Donna
what the surgeon did was amazing, the disolvable stitches were on the inside as all the tissue had apparently been reshuffled inside…mind boggles! Then the skin was stuck and only a very fine line so as it healed its left no visible scar…its amazing!
Hi,
Thank you soooo much for the wonderful advise about this op and bras.
I’m having WLE and reduction on RH side and reduction on LH side on 30 Dec having been diagnosed on 16 Dec.
I am 32H and hoping to come out able to see my feet for the first time in 34 years! My surgeon was v happy when I asked about reduction as it gives better margins.
Please does anyone have any websites addresses for purchasing bras as I’m rural and have been told will be unable to drive for at least 2-4 weeks. I think I’ll need more than one bra the hospital send me home in during that time.
Very many thanks
Helen
Hi
I can recommend asda online for post surgery bras. Ive got three cotton bras and they do most sizes too-and at only £6 they are great value and wash up a treat.
Good luck
Cathie x
Hi Helen, it’s nearly two weeks since my reduction and lumpectomy, and prior to going into hospital I went around the shops looking at all the different types of bras on offer. My main problem was I couldn’t imagine my breasts would every be that small!! So ended up taking the bones out of my current bras. After the surgery I was told they had removed 1.5 kg from my left breast and 1.9 kg from my right one, so as you can imagine, quite a change!! I went from a JJ/K cup size to a C cup at the moment, although I think there is still a bit of swelling so they may reduce even more.
My sister very kindly did an emergency shop and came back with a selection of bras. The most comfortable I have found are asda cotton bras 2 for £3!! I usually spend about £30 a bra so this is rather refreshing.
Good luck with your operation on the 30th. Take care. Donna x
I think I’ll have to give Asda a go!
I’m 32G and had WLE & ANC on Christmas Eve so I’m still sore and have a drain in. I wasn’t offered a reduction so went to Bravissimo beforehand to pick up some soft bras. I bought 34G to give me a bit more comfort after the op and I’m glad I did as up until today I’ve still been very swollen.
I absolutely hate the soft bras I’ve got now but I haven’t bought a soft bra for about 30 years and have been quite proud of my shape recently (I’m not going to tell you what size I was before losing 3 stone with Weightwatchers last year and getting DOWN to 32G!)
I can’t believe that after all that hard work I can’t show off my new figure anymore 
Still, that really is the least of my worries at the moment and I suppose that if I hadn’t lost the weight I probably wouldn’t have found the lump until it got even bigger (I’m 45 so no regular mammo yet).
Any more recommendations for soft bras that actually give us larger ladies a decent shape?
Jane xxx
The ladies at M&S are really helpfull too and they have a good selection of post surgery bras.
Jane Bravissimo have a non wired sports bra by Freya.Did you see it? I lived in mine for several weeks post WLE and it does give a nice shape too.The inner 'lining’did rest uneasily on my boob so had a cotton wool pad just tucked inside.I too have not had a soft bra in years. It still is one of my favourites 6months post op.Jackie
Ooh no Jackie I didn’t see that one. I’ll have to see if I can get one. Bravissimo is in Milton Keynes and I’m not allowed to drive yet but there’s a couple of shops in Bedford that stock Freya.
I haven’t bought an M&S bra for years - they just never seem to be the right shape for me but I might just have a look as I’ve always ignored the soft bras!
One thing I haven’t asked anyone - are we “allowed” to wear underwired bras again once we’ve healed (apart from during radiotherapy) or is it always going to be a big no-no?
I lived in Asda’s sports bra’s for 3 months, I now wear an underwired bra when at work or going out.
During radiotherapy I didnt wear a bra at all and only wore natural material tops; cotton, linen etc. I didnt get any soreness at all.
I have got to say, that after having very large breasts and always having to wear a bra, its so nice to go without one - and wearing pretty, thin strapped nighties is glorious.
Marguerite
Jane Hi hope the drain is out by now? Bravissimo do a really good mail order service.My orders have always arrived in a day or two.Yes I was back in my lovely underwired bras quite quickly.( Looked back in my notebook and it was 5 weeks but still wear the sports bra occassionally at times too.I don’t think there are non wired bras in a FF cup size other than the sports one. As Marguerite says I did change out of my underwired bra after the long drive home from rads and wore a camisole top( with loads of aqueous cream on)but I wasn’t going out anywhere after the treatment Good luck Jackie
Hi Jackie, no, sadly the drain is still there! I’m going back today to the ward to have it checked again and for the consultant to have a look, but I doubt it will be coming out today either as I’ve looked at it this morning and it’s already gone up by 75ml and I shouldn’t be measuring it until midday. They did say if I was still draining too much by today they might reduce the vacuum.
Seven days now and I’m so fed up with having it there! I really need to be able to move around without my flexible friend in attendance and the sticky tape where my bra goes is driving me potty!
I’m going to the panto in Bedford tomorrow whether it’s out or not - I’ll stick “Calvin” in a bag that I can sling across my body and hide under my coat and try not to leave any trailing tubes. My daughter and husband are in the band and it’s my husband’s birthday tomorrow so the cast and audience will make huge fun of him - I can’t miss that! 
Jane xxx
Oh bu**er. Still got Calvin after today’s appt. They’ve reduced the vacuum though and if I’ve lost less than 50ml they’ll take it out tomorrow and if not then definitely on Sunday as it’ll have been in 9 days by then.
Might not get my results on the 4th either - my consultant doesn’t think they’ll be ready because of the bank holidays so he’ll find out this afternoon and let me know. I’ll probably have to move the appt back a week.
