I will be having a single mastectomy in a couple of weeks and have decided not to have any reconstruction. There’s lots of reasons and one of the main ones is my job, I’m a dance teacher and remaining active is very important to me. I don’t want to put my body under the stress of more surgery and a longer recovery, and I don’t want any possible complications to affect my dancing. It’s just not worth the risk for me.
Now I’ve made my decision, I’m thinking even more about the practicalities of things. I wondered what everyone’s experience has been with wearing a prosthesis, especially whilst exercising? I dance for hours each day, it’s sometimes gentle but is often high impact and energetic. I’m so worried about how I’ll get on with a prosthesis and whether it’s going to be a bit of a nightmare for me or not when I work.
Also wondering, does anyone have any problems wearing tight tops? I’ve never been one for showing my cleavage anyway, but I do often wear high necked ,tight fitting tops.
Hi Mcsparkle, You are probably much younger than me and I am sorry you have had a cancer diagnosis. Everyone on this site knows what it is like but there is light at the end of the tunnel,
I had a single mastectomy and lymph node clearance, chemo and radiotheraphy. No reconstruction. I have found my prosthesis to be very comfortable and I can wear all different tops, swimming costume/tankini ( I am too old for a bikini).
Do look online at Amoena website. I do not know where you live but I went to their shop
In Eastleigh near Southampton to have a fitting for my bra form prosthesis, they do many different types including for swimming, plus other tops etc. Yes they are quite expensive but all excellent. You do not have to go to their shop, they will answer your questions on the phone if necessary and are very helpful. You can of course buy online and their returns policy is good. I did buy their bras but find I can wear the same Amoena prosthesis in an M and S mastectomy bra which is much cheaper. There are also many other online shops and I believe your breast care nurse can suggest NHS bra forms to wear.I can certainly dance in my prosthesis and wear tight tops. People who do not know I have had surgery would not know any difference. Remember you can get VAT off if you have cancer.
I hope your surgery goes well. Take care and eventually you will be able to carry on dancing.
Sunshine 21.
Hi single mastectomy over here, exactly a year ago today!
I got a silicone prosthesis from Boost, it’s not cheap but it was a lifesaver in the summer with the hot weather etc. it can just be washed with water and dries out quickly.
I never wore bras before, I’ve hated them since my 20s, so I wear my Boost loose in sports bras/bralettes, it might move slightly as the day goes on, but I feel confident enough with it and I forget I’m wearing it most of the time. If it does move, it’s never noticeable visibly. I’m not an exerciser though, so don’t know if how more movement would impact it, but I think their customer service might be able to help!
With tight fit tops, as above I feel confident with the Boost. I also go without a prosthesis quite a lot, my tops will sit funny and ride up on my mastectomy side, but I’ve got the whole “life is too short” mind frame at the moment so I go with whatever I feel like doing that day
The main reason I went for silicone was to be able to wash it, and because it was a lot lighter than my NHS one. It also felt like a more natural shape.
I hope your surgery goes well and recovery is quick! All the best
Thank you @sunshine21 I’ll have a look at the website. I’m so nervous as my surgery dates approaches!! Just trying to wrap my head around it all and make sure I’m as prepared as I can be x
Hi @Yasmeink thank you for your response. It’s so good to know you feel confident!! I hope I can get there one day. Right now I’m just absolutely dreading it!!
I’ll have a look into Boost, I have seen some adverts for them.
Hi @mcsparkle , I had a single mastectomy flat closure sept 23 and have full movement. I wear an nhs prothesis which is excellent. It weighs exactly the same as the breast tissue that was removed, is warm and comfortable, and feels like a breast if one touches it when dressed. The important consideration is the bra that you put it in! It works best in a full cup bra. I got measured up by a representative from Nicola Jane at the local Maggies Centre and now get nearly all my bras from them. Today I had my year 2 mammogram/ultrasound so just wore a sloggi bralette so I could just pull it down and up again without taking it off. Keep dancing! I wish you all the very best going forward. Luv Tulip x
Hi. I have a small size boost which I don’t need. My bra size is 36A. I’m sure there is somewhere on here where I could direct a message you if you were interested in having it - but I can’t find it!
Just wanted to say my Mum was diagnosed aged 80. She had a mastectomy. She is too a dance teacher and still teaching a couple of classes a week age 83 ! We found knitted knockers worked for her. A bit softer than the prescription ones. best wishes and keep dancing.
