swimsuit for active sports

Options
cyano
cyano Member Posts: 67
edited June 2014 in Living Without Reconstruction After a Mastectomy
swimsuit for active sports
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • cyano
    cyano Member Posts: 67
    edited June 2012

    I had a unilateral mastectomy last week with no reconstruction which went really well. My BS gave me the go ahead to start working out again (building up carefully). I went for a short run yesterday which felt great. I'm hoping to get my arm mobility back and start swimming by the end of the month and so I need a new swimsuit. I love body surfing and eventually when I'm well-healed I plan to get back into it. The problem is that all of the mastectomy swimsuits I've seen don't look like they could hold together in the waves. I don't know that I'd feel comfortable at the beach totally flat on just one side, yet I'm sure I'd lose any breast forms in the surf. I also would need something sturdy enough that the straps wouldn't wash down. What to buy??

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • coraleliz
    coraleliz Member Posts: 1,523
    edited June 2012

    You might check out the " Topic: Best form for swimming ??? " thread. I had a BMX so I just go flat. I swim laps in a speedo style suit & at the beach or lake i wear a rashguard over whatever. I think the forms can be sewn in. There is a member here at BCO "erica" who has a very informative website. Hope a uni-mx gal who lives an active lifestyle comes by & lets you know how she manages. Good luck

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • mary625
    mary625 Member Posts: 1,056
    edited June 2012

    So you don't have to read through so many long threads, I think some women here have been happy with Athleta swimwear and either sewed a foob or pocket into it. There seems to be better coverage in that line of swimwear as I guess it's meant for athletes, triathletes and the like (not me!). Some women have been using a bath scrunchie as a foob in their swimsuits. You'll find instructions for making one here in this forum.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • LawGen
    LawGen Member Posts: 3
    edited June 2012

    I had a bi-mast in 2008. I swim, do aquatic exercise classes and body surf.   I go flat!  I've bought a couple of attractive bathing suits and  cut the bra out so the suit fits flat against my chest.  I've never had any problems.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • LuvRVing
    LuvRVing Member Posts: 4,516
    edited June 2012

    Try Land's End - they are tightly constructed and will not fall apart.  I have three of them.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Sian65
    Sian65 Member Posts: 99
    edited June 2012

    Hi Cyano... welcome!  I'm a uniboob triathlete... NicolaJane.co.uk have nice trianing swimsuits - I got one and the straps stay put or you could just do the old trick ans tie a ribbon between the back straps or restitch them to cross over.  NicolaJane also have a good cheap training foob - it is weighted foam... I use it for swimming (always) and running/cycling/weights (sometimes).  It doesn't pop out in the pool but it might in the surf... then again I always check both sides coming out of the surf ;)

    Worth remembering that you should train with proper chest balance for muscle development. Therefore I usually do land based training with my proper prosthesis (although no running now as my hip is kaput).

    Please be really careful getting back into training - you can actually create potential for lymphodema by pushing your arm mobility too fast and stretching the facia to quickly.  I was told not allowed to go back in the pool for training until 8 weeks after my mastectomy - but everyone is different.  Easy lapping though can help your scapula from sticking.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • cyano
    cyano Member Posts: 67
    edited June 2012

    Thanks all for the great ideas. If I had a BMX, I'd go flat, but I don't want to look lopsided. I looked at the suggested suits and lots of good choices. Sewing in a form or a scrunchie is a great idea. I actually haven't heard of tieing in a ribbon between the straps and I can see that would really help. I got tossed hard when I caught too big of a wave last year and when I got to shore to catch my breath and stood up out of the water on a very crowded beach, I realised my suit top had been washed down. I guess that is 50% less of a problem now. :) Sian65 thanks too for the suggestions about training. I've noticed that running with a tight bra actually decreases the swelling, but when I work on my range of motion I get swelling in the armpit.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Sian65
    Sian65 Member Posts: 99
    edited June 2012

    Cyano - yep be careful; avoid the swelling - theis means you are overworking the lymphnodes.  They were severely messed around with with the mx and need time to heal and if you are/were on chemo the body is not good at healing.  What's your dx? (I undertand if you don't want to share but it makes it easier when we are giving a suggetions or just talking to know the dx.)

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • cyano
    cyano Member Posts: 67
    edited June 2012

    I have been pretty swamped with work and haven't had time to figure out all of the abbreviations on the board or how to put the info under my messages. It's invasive ductal carcinoma. Stage 1A and 1.8 cm. Just a sentinel lymph node dissection at the same time as the mastectomy and 0/1 nodes positive. It's ER+/PR+ and HER2 is unclear so more tests are being run. I have two weeks before a decision is made about chemo so I've been wanting to get back in shape before then. Today was a good lesson in that I completely bonked on a run (another thread) so I realised I need to back off and be patient. I so want to be in the surf this summer, but I guess it's better to look at the long-term perspective in that if I wait now and heal properly, I may have many more summers to play in the ocean.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Sian65
    Sian65 Member Posts: 99
    edited June 2012

    Exactly! Years of body surfing... Your tumour sounds good, hopefully the HER comes back good too.



    You Can go to my profile at the top of the page And it gives you a click list. Mx=mastectomy dx=diagnosis

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories