All things bras & prosthesis
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Quiltlibrarian, Go to the beginning of this thread. Starak, the woman who began it, posted photos of her wearing the same clothes before and after her bmx. It's actually not that easy to tell.
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Check with the cancer society. I think they stockpile some things for women who can't afford anything.
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Try the Freecycle thread here too. I did manage to find a home for one MX braMeant to say Freecycle forum,,,, best to start your own thread there,, and probably bump it a couple of times.
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Kimmer:
The Valetta is available from MetroMedicalOnline.com.
BarredOwl
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I bought some on eBay. Got swim forms and extra silicones there. Lots of things move on there. Got a bra that was too big and resold it
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Metta: I'm now almost 12 weeks post op and just getting a fitting appt as soon as I get prescription from my BS. All of the discussions have been helpful in preparing me for my visit although a bit overwhelming in terms of options. I can relate to the feeling of having my chest scooped out as I expected flat but am now concave so my stomach is more prominent. Hoping the prosthesis gives me a more balanced look and as others have said maybe improve my posture. Not sure who posted it, but the suggestion to take tops one expects to wear to the fitting is most helpful. I too like turtlenecks in winter and they can be quite clingy. Thanks so much to all of you have gone before to help us newbees.
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Thanks BarredOwl! They are gorgeous!
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love the Valettas. Have 5 Colors now. At first had sticker shock as not used to paying much for clothes but these are an investment.
Feel like wearing a soft tankini top. Prefer these to a bra
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Ugh. Sorry ladies. I need to vent. 6 weeks from surgery I went to the store to be fitted today to I have more options for what I wear to work in an office. (I go flat at home.) They'd downsized from a year ago from a real store to a front room with 2 changing rooms and a back supply room. Bras were limited to the ugly ones and nothing out on racks for me to pick from. The fitter went in the back to find bras for me. I tried out the Amoena and ABC forms but there were no contact forms to try out. Can those only be ordered online? I want to be small, even when i wear forms. So i asked to be a 36A. For that size bra I had to wear a size 4 form to fill in the fabric. Otherwise the fabric puckered and didnt fit. I liked the size 3 form better since it was more modest and had less projection, but it didn't fill in the A sized bra. It wasn't the forms that bothered me, it was the bras. Ugly as sin and strangely labeled for size!!! I could have sworn the "36A" bras I tried on were closer looking to the 36C boobs i had in my 20s! How am I supposed to go from being flat one day to a 36c another day when i need to wear something and want to switch back and forth inconspicuously? I'm tempted to return this $900 worth of ugly stuff and just stick with the Target bralettes with foam padding, and fiberfill stuffed behind them to keep them from caving in.
I'd like some fashion people and designers to design prettier mastectomy bras in a wider range of real sizes. Oh, and hey Amoena and everyone else, don't insult my lack of cleavage with buxom models wearing mastectomy bras online. I can see they still have their boobs. I have a serious stress headache. I don't get it... is one supposed to order all of these forms and bras online, hope for the best, and try them on at home, and then pay return shipping when things don't fit? It's like shoes. You've got to try them on! Makes me think I ought to open a store and get into this business myself. Sheesh!
Sorry for the vent. It's all new to me. And for the record, I still have NO regrets about choosing no reconstruction. I might just opt to be really flat (slightly concave) more often than not.
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JK. Had similar experience. 2 size 36 a in shoppe. 4s were too busty. Needed 4 shallow as 3s didn't cover my ribs and looked like cup cakes. Ended up with 36 AA bra Needed cool max pockets as mesh abraded my scara
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jkbrca2: I would suggest looking for another shop, even if you have to drive a bit. My local shop is not very helpful and sounds like yours,, no bras out front, etc. So I drove 40 miles to a podunk town, that has a really great mastectomy shop. She had contact form that I could try on! She had bathing suits and tons of nice looking bras to choose from.The main thing is to figure out what size you want to be, form-wise,,, and then know your bra size,, then you can shop online without spending tons of money buying and returning, and paying shipping. So it could be worth driving 40 miles or so if you can find another shop that is more helpful. How far are you from NYC? Can you take the train in? Just a thought,,,,
You could also start a new thread here,, asking where is a good MX shop in the Conn/NY area.
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jkbrca2-
I'm 2-1/2 months out, and had a very similar experience with the mastectomy bra store here. If the bras she showed me came with 100% guarantee that I would never have a recurrence, I would then THINK about wearing one. They were all but ugly, way bigger than what I want (A cup), and were uncomfortable as well. I left empty-handed, and have talked to another shop, but have yet to make an appointment. I'm back to work full time, and they also have M-F 9-4 hours, so I have to take off work for the privilege of looking at their offerings.
