Underwire Bras? Prohibited? Restricted? BS? HELP!

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Anonymous
Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
edited June 2014 in Life After Breast Cancer

Hi,

BDx, before diagnosis and treatment, I regualrly wore an underwire bra and saved my non-wires for lazy Saturdays, etc. or when I wouldn't be seen or didn't care if I was seen.  I am large breasted and also a large person and the underwire style simply worked well for me: held my breasts up high, created a more professional image under my clothes and since I am large person allowed me to enjoy some modicum of pleasure at the fact that my tummy and breasts were not some sort of large unified lumpy mass.  

Fast forward nearly 12 months since diagnosis and 4 months since the end of active treatment: I am still wearing the no wire cotton stretch bra that I smirked about being seen in beforehand and that I would never wear to work unless laundry had gotten to nightmare status, on a Friday.  (Yeah, I now wear this to my professional job daily! Yikes! - they love me though and are still scared to say hello in case the breast cancer spreads to their fingertips so its okay for now.) I would like to return to my regualr bras, or any underwire at this point.  But I've heard that these are prohibited for BC survivors; some even say that they cause breast cancer - sounds like a lot of BS to me but I am not sure.  I have been treated for the last two weeks for residual swelling of my breast and a little in my arm.  I am told that I more than likely do not have lymphedema of the arm but likely do have breast lymphedema.  My pt who seems pretty good (hey in one session she got my breast back to its normal pre-op size which I hadn't seen since early April) has no strong opinion about the underwire; she just wants me to have breast compression which of course regardless of the bras I purchase, I will seek out. (This is harder at a larger band and cup size as most of the athletic clothing/bra manufacturers stop their sizing at about 40D - kinda dumb since larger women might want to engage in exercize - just saying its counter-intuitive.) 

Anyone experiencing similar? Any advice?  Mods: Any counsel? I know that I cannot be the only large breasted plus size woman to get BC and confront these issues so please weigh in.  (Though I am beginning to think that they must "hang out" somewhere else online...)

~ Yeah, I remember size 14, that was a good year...

By the way, I had a lumpectomy, a SNB, TCx4 and rads and re: structure have maintained a similar structure as pre-op: I think that side may be a D versus my DD/DDD healthy breast.

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited January 2013

    When I got a breast reduction years ago, the surgeon told me to never wear an underwire as it compressed nerves and other important factors like blood flow to the area. I was large breasted still and just couldn't go without underwire so I got back into underwire fairly quickly. When I had my double mast, my cancer was at 6 o'clock right on the "fat ridge" that sits where the underwire bra sat!! That ridge was rigid and hard and it took years to break it down after my masts. Before my masts, if I tried to massage that tender area, it was so painful it took my breath away. It was my body's way of protecting itself against the underwire. It is almost gone now, 4 1/1 years after my cancer surgery!!

    I have mild truncal LE so I know what you're talking about. Keep up the PT and MLND to keep the fluid build-up down and your LE won't get any worse. If you ignore it, it will move to your arms!

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  • Jelson
    Jelson Member Posts: 1,535
    edited January 2013

    I swore I would continue to stay away from underwires after radiation, but somehow find that is what I am more comfortable in. Come to think of it, what does it mean that I was willing to get all 9 injections of bee/wasp venom in my right arm week after week to avoid lymphadema on my left side, but can't give up underwires?  A good fit is really important though. During radiation, and now for exercise and laying about, I wear a moving comfort brand, no-wire fiona model sports bra. I tried many different styles and recently gave my collection of worn-once sports bras to a young woman in my exercise class who felt the need to wear three bras. The fiona has hooks and eyes in the back band and velcro-like patches on the shoulder straps which permit you to adjust at the front. I wear either a 34ddd or 36ddd in regular bras and find that the 36dd in the fiona is very comfortable. Perhaps you could try the 40 and 42dd (which they carry). Moving Comfort has other bras which might work for you ie FOR WORK, they just didn't for me. I look for sales on amazon, sierra trading post or just by googling.  And no, I have nothing to do with the company - I probably read about it on a thread right here on BCO, and I am glad to pass it on.

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  • dlb823
    dlb823 Member Posts: 9,430
    edited January 2013

    I've lived in sports bras since my mx & Diep recon.  The side compression absolutely controls my truncal LE, and if I happen to wear an underwire bra even a few hours for a dress up occasion, I usually suffer with an LE flare the next day.  Same for if I exercise without that side compression a sports bra provides.

    I don't believe there's ever been a proven causation betwen underwire bras and bc, but for many of us they absolutely exaccerbate truncal LE by cutting off or restricting the already-compromised or backed up lymph flow.

    Also, Helly Hansen makes some great compression type t-shirts that can be worn day &/or night to help prevent truncal LE or to minimize a flare up when it does happen.      

    You're fortunate, HVV, to have found a really good PT!  Have you checked on-line for larger size sports bras?   I don't know if they exist, but maybe there's an on-line source for them?      Deanna

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  • cookiegal
    cookiegal Member Posts: 3,296
    edited January 2013

    I have lymphedema and I still wear underwires....I started about 8 months after surgery, honestly the bras without underwires had such a compressing elastic band I just didn't see the benefit. I actually think my swollen breast is better when I take the underwire off because at least it is properly supported and compressed.

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  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 57,235
    edited January 2013

    Wear underwires, haven't had any trouble. I get a Victoria Secret bra which (I think) is called the 'Incredible' line, and there is lots and lots of padding around the wire so it doesn't dig.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited January 2013

    Hi all, thank you for all the counsel. I hope others will continue to weigh in.



    Deanne our dx is same except I had 2 sn removed rather than 16; and they found 1 had a micro metastasis.



    Cookiegal that is exactly my experience; I have to wear a much tighter band with the wireless so that I am not sure that they are actually better for me.



    Jelson yes I have been advised to seek out moving comfort bras for compression but they seem to have only a single style in the size one down from my own, that's the largest.



    Ruth, thanks again. You've helped me before. I agree that it's about the proper fit.



    Thanks all.

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  • purple32
    purple32 Member Posts: 3,188
    edited January 2013

    I have LE.  Wouldnt dream of wearing an underwire bra now.  Just cant.


    I wear sports bra or cami and have removed all the wire from my underwire bras.

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