Big changes...

[Dogmama]

What great changes you've made this year! I, too, know women who have had that done & never looked back.

You'll be climbing in the drops before you know it. And you get to go SHOPPING!! Do any of your old sweaters, etc., fit?

[Bike Goddess]

BikerZ- You really are an inspiration! I was so excited when you told your "Bears" story. And your metric... and the list goes on and on. To be brave enough to do the surgery says a lot about who you are and what you aspire to be. I look forward to meeting you again on the road one of these days when you are back on your bike!!!

Meanwhile, heal, and enjoy the moment!

[snowtulip]

Great job Z!! You are too funny, since you said it was like having a cat onyour chest I thought I'd try it with my cat (she wasn't happy), but I can see how it would be difficult. Wishing you speedy recovery!

[bikerz]

Hey Snap - thanks for the Victoria's secret link!

I'm supposed to be in a surgical bra for 2-3 weeks night and day, but the bra the hospital sent me home with could double as a torture device, and the surgeon said ditch it and use an old sports bra - well... we have a bit of a bra crisis here now - nothing fits!! I think I'll have to brave the elements and head out somewhere tomorrow to try and pick up one or two (but I think we'll start out at Sears - I'm not quite ready for VS!)

Trek - thanks for the reminder about the boobage clearance thread - that was hilarous the first time I read it, and fun to see again.

[tomgrrrl]

Congratulations.....I'm sure your recovery will be swift and sure! See you on the backroads soon!

Ellen

[jobob]

Z, you might want to check REI or Title Nine Sports (there's a Title Nine in Berkeley) - they both carry the Moving Comfort brand of sports bras which are very nice ( well, to be honest I can only vouch for my end of the spectrum on that ... ) and I'm pretty sure REI at least also carries Panagonia, which V. speaks very highly of. Happy shopping!

[Lise]

Congratulations, Z! I am so happy for you. I'm in the less than surgical candidate dept--I wear a 36D, now that I've lost 30#--but still, they (the boobs) can be annoying. I'd really prefer a C, but hey, it's hardly a medical problem! I know women who have suffered so very much, like you, and their lives are transformed by the surgery.

I have found the Enell bra to be the best, most supportive sports bra ever. Everything else still leaves me with bounce, which = chest pain, not to mention embarassment. The Enell bra feels incredibly tight when I first put it on, but I adjust. It snaps down the front, like a short vest. It chafes if I don't use Body Glide at the bottom of the snaps. Other than that, I love it. I feel very secure in it, and I don't feel like it just pushes my boobs off to the side, like other bras. Try googling "Enell bra". Title 9 sells the same bra for the same price, but I can't remember what they call it.

Best wishes with your recovery, and happy shopping!!!

Lise

ps: Snap, love the Santa cap on your avatar!

[mary9761]

I'm so GLAD you were able to take this step. Even after losing 100 pounds, I'm wearing the same 50DDD bras [having trouble finding bras to get the opportunity to try new size, and FORGET ABOUT finding SPORTS BRAS] and unfortunately the only big difference is having lost the weight in the CHEST area. Now the actual boobage is more ackward than ever since at this rate they will literally soon be at my waist. I took the straps up on one of the bras to hike the girls up, but the weight just pulls the back of the bra up my back, they're higher, but watch out when those puppies are unfurled.. When I gain weight, one of the first places I gain is my chest and also the LAST place I lose. I've had back aches all my life even BEFORE I fell down the 13 steps in '88.
Definitely be sure to wear a bra as long as the doc tells you necessary though. I had a lumpectomy in my left breast a couple years ago [thankfully benign] and the doc told me to be sure to wear a bra 24/7 for I believe it was 6 weeks. OMG when the bra came off [this was before the weight loss so you can image how heavy they were] PAIN!!! I could hardly wait to get the bra BACK ON.. I HATE bras otherwise.
Good luck on your recovery and enjoy your new smaller breasts when they heal.

[latelatebloomer]

Speedy healing and happy renovated body, BikerZ! i work with a woman who JUST had this done, and there's a world of difference just in the way she stands and walks - and now she hopes to get more fit, now that she can finally move around!! The only thing she complained about was discomfort due to trying to return to work too quickly - but she has a physically strenuous job. I commend your courage, too. what a great 2006 you're gonna have!

