can anyone advise me which bras I should be buying for post LD flap surgery? I’m having LD flap/muscle transfer not not a tissue expander putting in.
When I had mastectomy I wasn’t given any advice pre op about which bras would be suitable and went on a panic buying spree once fit enough, trying to miss that one out this time and get a few bras before the op, would sports bras be ok or can you wear a ‘normal’ pocketed bra. I’ve read some accounts of having to wear a bra even in bed - has anyone been advised to do this?
Would be grateful for any advice.
I had an immediate recon - LD flap + implant. 2 days after surgery I was fitted with a sports bra and told to wear it 24/7. The one I was fitted with was so comfy that I bought 2 more - Triumph Triactive - supportive, but they don’t squash you down too much.
Hi Scone,
I was just told ‘rear fastening sports bra’ and ‘your normal size’ so bought some ‘proper’ firm support athletes type ones…then they said ‘those aren’t suitable’ even though they had separate cups. Actually, to be fair,I was, despite swelling two cup sizes smaller (as predicted) on the recon side. So a friend was dispatched to M&S to get some from there - and these were fine.
A lot of people swear by the Asda sports bra, and others the Triumph one as above.
I was also advised to get some bra-strap extenders for immediate post surgery use, and got them online but I[m told M&S will probably have them. The most important thing is it needs to supportive reasonably comfy as you live in it 24/7 for weeks - yes you have to sleep in it!
Hi hun, well have just had this surgery 10 weeks ago. I bought two sets of lovely sports bras from M&S. Cotton they were only in white come in a pack of two. I bought a cup size up and the right cup size so two sets. I also got a packet of bra extenders for £5 from Marks. I did need to use these for quite a while.
I also found a V pillow was really comfy. Hope everything goes well for you.
Get bra strap extenders from Ebay shops - they are a fraction of the price of shop-bought ones. I got three (black, white & pink) for £1.99. You can choose which colours are in your three. They’re often £5 or more in town.
I hope not, or we’ll end up like Captain Kirk and the green-skinned alien woman, fighting in an alien arena for dominance over the bra strap extender weapon.
I think my imagination is getting the better of me…
Thanks so much for all this useful info.
One more question, re the triumph tri active bra, is it a ‘racer’ back or a traditional bra back, I can’t tell from images on internet, - I remember the discomfort of the mastectomy and wearing a bra straight afterwards, I couldn’t imagine trying to put a racer back bra over my head with the recon wounds!!
If it’s the bra at this ludicrously long link location (which looks shorter in this pulbished comment than it is in the edittable version!), it’s back fastening
No way would you get a runner back one over your head - I still wouldn’t try a few months down the line! Another woman I know managed to get one on but had to be cut out of it!!
Ninja - does that make me the green skinned alien woman?! OK, you can have the extender…
