Hi Starting radiotheraphy on 17 June - has anyone any ideas on bras ect for a larger breasts, my son is getting married three days after I am due to finish and really want to try and keep as free as possible from side effects. Working fulltime at the moment, do you suggest I go part-time or have a break during treatment;worked odd days during chemo. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks Chris
Hi Chrisd
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June, moderator
Hi Chrisd,
As a larger breasted lady, you may be more prone to skin damage on your nipple because its more prominent, and under the breast because its a fold of skin that doesn’t get much air when you get dressed again. Be vigilant with the aqueous cream and stock up with some aloe vera gel - Dr Organic from Holland & Barratt is a good one.
On the bra front, they will tell you to try to go without so you may want to look for some of those tops with built in support. M&S do some for larger sizes and I found some good ones in TK Max too - I am a 32F. Before my rads finished, and for @3 weeks afterwards, I couldn’t wear a bra so that may happen to you too. What are you planning to wear for your son’s wedding? Could you adapt it to be without a bra if needed - maybe with one of those support tops?
In terms of working, I was working full-time between surgery and rads, but my GP insisted I be signed off during rads and he was right as I found it very tiring. In fact I was off work for a couple of months afterwards too. This is partly the effect of the rads, but combined with Tamoxifen SEs and also the stress of the whole thing catching up. You may be OK, but you might want to set your employer’s expectations lower just in case.
There are loads of ladies on here with vastly different experiences, but they will all tell you to put yourself first and do what you need to do for skincare and rest etc. You really want to be at your best for your son’s wedding so focus on that as a priority.
Best of luck and post to say how you’re getting on.
E xx
Hi Chris
I agree with elsk about working. I am 3 weeks into 7 weeks of rads. I suppose it depends how much travel is involved, but even if you had a very short journey there is also a lot of waiting around - I can’t really imagine how you could work as well, unless you managed to get very convenient appointment times every day.
Hi Chris,
I wore support tops towards the end and immediately after rads, but I’m not particularly big breasted. It was my nipple and the fold under my breast that bunt. Remember to drink plenty of water and apply the aqueous cream that they will probably give you. Keeping well hydrated did work for me.
I worked throughout rads and managed to get mostly late afternoon appointments so that I could work for about three quarters of the day and then go to rads and go home from there. This worked well for me because it was only three quarters of an hour drive from work to the hospital but nearly an hour and a half from home so it helped cut down on the travel. One day each week I worked from home. I did get very tired towards the end and had a week off afterwards followed by a week of short days. I work for a 3rd sector disability organisation and my board of trustees all understand that having energy one day doesn’t mean you will have it the next!
If you worked odd days during chemo, then perhaps you can keep it flexible again. It may all depend on how you can get your appointments arranged. The other thing that can mess up work is sitting around on clinic day. I was fortunate there because I didn’t feel the need to see the onc each week and the radiographers supported me in this.
If you can keep it flexible, this might be the best option.
Good luck,
Eliza xx
Hi chrisd - I finished rads almost 4 weeks ago and was very tired throughout -I have not worked since Sept as the main side-effect of chemo was tiredness. In view of your son’s wedding being so close I would say that if finances allow have time off work as I found rads very tiring and had a couple of hours sleep each afternoon. I am also big busted (36FF before diagnosis but slightly bigger now due to some extra weight). I didn’t wear a bra at all just cotton vests and I slapped the aqueous cream on with gay abandon covering it with a cotton hankie to protect clothes. I also tucked the hankie under my boob to stop the rubbing.This seemed to work as there was nothing to rub at skin and I have had no trouble with sore spots just generally sore skin in the rads area.Lympodema nurse said that I was doing the right thing. Skin now OK although internal tissue and scars are very uncomfortable. Wearing an unwired bra for most of day although have worn an underwired bra with cotton hankie tucked under band on special occasions. Hope this helps and that rads go well for you. Marli
Hi everyone Thanks for all your support, tiredness seems to be the common factor and maybe working from home will help with this. Will have to buy some tops from M@S and choose my wedding outfit carefully.
Thanks again. Chrisd xx
I am big-breasted and found some very soft stretchy bras over the Internet from a company named Windsor Products. Another company (whose names escapes me) sell a similar bra. They frequently advertise in the Daily Mail or The Mail on Sunday. I burned in the fold under my breast and it took a while to recover but found I could bear wearing these bras.
Good luck with your treatment.
AlexG
Thanks Alex - I’m off to order some now.
Hi Chris
like Eliza, I had late appointments soworked 3/4 of the day throughout rads. I think it depends on what you do (I am desk based) and how many rads you have (I had 15), as I didn’t get tired at all. Having said that, I finished just under 2 weeks ago and had to have a nap today for the first time - but that may be due to going for a jog this morning and doing some gardening that made my back ache!
I’ve had mx but also found m&s support tops helpful. I have a sensitive spot just under my arm, and a small scab on my collarbone, but otherwise no soreness. Think it is different if you have a boob still.
Take care
flora xxx
Hi Chris
I was big due to over-inflated expander implant when I had Rads, and wore a sort of soft stretchy crop top from a company with a name something like 21st century corsetry-ordered it online-the name doesn’t sound promising, but was very good at holding things in place without rubbing! I also had a very plain cotton support bra from littlewoods that worked well. I found the aqueous cream great- washed with it, and put on the skin 2 or 3 times a day.
My BCN told me about a few patients of hers who swore by wearing a pure silk hanky next to the skin.I did this all the time during rads as I thought anything was worth a try!I had 26 Rads, and was expecting skin problems because I’m very fair, sensitive skin etc, but was fortunate and was fine with just some dryness and bit of pinkness a few weeks after.
Good luck with it, and have a great day at the wedding.
C xx
ive got a large bust too - dd cup. Ive been wearing crop tops from bhs which have been really helpful. They are like a mini vest that finishes after your bust. If you see what i mean…
eva
Hi Chris,
Wishing you all the best that the RT doesn’t cause you too many problems but keep a note of Actiform Cool gel pads just in case you have a reaction towards the end. You can buy them online I think but mine were prescribed by my GP and they come in all sizes. They are brilliant and a huge relief, do not stick and take the pain away. Obviously I’m hoping you wont need them but in my case they allowed me to attend a wedding I’d have had to miss otherwise.
All the very best.
Minx