[bikerz]

I have found the Enell bra to be the best, most supportive sports bra ever. Everything else still leaves me with bounce, which = chest pain, not to mention embarassment. The Enell bra feels incredibly tight when I first put it on, but I adjust. It snaps down the front, like a short vest. It chafes if I don't use Body Glide at the bottom of the snaps. Other than that, I love it. I feel very secure in it, and I don't feel like it just pushes my boobs off to the side, like other bras. Try googling "Enell bra". Title 9 sells the same bra for the same price, but I can't remember what they call it.

Lise, you're right about the Enell - I have a size 4 and 5 - the 5 started being too big over the summer, and I think the 4 is too big now - I'm a little nervous to try the size 4 now because it is like donning battle armor! - Mary - you might have some luck with the Enell - I think Title 9 only sells as large as a size 4 - I ordered from Women's Sports Specialties http://www.womens-sports.com/EnellSportsBra.htm.

[mary9761]

Lise, you're right about the Enell - I have a size 4 and 5 - the 5 started being too big over the summer, and I think the 4 is too big now - I'm a little nervous to try the size 4 now because it is like donning battle armor! - Mary - you might have some luck with the Enell - I think Title 9 only sells as large as a size 4 - I ordered from Women's Sports Specialties http://www.womens-sports.com/EnellSportsBra.htm.

It looks like even THEY BARELY have one that would fit [when they have them in stock]

[Irulan]

just a thought - if you need basic sports bras just for general comfort and support during the recovery process, why not head over to some place like Target and pick up a few of the 2/$20 variety?

[SadieKate]

I took the straps up on one of the bras to hike the girls up, but the weight just pulls the back of the bra up my back . . .

I grew up in an era when you were fitted for bras. I was taught that if the back hikes up, the barrel of the bra is too large. Your cup size may be staying the same, but the circumference below (ribcage only) has probably shrunk. I don't know in your size, but generally you buy a bra with a letter cup size larger as you go down in ribcage/barrel measurement (at least in the olden days). For instance, the cup sizes of a 32D used to equal a 34C (but not always). Bras seem to be made a little differently now and each has its own quirks, but you should be able to solve the back hiking up with a smaller barrel measurement.

Sadie "hates to buy bras" Kate

PS - Let me tell you about the last business trip when I arrived and my luggage didn't. And I traveled in a casual skort.

[SadieKate]

Oop, adding a note that Mervyn's usually has a decent selection and I think they carry inexpensive sport bras.

[mary9761]

I grew up in an era when you were fitted for bras. I was taught that if the back hikes up, the barrel of the bra is too large. Your cup size may be staying the same, but the circumference below (ribcage only) has probably shrunk. I don't know in your size, but generally you buy a bra with a letter cup size larger as you go down in ribcage/barrel measurement (at least in the olden days). For instance, a 32D used to equal a 34C (but not always). Bras seem to be made a little differently now and each has its own quirks, but you should be able to solve the back hiking up with a smaller barrel measurement.

Sadie "hates to buy bras" Kate

PS - Let me tell you about the last business trip when I arrived and my luggage didn't. And I traveled in a casual skort.

I've never been fitted for a bra in my entire life and I've been wearing one since I was at LEAST 10 years old. I wore a 36C in the 6th grade at age 10. The girls never had a trainer, they went straight from nothing to "OMG WHERE'D THOSE THINGS COME FROM!!" Made for growing up way too fast unfortunately in too many ways.
The trouble I'm running into is to find my size [DDD cups are hard to come by in the store] to try for fit, I have to go online AND I have NO option on bargain OR pretty bras. I have a feeling I'm in between sizes because I'd bought a size that I thought would fit better in a DD and the cups don't hold right. UGH too snug.. I'm almost afraid to know what size I REALLY NEEDED if the 50DDD didn't fit right and is all stretched out.
I don't even know of a shop anywhere around here to really be fitted right even if they sold the right size. Oh, well, eventually I'll get into something that fits again.