Bypass Bras

By gracie62
Posted August 1, 2008 at 1:20 am

Pam:
Oh, how I feel your pain! My bypass was 12/30/07. I came home and immediately cut the neck out of all my "house" clothes, meaning things I wear for house and yard work. I still wear those hideous things to this day. I live in the country - the neighbors know I had surgery - what the heck! I, too, have tried all kinds of bras. My family knows when we walk in the door I go straight to my room and rip off my bra and top and go braless into one of my "house" shirts. Sure, gravity has taken a toll but it already had before.

One thing you might try. They make some sports bras with back closures. Get one that fits and supports you and go to the sewing section and get a bra extender. You can attach this to the closure and give yourself an extra 2 or 3 inches, which actually allows you to control the pressure on the sternum at any given time. Some days I don't use my extender, other days it is tight as possible. Just something to consider trying. If I had known before my surgery it was coming (mine was emergency) I would have asked the doctors for a lift while they were in the area already! Hind sight - sigh!

Dianna

By BarbaraGale
Posted August 1, 2008 at 7:04 am

Banana Republic camisoles. Wear two, if need be. I burned my bra in the 60's. Good luck.

By martzj
Posted August 1, 2008 at 8:29 am

Ladies,

I haven't had bypass (yet) but also haven't been able to tolerate any bra pressure for the past decade or so. For home and chores I only wear light spandex type camisoles w shelf bra or t-shirts. Shopping in summer, it's t-shirts with a design on the chest area to camoflage the fact there is no undergarment. In winter, I layer. At work in winter I wore silky soft turtle necks and a light weight vest of some type that also kept my torso coverer, warm but arms free. The vest was also to conceal the 'headlights'.....(smile)
I'm already short of breath all the time and just can't stand a bra constraining my ribcage further. ugh

Jaynie

By Dgrant
Posted August 1, 2008 at 9:29 am

Oh, I had the same problem for months after my surgery!! I thought I was the only one!!!

I went to Kohls, and I ended up buying one of those camisoles designed to "hold in the flab" so to speak. If anyone wants details, i.e., manufacturer, etc., I'll dig it out and post it. It is made of spandex, evidently, and works almost like a girdle to keep the rolls hidden, I guess. Well, I would have worn a medium if I had wanted it to do the job it was designed for. However, I didn't! I bought a 2X size so that it would fit me much looser and just provide a little bit of support. It worked like magic. I'm one of those people who feels more comfortable in a bra -- before my surgery I wore one at all times, and even to bed sometimes, because the ones I wear are very comfortable (Bali). But after my surgery, it just HURT to wear them. I tried everything, like the rest of you! That little camisole brought a lot of comfort for a while. I'm now back to wearing my regular bras and have no problems anymore. That has been one phase of my recovery for which I am very thankful!! Who would have thunk THAT? HA HA

GOOOOD subject for discussion, that's for sure!!

Dana

By grace5
Posted August 1, 2008 at 9:34 am

Hi Pam,
I haven't had any ops but my mum did and hated wearing a bra because of the discomfort, at the same time she hated not wearing a bra because she felt 'naked'. I found some incredibly soft bra type tops made of lycra, hard to explain, but if you know sloggi underwear, they make them, no fastenings, you slip it on like a t-shirt or step in like knickers, I have some for when I don't want to wear a bra but I don't want them swinging free! I'm a 38D and they are wonderfully comfortable!
http://www.needundies.com/sloggi-comfort.html
Grace x

By Dgrant
Posted August 1, 2008 at 9:36 am

OK, my husband was just in here kissing me goodbye for the day, and I told him what we were discussing here. He reminded me of something funny --

I do NOT like the feel of going braless, as I mentioned, and so we tried a few things that I didn't mention above........

I bought some of those "stick on" bras that are supposed to give support by sticking them on your skin underneath the breast -- well, let me tell you, that was hilarious!! First of all, they don't work. Second of all, it HURTS like HECK to pull off the sticky part!!! So, when you're already hurting from trying to heal from the surgery, that really didn't help AT ALL!!

So, I tried another version of the same -- with the same results. You'd think I would have learned from the first style!!

Desparado.

Anyway, just don't even bother trying those. Not good. Not good at all.

Gave me a chuckle remembering that. Although it was very frustrating at the time. Funny how time heals........

Dana

By martzj
Posted August 1, 2008 at 9:50 am

Spanx.com has a great selection of camis, light compression leggings. Macy's has a huge selection of all the figure contouring items Dana was referring to. I can't tolerate any abdomen pressure either so the long stretch cami does the job for me. At times when a bra is unavoidable I have my beloved Bali super soft 36C underwire seamless cup, front closure. For some reason, front closures allow more rib and breathing flex for me.

By regalradish
Posted August 1, 2008 at 10:38 am

Hi Pam:

Like so many women, I too suffered with THE bra problem for a long time until I found a bra shop totally devoted to the proper fit because the work with breast cancer patients. Voile - I found a canadian bra cotton, underwire with a wider shoulder strap to prevent slipping. It is a dream......

Marilyn

By Mystic
Posted August 1, 2008 at 1:11 pm

I don't know about any of the rest of you, but I burnt my bras years ago. I just got tired of wasting my money trying to find one that I could wear after by- pass.

