GARMENT for truncal

purple32

Hi all

I would like to recommend a wonderful garment that I LOVE for my truncal LE  ( I would continue to wear it if LE was cured tomorrow!)  It has been featured in Oprah magazine!

It looks somewhat similar to the Wear Ease on the stepup speak out site.

This is on sassybax.com and is NOT a " LE garment perse". (my disclaimer.)

You can find it under the search TT03 or torso trimmer.

Binney suggested I contact them ( left voicemail and write email today) and tried to stir the pot about getting these made under the code of a medical garment so perhaps some ins. would cover. $69 cash is pricey!

Soooo, please check them out , and if you like what you see, pls consider emailing as well.  I think if they see there are many of us, and the need for diversity is great they may realize that have a profitable item.  Her name is Amanda Kennedy.  please email amanda@sassybax.co with cc to Customerservice@sassybax.com because I am thinking her email* may* have changed. You want to get directly to Amanda- great lady!

When I spoke to her she said she also has a special bra in her line as well.

 

Thanks for your help!
Laurie

Lia13

thanks Laurie  :-) 

Dejaboo

Thanks for posting this Laurie.  Good to see you back!  Im sorry to read about all of your other health issues

What makes this garment better then the others out there? (in your opinion)

How is it for sizing?

Does it support ones breast very much?

purple32

Thanks Dejaboo.

I *personally* love the garment- has nice wide straps, more like a tank than slim and strappy which is nice when it comes to comfort and LE.

Does not flatten out the breast.

NO underwire yet has support.  ( If breasts are small- medium anyway)

Doesnt roll ( if you get a  size large enough)  Go one size up.

I just love them.  VERY comfortable. At this point, it's like my second skin.

Thanks to all for your help- I appreciate it.

I really think it is another good option for us.

doxie

Thanks!  This may work for me as a substitute for a (too large) small men's compression garment.  http://www.abriefaffair.com/Sassybax-Armed-and-Da...  

My LE is truncal and in the upper arm.  Very pricy, but perhaps worth it.  May have to wear it inside out though.  

DeliriumPie

do you know how true the sizing runs? Sad to see it doesn't come in 1x because the one with short sleeves looks like a great idea. Wondering if the xl would work. Maybe I could factor in the fact that I have no breasts but wouldn't want the tummy to roll up. 

aunt_paula

I love the armed and dangerous top, but it doesn't come in my size.

Binney4

If you're wearing a compression sleeve, the double compression of that shirt on the upper arm may cause some problems with the elbow, lower arm and hand. You might want to check it out with your therapist first.

Be well!
Binney

doxie

Binney, 

You are correct for those who wear sleeves.  I only wear compression when I exercise, fly or the underarmor top when I feel my armpit area grow heavy.  That's where I need the compression more often, but my sleeve and a compression tank don't hit there.  Th UA top is not small enough.  My LE is mild and very well controlled.  

purple32

Good point Binney has.

I've seen that top and thought it would be great  *in place* of a sleeve , but my primary issues are wrist,hand,and chest.  I would never wear the two together

 Having said that, I thought twice about buying it because I would be very concerned that the compression in that upper arm might just push fluid down toward my wrist (and hand)  After all, we are normally in a stance where are arms are hanging down most of the time and it makes sense that gravity would win out.  I wouldn't wish hand LE on anyone. IF your LE is so very well controlled, I might be afraid to try something that could potentially push the fluid down. I hate to say this (YIKES) but in your case doxie  , I would rather " go sleeveless" than take that chance!

I have never had any issues with the torso trimmer in my OP. This should not impact your arm ( unless of course you got a tight size) In my case, I do go up a size when buying the TT03.

doxie

Purple32,

This is all so difficult, because the reason I think I still have a problem in the back armpit area is because of the compression I use for my trunk and arm.  Neither is effective in that area, though very effective otherwise.  

purple32

Sounds very complicated DOXIE, as LE is  :>( 

 We are all different, and I hope you find the answer.  Have you tried the obvious - a swell spot pad or perhaps some K tape  applied by your LE therapist in the back armpit area? 

purple32

*NEWS! I need your help!

