I am now 9 months post mx with reconstruction, and 1 month post rads and thought it was about time I thought about treating myself to some nice, new bras.
Sloggi crop tops may be lovely and comfy, but don’t do much for giving you a flattering shape, especially if you are small-busted, and my usual bras seem to rub and feel sore on the area under my boob where the bottom of bras seem to sit.
Can anyone recommend a flattering padded bra that gives a good shape and boost to both my outline and confidence please? I used to buy the push-up T-shirt bras from M & S as they give a smooth outline under most clothes.
I can’t have anything with underwiring as it irritates my lumpectomy scar, but as I’m a 36D I need some support and like a nice shape under t-shirts and polo necks. I recently found some nice smooth lightly padded t-shirt bras in Matalan which come unwired as well as wired. They are very comfy and at 2 for £8 I have bought half a dozen. They are in white, black and flesh and you can match them with different styles of knickers in the same colours for £3 a pair.
Can I dip into this one? just had a mastectomy right breast -I’ll be having a prosthesis fitted.
Not ready to start buying bras yet but I’ve got a brochure and they all look like hammocks - huge and fasten up to the neck!and very expensive.
I’m used to underwiring (fairly ordinary 36C) and I wondered if anyone has found ordinary underwired bras that work with a prosthesis?
When I was in Matalan a few weeks ago they had started doing a nice range for mastectomy ladies. Also, my breast care nurse often points her ladies in the direction of ASDA. I know what you mean about some of the undies in the brochures - they are lovely and you can wear them even if you haven’t had a mastectomy, but I just couldn’t justify paying about 40 or 50 quid for one bra. I have some Triumph Doreen’s, but I got them in the sale at a local ladieswear shop. The woman who fitted me told me she has a colleague who had a mastectomy 7 years back and she finds the Doreen safe enough to use with a prosthesis because of the way it’s cut. Whilst they are not the sexiest looking bras on the High St, they do fit well and give you a good shape.
Hi All
I was lucky as I only had lumpectomy so don’t need the bras that have pocket for prosthesis. However because of the position of my scar I have to be careful. In the early days I compained long and loud in any department that didn’t have any pretty unwired bras. Only by complaining do we get things changed and I’m now pleased to see post surgery bras in Asda and Matalan.
Now I am very carefull, balcony style are a no no as the wire just hits the wrong spot and I spend ages boinging wires when I’m looking for a new bra as some can be very hard. I confess now to being a bit of a braoholic and I’ve picked up great ones from supermarkets,Matalan and Peacocks. M and S bras are beautiful but the wires are often very hard. When boinging make sure you do the correct size as some vary and seem fine in smaller sizes.
Regards
Chinook
Chinook, it sounds like we both have the same problem re bras sitting on the scar - mines sits under where the outer seam of a bra cup lies. For about 4 years post lumpectomy I lived mainly in soft sports bras as the positioning of the seams on them didn’t rub on my scar. I find seamless t-shirt bras the best for me as they don’t rub anywhere. After I finished chemo I went to a wedding and had a lovely set of Charnos underwear on, but I could not wait to get home to get the underwired bar off as it irritated the scar like hell. It took me about 4 years to find anything I was totally comfortable in, it was all trial and error and I can say I’ve a drawer full of uncomfortable bras!
Hi Cherub
The second thing I take off as I arrive home after shoes is always my bra these days.
As for the drawer of uncomfy bras there is a charity that takes bras in good condition. I’m not skilled enough to do the link thing but I’m sure if you google it, it should be easy to find.
A tip for being organised re matching bras and pants. I fasten the bra through leg of the pants as I sort them after washing. This saves scrabbling about especially in the morning. I know it’s a very trivial thing but it’s one of the foibles I’ve been left with since BC.
Happy days
Chinook
Hi
I can’t even imagine an underwired bra.The bra comes off, and the boob goes back in the box as soon as I get in the house. However,at least I can wear it, as I went without one for months post-mx and rads. The pain!! The BCN suggested not wearing the prosthesis in the bra, but to get a good fit bra (like the Doreen) and wear it in its little cover next to the skin, i.e. not in the pocket. She’s right, as the weight in the bra pocket tends to make things fall forward. I don’t always do this, as I get a bit hot. The best fit for me was a Royce bra, and the fitter in the local John Lewis did a good job. I went to Nicola Jane, and the fitter (very nice) said that the JL fitter had got it right. But it took several months to get to this point, as everything rubbed, set the nerve endings off etc. I remember going out in an awful expensive mx bra not long after rads, and being reduced to tears of rage/pain. So its comfort over style from now on! Funnily enough I’ve started to buy very uncomfortable shoes since all this happened - I always wore flatties, but now I can’t seem to stop buying unsuitable shoes in sales - now that’s weird! K x
Hi,
I had a mx a few years ago and really struggled to find a comfortable bra. I’m a 34C and like to keep fit so wanted a sports bra as well as a sexy bra. I recently found a company called back to bust where I managed to find both - and the prices were reasonable. I’m going on holiday soon and even managed to find a swimming costume, so we’re very excited about sitting by the pool now!
I’ll never go anywhere else so hopefully they’ll be able to help you too!!