Just come on to have a small rant really. Before joining the breast cancer roller coaster I was a 40D in a bra. Not brilliant, but not too bad either. I liked fancy coloured bra’s with a bit of lace and colour. Got quite a few decent looking ones [in my opinion] for about £20 or so. After mx I began by wearing cropped top style as I found them more comfortable due to a bit of fluid build up. Long story short, recently started looking for a bra, after getting measured for prothesis. Found out then I was between sizes [I’d lost a bit of weight after the op]. Got one bra, lemony colour, from hospital in a 40C. This was great till the evening when the fluid seemed to build up a little, then felt a bit tight, so got a bra extender. Sorted! Next one I got was from bra clinic, skin coloured but a 42C so a little more comfortable. Then decided I wanted a black one so went on line. Debenhams had a few £14-20. Great! All my size out of stock - not so great. 
They are obviously popular as so many seem out of stock.
Marks and Spencer only go up to 40C so would need another bra extender so looked on a few other sites first. A lot had them in my size and in black, as well as being reasonably priced, but were out of stock for many sizes, including mine
Specialist sites seem worse. The ones I looked at were £40-50. Why are post surgery bra’s so expensive? Never paid that for a bra in my life and don’t want to start now! Surely they shouldn’t be that expensive for what amounts to a couple of square inches more material.
Finally went back to M & S and got a 40C in black with a pack of bra extenders.
Am I just a weird size/shape or just too tight with my money?
Shazza
Hi Shazzaboro,
I can’t entirely answer your question as it’s not my experience, but a couple of thouhgts…
First, if you buy specialist bras, you should not be paying VAT as this is a necessity, not a choice. So, any deisgnated ‘mastectomy’ or ‘post surgery bra’. You may have to ask, but I know, for example M&S online deduct it automaticially. A 20% reduction in price before you start may open up a few more options.
Secondly, you can get pockets added to any bra, and most hospitals or BCNs will have lists of places you can get that done. BCC may also have lists, so it’s worth giving them a ring.
I went to a BCC lingerie evening, which was really helpful, and gave me a lot more confidence in looking for bras etc. If there is one in your area, I’d encourage you to get along to it. I discovered my back size was not one but two sizes smaller than I thought - so now (as I am genenrously endowed, even on my reconstructed side) I have almost the equal and opposite problem of yours… trying to find a 32 D/DD!
Hope you get some useful replies soon.
They are really expensive and I end up paying about £22-28 a pop. I have a different problem from you: I have a small ribcage. I used to be a 30E at one stage before breast cancer, seem to be a 32D now which is hard to get in a mastectomy bra, and many that say they are 32D don’t fit! So I am stuck with one type of camisole bra, from Amoena. I have one in black and one in white. This does limit what I wear: I was never one for plunging necklines but I am stuck with really frumpy clothes now – I am very petite so what looks like normal scoop neckline on most women, is way below the bra line for me!
Considering a reconstruction simply in the hope of getting more choice of bra!
Hi,
I agree that bras are a nightmare. I am a 36G and have had a left side MX (no recon). Trying to find bras to fit has been a nightmare.
I ended up shopping on line. I used Amoena and Nicola Jane. The high street stores just didnt accomodate. I do end up paying more though, at about £30 for a bra. But it seems to be the price you have to pay for nice, decent bras (i used tp pay at least that pre the Mx).
Sorry its not more positive - but bras have been my one big gripe. Why cant people with bigger boobs getting pretty MX or post surgery bras!
Have a look at those websites though, you might find something 
Rae
x
Thanks for the responses. Feeling a bit more normal now 
Got the 40C with bra extender from M & S and its worked out well, surprisingly comfy. Now have 3 bras in beige, black and champagne plus two crop tops [white and black] with a camisole top in black so feeling a bit happier. Looks like there may be a bit of a gap in the market for decent bra’s in colours other than black and white and in range of sizes to fit real women!
Shazza x