Prothesis Fitting & Rads

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singletona80
singletona80 Member Posts: 224
edited June 2014 in Living Without Reconstruction After a Mastectomy

Hey, I was wondering should I get fitted for my prothesis before or after rads ?

I am scheduled to start rads on Mon 12/20. If I should have it done before then I will try to get fitted next week before I get to far along with rads.

Thanks

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  • otter
    otter Member Posts: 6,099
    edited December 2010

    Hi, singletona80,

    I see no one has answered your question yet.  I really don't know the answer because I didn't have radiation.  My surgeon told me to wait until 6 to 8 weeks after my surgery before being fitted, so that all the swelling would be gone.

    Your question is a good one.  Maybe if you post it on the Radiation Therapy forum, someone there could give you advice relevant to rads.  Your idea about being fitted before you're very far along with radiation is a good one.  I think I've heard some women mention that their radiation docs advised against wearing a bra once the rads start causing skin changes.  :(

    Hugs to you...

    otter

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  • singletona80
    singletona80 Member Posts: 224
    edited December 2010

    Thanks Otter  . . . good idea I will post this on the rads board

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  • Erica3681
    Erica3681 Member Posts: 1,916
    edited December 2010

    Hi singletona80,

    I had rads after a lumpectomy (then had a bilateral mastectomy three years later), so at the time of my rads, I still had my natural breast. I handled radiation quite well, yet still found even a bra irritating during much of the treatment period, so I'm guessing that even if you were fitted for a prosthesis before rads, you wouldn't really want to wear it until after. But you might be one of those who does really well with rads, though, so this is hard to answer. Hopefully someone who's been through it will come along to answer.

    Barbara

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  • GG27
    GG27 Member Posts: 2,128
    edited December 2010

    Hi Singletona80,

    I had BMX with rads.  I did get my prosthesis before my rads started, but I found that I didn't wear it after the first couple of weeks.  I had quite a bit of redness after 2 weeks & found that I just wore a soft undershirt.  I was instructed to put cream on several times a days so this was a good solution for me.  I didn't wear the bra & prosthestis until about a month or more after rads.  

    But you may have much less radiation than me or your skin may take it better than mine did, my onco told me I wasn't the worst she'd ever seen, but I was right up there.  If you get it before hand you may find that it is comfortable for you.

    Good luck!  Cheers! Dee

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  • caaclark
    caaclark Member Posts: 936
    edited December 2010

    I had a single mast and rads and I think I ended up using the still you cami with the fiberfill stuff. 

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  • hymil
    hymil Member Posts: 826
    edited December 2010

    Same as Carol, Single mast and rads describes me too. I started rads eight weeks after surgery, (delayed slightly by arm immobility and me being indecisive and then the easter break), and did it all with the fibrefill which started off inside a cheapstore shelf cami (the inside out trick that puts the outside of the cami next to your skin, then the fibrefill, then the shelf bit on the outside) and by the end it was held into a snug sleeveless vest by three small safety pins to get rid of the elastics altogether. Good-booby was left swinging in the breeze :(  oops. I made two spare covers for the fibrefill as i was plastering everything in cream but got through okay. In fact, for a freckly ex-redhead, i think my skin did remarkably well. I don't think i could have done it with a full weight perma-prosthesis though. Good luck.

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  • singletona80
    singletona80 Member Posts: 224
    edited January 2011

    Today I had my bra prosthesis fitting.  It went very well, I was very pleased !!!!!!!  I went to Nordstrom and they were very helpful and nice.  With my insurance I was able to get 2 prosthesis and 3 bras.  They even put pockets in the bras for free .

    Thank you everyone for the tips !!!!!!!!!!! I appreciate it

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  • otter
    otter Member Posts: 6,099
    edited January 2011

    That is really good news!  I'm glad things went well for you.  This is such traumatic stuff for us; isn't it nice when something goes smoothly and we are happy afterward?

    otter

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