Amoena Contact Form Leakage
Comments
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I've always been a big fan of the Amoena contact forms since they allow me to be able to wear normal bras without pockets. However, I'm finding that they don't last very long. My first form split along the seam and leaked after about two years. I thought this was because I would exercise in the form (yoga, dance, skiing). The company replaced the form free of charge. Now, my second form has also split along the seam and is leaking after about two years. This time, I've been careful not to wear it while exercising and generally take good care of the form.
Has anyone else had this experience?
Thanks, Susan
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Hi Susan,
I have not experienced that but I tend to get new forms before the 2 year mark. I always thought that breast forms only had about a 2 year life, but I could be wrong. I can tell when my form (single mast) needs to be replaced because it will get air bubbles in it and will not match up to my remaining breast as easily as it did when I first purchased it.
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Hi Carol,
Thanks for the quick feedback. I remember that you also used a contact form. My first form, a TruLife Harmony SIlk Triangle has worked fine for four years and I wear it to work out every day, stuff it into the too-small pocket of my mast sports bra, and generally don't treat it carefully. I wonder if the thickness of the contact side of the form puts more stress on the seam. My TruLife form is a lot more squishy and shapeless. I notice that I get bubbles in it when I'm at a high altitude (skiing in Tahoe) but it always goes back to normal when I'm back in SF.
It may be that I will just have to expect that the contact form won't last as long. I'll call Nordstrom tomorrow and ask. They were very nice about replacing the form the first time but I doubt they will replace a replacement.
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Hi Susan,
If you have insurance, you should be able to get a new form every two years or less and have it covered, plus two or more mastectomy bras. So that might be helpful if Nordstrom feels it can't replace your replacement.
Carol, I recall you also liked the TruLife contact form, Silk Connect. How has that held up and do you still like it?
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Hi Susan, Carol, Erica,
I, too, think the forms must have a two year life. My insurance...and most I think...cover one every two years.
When I went for bras this time and my Amoena form is a tad over one year old, the fitter told me if it got any "bubbles" in it to call and they would get me a new one.
I also have a "True Life" form that the fitter gave me to use while my first one was being ordered. They give the ones they use to fit bras and that was fine because it was always in a cover plus in the bra pocket. I always liked the Amoena better but maybe the freebie was old. LOL
Bonnie
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Susan, your post caught my eye because you are able to wear your contact forms for exercise. I have an Amoena Classic Contact form and find that my chest sweats behind the form if the weather is warm, or if I exercise even a tiny bit. And I'm definitely not a person who sweats a lot! Once my skin is wet behind the form, it doesn't stick. Because of this problem, I find that I rarely use that form. What am I missing here?
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Thanks to everyone for the helpful information!
I must admit that I have somehow never charged my insurance for my forms, I wasn't sure how to do it and then so much time lapsed that I figured it was too late. Has anyone ordered from one of the online sites such as Park Mastectomy or Metromedical Online and then filed an insurance claim yourself? Is it a lot easier to go through Nordstrom? I definitely want to try to claim this time.
Anne888, I used to exercise with my contact form but stopped since the instructions specifically say not to swim or exercise with the form. I didn't find the contact form any sweatier than my regular form. Both were pretty nasty afterwards! The stickiness wasn't an issue as I always wear a very secure bra for working out even if it doesn't have a mast pocket. I generally don't like to hassle with switching forms for specific uses but I have found it to be necessary. On my last trip I had to bring three forms (regular, workout and swimming)!
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Anne888,
I'm interested in Susan's answer, too. I can't remember if she had radiation to her mastectomy side. Prior to my bilateral mastectomy, I'd had a lumpectomy and rads on one side. I don't perspire on that side, even on the warmest days! My non-radiated sides sweats (if I wear a silicone form) when I exercise or the weather is warm, which is why I've never tried contact forms.
Susan, if you do perspire behind the form but have found a way to combat that, I'd love to know about it. I've been searching for solutions. It's really the one issue that bothers me about wearing breast forms.
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Hi Barbara,
They now make a Contact Light with Comfort+. I haven't tried it before but that is what I decided to order from Nordstrom. Maybe this would be a bit better for you. I didn't have rads so I do sweat. However, I live in San Francisco where it's cool year round so that might make it easier for me. I also find that the regular mast bras never fit me right and the form is always kind of swinging around when I lean over. With the contact form, it feels more a part of my body and the form feels lighter because the weight is more distributed. I wear a regular TruLife form in a mast sports bra to work out but I still sweat a lot and the form is drenched when I take it out. The material in the sports bra does make it more comfortable but I don't really notice the difference much.