Hi All,

I may post on a few threads… hope you will indulge me , but will seek replies on the new LE thread “ GARMENT for truncal”

There, I posted about a great top that love for truncal LE made by sassybax.com :

TORSO TRIM TT03: http://www.sassybax.com/search.php?search_query=TT03&x=0&y=0

They also make a bra with BC pts in mind

Celebrate Life bra : http://www.sassybax.com/search.php?search_query=celebrate+life&x=0&y=0

PLEASE go look at that thread when you get a minute.

The owner called me today and she is wonderful! She is very open to the *possibility* of selling these items as garments that we could buy with our health ins. NO PROMISES because she needs to know HOW to do this and what it would take. At this point, she and her husband run the business out of the home and if it requires too much work, they may not be able to take it on, BUT – she would be happy to!

Please post on the “garment thread” and/or PM me and tell me anything at all that you might know about how to accomplish this or who to get in touch with.

Many Thanks!
Laurie

OneBadBoob

 I too love the Sassybax for torso compression but as you state, it dies not smoosh your breasts because it has very little breast compression.  The real compression starts just below the breasts and down and around the torso.  As they note:  

Comfortable compression extends from bra line to hipbone to keep your tummy tucked and your midriff minimized. 

We have this listed on Su-So but note it may not be enough breast compression when flying.

We are all so different in our compression needs.

purple32

Good Point, badboob!

It is enough for me . We all differ as to breast size as well as varying degrees of LE.

Dejaboo

I need most of my compression on my sides....where a normal bra band sits....How do you ladies feel the compression is in that area?

purple32

DEJA
I can imagine your frutration, and I am concerned that my answer won't help *but* >.. for ME, there is enough compression there,

Perhaps others will reply.  Have  a good day!

Dejaboo

Thank you Laurie.  I know compression garments are different for each person.  its always helpful still to hear how each works for someone

purple32

its always helpful still to hear how each works for someone

Yes, it is DEJA!  I agree completely- thank goodness for this entire forum!

doxie

Reporting in.  I just got this in the mail.  http://www.abriefaffair.com/Sassybax-Armed-and-Da...  UnderArmour men's small tops are too large, so I was hoping this would work.  I got it in a small.  Right now it feels great!  I'm wearing it inside out.  I finally have compression in my back armpit area.  The sleeves are a little tight at the bottom, so I may cut them to fit better over my LE sleeve.  

My LE is very well controlled, but we know how that can go.  I need a garment to wear when I exercise and when I feel LE acting up.  

Hopefully this will work until Carol get our perfected garment on the rack.

carol57

Doxie, that's great!  Your note is a reminder that I need to email the folks at Go Athletics to see where they are on the next step of sizing their LE-friendly shirt. In any case, we could benefit from lots of options, so the more products we find and share here, the better.

purple32

DOXIE

Do you wear this with or w/out your sleeve ?

doxie

I only wear my sleeve when I exercise, clean house, fly, or feel heaviness in my arm.  I'm putting the top on when I get home from work.  I've not yet cut the sleeve in half.  Only then will I try it with my sleeve.  The UA top was so loose that it didn't have any impact on my sleeve.  

I may try wearing it to bed over at work.  I think my LE is slowly escalating.  

purple32

I think my LE is slowly escalating.

UGH.

Well, I hope this top helps!  
I looked at it before because it would cover the  chest area where I got that big red  swolllen flare last yr ( and  at ad this past week after swim class!) but I am concerned that the upper sleeve might push fluid down , and I already have issues in the hand and the wrist.

I would like to see  this in a sleeveless.