At home (and I work from home), I wear the EAB breast binder with the poofs from the first post-surgical camisole. I wonder if it is a security blanket for me, as they are more comfortable than nothing. I wear them to sleep, under T-shirts, pretty much 24/7. http://www.eabmedical.com/index.php?cPath=1&osCsid=thqv7cg8ks6dfs89m9on9u1o97
I also purchased a camisole, pricey, but I do like it. It's a little to warm for hot summer days, but I know I'll use it a lot as the weather cools. http://stillyou.com/Products/lacetanktop.html It's very nice under sheer blouses.
http://shopcoobie.com/ The Coobie is a good choice, too. I've gotten a couple of them. They have pockets to use a form, and there is also a form/padding that comes with the bra. They are comfortable, and definitely accommodate A sizing.
And I think, just like you, I'm not interested in ordering and needing to return lots of things online. I'll get to the second place sometime, but not in a hurry. I'm getting by pretty well actually. Best of luck to you, too.
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Hi JKBRCA2:
I found that even the same size and style bra had variability in the actual band size from different lots. It can be exasperating. For silicone forms, it is best to be fitted in person the first time, so it is good idea to try and find another store like Glennie said.
I was formerly a 36 barely B. I have some ABC silicone forms and bras, but I tend to wear the Coobie bras (like Itzy) and Zee Bras that I ordered on-line. I learned about them on Breastfree.org. They are not mastectomy bras, but since they have pockets for an insert/liner, they can be adapted.
For exercising (walking), I wear a Coobie Scoopneck Bra (#9012) with no form inside at all ("empty"), just the insert that comes with the Coobie and a second liner from my Zee Bras (which comes with four cup liners per bra). I think the Coobie Scoopneck probably works best for 36 or less because of its elastic nature.
http://shopcoobie.com/shop?c=coobie-bras
My favorite and most comfortable bra for everyday is the Zee Bra (also available from Amazon, with reviews there). Zee Bra is designed for smaller cup sizes (AA, A) and the largest band size is 36. It has nice smooth fabric, simple styling, is nicely made, and has no clasp. The pocket openings are larger than the Coobie's and it does not squeeze me (not elastic). See this site for sizing instructions:
I wear the Zee Bra with Size 1 microbead forms from the American Cancer Society (TLC Direct # 8139, size 1). The TLC microbead forms are sort of expensive ($60.00 each, $120 per pair), but are nicely made and wear well. My sister said "they are quite lifelike" in appearance. Eventually, I bought 2 pairs of the microbead forms and keep them "pre-loaded" in one black and one nude/gold bra, all ready to go. The bra and forms are hand washable.
https://www.tlcdirect.org/Micro-Bead-Lightweight-B...
The microbead forms don't bounce right back if poked, so I wear them with one Zee Bra liner so they keep their shape better. This keeps them from squishing, but makes them a little hard. I have prioritized comfort and profile over huggability.
BarredOwl
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Also Genie bras. They have a pocket so you can put in a little poof. You can find them at Target, Walmart, etc.0 -
Thank you everyone for these ideas and links! I have 7 days to return the silicone forms and bras if I chose to. Insurance will cover most of the cost so I might keep them but only wear them sparingly, and not to work where I don't need that kind of attention. I liked the bralettes I picked up at a big box store a week ago. They're similar to coobie bras. Tonight I tried them with turtlenecks and tighter tees and they looked fine, so I think I'm going to go with these for now. I like how light weight they are with a foam molded liner and just some polyfill behind that to prevent them from turning inside out when hugged or poked. Plus if I lean over they stay close to my chest which is so much better than the heavy silicone that pulls away from me. And they're so much prettier with thin straps and a comfortable band that goes around my chest. Thank you ladies!
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you might want to try the ABC shallow fit ones. I have the amoena light ones and never wear the heavy things. The silicone weights down my cami tops, but the poofs ride up and u end up with boobs on my collar bones.
The As in these bras look like my Bs when I was nursing did find a few nice soft cotton bra that were AA and fit like an A but like precious posts have said the band size varies which is a huge hassle trying to order The shop ordered 8 or 9 and only 2 fit the forms
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I just wanted to add my 2 Vents here. I had a double mastectomy and wish to wear small foobs, just to give a hint of breast and fill in the concave places.
This has not been easy to find.