What I did was by-pass the bras section. I could care less what anyone thinks of me and my bra-less look. I wear those t-shirts referred to as wife beaters, but in my house they're husband beaters.

I stopped caring about that kind of stuff. I now have a great collection of Hanes t-shirts and tanks tops in all kinds of colors. It hids the nipple thing. As my husbands likes to say, your headlights are on !!!

Yeah, yeah, I'm a real radical chic anyway. So onward to liberation. I say burn them all and let's get back to basics. After all my flat boobs aren't complaining about where they sit and how low they hang.
They just come along for the ride everywhere I go!!!

Burn'em baby, burn'em .......
CJ

By Rose
Posted August 1, 2008 at 1:31 pm

Hi CJ,

How was your roo canal? Hope you are feeling better.

You have been quiet for awhile and I hope all is well with you.

Warm Regards,

Rose

By corby
Posted August 1, 2008 at 1:53 pm

After my surgery 5 years ago I seemed to need a different size bra. Nothing seemed to fit right or give enough support- which I need. Just last week I was in Minneapolis at the mall and got fitted At Nordstroms - I was wearting the wrong size all along and now I finally have suppost and comfort. Getting fitted is important - getting fitted by someone who knows how to do it is also very important. I wish I could burn the bras but there's too much weight for me to do that!

By lkay
Posted August 1, 2008 at 2:28 pm

I loved this discussion because my bra is the second thing to come off my body when I hit the door after work - my shoes are the first to go.

The camisole suggestion is a good one. I have no problem going braless around the house or working in the yard but it isn't quite the work image I can get away with.

If men had to wear bras that idea would change........

Laura

By bettyboop48
Posted August 1, 2008 at 3:27 pm

hi ladies,

i too have a problem wearing a bra i haven't had bypass surgery yet but the pressure does get to me as well. I say let the girls free what the hec the gravity has already done its toll so why not be free. I do wear one to work but after work its off it comes so to speak. so if anyone can come up with bra that works for this pressure i sure would by one i have tried several and i haven't found one that works either. well take care all

(((hugs)))

terry

By TooYoung
Posted August 1, 2008 at 5:06 pm

I got soft sports bras that were a size bigger than I wore pre surgery. I am four months post surgery and I am back in regular bras for working hours and sports bras for home and working out at the gym. If I ride in the car for a long time, I also opt for my sports bra. I am too young to deal with the sag yet. I want to feel good about my body. It is bad enough that I had this typically older person's surgery. I don't need to look like one too. I have found my most comfortable bras at Wal-Mart.

It is whatever makes you comfortable.

Hang in there or out there ladies!

By Mystic
Posted August 1, 2008 at 7:19 pm

I realize that alot of you ladies work, I don't. So I know going bra-less won't work for you during work hours.

Still, it would be nice if society wasn't so hung up on what's underneath our outter garments. Better that time be spent on what's inside our hearts.

Have grea weekend, The bras-less wonder goes on.
CJ

By HeatherG
Posted August 2, 2008 at 11:58 am

One suggestion that I was given by the nurses after my bypass was pantyhose! Buy a couple of pairs, (large sizes), try control top & regular. Cut the legs & crotch out & wear them as a bra. Kind of like a "boob tube". It worked for me & after several weeks I switched to a sports bra & later normal underwire.
Good luck

By dawn
Posted August 3, 2008 at 1:17 am

Hello all,
I have not had a bypass either but I can't stand wearing a bra for very long. My hubby likes it but I don't! I am a fatty as you can tell by my picture and I just can't go out in public without a bra. I tell my friends that I wear a 40 long. LOL. I have not found a cami that fits so that doesn't work for me. Oh well I guess I suffer lol.
Dawn

By ogo4three
Posted August 3, 2008 at 11:07 am

I was given a web sight with a great bra.
www.aztecheart.com. My Dr. recommended it.It is great!

By SandyW
Posted August 3, 2008 at 2:58 pm

Ok, you got my attention Marilyn, where in Canada did you get the bra? I had my surgery back in 1999 and it was and emergency surgery so a bra never even entered my mind until after.

Oh my god, I thought I'd die! I'm a 38DDD, those puppys are heavy and boy did they pull on the staples down my sterum.

Second day I sent my sister-in-law shopping for me. She has since called me her busum budy :)
She came back with 2 shopping bags full of bra's for me to try on. I'm not sure what hurt more, trying thge bras on or the laughing we did. I finally settled on
a couple of bras, and even then I had to put cotton down the middle section between the boobs or I'd be in agony.

If I could find one good on now I'd still get it. I have a terrible time getting a good bra. Going with out is not an option, the weight is just too much.

Funny thing is when I got married I was a 34AA :)))) My hubby always jokes and say "I knew they'd grow with tenter care" :)

Cheers Sandy W

By regalradish
Posted August 3, 2008 at 4:55 pm

Hi Sandy:

I found the ohhhh so comfy bras at a local shop - it is the Grenier brand.

Hope this helps

Marilyn

31 replies

Add to the discussion

Search

Join

Connect

You