Bras hurt. Alternatives that are appropriate to wear to work?
I've been having pain on the left/treated side of my chest lately - muscle cramping, as well as occasional stabbing/burning pains - 2 years post-lumpectomy and radiation. I feel like I need to stop wearing bras for a while, because having an elastic band digging into me in the exact same spot of the pain just seems like a stupid idea, you know?? The burning pain, actually, is right where the elastic band is!
I work as an administrative assistant and have to follow a dress code, which doesn't say anything specifically about bras, but I need it to not be obvious that I'm going bra-less. I'm a C cup, so not wearing anything underneath isn't really an option. In the colder months of the year, I can usually get away with wearing various undershirts (tank tops, camisoles) under my shirts and sweaters and it's not noticable. But warm weather is coming and I'm worried that I'll be too hot (especially now that Tamoxifen's giving me hot flashes!) if I'm wearing double-layer shirts every day.
Does anyone have any good products to recommend? Some kind of undergarment that is supportive but does NOT squeeze your chest right under your breasts? And keeps you cool in the summer?
Comments
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When I had my core-needle biopsies, I went to Target and found some sleep/nursing bras made by Basics. They're pull-on/step-in, very lightweight, and the band is a bit longer and looser than in traditional bras. They come in S, M, L, and XL.
I wear them at night with my TEs and they are very comfortable to sleep in.
I think they run around $18. If it doesn't work out, you can always return it.
(I tried some of those camis with the built-in shelf bras, and didn't like the way the elastic bunched up under my foobs.)
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Raili -
When I had my core-needle biopsies, I went to Target and found some sleep/nursing bras made by Basics. They're pull-on/step-in, very lightweight, and the band is a bit longer and looser than in traditional bras. They come in S, M, L, and XL.
Now (post BMX) I wear them at night with my TEs and they are very comfortable to sleep in.
I think they run around $18. If it doesn't work out, you can always return it.
(I tried some of those camis with the built-in shelf bras, and didn't like the way the elastic bunched up under my foobs.)
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Raili - look into Coobie bras. Very comfortable.
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I wear those barely there bras with no brain-er sizing- fits A-B, B-C. I had a BMX and if there is too much support it causes muscle spasms. They are all I wear, no underwire, no cups and very thin straps they are all cotton. So they are almost like a cami without the bottom, but they hook in back. Love them!
Hope this helps and that you find some relief:)
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I am addicted to my Genie bras during the day...but may have to check out those Coobie bras.
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I don't wear bras....wear cami's...I'm small....my implants are very small, so I can get away from it.....what about a sports bra or a cami with shelf bra? I too struggle with being hot....my camis are either cotton or bamboo...but I can't do the shelf bra as they irritate me....maybe you can find a fitted cami that would give a little support..I could probably get away without wearing anything, but at my age, it just feel right!!! Good luck finding the right thing....
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Kohls seems to have a lot of things that worked for me.
In the clothing deparment they have camis with a shelf that are not sporty...that might do the trick.I wore these when I could not wear a bra. They were economical too...Apt 9 may have been the label.
In the intimates they have some compression tank tops, that are not tummy band, but all over compression. The colors are a little blech but they do have black.
They also sell a very soft lightweight semi bra. It didn't really work for me that well but I sent one overseas to another BCO'er who LOVED it.
In a pinch, I have worn fruit of the loom sports bras, the cheap ones in the 3 pack seem to be most gentle. There is one very low cut that actually scoops under my lumpectomy scar, and sometimes is all I can deal with.
Strangely sometimes underwires hurt me less....because they take some weight off the lower band section.
It took me a few bucks and some trial and error.
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I echo the Fruit of the Loom choice. The radiation oncologist's nurse gave me one to wear after my SAVI was put in for my 5 day radiation. I completed that on Feb 9. I'm STILL wearing this bra. I'm very small 32A and am wearing the 34A. Its a flat sports bra type and it has about 8 eye hooks in the front. It's cotton and soft and doesn't hurt under my arm where the sentinal nodes were removed (luckilly that scar is really healed now) nor where the lumpectomy was or the SAVI scar is. I have made it my full time bra. They told me Walmart has them as I went to buy more - they do, but not in my size. I have not yet gone back to a regular bra and won't till things are much more healed.
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I have a pain in one spot where the bottom of the bra hits the top of my right rib, went to tube tops.com and ordered a couple the kind that go to your waist, they are great and do support my breasts. Also my left shoulder will have a tinge when I were any kind of strap on it and that solved the problem. Good luck with this but it is fixable.
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I've been looking at tunics and poncho style tops (if you google McCalls's patterns 6204 you's see what I'm looking at) a person should be able to wear just about anything or nothing under it, with room for an ice pack even. I'm having a hard time finding them in my size, which is why I'm trolling the pattern sites, but have seen a lot of them in smaller sizes.
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I am up for mx on Thursday and wont be wearing a bra for a while,, but I have been wearing the AAHH bra for almost a year. I am a large DD and they really arent made for large breasts, but I had an abcess develop on my back from a scratch from a bra hook and after I had that surgery could not wear a normal bra for months, until the wound healed. It was left open and irrigated and pack 2 times a day for 4 weeks, then 1 time a day for another 4 week. The surgeon didnt want any pressure on that area till it was well healed. Surgery was in July, in January he felt it was well healed and closed, but by that time I had the Ahh Bra and some Fruit of the Loom sport bras that I could step into and couldnt go back. I am hoping after my surgery which will include a TRAM reconstruction and eventually a reduction on the other side to be a nice comfortable C and I will be going back to my Ahh bras and the sports bras. I have one nice shape enhancing bra that I did keep but it should be too big when I am done so I may get another one for when I really need to dress up. I am 59 and work in a large manufacturers office, so we are verry casual and as long as I feel secure and comfortable. To me it is all about comfort and smaller breasts will be more comfortable and I dont see why the bras I have wont work since they are not by cup size.
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GmaNiki -
I bought my Genie bras (almost exactly the same as Ahhhh bra) when I was a 38DDD.
They looked and felt horrible on, but rather than return them, I kept them anyway, tucked in the back of my drawer.
Now that I have fully-filled TEs (620ccs) they fit perfectly, and in fact, have bought four more pairs! Am hoping they'll look just as good after exchange this Fall.
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Love love love the cheap tanks at Kmart with built in shelf bra. I just wear a coordinating blouse over them.
I dont think I'll ever wear anything else ! Basic Editions. -
I just bought a couple of camis from Walmart and Meijer that have pockets in them! They were in the sportswear section and labeled for Yoga. The Walmart ones are by Danskin and are a lot cheaper than the ones I have been buying from a company that specializes in mastectomy bras and camis. The pocket openings are a little small but with the new foam prosthesis I bought, they work fine.
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I have a genie bra and an ah bra. I've found that a size smaller gives a little more support, and I'm a d cup. There are hook in front bras from bestform, I think they are sleep or leisure bras. Those were great while I was having chemo and under tshirts.
Once I started arimidex, I had a hard time hooking bras in back, so I got a few underwire hook in front, from the bra room online, I think. But for almost everything, either the genie or the ahhh bra seems to work well.
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