the right cup so my remaining right breast fills it in and the left side looks real....I know next to nothing about sewing, so can any of you gals or guys who knows about the construction and design of bras set me straight. Yay or Nay?
I'd like to donate them, so I don't want to start in on this if it's a fools errand.
Thanks.
Tessa
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Tessa, I was having the same issue. I tried to make my own but I could never get them to look right. I finally gave up and bought a foam form from Walgreen's online for 25 bucks. It was the cheapest I could find and looks the same as the $100 ones as far as I can tell.
Thank you all for the replies. What I've been doing is wearing my swimsuit in place of a bra. It doesn't rub anywhere that is tender, has no chance of sliding up and kinda sucks my tummy in a bit as a bonus. LoL
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Thanks Stormynyte.
I'll look into the Walgreen's one.
I was thinking about a one piece "spanx" so as to keep everything from sliding up, (but the cost) but a bathing suit is the ticket!! Great idea, thanks. And u get to use your bathing suit all year round too.
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It is a pain in the butt when you have to go to the bathroom, but as far as keeping the foob where I want it to be it works great. Oh oh, and since its close to the end of summer I bet suits will be on sale soon if not already! The cost of anything with the word mastectomy on it is insane.
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Yes I can see that happening, but remember as kids we had crotch snaps. What ever happened to them?
Swimsuit shopping here i come...Target, Kohls and Walmart!
Maybe with the little sewing skills i have i could add some snaps to a swimsuit.
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Went to Walmart today and picked up the genie bra, mostly because righty needs one to hold it in place and not sag. My others needed replaced a long time ago. Got home and was goofing off and put the padding from the right side in with the left. I could get by with just this. Now I'm trying to decide if this is good or bad. LOL
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I'm having another flare up of costochondritis brought on when bending down in my office chair to pick something up and pressing in on my ribs - so I was reading on one of the costochondritis websites and found a reference to this website where you can order custom bras - they come in 100% cotton or whatever material you want; some have a two inch band below - and they will sew a prosthesis pocket in for $5. They have some front closure bras, too - you can choose the back you want, also.
I hope it is okay to post the link - I haven't tried them yet but it definitely looks like something I will try. If I am not supposed to post a link for whatever reason, message me and I'll remove it.
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Christina, They are local here in Seattle and quite reputable. My friend had them make her some bras. She has rheumatoid arthritis and about F cups. Normal bras put so much weight on her shoulders that she was in pain. My impression is that they're not as supportive as some mainstream, but comfort comes first in my book.
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This does look comfortable. I have a fantastic bra from Been-a-boob that I can wear with no pain at all, it is much like these, perhaps more tailored, and $90. I would love to have a second one, but coming from canada, I don't know how to get insurance to pay for it.
Well, I imagine insurance wouldn't pay for these either, do you know?
Something about the style and fabric and that easy band at the bottom make this look so comfortable to me. Thanks for telling us about this.
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Genie bras - I stumbled across a website:
https://geniebrafashionista.com/
It is apparently a subdivision of GenieBra.com
I find I am wearing my Genie bras alot with my small forms (sizes 4 or 5) more than any other bras. I started wanting the colors so that I could use them as camis or as a layered look. The difference with this site to the regular one is that there is more flexibility in what you can order between the buy a set of 3 and get a second set of 3 free. I bought a set of brights with the free set being the pastels. They do have to be all the same size, and you have to pay $1.99 per bra in order to get the pockets. It is free shipping which was going to take, I think I remember 3 weeks or a month. I chose to pay the $9.99 to get them faster. I ordered on July 27th & received them yesterday at my office. As I work in a major downtown building I likely received them a day earlier than it would have been to my house. They emailed that they shipped but it did not include a tracking link. However when I looked up my order on the site, I found a tracking link. I have no interest in this company whatsoever. I am sharing it because I have been looking for a cheap way to get the Genie colors from all over the place from local to Ebay and then stumbled across this related site. I had never heard of this site so sharing because it went fine and I received them in good order. FWIW, the inserts are the same color as the bra. I have no interest in them so my first move was to pull them out and throw them on a shelf in the back of the closet.
I would strongly suggest to anyone interested in either the Genies or the Ahh, to find them locally and make sure they will work for you. It seems to me to be a running theme that these bras run really small and that has sure been the case for me.
Something else I have run across locally is the amazing number of bras and camis that now have these inserts and pockets. Even saw a Playtex bra with pockets this last weekend. Champion has a number of them. With Champion, sometimes the cami looks like it has a simple shelf bra. The pocket entrance is on the backside of the shelf so you may have to look really really close to find them.
Barbara
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Hi Barbara,
Does the Ahhh Bra also come in a version with pockets for inserts, like the Genie Bra? It's great that more and more bras and camis come with inserts and thus, pockets.
Regarding the Genie Bra, from what you said about wearing it with your size 4 or 5 forms, I gather it offers reasonable support (I'm assuming you meant silicone forms?). Is that right?
Thanks!
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I was at Walmart yesterday and picked up an Aah Bra and a Genie Bra. The selection was extremely limited and picked over (lot of opened packages) but I grabbed one of each just to try them out. I couldn't find a 2x Genie but the 2x Aah Bra fits well. The 1x Genie is very snug on me but supported my one real boob well and it has the pocket so I should be able to put a form in there. The opening to the pocket seems awfully small but others say they are using it for forms.
The Aah Bra I bought didn't have any pockets in it but I bought it anyways to see what I could do with it. Right now I am wearing the Aah Bra for support on the one side and my cami with the puffy over it and it works pretty well. The cami just wasn't giving me any support and I hate the feeling of sweat building up under the good boob when it rests on my skin.
I am considering ordering more of the Genie bras in the 2x size. Even in the tight 1x, I could tell it was a comfortable bra. I may even use the insert in the good side to help support my boob better.
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Barbara (Erica),
Yes the Ahh now has a version with pockets. What I could find locally did not have them. You can find them on the official website. I bought a set on Ebay, received them at the office, tried them with my silicone (not sure of size), did NOT like the way they sat in the bra (lack of support and sagged too much) and sold them on the spot for what they cost me to a fellow survivor who had recon. BTW, I feel the same way about some of the other brands found locally that I have tried with silicone.
As to the Genie bras, in my opinion, there is reasonable support for my 4's and even my 5's in silicone if I properly pull the back band down a tad bit. May not be "perfect" but then again being in my 60's, I am not sure that too perfect is all that necessary or even that natural looking. When wearing silicone, I adjust them up in the cup to make sure they are not riding too much on the band. When wearing foam, and I do have some that are unweighted, I push them down as much as possible and pull the fabric up so that the resistance of the fabric helps to keep them from riding up. In the case of the foam, I wear the back band just a tad bit higher to resist any tendency to ride up.
Most of the bras that are made in this manner with the pockets will have to simple tack stitches placed a couple of places in the middle to keep the forms from migrating to the middle. I use 4 tack stitches. Easier than sewing on a button. You will also likely want to open the seam a bit to make inserting the forms a little easier. You should be able to find the Genies with pockets locally so that you can try them on. Try Walmart,Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, CVS or Walgreens.
Barbara (Starak)
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Thanks, Barbara! You have so much good information!
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I also thank you, your information is fantastic! Thank you for taking the time to share these details with us.
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