I’ve had mastectomy, followed by 8 chemo sessions, finished in Sept. and would like to try one of these stick-on jobs, but my bc nurse says I have to wait six months after chemo before I can try, due to skin reaction. Anyone else had a problem, or has anyone tried them, are they any good??
Cheers
Anne x
Hi Anne
Whilst you await replies here is a link to Breast Cancer Care’s publication, ‘A confident choice’, which contains useful information about different prostheses which you may wish to read:
breastcancercare.org.uk/docs/bcc_prosthesis_web_0.pdf
Best wishes
Lucy
I was actually going to put up a new post with the same query. I am going to be fitted with one of those self adhesive Amoena prothesis next week, having just had the normal light weight one for 2 years. Whilst my BC nurse is excellent, she obviously has no first hand experience of these.
My questions are these:
Do they make your skin all hot and sticky and sort of ‘flabby’ (like being in the bath too long or swimming a lot?)
Are they really safe, i.e. no chance of coming off whilst doing exercise
Can you wear normal underwired bras with them?
Any advice would be most helpful.
Thanks.
Birgit
Hi Anne and Birgit
I wore a stick on prosthesis about 5 months after my mastectomy and I found it more comfortable and felt it was more part of me, I could shower, swim and exercise in it, I know some ladies have problems with the stickiness if they sweat but I’m not really a “sweaty betty” so was lucky and had no problems. I wore under wired normal bras although they were full cup as the prosthesis would have shown. I found it didn’t fall forward went I leant over unlike the type you put in side the mastectomy bras. One tip though when choosing new bras try and get the ones with a little elastic on the front of cup as this will help when bending forward in summer tops/low tops to stop your prosthesis being on show!!! They feel very natural and move when you run!!!
I have just had a DIEP reconstruction (7 weeks post op) which I lucky sailed through with no pain and would recommend it to all brave enough to put yourselves through another op.
Hope this helps you both - good luck
Clare
I had a mastectomy in June 2001 and have been wearing an ‘ordinary’ prosthesis until November last year.
Last February, when I saw the breast care nurse for a new one we talked about the ‘stick ons’ and she said I was welcome to try one next time.
I took the plunge and asked her to order one for me in November and now I’m wondering why I waited so long !!!
It’s brilliant and I’ve had no problems so far, mind you, I’ve not yet experienced a really hot day !!
Hope this helps
Sue
Thanks Sue and Clare - makes me want one now - very fed up of the “normal prosthesis”.
Birgit - would be interested to know how you get on. I was actually thinking about just ordering the type you mention over the internet, presumably just order the same size as the current amoena one I have??
Am currently deciding whether or not to have recon. and Clare, your comments really help - hopefully when I’m back to being fully fit (joke!) I’m have the courage to go for it.
Thanks again
Cheers
Anne x
Thanks for your advice girls. Anne, my local hospital let us have any prothesis of our choice free - so no need to order and pay (I think they are very expensive). I am just waiting for my BC nurse to get back to me as she wanted to check out with the lymphoedema specialist whether I would be suitable for the stick on version, as I have slight lymphoedema on the chest wall. Will let you know how I get on.
Birgit
I only had my op 2 months ago so it is early days but I hope to have a stick-on.I went to Amoena last week as I was visiing friends in Hampshire. The lady I saw was very helpful, she said that one of the things to take into account is the shape of the chest wall, it needs to be fairly smooth to ensure good adhesion. evidently the ‘stick’ is made by the same sort of stuff used for hold-up stockings etc.
They cost £115. If you contact Amoena they will send you a brochure specificaly about them.
Mand x
Just wondered if stick on prostheses are suitable for people who have had radiotherapy. Although I had radiotherapy many years ago, the skin is quite dry and the area tender when pressed.
Wendy x
I wear two stick on boobs, and it changed my life for the better, I feel so much confident wearing them, although it was trial and error until I found ones that were suitable. The contact ones, (Tresia by Amoena), didnt stick so well with me, as when the body temperature rose and I was sweaty, I had to dash to the disabled toilets (as they have sinks in them), to wash it and restick it, didnt give me lots of confidence, so I got a different type. I wear the Tria system (amoena), and they stick on with skin support triangles like a sticking plaster (they were made by Colplast), and stay on your skin for up to 7 days, and you can have showers, swim etc, and the prosthesis has velcro at the back and sticks directly onto the skin support, and nothing moved these and they moved which ever way you did, and you didnt need to wear a bra, they were brilliant and I have been wearing them for nearly 4 years, HOWEVER, I have just had a letter from Amoena to say that in 2009, they will be discontuing the prosthesis and skin supports, well I was really upset, as it took me so long to finally get something that I was comfortable with. Typical isnt it…!
However, Amoena advised that they are hoping to come up with a similar replacement sometime in the next year or so, so I shouldnt need to panic just yet, and since I can still get the skin supports for another 18 months, then I will hang fire. I do hope that they come up with the same way these were, as they are great.
Amoena are great for allowing you 3 monthly trials on their prosthesis, (also available through your breast care nurse), and have got some wonderful ladies on their customer services team that are wearing prosthesis, so it is great speaking to them, knowing they understand about finding one that is suitable.
The skin around the area where the prosthesis sits, does get smooth, but you get skin tonics, gels, skin preparations to use whilst wearing your prosthesis, and they do help keep the skin good. I take my prosthesis off at night to allow the skin to breath, and sometimes during the months I am having hot flushes, or my period, I put my prosthesis in a pocketed bra, that way it is allowing the skin to breath, and saves running to the loo to restick it if you have the contact ones.
I also wear the stick on nipples, (again from Amoena), they are good when you are on holiday or wearing summer clothes, so that you still look the same as you did before your operation, the only thing is that ‘it always looks cold’ if you know what I mean, so sometimes it is quite noticeable even when it is boiling hot outside, and you have ‘cold nipple look’ so I tend to take them off, then… But they are good anyway.
There are lots of different types of prosthesis, and as the ‘publication - confident choice has within it, information on prosthesis’, however, you could talk with the prosthesis fitter at breast cancer care in London or Scotland, and they will give you information about the different types, and fittings, also your breast care nurse will have info too, but it is great to speak to women who are wearing them too.
hope this helps but any further information just ask, and we will help you as best we can.
take care,
Cxx
Hi Wendy
I had radiotherapy and have used my stick on boob without any problems. The only slight problem I have is when I take it off and my skin (because it’s thinner than it was) feels a bit delicate but have really had no problems and I’ve had mine for the last 4 years.
I’m small busted (size B cup) so tend to only wear my stick on for special occasions! I find using a padded bra is just as good for me but I think it’s probably easier when you are small rather than a more full busted woman.
Pinkdove