clothing for beast cancer survivors

I had a lumpectomy and already had small breasts. I had a huge amount lobbed off. I have found something that makes me feel great. It's a cami made by Victoria's Secret that has a padded bra. It just evens me out and looks fabulous.

Hugs.

Lesley

Kathleenishere said:

I have a wedding this Friday. Would be my first function since bilateral mastectomy on 2/7/07. What can I wear. It is a formal affair. I did not have reconstruction yet, and mastectomy bra not ordered yet. Just have scripts. Awaiting from insurance if they will pay for reconstruction if I fulfill the scripts.

For the first month or so after surgery, I used a little "pillow" stuffed with polyester batting(less bumpy and lighter than cotton) that my hospital gave me. It was the shape of a prothesis but much lighter. My friends who went local for their mastectomies were not given anything like that. Several made do with shoulder pads stuffed or pinned in their bras and said it worked fine. I used a lounge bra made for protheses (again, my hospital gave me two when I had surgery). My friends made do with cheap sports bras from Walmart. The sports bras are made to fit tight enough that whatever you stuff it with won't fall out. You can pin in a shoulder pad if it looks iffy.I tried the cami bra from Walmart with my little "pillow" prothesis and found that it worked pretty well too. Some of my friends skip wearing any kind of prothesis and get suits with jackets or blouses with lots of frills up front. Low plunge neck lines don't work even if you have a prothesis (no clevage). I prefer a blouse or dress with some sleeve rather than sleeveless and a jacket to top it even though I wear a prothesis during the day. At night I have found nighties that have a few frills on the front and a pattern that kind of distracts the eye from the difference between my right and left side. The mail-order spot I get bras from also sells protheses that are lighter in weight. You can get silicone (my favorite) or lighter weight foam or a combination type. Some come sewn into the bra. I heard there are even air filled ones for folks who like really light weight bras. I haven't seen those for sale yet. The internet has lots of possibilities for sale, but I usually order close by or from Jodee's's mail order.

anniefh said:

Thanks for all the input. I actually enjoy not having implants and not having to wear a bra or prothesis. I was wondering if there were others like me. I am a clothing designer and have thought of coming out with a line of clothes for people like me; to give women the option of being flat and feeling great. Any thoughts?

Please go for it. Remember some of us have a little and it's lopsided!

Hugs.

Lesley

anniefh said:

Lesley, Thank you for the encouragement; I was in tears to read your message. If you have any thoughts regarding what you would like to see in clothing, I'd love to hear them! I was allergic to the implants and hated velcroing breasts to my chest, and actually, it's really nice not to have to wear a bra! I'm working on some really fashionable, fun designs that will make us look great. Any input would be wonderful!!!!

I would really like to see more like those camis from Victoria's Secret. I don't like the fact that they are so darn difficult to put on and take off, though. But they do look sexy. I can't wear a bra because I'm too uneven so I only wear camis. I'd like to be able to wear tight t-shirts with a shirt over the top and not feel really hot. I like sporty clothes. They make me feel fit and strong. - I think that is what we need. I like some sleeve because of scars. But I also want clothes that make a statement. I find it so hard to find work clothes that I can wear without a bra. I am looking forward to what you come up with.

Hugs.

Lesley