what did you do until you got fitted?
Comments
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I am 2.5 weeks out from my bilateral surgery and am wondering what everyone wore before you actually got fitted for your permanent prostheses.
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Kerry,
Because of an infection, I pretty much just wore oversized shirts and smocks for the first three weeks---no bra allowed. After the go-ahead from my surgeon, I got a leasure bra from Jodee (I think), and used the little puffy thing that came with it.
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Hi Kerry,
I had bilateral surgery in October 2006. By the second week, I either wore a t-shirt with an open blouse over it or I wore my post-surgery camisole with soft "puffy" forms in the pockets under some type of blouse or button-down shirt. The puffy forms came with the camisole and are made of fiberfill inside a soft fabric cover. Eleven days after surgery, I went to a birthday party for a friend--it was a special event and I was determined to go. I wore the puffy forms in my camisole with a button-down silk blouse over it. Then over that I wore a pretty vest that I had bought in anticipation of the occasion, knowing I'd want to camouflage my chest (the puffy forms will give you shape but don't look really real). Most people at the party didn't know about my surgery and nobody seemed to notice anything different about me.
You might want to check out my non-profit website, BreastFree.org. I have a section called Post-Surgical Interim Solutions, which discusses helpful items during this phase of your recovery. Under the heading "Post-Surgical Camisoles", you'll find links to some of the most popular ones.
I hope your recovery goes well.
Barbara
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kerry32,
It all depends on what you can get into, and what you can get away with.
I still have some puffiness above the incision under my arm, where 3 nodes were removed at my mast/SNB 6 wks ago. Even a broad-banded bra like a sports bra puts pressure in the wrong place, so I haven't been wearing a bra except for a couple of false starts.
I'm retired and can spend most of my time lounging around in loose-fitting T shirts or soft button-front shirts. I like the layered look anyway, and as Barbara says, it works well when you want to camouflage things. Patterns in the first layer work well to cover unevenness.
Fortunately, I'm small-breasted anyway, so hiding one flat side and one drooping 34B/36A under loose-fitting clothing is pretty easy to do. I'd like to graduate to something more formal, but right now I'm OK with the status quo.
otter
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I finally got fitted today 8 months after my surgery. I took Erica and others advice and waited until I was ready. I wore fills provided by ACS until they no longer did the trick. Today's fitting went very well.
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Hi,
The fitter said to wait five months after my bilat. I haven't been wearing anything at home and with sweaters and such its not too noticeable. At work, I've been wearing strapless push up bras without anything else. I usually wear loose fitting clothes and it gives me just enough shape to not feel too strange. Also, no pressure on my scars. I didn't really like the post surgical forms because they felt too fake, and I'm starting to wonder if I'll feel the same way about my prosthetic if/when I get it. I think I'll probably just get to the point at work where I don't care and don't wear anything.
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I used a bath puff to fill out the empty side. Make sure you wash the puff and use a fabric softener before wearing to reduce any scratchiness.
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Hello ladies,
I had my mastectomy almost 6 years ago. At the store where they sell prosthesis--they have a "Softie Bra". Little was known about it then, and sounds like it is not being talked about---It can be pulled up just like you put on panties so you are not reaching up--it has soft material in it so it looks very nice under your clothes--I wore it home from the hospital after my 2nd surgery it did not bother my bandages. It made me feel so much better leaving that hospital and I do not understand why the DRs or the Nurses do not tell the ladies about these Bras. It cost 80.00 per Bra then, and our insurance paid for it. I wore them till I was able to be fitted for a prosthesis.
I hope for all who has to go through this will ask someone where you are getting fitted for this "Softie Bra".
Everyone hang in here.
P.S. I did not see the post from Barbara til after I had written this--that is what I was trying to tell about. Thanks Barbara.
Linda C
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Tomorrow will be 5 weeks since my "simple" mastectomy. I've done really well and went back to work almost 2 weeks after so I have re-purposed various shoulder pads that I had. There are different sizes and shapes and depending on the bra I wear, some work better than others. By the time I get home from work, I'm anxious to take it off. My Dr. gave me a prescription for the prothesis which said wait 4-6 weeks, so waiting 8 months wasn't what I had in mind! I don't think I'm quite ready, but thought I should be pretty well healed before doing that. Any other thoughts about that?
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CAKID,
I was told the same thing and got fitted after 4 weeks. In retrospect, that was a little early and I probably should have waited 6 weeks. But there's no reason, since you've healed well, to wait longer than the 4-6 weeks. Just be aware that you may find the silicone prosthesis a bit uncomfortable at first when you wear it for long periods of time. Hopefully, you'll be one who never has any problems, but for others full healing takes a while, up to 6 months.
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I had a one step alloderm reconstruction with saline implants that went terribly wrong. I had everything removed 4 weeks later on March 13, 2008. i just got silicone "falsies" and I love them. During the time that I could not wear falsies, I became the scarf queen. I wore wonderful scarves swirled around my neck. It worked well for me and I did not feel unfashionable.
femme -
Hello I also just wore loose fitting blouses, and then I got the Jodee bra also, I love those bras they sell I still wear my favorite bras from there, with the lace tops. God Bless msphil
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I had my double mastectomy about 3 years ago, no reconstruction. Except for a few occassions where I was really dressed up I wear nothing. I go flatchested and I love it. I have learned to buy shirts that have patterns or pockets or button ups over tanks. I do not miss them at all.
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I'm upset. I gathered the courage to get fitted, did it and ordered the 'part' and the right kind of bra to wear it in. the nice lady said it'll be here in about a week. NOT. It's been three weeks and it's still not in (backorder) and I realllllllly wanted it before we left for a short beach vacation with family. now I'm gonna be lopsided when I wanted to look good and I just want to cry cause I didn't want any of it to start with and now I have to look as deformed as I feel.
Sorry to vent. it's just really frustrating - I've resisted and been in denial about how I look. I didn't EVER want to do any of this, but gathered the strength and accepted - and now I won't have it for the only time I've really cared about how I look.
Now, I don't even know if I want it at all. Might as well face up.
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