Urgent Help - Breast Forms after masectomy -

svitola
svitola Member Posts: 15
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hi Everyone! It has been a long time since I did not post anything! My mom was diagnose with breast cancer on July 2009. We live in Guatemala, Central America, so she went to the MD Anderson in Houston to get a Second opinion and Chemo Orders. She just finished Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy and she will undergo double masectomy on February 18th. We went to the cardiologist today and her heart is doing just fine!
She will have a primary reconstruction on the left side, with implant. For the right side, where she had a very big tumor, she will have to go under Radiotherapy, so the doctors decided that it was better to wait to put the expanders, a few months after radiotherapy.

I need to buy online some products like special bras, camisoles, and breast forms, but have no clue of what to buy, where to buy or anything. I REALLY COULD USE YOUR HELP AND RECOMMENDATIONS. She is 34C, but I see that sizes of breast forms are like 2, 4, 6,etc.
Please help me, I need to buy everythin ASP so It can be shipped and is ready for my mom in 2 weeks. She will have a radical modify mastectomy (everything will be removed, including skin and nipple), and also the nodes.

Thanks!
Valery

Comments

  • Wolfi
    Wolfi Member Posts: 425
    #2
    TLC catalog
    Valery,

    I would try the TLC website which can be found as a link in the American Cancer Society website.

    I have purchase a few things from there and have been happy with my purchases and the shipment time.

    Sorry I can't help you with the breast form sizing - I ordered what I thought was my original 38DD but ended up getting some that looked HUGE (I ended up cutting them smaller). I'm sure that if you e-mailed or called TLC someone would be able to help you figure out what sizes you need to order.

    Good luck!
  • Skeezie
    Skeezie Member Posts: 586 Member
    #3
    Wolfi said:

    TLC catalog
    Valery,

    I would try the TLC website which can be found as a link in the American Cancer Society website.

    I have purchase a few things from there and have been happy with my purchases and the shipment time.

    Sorry I can't help you with the breast form sizing - I ordered what I thought was my original 38DD but ended up getting some that looked HUGE (I ended up cutting them smaller). I'm sure that if you e-mailed or called TLC someone would be able to help you figure out what sizes you need to order.

    Good luck!

    Hi Valery,
    Relax,catch your breath, your Mom will not be up to wearing a prosthic breast right after the surgery. My surgeon had me wait 6 weeks to make sure the swelling was down and the new scar area would not be irritated. Your Mom is going to need some time to heal a bit, those forms weigh the same as the breast and when holding them can feel heavy. Wolfi's suggestion of TLC is a great one. The website is: www.tlcdirect.org Calling them is a really good idea. My fitter tried on several forms and bras before we selected one. I wore a 44C and she measured me to a 48 D so ordered a size 12 form (kind of a point of reference). They are made of silicone and are just beautiful. I tried a lot of different bras on too. They are really nice.

    I got a camisole before the surgery and wore it once. I felt it was a waste of time and Blue Cross's money. But the TLC site has several to choose.

    I wish your Mom great success with her surgery and treatment. Keep us updated on her progress.

    Hugs, Judy :-)
  • svitola
    svitola Member Posts: 15
    #4
    Skeezie said:

    Hi Valery,
    Relax,catch your breath, your Mom will not be up to wearing a prosthic breast right after the surgery. My surgeon had me wait 6 weeks to make sure the swelling was down and the new scar area would not be irritated. Your Mom is going to need some time to heal a bit, those forms weigh the same as the breast and when holding them can feel heavy. Wolfi's suggestion of TLC is a great one. The website is: www.tlcdirect.org Calling them is a really good idea. My fitter tried on several forms and bras before we selected one. I wore a 44C and she measured me to a 48 D so ordered a size 12 form (kind of a point of reference). They are made of silicone and are just beautiful. I tried a lot of different bras on too. They are really nice.

    I got a camisole before the surgery and wore it once. I felt it was a waste of time and Blue Cross's money. But the TLC site has several to choose.

