Hi all looking for some advice do I get fitted now for a post op bra I’m having a lumpectomy next Thursday and I just don’t know what to do xxxx
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Hi @springtime1
Before I had my lumpectomy I popped into M&S and with some assistance from one of their fitters I got a couple of post surgery bras: they are front fastening and very supportive. I also bought a bra from their flexifit range which are really comfortable and I still wear them some two years on
I hope your surgery goes OK next week
Lots of love
AM xxx
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Hi Springtime1
I did the same went to M&S had a fitting bought one from there Asda and other shops do front fasting which you need much easier I also bought some cotton crop tops which you can step into which wear comfy to sleep in xx
Hi springtime1
After my lumpectomy I wore a high impact sports bra during the day which is really snug fitting. This felt protective and BCN said compression is good for swelling so long as you are comfortable. I then had a cheap front fastening one for sleeping but didn’t really rate that too much. After about a week I found seamless crop tops from Primark to be really supportive and comfortable and helped to give a nice shape. The ones I have are the ‘invisible’ ones and £8 each, lovely colours too. 
I would add, may be an idea to go a size bigger initially if you go for a crop top style to account for swelling.
Hope everything goes well for you. x
Hi. I had a mastectomy on the 11th April. I went to m&s that they were unable to provide what I needed. The hook and eye fastenings on the post surgery bra we’re so difficult that neither I nor the shop lady could fasten them! In the end I ordered some from Primark, which were £15 for 2, and they were fine. When I got to hospital the breast care nurse came round and gave me another similar bra! She also gave me a little shoulder bag to keep my drain in lovely heart shaped cushion to go under my arm. So do ask your breast care nurse if you will be getting any freebies!
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Try Sainsbury’s. I bought literally 20 different bras and crop tops after my lumpectomy in December 2023.
Now I’ve settled on Sainsbury’s brakettes !! Really pretty colours, matching knickers and cheap as chips.
My godsend immediately post op was their front zipped soft sports bra/crop top. I wore it night and day.
Weirdly I was thinking I could probably go back to wired bras now but don’t actually have an urge to !!!
The problem I have is I have large breast 38 j at last fitting so really struggling to get anything I’ve ordered 2 online today but delivery not expected till 13 th 
Hi
Have a look at macom medical they do post op bras where you order by the band size and it moulds to the cup size, I bought two for my lumpectomy and found them very good although not cheap
J x
I would find something that would be comfortable post surgery… and then wait for bra fitting when everything settled.
Anita go up to a K cup in one style and depending on the style of bra if you perhaps went up a back size you might get away with a slightly smaller cup . I have the opposite problem - wide back and small cup size and my bras are anything from a 42C to 48A in the Clara Art bra Check out Eloise.co.uk for their catalogue and stockists . I hope you find something that’s comfortable I can see that crop tops are probably not going to give you enough support. Xx
I went to M&S - had the same size I am & 1 larger… front opening sports bra definately as you will need the support and prevent any swelling - wear day & night.
It sounds a bit of a waste, but very necessary.
I also have a lot of M+S post - surgery bras which were great for me in the whole but I don’t think go up to your cup size . I also have a couple in their ordinary range which are very supportive and may go up to a bigger cup - not particularly fashionable looking but it’s the fit that counts. Don’t worry too much about getting front fastening as you can always fasten them at the front and swizzle them round or fasten them and step into them. Hope everything goes well with your surgery xx
I was given one by a nurse when in for the day - I didnt know it was adviced to have front fastening ones. I found a zip one via Amazon. I now love front fastening ones best of luck xx
yes I would get fitted as soon as possible.I don’t know that it’s essential to have a front fastening one - some people find it easier and some don’t . What I liked about it was that I could have all the hooks fastened for walking about etc in the day and I got brilliant support but when I sat down in the evening sometimes it was a bit too tight but I was able to undo a couple of hooks at the top and bottom and then it would be comfy again.
It seems that some BCN services do have bras to hand out and some don’t . I don’t think anyone should rely on being given one especially if you’re especially big or small in the cup or have very broad shoulders like me . One lady in my support group who was very slim and small breasted was wearing the same bra for a year - washed it every night to be clean again for the next day , until a fitter from Anita gave her 2 free bras during our most recent group meeting. I got a free one as well - which is one reason I have been recommending Anita as it’s never been that easy for me to get a well fitting bra.
I am pleased though for those who have been able to be fitted with a free one on the NHS 
. I’m assuming that reps must leave free samples perhaps of colours that are being discontinued or styles that are all round popular / suitable for the immediate post - op period with the BCN service in the hope that we will buy more bras from them . Xx
certainly it would be helpful to have a standard system for everyone across the UK
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Hi springtime1. re: post op bra fitting, I read that you should wait 6 weeks before having a fitting, to allow enough time for things to settle down. I had a mastectomy & a lumpectomy and had to put back my post op bra fitting as things had not settled - but hopefully things will be better for you. re: post surgery bras, I ordered front opening hook & eye bras (all a bit utilitarian but it’s only temporary) = one from M&S with 3 hook & eyes plus velcro, nice and soft material and 2 from Asda (suggested by the BCN) with lots of hook & eyes, but I got used to it and the room under the arm area was better than the M&S one - useful if having any lymph nodes removed. I ordered different sizes and returned those not needed. All the best.
I would say that is different information than I and some others have been given. I’m a bleeder I bruise really easily and I was worried about bleeding haematoma and seroma none of which I had and I think the fact that I had a lot of compression ( not to the point of causing more discomfort ) on helped immensely . I did wear a crop top and support vest for 48 hours but after that I was into my post op bra with a sleep bra for night time or sometimes wore the sleep bra under the post op bra for sleeping but with some of the hooks undone. I never needed anything stronger than Paracetamol for pain either though I had a couple of ibuprofen around day 10 as my BCN said that’s when the seroma can start and that I uprofen can help it to absorb.