Active uni mastectomy looking for wise words w/ breast forms.

Sorry, got interrupted. Anyway to answer your question, I am a uni, and I think the main question is, how big you are? I was very small, like a AA or AAA cup. I never bothered to get any mastectomy bras or real prosthesis. Had been wearing padded bras all my life because I was self-conscious about it, so I just kept wearing the same bras afterward. The kind with firm padded cups that hold their shape no matter if anything is in it or not. The underwire ones were uncomfortable and had to go. Genie or Coobie style bras, or sports bras, with the removable pads, work well. Just put a couple extra pads in the empty side and good to go. One thing about those type bras, get one a few sizes bigger than the chart says you should. They run very small.

Now if you are like a C or D cup, you will probably need a proper MX bra and foob. Go to an experienced fitter and make sure they know you are active, and take the time to try on different ones and do some jumping jacks or something, make sure they stay put. I haven't heard many stories about "wardrobe malfunctions". lol

i had bilateral . i have a prostetic breast i put on everyday. i am comfortable at home and stores when i do not wear it . i put a jacket and no one says anything. i do wake up with pain everyday. i wish you luck and that everything turn out ok for you.

I had a unilateral R MX. Your tissue, nerves and muscles will need some time to heal, so nothing is comfortable for awhile. I actually used pillow stuffing for a few years. Check into Knitted Knockers. They quilt them for you specifically, these wonderful ladies, and do not charge a dime. I have 4 of them...so light, so comfortable and they stay in place. The ladies are all over the country and do this out of the kindness of their hearts. I am so happy I did not get recon. So many stories that make me shiver. Be happy and natural.

I do understand. But I have to honestly say that the restrictions on my activity all come from the SNB, not from the MX itself, or whether or not I'm wearing any foobs.

No one told me beforehand what having lymph nodes removed means, as far as LE risk. I did not get the long list of things you can't do anymore until after. I had no idea that I would never have full use of my arm again.

I guess I'm just thankful that it was my non-dominant side, and that I still have one good arm. But still. It all just sucks, big time.

Hi Burning Girl,

I had a R mastectomy 5 years ago in 2011, no reconstruction. I wear a silicone breast form when I go out of the house. I don't notice it except for a few specific things. One, I am self conscious when hugging someone. The prosthesis doesn't feel exactly like my breast and so I turn my chest to hug on the left so that I make contact with someone with the left side. This might be a little wierd, but it's one of the small things that constantly remind me that i don't have a breast on the R. Two, I have to wear higher cut tops that will stay close to the chest when I bend forward. With looser and lower tops, you can see clear to my belly button when I bend forward. I work as a physical therapist, so I am in a lot of different positions and teach Feldenkrais Method which also means I am leaning forward as students stand in front of me and can peer down my shirt. A breast prosthesis hangs forward when you bend over. Some bras have a lacey piece at the cleavage place and that definitely helps me feel more comfortable while working. Bathing suits present the same issue. In a sport bra, I use a cotton form as it compresses the same as my natural breast, but I have to pin it in place so it doesn't slide to the middle and give me a uniboob. Coobie bras are not strong enough for the silicone form, in my experience. Three, doing exercises lying on the belly can be uncomfortable with the silicone form because the pressure on each side of the chest is different due its 'uncompressibility' and this pressure on my R rib cage actually hurts. So for yoga, I use the pad that came with the post-mastectomy camisole. Four, I like to go to hotsprings with my husband and these are clothing optional. I still do this, but am very self-conscious and aware that people might be uncomfortable seeing my chest. However, I love being in the hot mineral water and it's so healing for me that I do it anyway.

I hope this helps and that you are able to enjoy your life and do whatever you love,

Royaltea

Another uni here with no regrets. I'm small breasted (A cup) and fairly active. I wear a prosthesis with a Coobie bra or a mastectomy sports bra to work and to go out. To swim I just go half flat with a bra less workout suit. It took awhile to find bras that didn't hurt since I have some lymphedema in my armpit but now it's all good.

Because of my DX (IBC), recon was not an option at time of UMX. Had to wait a year for possible recon. Never did it and very happy with my decision. I had thought I wanted recon and Hubby and Son(adult) were very supportive but a blizzard kept me from being able to keep my appt. I had already somewhat decided not to do recon as I was not limited in what I could do but another surgery could change that. When K sort of said J wasn't sure I wanted more surgery, they both told me that they were glad as they only wanted me to do what I felt I needed to do but both would rather me not do unnecessary surgery. (Hope that makes sense.)

I am a very active outdoor woman - mow my yard (and other ones to help someone) with my push mower, garden, ride my bicycle, care for and ride our horses, flyfish, canoe, etc. - so I am definitely very active.

I wear my pros all the time - no problems at all and feel great. No 'heat, Actually I never think about it. I guess you could say I'm obsessed with living each day to the utmost that I can. Can I do all I did as a 20/30/40+ y/o - nope! But I am quite capable of living and enjoying LIFE. I have no problem with heat, swimming, balance, 'slippage' ( whatever that is supposed to mean) or anything else. I do not wear so called 'sports bras' (never did).

There will always be some who choose to dwell in negativity instead of living the blessing they have - LIFE.

I happen to have been 63 when DXd - now 70.