Hi, I’m due a mastectomy and lymph node clearance in 3 weeks time. I’m very concerned that I’ll never get my life back as I am disabled and the only exercise I can do is swimming, some yoga and some qi gong and my whole social life is built around these, and then home to bed.
I have always worn plunge underwired bras and this type of bra fits me well and I’ve always had problems getting bras to fit. I have been told that I will not be able to wear underwired bras after surgery and to do so, even once healed, means risking lymphoedema.
I am supposed to purchase supportive post surgery/mastectomy bras. I went to my local M&S at Longbridge as that’s only a mile away and tried on post surgery bras and M&S total support bra, as recommended by a lady who fits bras for breast cancer survivors. I have a M&S credit card and a Sparks card and get a lot of my underwear from there and had some vouchers to use. After trying on about a dozen bras and handing them in on exiting the fitting room, one of the fitters took pity on me and did a fitting although I hadn’t booked. I was there over an hour and we tried everything from DD to G cup in every suitable style and they all cut into the flesh around my underarms at the front, and with some of them, the band folded itself in half when I lifted my arms. I used to do weights at the gym plus swim and now have loose flesh and flab where my muscles used to be. This is why fitters have advised underwired plunge bras in the past. Trying the bras on and the pressure from them has now set off my fibromyalgia pain - this is neuropathic and nociplastic pain so normal painkillers don’t work. No idea what to do… I had terrible pain and bruising after my biopsies due to going braless as my breast was too sore and swollen to wear a bra and I was told to wear a soft, non-underwired one and I don’t have a comfortable one (Got a lot of bras I don’t wear as they are not comfortable). I tried the post surgery sports bras as well - I would like to return to yoga after surgery. I have problems with my knees and lower legs and can barely walk so have very limited exercise options. I really struggled with the fastenings of the front fastening sports bras - hurt my hands and wrists trying to hold the two sides together and do them up. Too fiddly. Didn’t fit anyway. All cut into my flesh at the front of my arms and most also into my back flesh.some gaped at the sides although the band was the right size as my breasts aren’t very full at the top since I’ve lost weight. I really don’t know what to do. I am feeling very depressed about the thought of not just the mastectomy but not being able to wear a normal bra and thus not being able to go back to my hobbies.
