a Q for the well-endowed women

[Orangebrittainy]

For those of you with large breasts... After your surgery when were you able to start wearing a bra? What kind of bra did you start with? I know it bothers me not to wear one for a while. So this is something I an very curious about.

 

[Penny]

I was told in the hospital to wear mine 24 hrs. They said it keeps from the girls pulling on the incision.. I wore a front closing one at first, then switched to my regular one. I still have some discomfort so I switch back and forth for the front closing one isn't as tight.

 

[Debbrn]

I found that a supportive sports bra was very helpful. You can buy front closure sports bra at the better sporting goods store.

Debbie

 

[AgilityDog]

The tip, however, is to buy a couuple of them at least 1, if not 2, sizes larger than standard. You'll put on 20 lbs or more of water weight from the surgery, and it takes about 2 weeks for it to drop off. Also, you don't want to rub your incision, so a little looser is better for that, too.

I'm small, but bought some 1 size larger - it wasn't large enough! 20 lbs of water on me is more than 20 lbs of water on someone who weighs 170 already! I'm wearing tanks only right now, no bra - but I can get away with it, being a 34 barely B!

 

[Orangebrittainy]

Yikes! I don't know if I can find front closing in my size, or several sizes bigger.

 

[ShezaGirlie]

You'll put on 20 lbs or more of water weight from the surgery, and it takes about 2 weeks for it to drop off. Also, you don't want to rub your incision, so a little looser is better for that, too.

I'm small, but bought some 1 size larger - it wasn't large enough! 20 lbs of water on me is more than 20 lbs of water on someone who weighs 170 already! I'm wearing tanks only right now, no bra - but I can get away with it, being a 34 barely B!

And then there was me who lost 20 pounds in the hospital..! I wore an underwire bra in the hospital since the 'pulling' on the incision hurt.. A nurse suggested that and it worked for me to keep those boogers in place!

 

[Debbrn]

When I was looking I found up to a DD in a front closure sports bra. I will look this evening and send you a PM when I find it again if that will help. BTW, I gained about 5 pounds of water weight.

Debbie

 

[pat45750]

I did not use one in the hospital and it seemed not to make a difference. I am not very well endowed. A few days after I was home, my chest was hurting more, so I tried the front sports bra I bought. It really helped. Wow - 20 pounds of water! I gained about 8 pounds in the hospital. Maybe I piddled more! LOL Pat

 

[Mileena46]

The hospital gave me a front closing all velcro bra.
Since I am already a DD, my surgeon told me to wear a bra 24/7 or it would slow the healing process with all the weight pulling on the incision.
I didn't wear the bra at night, and I don't think it took me any longer to heal. You should be able to get into most any type of bra right away, I used a pretty tight fitting sport bra and it didn't hurt.

Mileena

 

[COLLEEN S]

Brittany,
Immediately after surgery and for a good week afterward, i was unable to wear a bra. I wore one home from the hospital, only to avoid embarrassment...it was given to me at the hospital. They said it was specially made for women to wear who have had surgery, in that it was easy to put on and take off. It was front closure, which was very helpful at the beginning. You dont want something you have to pull over your head (sports bra) or one that fastens in the back (IMO) because it is very hard to maneuver at first. Hope this helps.

 

[Debbrn]

I found a sports bra at a local sporting goods store that has up to a DD. Called "Moving Comfort Grace DD sports bra" It comes in a front zipper closure. Also Cardinal health makes a bra made for surgery patients that you may be able to get through the hospital. It is called "surgi-bra". It has velcro front closure. I started wearing a bra 72 hours after surgery while I was still in the hospital. I found the more supportive the bra the better. I helped decrease the amount of pain that I had. I usually wore one about 22 hours a day for a while. The girls needed to breath every once in a while. Within a couple of weeks I was able to pull one over my head.

 

[Marguerite53]

Hi. I used a great bra/vest made by Golda... http://www.goldainc.com/prod.sv.html You can peruse the site for options. I wore this over a "wife-beater" style (sorry) undershirt of my husband's. Soft cotton, thin, something that doesn't move around much. Many people enjoy silk right after surgery -- that just tickled me way too much. It's like the area has a fever, you know, like how your skin feels extra sensitive when you are feverish? So for me, just something a little stretchy and so soft was perfect. I also bought extra velcro (extra wide at a fabric shop) so that with the extra water weight I could kind of control the tightness of the bra as my size changed.

I eventually got sick of the bra and wore a stretchy cami. My scar was perfect and then went completely red and ropey. I would advise that you try to keep "the girls" hoisted up as well as you can comfortably do so if you want a nice clean scar. Of course, one never knows what the scar will do -- it's very individual. But I do think mine might've stayed 'pretty' had I kept things better supported.

FWIW, 4 years out I love my stupid scar!! I don't care that it's noticeable anymore!! But that did take a few years to feel that way for me.

Best wishes.

Marguerite

 

[Michelle D]

The velcro bra they gave me at the hospital was great for me especially at night. I'd wake up less sore.

 

[joanie]

I'm a 34D. I had minimally invasive AVR in May. My incision starts at the top of my cleavage and goes UP 3 inches. I did not wear a bra in the hospital. They gave me a surgical bra (velcro closure in the front) which I wore 1 time - from my hospital room to the hotel that is connected to the hospital (Cleveland Clinic) - it hurt and was binding. I threw it in the garbage as soon as I got to my room! I didn't wear a bra again for 2 weeks (I wore large button down shirts to hide the floppy girls). Then I tried one of my regular front closing bras and found it wasn't anywhere near my incision and was comfortable. (I should have tried it earlier . . .)

 

[hensylee]

nurses, after surgery, told me to go to WalMart and get an exercise bra (bigger than my regular size), but I already had some sleep bras that I got from DreamWorks (an ad in Sunday paper but they are online now) and it was just the ticket. soft nylon with front hooks. It never felt too tight at all and kept things in place very nicely. Best wishes - Blessins.................

 

[Jkm7]

My first surgery, I got a small infection from my underwire rubbing on my incision. I purchased some all stretch, no hooks or underwire, bras made by Barely There. These were wonderful. Just enough support, soft with nothing to rub and I wore them for about a month. I was very happy I held onto them after I healed as I was able to use them comfortably and irritation free for my second surgery four years later.

These bras are available at stores such as Macy's and Dillard's. They used to be for sale at www.onehanesplace.com but I haven't looked lately to see if they still have them.

(Edited to say I checked that website and the bra is still offered..... item no. 898NP)

 

[Shari Thomas]

I'm built like a milk cow and the only adverse thing I've got is a crooked scar. I tease the surgeon about it, but he swears he used a template, that it was the way I was positioned on the op table. For me, it was no bra for about a month. The breastbone was wired and the scar was glued. I wore a baggy sweatshirt as it was still cold here. When I started Cardio Rehab, I was into a front-closure bra... 44DD. I prefer the front closures. Walmart had mine on sale for $7.00. Oh, my surgery was Feb 26, 2010 and the top of my scar (from cleavage up about 3 inches) still gets "ropey" during the day and then calms down overnight.

My next challenge is a pacemaker, so will be braless again for a while as it will most likely be positioned very close to where my bra strap is positioned.