Answer Summary
Members offered reassuring perspectives on adjusting to life after mastectomy, with many sharing that initial worries about appearance faded... Read more
@A MyBCTeam Member
Congratulations. God blessed you for being cancer free.
Keep on living!
After my single mastectomy, I went to Nordstroms, where I picked out a bra I liked, and they altered it so the prostheses would fit in. I don’t know if they still do it, but it was a good experience and was covered by insurance. Thereafter, I altered my own. I am small breasted anyway, so after retirement, I quit wearing a bra at all and choose clothes with a print that are blousy. I figure if anyone is looking at my chest, their reaction is not my problem.
I’m almost 3 years out from TNBC and Double Mastectomy. I don’t care about being flat, it hurts to wear a bra. I have nothing but skin over my ribs. My sternum hurts when the weather changes or I over do it. There is one consultation I’m Cancer free and alive. Praise the Lord.
Sherrie, thank you that helps. I’m also large breasted but going to a B when the plastic surgeon gives the go ahead. I’m hoping the Rituxan won’t make that much of a difference but I’m pretty sure it will be delayed. I went flying in the ice and had some kid marks on my shin that happened in Jan they were completely no big deal but they still don’t look healed.
I was a DD size. I had a double mastectomy with tissue expanders placed at the same time. But the expanders were not filled for about 6 weeks after surgery, so I was completely flat for a while. When I first came home from surgery I was wearing a surgical bra with bandages/padding over the incisions. I wore loose fitting shirts layered with another unbuttoned that hung open. That helped conceal the "flatness" after having been a DD. I also wore loose flowy wraps for work. Many people I worked with did not know that I had a double mastectomy. Once I had my surgeon follow-up and he said that I could remove the surgical bra and bandages, I bought a cheap bralette that had inserts that could be removed. The padded inserts gave me a little "rise". Then I started getting fills to the tissue expanders and the "rise" got a little higher. I am now a small "C". The right clothing selections can really help conceal your flatness if that is a concern. And I experimented with different clothes before I had the surgery so that I would not be stressed.