Just an update-

I DID get in touch w/ the owner of sassybax. She called me and said she would be interested in trying to get these coded for med. ins. for LE, IF it wasn't too much work as  her co. has saled down.  ( She runs the business from home now)
I got in touch with Josh Levin from Lymphedivas and he gave me  a few tips for her which I then emailed to her.

I hope she is able to make it happen!  We'll see.

Dejaboo

Good to hear Purple.  Im sorry that your LE is acting up.

Doxie I pm about sizing...

lyla92

Hi all, has anyone tried both the Sassybax Torso Trim and the Maidenform Control it Camisole? I have been using the Maidenform for over a year now and I really do like them. My really achy spot is just to the side of my breast, close to under the arm, but not quite. To get enough compression in that area from the Maidenform I have to wear a size small. I do realize this area is not made of the same compression material, but it is the best thing I have found so far for me. This works great for controlling the swelling/aching but makes everything below it feel like it is being slightly tortured as well as the garment is always riding up if I don't have tight fitting pants on. I can wear a medium or large around the house/for sleeping and just stuff it with my Jovi post lumpectomy pad - this is the most comfortable and most effective for me, but that doesn't really work out for leaving the house in anything but a giant sweatshirt. Also, I have a very active job and have to wear scrubs and that type of bottom just isn't very good at keeping the bottom of the camisole from riding up/rolling. I was just reading this thread and wondering how the Sassybax compared to the Maidenform in fit. 

Binney4

Lyla, I've used both and found the Sassybax has firmer control and stayed down better, but as OneBadBoob points out above, it doesn't have a lot of compression in the breast area. As I've had bilateral mastectomies with no recon, I sewed a pocket into the Sassybax for prostheses and found that helped with the compression as well.

Don't know if that helps any, as we're all so different. I'd suggest you go try on a Sassybax and see what you think. I now use only WearEase Slimmer camis--a size small in beige and a medium in black because the darker colors always seem to be snugger in compression garments.

I hope you find a really good solution. Please keep us posted!

Hugs,
Binney

lyla92

Thanks so much, Binney. I will give the Sassybax a try and see how it goes. I have always wanted to try the WearEase, but was unsure how it would work as far as support for my C/D size. I'd love to hear from women who have used either the Slimmer or the CrissCross post lumpectomy for LE.

Wow, I had never thought about the difference between the black and beige, but that is spot on!

floaton

Dejaboo, 

I just got my sassybax in the mail today, I was pretty excited about it (I'm still new to this , but unfortunately for me it doesn't have enough side compression.  The compression part kind of stops/non compressive bra part starts mid-armpit on me (further over than a usual bra cup would start) and some of my swelling is in front of that, so I'm afraid I'd just be pushing fluid forward on my chest.  That said, the material in nice and it does stay in place / not creep up much better than others I've tried (like spanx brand).

My wear ease works ok but is really heavy fabric for the warm weather /hot flash combo. The support is ok for me but I'm smaller than a C/D, sorry Lyla !

Ugh, back to the lovely jobst surgical bra for me .  

lyla92

Update: I received my Sassybax torso trimmer yesterday and I think I am in love! I've come to realize there is nothing out there that will give me the same support as an actual bra and still not aggravate my LE, but I think the Sassybax is the closest I've come in the 2 years of trial and error. It definitely gives more support than the Maidenform Camisole due to the fabric being a little thicker and more defined under the chest. Those two spots were giving me some irritation right away and I remembered someone mentioning that they wore it inside out - that did seem to take care of the small amount of discomfort. I also think that if I wear a swell spot right over that area it will be even more comfortable.

Floaton, I am sorry to hear it isn't quite the right thing for you. This process of searching for the right garment is maddening.

Dejaboo

floaton I am sorry to hear the Sassybax did not work for you.

lyla that is great that it worked for you!  I hope it continues to work well.

How did sizing work for both of you?  Did you order the size the chart said or go up a size?

As you can guess I have still not bought one to try.

Thank you both for posting!