The other reason why I use a different form form working out is that the sports bra minimizes my natural breast so I need a smaller form to match. By luck, the original regular form I bought is too small for normal wear but matches my natural breast in a sports bra well.
I really don't like having to carry around an extra form and wish I could figure out a solution. One day, in the locker room, I accidentally dropped my regular form while I was changing and didn't notice. It was sitting there on the floor in a crowded bathroom for at least 10 minutes. Boy was I embarrassed when I went to retrieve it!
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Thanks for the reply, Susan. Please let us know what you think about the Contact Light with Comfort+ when you've worn it a bit. I didn't have radiation, so I definitely sweat under the regular Amoena Contact form. And I live in a really warm, humid climate, which makes things worse!
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I was just at the specialty shop near my house last week, and the woman who owns the store said they should last about 1 1/2 years, and if not, should be replaced. She told me I bought mine in 2008. I was going for another one, because I just had a right mastectomy on Friday. Her price was $375 for one, which you pay up front and she bills the ins. company. I think my ins. co. paid last time like 75%. Low and behold when I got home I searched for the receipt, and it was just in Jan-09 that I bought it. I called her back to see if something could be done, but they were getting ready to close. Got the style number and everything on my receipt, and on metromedical, exact same one is like $213. What a HUGE difference. Going to order it tomorrow and hopefully they will replace my old one. If she won't try, I certainly will. They have some great prices on bras too. and they said they will give you a receipt to send in. Hope this helps someone out there.
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My experience was that the specialty shops definitely charge much more for the same form than it can be bought for online. The forms I first picked out (and decided not to keep) were $325 each at the one-and-only specialty shop in my area but can be had for $180 each at several of the good online retailers such as MetroMedical, Park, etc! And to add insult to injury the shop charges women (like myself) who do not have insurance their full price
and don't even offer any kind of discount. What ripoff artists they are!
Also, many (most?) shops do not even carry brands like Silique which IMHO is one of the best out there, but are wedded to certain brands like Amoena and so the woman who isn't internet-savvy sadly does not even know what she is missing by going to the specialty shop.
MetroMedical does give you a receipt to send in, I have gotten one even for the bras that I ordered from them (they have good prices on the Anitas!).
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Back to the original post - I have had the same problem with leakage - and I only had the first one for 2 weeks and the second for 2 days!
Have you any update on what happened as regards getting the supplier to replace them or atleast give you some idea how the leakage could have happened?
I wonder is the company just keeping quiet about the number of leakages that occur and exactly how common a problem this is?
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A little off topic but my question is can you buy contact forms online without trying them on?
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beatup,
You can buy them online. I'm not sure what the return policy would be with a contact form. You should probably check before ordering (by calling or emailing the online retailer). On my non-profit website, BreastFree.org, in the "Helpful Links" section, I list a number of online retailers, many of which carry contact forms. I know Amoena, TruLife, and Anita make such forms. One advantage of buying online is that the prices tend to be less than a regular store, but you'd have to submit your own insurance forms.
Barbara
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Sorry to be so late to reply to Jennifer's post. I haven't check in in awhile.
I'm really surprised that your contact form lasted for such a short time. Was it the Amoena Contact? Each of mine lasted almost two years and they were both replaced without question by Nordstrom free of charge so I haven't actually paid for a new form for over four years! I really love the mastectomy specialists at Nordstrom. They are always very kind and sensitive.
Topless, I wouldn't want to buy any expensive form without trying it on. They each feel very different and look quite different under clothes so you'll want to try it on with your normal bra and clothes.
Cheers, Susan
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Hi Susan
It was Amoena Contact +. I have just gone on using the second one after patching it up with waterproof sticking plaster and so far there have been no more leaks.
I'm in the UK so I got the breast form and first replacement free. I decided not to ask for another one as apparently there's a limited budget for prostheses, even if it's not my fault that it's faulty.
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Hi Jennifer,
I believe you're talking about insurance paying for a replacment. I'm talking about Amoena via Nordstrom paying for the replacement of a faulty product. The Amoena forms have a two year warrantee. They should replace your form without charge.
Cheers, Susan
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You're right - I should have asked for a replacement - wish I had now.
I must learn to be more assertive!
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It may not be too late! If two years hasn't passed yet you should be able to take it back to the store.
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I will if it leaks again, but at the moment I couldn't stand the hassle - I would have to take it to the nurse at the hospital who orders them from the company and she's not an easy person to deal with.
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