Hi, I am totally with you on the issues of reconstruction and very relieved I didn’t have one. The BC nurse sent me a ‘softie’ in the post after my mastectomy. I later got a silicone one on the NHS for swimming but I find it too heavy and I just swim without one. My softie was free, it is light and comfortable and could be worn during any sporty activity. I think the silicone one would bounce around too much but I haven’t actually tried jumping about with it on because I am happy with the softie. Like someone else said, you just need to find the right bra which I think is more difficult and we all choose different types depending on what we like and are used to. I often go without a prosthesis but wear it when I go out in the evening just so my dress/top hangs OK. I occasionally have to straighten it because of the unequal weight. I only had to get rid of a couple of low cut summer dresses, everything else is OK and you can always slip a light vest underneath to cover the cleavage area. In the beginning you may feel like folk are noticing or staring but I don’t think anyone really notices or cares and you just get used to it.
Good luck with your operation and don’t worry about being a uniboober, you will work out the right way for your lifestyle etc.
Thank you for your response @Tulip29 that’s so good to hear. My breast care nurse said I will be fitted for a prosthesis a few weeks after my surgery. It’s good to hear positive things about NHS prosthesis.
I’m definitely going to invest in some decent bras asap!
Thank you @laneycass it’s always reassuring to hear form someone who is happy with their decision to go flat. It’s such a hard choice, I didn’t know how on earth I was going to decide at first! But it just feels like the best option for me now.
Hi. I still don’t know how to get in touch with you. You are not supposed to put your name or e-mail address on here and I still haven’t managed to find the way to direct message you on here. However, I would say :
Don’t buy any bras yet. After surgery you will need a post surgery bra. I went to great lengths to get one of these, but after my surgery found to my great surprise that, along with my “softie” which I knew I was getting, I was also given a post surgery bra by the MacMillan breast care nurse! Then, when all the swelling went down (usually about 8 weeks post op) and I had my prosthesis fitting I was a given a mastectomy bra. So it’s worth speaking to your nurse to see what Freebies you get. Some hospitals give you a choice of prosthesis which includes a Boost, but my fitter had never heard of them. I have tried to explain to them that Boosts are much cheaper than the NHS prostheses and you really only need one which can be used all the time, including for swimming. However, I have ended up just using a sports bra and a sports swimming costume and going without a prosthesis. Absolutely nobody notices! Only the aquarobics teacher knows because the nhs swim one was completely clear - it had no colour at all. I called it a jelly fish! I told the aqua teacher that if it fell out he would have to recover it for me because I wouldn’t be able to see it! Anyway, after you have gone through all the different things that happen first if you would still like to try my Boost I think you would have to contact the Forum Moderators and ask them how to get in touch with me.
@BiRo if you want to privately direct message another forum user, just click on her username in any message and your first option is Message. Just use that in the same way as you would an email, the recipient’s name is already filled in then it is up to the recipient to accept the message. You are correct that any posts which include personal information like email address, phone numbers and full real names are removed by the mods.
Hi McSparkle, I agree with you entirely about not putting your body through the additional stress of reconstruction. I had a mastectomy in July 2023. For the first couple of months wore a comfortable cotton camisole type bra from M and S with pockets for the prosthesis. At first it was a comfortable softee but then I got a proper Trulife prothesis on line. When I got a fitting for the NHS one I was so pleasantly surprised. It was even better, more natural and lighter than the one I had bought. It was an Amoena one and an excellent shape. I now wear that one every day, and use the other one for swimming and sun bathing. You just rinse it every evening, and put it back in its box so it keeps its shape. Initially I bought a couple of special mastectomy bikinis with larger tops, but now I have reverted to my normal pre cancer bikinis . You can buy little pockets at M and S to put inside bras/bikini tops for the breast form, with a little flesh coloured strap with presstud to secure it round the strap. Or if you are handy with a needle (which I’m not!) you could sew-it in the top . I have danced without any problem. The only time I noticed the breast form was when I first went to a gentle Pilates class after the op, and was prostrated on the floor, and could feel it firmer than the real one pressed on the floor!! Don’t worry you will be fine, nobody can tell with a good bra and breast form, you can wear tight clothes just like before after the first few months. Wishing you all the best x
It was an easy decision for me to not go for reconstruction. I had a single mastectomy in 2017 and have an NHS prosthesis. Its great. Really good quality and every shape and size you can imagine. I’m apparently entitled to a new one every 2 years but have only needed one replacement.
I do cardio, work as a gardener and am a keen cyclist. No issues at all. Just a sports bra. Not sure about swimming as it’s not my thing.
Hi, I had a single mastectomy 2024. Went back to yoga, pilates & swimming after 6 weeks. I wear a M&S post- surgery cami bra and put the NHS softy (in it’s cover) in to the pocket which works fine. Just need to check I’m level before I go in public! For swimming I use one of those shower scrub things in my pocketed swimsuit. I also have a Boost prosthesis which I use with my old wired bras, gives an excellent shape and feels completely fine.
It’s difficult to get your head round but I think it’s only us who notices if we go wonky & let’s face it you can do that with two breasts! All the best.
single mastectomy over here, exactly a year ago today!