So what works for me in *most* bras, pocketed camis and bralettes is the inserts from Handful bras and the microbead foobs size 3 from TLC. I wear the microbead foobs inside the Handfull inserts and mostly it is ok as far as comfortable goes and isn't wrinkling or collapsing. Just thought I would share. If I wore the size 3 microbead foobs alone, I would look like I had two little cupcakes on my chest, the large size Handfull padded insert gives a better look. But alas, I don't think it is a very huggable feel for others, but I don't worry about that anymore.
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I bought the size 4 swim forms that look like bean bags. They were too full and so I opened up the seam and took out 1/4 of the filling. This made them wide enough so I didn't get the cupcake look, but soft enough and flat enough to give me a little fill in the Genie bras and my cami tops to be a AA.
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One on the left is back view. Fits in my 36 AA bra
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Chloesmom, the woman at my mastectomy shop said those "swim" forms are very popular and that women wear them for everyday, not just swimming. They're Trulife, I think, right?
JK, regarding contact forms, usually it's not recommended to wear those until at least six months out from surgery, until your skin is more fully healed, so perhaps it's just as well that your local shop didn't have them.
The problem with a lot of mastectomy shops is that they have a small selection and then will try to sell you what they have. Even though ordering online can be a hassle if you have to return an item, sometimes it's the best way to try bras and breast forms that are hard to find.
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Thank you for letting us know about the genie bras. I did buy one yesterday and they look like if I want to put a little extra in them it will be easy.
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Erica,
yeah..I used to wear my swim form for running as it was nice and light...for swimming we had a pool so no forms no nuttin' the only people who saw me was my husband and the LAPD helicopters
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Quilty,, yes,, it is really easy to put something in the Genie's. I had to give mine a tiny snip to make it easier, and they are very comfortable.Sula: LOL about the LAPD helicopters!
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yes they are the Trulife. Just a bit too filled for me so I opened up the seam and poured out some of the beads
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Can someone suggest a sports type bra that comes with one empty cup for the remaining boob and one padded cup for the flat side?
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I'll also add my happiness with the TruLife swim forms. Mine are size 1, and when in my LLBean tankini swim top (purchased years before my MX -- it has cups and a liner pad) look pretty close to the old me (I was also a 36 barely
. I bought them primarily for swimming, but they fit well in the Amoena cami top and my husband said it's about the most natural looking of everything I've tried (for the past 18 months or so). The swim forms are light and dry quickly and aren't too hot. I've also worn them in a coobie bra with the pads. They really need a liner pad with them as they can be a little lumpy. One additional option with the coobie bras is to buy a few and then double up the pads. When I don't want to wear the prostheses, I wear the coobie with two pads on each side. It looks good under t-shirts..maybe a decent A cup. As with many of you, I just want a hint of something there. I've tried a lot of different options and just can't tolerate heavy prostheses, and although I know it's an illusion and the result of getting used to flat, but even a solid B cup fake boob makes me feel like Dolly Parton. G0 -
Lojo maybe I should have ordered the smaller Trulife swim forms. The fitter said a 4 was like an A cup but I had to empty 1/2 of the beads out. Was afraid a smaller size wouldn't be wide enough. My size 3 silicones are good but any smaller they'd be like cupcakes Could you tell me how wide yours measure if you get a chance?
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Hi Chloesmom - here are the measurements of the size 1 trulife swim forms. 11.9 cm width (left/right) x 10 cm (top/bottom) x about 3.5 cm in depth, but squishy.
I had intended to also buy a swimsuit when I went to the shop at the hospital, but I brought my old suit top with me just to check. I ended up buying the forms but not a new suit, as none of the ones they had looked good on me - though it was not really a problem with the bra/top part, I just didn't like the general fit. The saleslady said essentially "here, I have size 1 tru-life forms and size 5, which should be a B cup" -- well, the size 5 were just ridiculously large on me. Even my size 2 foam forms I purchased from TLC a while ago seem too big/perky.
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Just wanted to share my post bmx bra shopping experiences....
Went to Nordstroms for a fitting and w/ Mentor 500 cc round implants I'm a 34 D. I bought Natori bras and was pleased.
I'm 10 months post-op and a few months ago went to Soma and tried on one of their 'Enhancing Shape' bras and was blown away by how much I loved it. It has slight padding in the upper pole of the bra and it fits like a glove. I've since bought several.
I've recently noticed Soma is doing TV ads for this exact bra.
They offer free shipping (also free shipping on returns) if you don't have a Soma shop in your area.
I am so pleased with this bra...
Btw, am 5'5, 120 pounds.
Just wanted to share how much I like this particular bra.
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Chloesmom...I was going to ask you the same question, could you measure your swim forms base so I can have an idea if the 4 would be the right footprint? Thanks.
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