On the good side, I’m glad to hear some of you have got back into your underwired bras - I can’t wait for that!
Jane Sorry to hear that Calvin is still keeping you company.Roll on Sun when you can bid him farewell.The waiting for results is the pits so hope they can get yours asap then you will know what is next on the agenda Hope you enjoy the panto sounds like it will be great fun esp the bit about poking fun at your OH.Just don’t leave Calvin in the bar lol.Oh forgot to say not sure if wearing underwired bra depends on where the excision is. Mine is in a curve under the breast and above where the underwire and lower bra band sit. My son’s birthday is to-day and we always went to the panto when he was younger.Happy New Year to you and yours here’s hoping for a better year all round. Love Jackie
I am really disappointed that the option of breast reduction was not mentioned to me, I did not realise it was an option. I had the lumpectomy , then chemo and then a further operation to clean up the margins and to do a lymph node clearance. I have large breasts and really struggle to get bras that fit because of the cup size. Grri
Hope everyone enjoyed their panto’s!!
I think it’s amazing how everyone’s treatment is so different. When I was dx in November, head spinning - you know the feeling - my consultant did suggest a breast reduction. At that point I couldn’t consider it, I just wanted rid of the lump, but later on my breast care nurse explained the benefits, and I thought medically it was the best long term option. So as I said earlier I went from a JJ/K to a C cup overnight. Sitting this morning with no bra on, in pretty pj’s, trying not to get too attached to my new perk breasts!! Will find out on the 5th if I still need a mastectomy/chemo/node removal, the waiting is so difficult… Another difference is that in Aberdeen your not allowed home with your drains in, one lady that was in the same time as me was in for 9 days, but everyone I spoke to was happy to stay in, rather than go home with drains in. Sorry a bit of a ramble this morning!!
I’d like to wish everyone a health 2011, Donna x
Woohoo! Only 35mls drained overnight so bye bye Calvin - sorry you won’t be coming to the panto with me after all, but you wouldn’t have been a very welcome guest. Oh yes he would, oh no he wouldn’t…!
Might persuade OH to take me into Milton Keynes on Monday if Bravissimo’s open to try on the Freya sports bra. I know if I order one online I’ll be bound to end up with the wrong size.
I hope everyone else has enjoyed their panto! If anyone’s been to see Peter Pan in Winchester, one of the little boys playing Michael is my cousin’s son, Christian. Small, very blonde and the cheekiest 8 year old you could possibly imagine!
Jane xxx
hi girls
I hope you dont mind me joining your discussion, I had WLE and SNB in November, and was told I needed bilateral mastectomy 2 weeks later. I have been losing weight so I could have diep flap reconstruction at the same time at Addenbrookes hospital, but last week had a second opinion at Broomfield hospital. They recommend having the reduction surgery both sides instead of mastectomy (although they will do mx with recon if I prefer - and I dont need to lose weight!). My right breast is cancer free and the first hospital wanted to remove it as a precaution. The left one had much more tumour than expected and is near the margins. Lymph nodes were clear.
I just don’t know which op to go for, I have wanted a reduction for years (I’m a 36G bra size), but mastectomy and recon would give me more reassurance it has gone - though I know there is no guarantees on that!
I am due to go back on Tuesday with my decision - reduction of both (with rads to follow) - mx and recon of left with reduction of right - or mx and recon of both … Ahhh … too many choices!!
Any advice would be gratefully appreciated 
love Nicola xx
Hi firehouse, sent you a PM… I had my surgery at Springfield, but same surgeons as at Broomfield.
Marguerite
Thanks ladies for all the information on this thread.
Today, 10 months after a wire guided WLE my surgeon has offered a reduction of the non BC one and a clean up of the BC one. For some stupid reason I felt quite upset after the consultation and I’ve got at least 6 months to decide what I want him to do - if anything.
The WLE side nipple was accidently maimed during a second biopsy and the area where the WLE took place is not pretty despite a neat scar. At one earlier appointment the nurse came in and asked to see my boob and when I asked why she said that the surgeon had said it was not a good cosmetic result!
I hasten to add that I took part in a randomised trial where they either left the site ‘as is’ after the surgery or they shuffled things about inside to give a decent looking exterior. I drew the ‘as is’ card and you can almost see each knife mark.
The non WLE side used to be 36FF but with weight loss is now 34E/36DD. I’ve always hated having boobs at all so the thought of something smallish does appeal.
Do you get a choice of what size you’d like to end up?
How long would I be unable to drive and lift things? (Normally I heal quite quickly.)
How much do mammograms hurt with smaller tighter tits?
At 66 should I bother?
Do you know how long this sort of op would take?
Hello ladies
Hope you dont mind if I join in. I am really surprised that you were offered the reduction with your treatment. This was never discussed with me. I too have large breasts and since dx in 2009 with WLE & rads I have been very unhappy with my lop sided breasts. I think they are more obvious because they are larger. This sounds like I am really ungrateful because I am also now thinking about bi-lateral breast reduction. I feel really guilty about not being happy with the results of my surgery & rads because I know that for many it is so much worse. I have believed all along that I haven’t deserved to have any further surgery because I didn’t have MX. Anyway I saw the plastic surgeon this week and he talked me through the risks, particularly with the irradiated breast. Now I dont know what to do. I do know I am not happy with myself anymore. Sorry for the long post but I really wanted to share how I feel.
Love Cory XXX