Question about post-mx camisoles with inserts
I had a BMX Jan. 29th, and am planning to have TEs placed in early May (but not completely sure I want to do it). In the meantime, I'm trying to figure out what to wear under clothes that are made to accommodate breasts. I don't want to do a prosthetic bra, but have seen a camisole with pockets for soft pillowlike inserts, and I'm wondering if anyone has had any experience with those.
Thanks!
Comments
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My insurance covered part of the cost of these and I bought 2 Ameonna (not sure if the spelling is right)because they had the pillows and held surgical drains. They were Aloe infused and ex$pensive. I wore them twice and never with the "pillows." It took me a week post op to be able to not be irritated by the way the cups felt. I was professionally fitted for them, but they did not support like they should. I went and got fitted for mastectomy bras-they are WONDERFUL. They have pockets inside that you can insert a prosthesis or what the lady at the boutique had me do was get some "batting" and literally stuff the cups. You can't see the stuffing because mastectomy bras are made to conceal that stuff-and it stays in place all day because it is in a pocket. You can buy the batting at a fabric store ( I just pulled stuff out of the pillows that came with my overpriced camisoles and used that; it was about the same stuff). I say save your money for a good mastectomy bra and stuff the cups!!!!
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I lost my left expander for seven months so felt the need to address the disparity until it could be replaced. I wore stretchy bras, like the Genie and used the soft pillow-like inserts from the mastectomy camisole I woke up in after BMX. I could not wear the camisole itself because I was allergic to the fabric, but the little cotton covered inserts filled with the batting mentioned in the post above worked great. The batting was loose, like lamb fluff, and you could modify the amount you used. You might want to ask your hospital if they plan to use this type of garment for your surgery so that you don't need to purchase one - as I said, I woke up with one on.
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I will ask them--would they use that for the TE placement? I am seeing the PS Friday to go over plans for that surgery, so I will also ask him. After my BMX I had a compression wrap (that I still wear) and they also sent me home with a surgical bra, but the top of it shows through everything I have tried with it, so I haven't been able to wear regular clothes with it.
I will also ask where I can be fitted for mastectomy bras--I have lots of batting at home! My husband will be so excited it's finally being used, since it definitely hasn't been used for the projects I bought it for. The pillow-like inserts are the ones I'm interested in, and I hadn't thought about it until I read your post, but I could always make my own. I don't mind the flatness at all most of the time, but I do miss some of my clothes that don't really work well with the lack of breasts to fill them.
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Hi. I practically lived in my Amoena cami's. In fact I still use the nude color and black one as camis. The pillows are adjustable and as I had TE issues for 2 years I used them pulling out filling as my TES were filled or putting it back as I needed. I found the cami's so comfy after the first 2 weeks. The bottom of the breast area hit my drain tubes so until that one was out I used a Softee cami. But that one had no support. I got 2 white cami's from my BS office insurance paid. The color ones I ordered. This is the stretchy one not the one with the hooks and eyes. It has drain pockets that attach by velcro to a band under the breasts. (That's what hit my drain tube) I wore it home from my BMX because it is a step in and doesn't have to go overhead. I also used the pillow forms in my mastectomy bras with the pocket before I got a silicone form. Because those pillow forms have a real shape to them they look good. I know others prefer others but as I said I use them still for exercising or under things when I need extra warmth or a bit of smoothing. I think it's the Amoena 1205 If you go the website. My P'S used a surgical dressing and elastic bands like for an ankle. Can't think of the name, till I saw Him A Week later. Then he took off the dressing and said I didn't need anything. That's when the cami's really went to work.
Ok I'll shut up now. LOL.
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auntpaula - they might, because it is what they stock - I have had a lot of surgery and what I wake up in has differed according to both the procedure, and the facility, lol! Your insurance will most likely cover a mastectomy bra, so it might be a good idea to contact your company and ask them if they recommend a specific fitter or store because they have an arrangement with your insurance. Alternatively, depending on your policy, you can pay for the garments and then be reimbursed with a receipt from the store and a prescription from your surgeon. Most insurance companies have a claim form you submit with the receipt and scrip and you are reimbursed. If you sew you can totally make the little pillows - they were a stretchy cotton fabric - like a tiny oval pillow sham made out of a t-shirt. Also here is a link for how to turn a bra you already have into a mastectomy bra, if you do sew.
http://www.whatididtosurvive.com/2010/05/03/mastectomy-bra/
Here is the form that has removable fiber, it would be pretty easy to make something similar:
http://www.curediva.com/surgery/breast-forms-prosthesis/fiberfill-post-surgical-form.html
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Here is the one I'm talking about. Amoena 2105. The shapes stay nicely formed in these. In my Softee they get all out of whack.
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Moon flower, I'm with you 100% on the camis. I'm wearing mine now. I usually sleep in one, minus the fiberfill inserts. They are so comfortable for me. They cost about $65.00 each but with my insurance, I only paid $14.00 for both!
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Thanks! I think I have found a place that does fittings (and now that I think about it, I remember my surgeon mentioning it too), and I am going to find out what I need to use my insurance there. Does it matter if I get the prescription from my surgeon vs plastic surgeon? (I have appointments with both this week.)
One thing I have loved since healing a little from surgery is wearing plain cotton camisoles over my compression wrap--it is so nice to be bra-free!
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I could not tolerate the aloe-treated camisoles. The smell when they heated up bothered me. I also did not have good luck with the batting-filled foobs in camisoles. I used the radiation camisole from TLC most of the time because the after-surgical one has a velcro opening down the front that doesn't look good under clothes. Yes, I was having radiation, but it doesn't matter. It's designed to be comfortable and not rub the wrong places. In the camisole, I used the microfibre foobs from TLC. They are very light-weight and tended to stay in place much better for me than the fiberfill batting. Please note that neither of them stay in place the way that a real prosthetic does, and the microfibre ones tend to get out of shape over the course of a day. As far as a permanent camisole solution, I use the Amoena camisole that is not for post surgery. Very attractive even worn alone.
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I got 2 mastectomy bras with insurance (100% covered) and used the stuffing filled pillows. Since I had to do rads, I never had the fills but I was told you could remove some stuffing each time a fill was done. I just wanted to look like I had breasts when I wore my old clothes. They did just that and are surprisingly comfortable.
I was referred by my breast surgeon and she wrote the prescriptions for the prosthesis bras. The store staff dealt with my insurance for me. I was told you can get 2 bras per year with insurance.
Good luck.
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