Mastectomy bra and breast forms - proper fit

susrichmond

I had a bilateral mastectomy last May and finished radiation about a month ago.

I'm finally healed enough and have an appointment Thursday to be fitted for the bras and forms.

When I had the mastectomy, the cancer nurse brought me a Softie.  Not knowing that they are supposed to fit snuggly, I asked for a much larger size (I like my clothes loose).  After wearing it several times, I found out they should fit snuggly.  I ended up not wearing the darn thing.  I don't want to make a similar mistake with the fit this time.

My surgeon made me "cleavage" (so there would be extra skin when raising my arms).  So, my chest is not flat - I look like I have about the top fifth of small breasts. Then, I go way in (and then back out - I'm not skinny).  Under my arm it is not smooth either.

With all of the irregularity, I don't see how the breast forms could even remotely fit.

Should the bras be really snug?

What would keep the bra from riding up? I tried putting the forms from the Softie in a front hook sports bra - the bra kept riding up and the forms were coming out the top - it was not funny at the time, but is now. 

I've seen forms on the web where they make a mold of your chest and then custom make the breast forms to contour exactly to the chest - are these worth the added expense?

I'm not sure what other questions to ask, but hope you ladies will share your suggestions.

Thanks.

Erica3681

Hi Susrichmond,

I'm almost a year out from bilateral mastectomies and I guess my first advice to you would be--be patient. Finding the right forms and bras is a process of trial and error for many of us. You may be fortunate and find comfortable forms right away. But don't be discouraged if it takes a while. And don't be shy about exchanging your first set for another if you find you're not happy (most fitters let you exchange within 30 days).

Regarding forms that could deal with your chest irregularities, you're not alone in having these issues and many forms are designed to deal with this by having backs that are malleable. There are even some silicone forms with removable polyfil in the back to enable you to shape the form to your needs. The custom forms are certainly an option. When I asked the fitter at Dana Farber's mastectomy boutique about Radiant Impressions (one of the custom forms), she said those aren't necessary if your chest winds up being smooth after surgery, but are helpful when there are lots of irregularities. So that might be something to consider. I believe your fitter can help you try to get insurance to cover at least some of the cost. And regular forms are almost always covered by insurance.

I've learned that finding the right bra is almost as important as finding the right breast form. With the right bra, you shouldn't have a problem with riding up. And even lightweight forms provide enough weight to help keep the bra in place.

I've created a non-profit website for women who choose not to reconstruct, called BreastFree (url is below), which includes reviews of bras, breast forms, swimsuits, etc. The site is up and running but I'll be continuing to add new information as I get it. Plus, there are a number of personal stories which you might find interesting.

Best of luck. 

Barbara

roseg

I was surprised when being fitted that they chose a bra that was so tight.

Now that I'm used to the smaller band size it's alright, but initially I wasn't keen on it. It seems that when in doubt they size down. 

SusaninSF

My advice would be to do as much on-line research as you can beforehand. Take a look at the various types of forms on line so that you have some idea of the variety available. Barbara's web site is fantastic as a starting place. I had no idea there was such an array of forms when I went in for my first fitting so I just accepted the first one the fitter gave me.

I also had the same experience as Rose when I was first properly fitted. I learned that a properly fitting bra, mastectomy or not, should be very snug around the chest when you first buy it. The bands always stretch a bit over time.

My chest is not flat either. I've got a sort of horizontal gully across my chest. I haven't found that this has affected the way the forms fit but your situation might be more extreme.

Most importantly, take your time and if you don't find anything you like try another place.

Let us know how it goes!

Susan

susrichmond

Thank you for all of the advice.

I ended up getting the Amoena Natura Light breast forms and the Amoena Isabel Camisole bra.  All the other bras I tried on would show my scars when I leaned forward.

Now after wearing that bra for a few days, I'm wondering if it is the right one for me.  On the right side (the side which did not get radiation), it rides up, but doesn't ride up as much on the left side.  I've tried it adjusted to very tight and rather loose.  Making it looser helped with not riding up, but the breast form on that side sort of floated upwards.  I also tried making the straps shorter and longer, but that didn't help.  Either way, the straps were falling off my shoulder.

I go back to the fitter Monday to try on some weighted foam breast forms.  I take my dog to the dog park a lot and don't want to take a chance on damage to the silicone breast forms if a dog jumps up on me.

I'm going to ask to try some other bras and thought if I found a better fitting bra, I could buy some stretch lace to sew in the front.  I never have worn low cut blouses, but I don't like them buttoned clear up to my neck either.

I know the best solution, would be to loose some weight, but that takes time and I need to work with what I have for now.

Again, thank you all for your advice.

SusaninSF

Susrichmond,

Sorry to hear you are having a difficult time finding the right fit. As Barbara mentioned, it is a process of trial and error for all of us. Eventually, most of us find that some forms and bras work better under certain circumstances so it's nice to have more than one type. This doesn't mean that you need to go out and buy several forms at once but that over time, don't be surprised if you accumulate different forms for different uses, swimming, hot weather, casual use, etc. The silicone forms are very expensive but many of us also wear inexpensive foam or gel forms some of the time. You can also check out the threads about swimming where you will see that many women use bath scrunchies instead of forms for swimming.

I know the initial process can seem depressing and hopeless at times but it seems we all find combinations that work for us eventually. Glad to hear you are trying some different things with the fitter. You will also find a lot of ideas and support here.

Hugs, Susan

roseg

I agree - you're likely to end up with a drawerful of "sort-of" solutions before it's all over.

I found the fitter to be useful. When I figured out the right size then I looked around other places. In the beginning it was depressing because the last thing I wanted to do was be trying on things. 

tellychisum

  I have looked at your website and found the information very interesting.  I am looking to start a custom fit bra business online for all women but specializing in bras made for mastectomy patients and others with similar needs due to other diseases.  I would love to get some feedback from anyone that is willing to let me know what it is that you are most frustrated with in looking for a bra that fits and what your suggestions are to those problems.

bcfree

I had a single mastectomy August 31st.  The camisole and temporary form are very a-symmetrical and after about twenty minutes I look lopsided.  The camisole doesn't provide any support on the unaffected side and the form rides up on the surgery side.  I have not been fitted for my prothesis yet and understand they take a few weeks to obtain.  I am waiting to heal more before I get fitted for the protheses.  Any suggestions in the meantime to weigh the temporary form down so that it doesn't ride up and looks more aligned with the unaffected side?

nagem

I had a bilateral, so I didn't have this problem, but I've heard of women using basically beanbags--cloth bags filled with rice or dried beans to provide the weight--or inserting stones in the fluff of the prosthetic softy.

geebung

When I was in hospital, after my unilateral mastectomy, the breast nurse came in to help me put on my camisole. After she had made a soft little packet of fluff to put in the pocket of the cami, she brought out a long stretchy piece of elastic with a clip at each end. She then made a small hole on the left side (mastect) of the cami, hooked one end to edge and then hooked the other end to my knickers. That way, the light side stays anchored and you don't get that lop-sided look.

Hope this helps a bit.

gb