Advice on bra buying..please!

[Guest user]

Having had my mastectomy over 2 years ago, here's what I found: a soft, cotton bra is very comfortable after surgery - buy it in your usual size, no underwires at all. Sports bras are OK but can be a bit all-enveloping! If you need a bit of extra comfort, the bra-extenders that fit onto the bra hooks can give you a bit of extra room.
I initially went for 'proper' mastectomy bras in my old size and found them like reinforced scaffolding, not at all feminine and not as flattering as hte photos in teh catalogues suggested. After waiting the 6-9 months afterwards, I booked a personal fitting at Amoena. The lady there was wonderful and she measured me very accurately by measuring from the centre of the breastbone, over the good boob and round to the centre back. That was when I found that I was wearing the wrong size bra snd therefore prosthesis! She fitted me with a Contact pros (stick on)and a well-fitting but feminine bra, both in a cup size bigger. Everything seemed to fall in place. I looked 'right' and it all balanced properly. I can honestly say that I have never looked back since! I can judge whether an ordinary bra will work or not, but still wear some of the mastectomy ones because they now fit properly and I'm careful what style I choose.

[Guest user]

Glad I could help raise a smile or two, God knows we need to be able to laugh at things 🙂
Hoping your phone call comes soon triphazard x

[elinda45]

Sadly some of us (me!) never mastered doing our bras up at the back. I always use the method Crazy cat describes!

[Guest user]

crazy cat lady - thank you and DOH! There's me thinking I'm holding it all together, and yet I cannot see the blindingly obvious! Anyhow, it's made me roar with laughter at myself, and I needed a good giggle, so THANK YOU!!! I steeled myself to ring the co-ordinator at the hospital to see if she could enlighten me as to my appt. dates, big breath, dialled, ansaphone. Aaarrgh! Hopefully I'll get a call back before I've shredded every fingernail.

[Guest user]

Hi,
Just fasten your bra at the front, then spin it round to the back, then straps up - a bit like when you first started wearing a bra and couldn't fasten it!
Good luck x

[Guest user]

Thanks again. Were you all able to do up a back fastening bra immediately post surgery? If so, then that's a big worry out of the way!

[elinda45]

Advice on this kind of thing is definitely part of the BCN's role so don't be embarrassed. Mine had quite a few mastectomy bras to show me and swimming costumes etc but that all came post op.

for immediate post op I bought a bra from M & S. It was very soft to the touch but I think in their support range. Remember not to get it too tight around the back as you may experience some swelling in the first few weeks post op.

When everything had settled I got my bras from a company called Conturabelle and the particular bra I got was Lola (as recommended by my BCN). I find that very comfortable and they do it in white and black.
http://www.conturabelle.co.uk/productlist.asp?idr=3

It can be a bit of trial and error with sizing but they offer free returns within 10 days.

Good luck with it all.
Elinda x

[Guest user]

im having mx and reconstruction fri bc nurse told me to buy sports bras in my normal size got a couple from tesco 6 pound each and a couple from premark 4 pound each hope this helps x

[emma92]

Hi all! M&S do post surgery bras which are quite reasonably priced compared to the Internet options!! I had instant recon so bought two light support bras from Asda-£3 for two!

Em

[Guest user]

I was talking to a friend this evening who is 3 years post-op, and she told me that my BCN has a cupboard of bras suitable for post-op, and was brilliant at fitting her up with the right bra and softie - so I'll double check on that at my pre-op appointment!

My friend was saying that she still cannot wear under-wired bras, as her armpit is scarred and numb still, and underwire is uncomfortable, but it took her two years to realise that she could still have beautiful bras.. just take the wire out on the side in question!!! How many years would it have taken me to figure that one out? Nope, not even going there!

[nymeria]

Hi Sophie,

I'll be having an MX on 10th November and I've also been searching for suitable post-op bras. There are lots of very good suppliers out there (providing that you aren't an unusual size like me! :-D).

The BCC booklet A Confident Choice would be very useful for you to have. You can download a copy of it here -http://tinyurl.com/34hafxk or you can ask your Breast Care Nurse for a copy, or ring the BCC help line. In the back it has a long list of recommended suppliers.

On the subject of BCN's, if yours is anything like mine then no question is too trivial. They are usually quite happy to help you out with anything like this and often will know of some local shops that you could try. My BCN said it didn't matter whether mine were front opening or not, just to make sure that they were very soft and that you didn't need to pull them over your head.

I hope this helps and good luck with your op!

Nymeria x

[swallowtail]

Hi Sophie I had a mx in August and was given a post surgery bra and softie before leaving hospital so would assume that you will also get one, there are lots of online mastectomy bra suppliers I find Amoena good, also you will get a prosthesis from the hospital after about 6 weeks so then you should end up with one to match the boob that is left, hope this is if some help, and good luck let us know how you get on.
Love Celia.x

[Guest user]

I'm due to have a mastectomy in a couple of weeks time (hoping to get the date confirmed today or tomorrow), and I've just considered the question of new bras! I've always been uneven, and it's the bigger boob that's going - and that's the side I've always sized for! I think I'll have to squish it and guess 😉 . More importantly - I'm thinking I'll need a couple of front opening bras post-surgery? I've had a look online, but it's all a bit overwhelming - do any of you have any advice as to good makes/styles? Is this something I can ask my breast care nurse? (I have her phone number, but I'm almost embarassed to phone about something like this! - which is a whole other question.. what IS too trivial to ask your nurse?). Will I need post-op bras, and then nicer ones later? I really haven't a clue and any advice would be so welcome. Thank you

Sophie