Amazonian Women ~ the One Breasted

Lattitude Line! What a great way to put it.  I'm gonna have to borrow that. . . 

After 2 years with a pros, I'm not nearly as anxious for reconstructive surgery as I was in the beginning.  With summer heat coming out, though I'm walking around grocery stores and malls wanting rush up to women in low-cut shirts, and tell to be sure that they appreciate what they have. Does this sound weird?  

Hi Everyone,

I found this cami thing at Walmart with the built in shelf bra BUT it doesnt lay flat like the regular camis- its like it has form and sticks out on its own- so on the non surgery side it is like a regular bra and on the other side- it provides form for my clothes without a prosthesis. I have used it almost exclusively this summer (Texas heat) to have a more normal shape at work without the pros which gets a little hot and uncomfortable here. I cant remember the cost - it wasnt a lot and I found it at Walmart.

I use the Body Shapers from NY and Company A LOT- and wear T shirts etc- it is still lopsided but not terribly noticeable to most people. Still buy Tshirts one size up to add a little bagginess because I really dont like wearing the prosthesis all the time and like the more comfy nature at least during casual time.

Im not eligible for recon until the Fall (a year after rads ended) but Im leaning toward no recon right now- just cant get my head into more surgery after a mast, hysterectomy, chemo and rads!

Kristy

I had my prohy surgery Friday. I am no longer a one breasted amazonian woman. Good luck everybody.

No recon for me. At least not now. I have not seen myself yet. I have allergy to plastic tape and the bandages will come off Thursday. I don't even have drains. It was my choice all along and both my doctors and family supported my decision. I can't say is easy to look in the mirror and knowing there is nothing there but I hope in time I will feel better. 

I just came back to this thread after long times away -- i'm sorry, Jenny, i totally missed your post.

No, i've never had back pain from the lopsidedness: whether i wear the silicone prosthesis or the puffy makes no diffrerence. (Nothing is not an option; if i'm vertical, i wear a bra -- otherwise my breast feels like a bag!)  I get back problems from lots of things (mostly lower back from bad chairs, but i also have been diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome -- upper back pain, in my case). But not from breast imbalance. In fact,most of the time i have to *think* whether i've got a prosthesis on, and when i'm dressed i mostly forget i'm missing a breast. At first i actually felt the missing breast even without the prosthesis, and now my nerves have decided the feel of the prosthesis approximates a breast. When i stop and think about it, it's weird... but unless i look in the mirror naked, i feel quite normal.

The mirror is another story ... irradiated tissue, loose skin (needed for range of motion, but ugly-wrinkled when my arm is down. sigh. 

I'm 13 months since the mastectomy now, and i am mostly over the depression (tho i can get weepy if i let myself).

hi Everyone- I have been on this board in a while- Im in the neratinib clinical trial and its been 3 months to get the dosage and side effects under control.

Kathi- i LOVE your picture- it makes lopsided look sexy and I definitely need reimders that that can be the case (my DH has no problem with it LOL- just me!)

Kristy

KAK, I LOVE the picture!

I, also, forget that I'm not wearing the breast form, when I'm at home.  I feel more comfortable wearing it when I'm out, since I'm a 34D, I would look very off balanced without it and I need to wear the bra to support the other breast.  After, 20 years, I still have the feeling that I have my left breast when I'm wearing my breast form and bra.  It is very interesting, just like the phantom limb phenomenon.

~elaine~

Hi Everyone,

Haven't been around in a while.  I had my right breast mastectomy in September of 2009.  I found it really hard ajusting to the Amazonian look.  I am doing better.  I wear my prosthetic when I go out but not at home.  But here's a laugh for you.  I am a large  breasted woman, 42DD.  I have started to go to a gym and loose weight.  Well the first funny thing is that the prosthetic weighs 3lbs!  I would have never guessed.  But better yet, I'm loosing weight so my real boob is getting smaller. Soon I will be lopsided again!  So I'll get a new prosthetic right.  But what do you do with the old 3 lb DD.  A friend said "frame it an put it on the bathroom wall".  

I don't know yet about reconstruction.  It does scare me a bit.  I want to loose all my weight first since it is a drastic change.  But I'm fine now with the one breast.  We will see what tomorrow brings.

Bumping for mickie

Four years of lopsidedness after mastectomy  -- I've been using Wal-Mart breast enhancers ($15 a pair) in sports bras ... have to toss the bras when they stretch out so much that the foobie falls out (lost one walking down the street.)  Occasionally look down and realize that I missed something in the rush to get dressed.

Recently the "latitude line"  has been tilting because the 36C real side is drooping while the artificial side is still perky.  (Unweighted -- but I don't feel imbalanced.)  I had been considering getting a real prosthesis and real mastectomy bra, but reading the posts here I may just deal with it. 

Very wise counsel, Barbara...as usual!

Dawn 

Cydney,

Have you tried cutting a little slit and pulling the underwire out of your old bra? I did that when I had radiation (after a lumpectomy, before I needed a mastectomy) and it worked great. Might be a way to still get some use out of your expensive once-comfortable bras . . .

Barbara