    I wish your Mom great success with her surgery and treatment. Keep us updated on her progress.

    Hugs, Judy :-)

    Thank you girls! I will let
    Thank you girls! I will let you know how do the surgury and Rad goes! I am so anxious that I can bearly breath. But your answers give me pace!
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #5
    TLC is a good place to check
    TLC is a good place to check also the ACS site.

    I had a mod. rad. mastectomy Oct 21, 2009 and have not gotten a prothesis yet because of ongoing problems with a large seroma. What I have been using is a soft, lightweight, fiberfil form that the local ACS gave me. (They are in the TLC catalog.) Don't know if it will help you or not but I'm a 36C and my form is an 04.

    Thoughts and prayers for your Mom!

    Susan
  • BethInAz
    BethInAz Member Posts: 203 Member
    #6
    Post Mastectomy prosthetics
    Valery,
    It's right - your mom won't be able to do a weighted prosthetic for several weeks. I did go to a mastectomy fitter about 3 weeks after bilateral mastectomy and she fitted me with the soft forms - not weighted - that were easier to wear. If you look on www.amoena.com and look up Priform, you'll be able to see them. They're relatively inexpensive and are good for the initial weeks. They're just filled with polyfill and after spending the money, I got to thinking that I could have just stuffed a mastectomy bra with the polyfill myself and saved the money... I'm a 34C and the prosthetic I have is a 5 but I could have probably done 5 or 6. I did see a chart somewhere showing prosthetic sizes and bra sizes. Since I did the bilateral, I decided to go from my 34D size to a 34C - and everybody seems to think I've lost weight!
    Beth
  • Lynda53
    Lynda53 Member Posts: 210
    #7
    I was told no recon until after rads
    b/c the radiation can harm skin the surgeon needs for reconstruction, accurate or not on other breast I am unsure.
    Peace
  • svitola
    svitola Member Posts: 15
    #8
    Rague said:

    TLC is a good place to check
    TLC is a good place to check also the ACS site.

    I had a mod. rad. mastectomy Oct 21, 2009 and have not gotten a prothesis yet because of ongoing problems with a large seroma. What I have been using is a soft, lightweight, fiberfil form that the local ACS gave me. (They are in the TLC catalog.) Don't know if it will help you or not but I'm a 36C and my form is an 04.

    Thoughts and prayers for your Mom!

    Susan

    Thank you! It does help, my
    Thank you! It does help, my mom is 34C, so at least now I know I should be maybe a 3!!!
  • svitola
    svitola Member Posts: 15
    #9
    Lynda53 said:

    I was told no recon until after rads
    b/c the radiation can harm skin the surgeon needs for reconstruction, accurate or not on other breast I am unsure.
    Peace

    Thank you Linda!° They told
    Thank you Linda!° They told the same to my mom! So she will wait!
  • svitola
    svitola Member Posts: 15
    #10
    BethInAz said:

    Post Mastectomy prosthetics
    Valery,
    It's right - your mom won't be able to do a weighted prosthetic for several weeks. I did go to a mastectomy fitter about 3 weeks after bilateral mastectomy and she fitted me with the soft forms - not weighted - that were easier to wear. If you look on www.amoena.com and look up Priform, you'll be able to see them. They're relatively inexpensive and are good for the initial weeks. They're just filled with polyfill and after spending the money, I got to thinking that I could have just stuffed a mastectomy bra with the polyfill myself and saved the money... I'm a 34C and the prosthetic I have is a 5 but I could have probably done 5 or 6. I did see a chart somewhere showing prosthetic sizes and bra sizes. Since I did the bilateral, I decided to go from my 34D size to a 34C - and everybody seems to think I've lost weight!
    Beth

    Thank you very very much!!!
    Thank you very very much!!! I will go ahead and by the soft forms. Any recommendations on a bra or a camisole that I should also buy?

Discussion Boards