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Posted 1/20/2009 6:47 PM (GMT 0)
Thinking back over postings concerning the wearing of clothes, and the pain involved...I have a question about "unmentionables"...oops, there I go mentioning them ...lol rolleyes

For most of us a bra is the most uncomfortable piece of 'gear' ever invented. And the larger we are the worse it is! Have often thought of reduction surgery but at this point in my life it's out of the question. So, how to be comfortable when you 'have to' wear that contraption. I've considered looking into a sleep bra for some comfort. Can't do any wires or stiffening...those are way too painful. Anyone else have some ideas, thoughts or comments???

8-)
Chutzie shocked
Posted 1/20/2009 7:10 PM (GMT 0)

Chutzie...you are afraid to use the word 'bra' on this forum...haven't you read some of our posts...LOL!

I am hear to declare for the first time ever that I have not worn a bra since the early 70's as I am an old hippie and how 'uncool' it was to be caught wearing one of those nasty contraptions back then.  I don't 'have much' so it doesn't really matter.  If I HAVE to wear one now, like to a wedding, or when the Queen comes for tea, the stupid thing drives me insane.  I have MANY times gone into a restroom and taken it off, just recently at some political function hubby made me go to.  I do own one sports bra for emergency situations.

Sorry, I wish I had some better advice.  Maybe the members that have 'something' to hold up can give you ideas.  I know just wearing a shirt with a collar drives me nuts so I can't imagine what you fibromites go through with a bra!

"The answer, my  friend, is blowin' in the wind...the answer is blowin' in the wind!"

Huggies

donna

Posted 1/20/2009 7:29 PM (GMT 0)
Chutzie, Chutzie, Chutzie......I feel ya lady. :-)

I LOATH wearing a bra since I have been living with FM. When I am having increased pain around my ribs or shoulders I will wear a sports bra, the biggest one I could get so far. Doesn't breath all that well but at least they ain't swingin' at work. When I get home its the first thing that ever comes off. I am a F or G, can't remember. So I needs lots of support. At work when my shoulders hurt I will pull the straps down off of my shoulders for awhile or their has been times when I can't even take the pressure around my ribs when I'm wearing a "nice" supportive bra, that I will undo the back and put my jacket or sweater on to hide any strange bulges or movements.

I haven''t figured anything "creative" or something to lessen my load. I definitely can't get a reduction, for one thing I can't afford it and it scares me to do something like that. Of course my hubby loves them so he is not put off by me walking around the house or even the store without one. (God forbid I ever do the later, but only when I maybe go to the drug store real quick.)

Hugs,
Lori
Posted 1/20/2009 7:30 PM (GMT 0)
hmmmmmm....not being overly "gifted" in that area...LOLOL  shhhhhh Donna!!!!  Some drug stores (in Canada) carry a product that is soft and subtle...that you can place under your breasts..to make them...ahemmmm....."perkier"....if you can find those..and a sports bra...you would be so comfy Chutz.  Now..I am talking about a lady that wears only a "c" cup.  Hope this helps, if not..why cant you consider reduction??  Up here..if reduction is a medical condition..it is covered by the health services.

 

Hugs

Diane

Posted 1/20/2009 7:38 PM (GMT 0)
I wear a sports bra that hooks in front. No underwires or anything painful. I do wear a bra every day. Those of you that don't wear one all the time--are you so youthful that you don't have any (Ahem) drooping? Diane
Posted 1/20/2009 10:54 PM (GMT 0)
Check out "Decent Exposures" Their bras are very comfortable (kinda expensive though) and don't give you the mono-boob look that a sports bra does.
Posted 1/20/2009 11:01 PM (GMT 0)
I wear only camisoles that are wonderful. I found a brand that doesn't ride up or cut me at all. Then I can just put a tee on or wrap sweater with total comfort in the house. Love them. Now I tried a couple that restrained me and I chucked them right out. worth a shot!!! Patsie

p.s. girl, they make them nice and big too LOL
Posted 1/21/2009 12:31 AM (GMT 0)
i thought that i was the only one who couldn't stand wearing a bra with a wire or something else!!!
im pretty small (an A), so i wear a bra without the wire or any extra padding really. it just forms on it's own to your body. i've found that ok, but wearing a bra still bothers me sometimes, but oh, well, i guess i'll just have to deal with it

im not sure if there is one near you, but by me, there is a store that just sells bras, and they fit them for you and they have so many different kinds, especially some without wires or anything.


-Aliza
Posted 1/21/2009 1:33 AM (GMT 0)
Ladies, I hear ya and I feel your pain. When I was younger and didn't have "enough" to be bothered wearing a bra it really didn't matter that much.  However, time, weight and gravity have taken a terrible toll.  Tried the sports bra thing, not enough support.  Don't like lots of padding, too hot.  Underwire? Horror of horrors. Or so I thought.  I found that I get great support out of an underwire, even if I remove the stupid wire.  I just cut a small slit at one end of the wire and pull it out, then stitch up the small hole left behind.  Even without the wire they have more support than the ones you buy without the wires.

Posted 1/21/2009 6:41 AM (GMT 0)
I thought I was the only one who found bras the most uncomfortable thing in the world. I wear one because I have to, NEVER because I want to. By the time I get home from a 12 hour day at work I am bearly in the front door before it comes off. I hug my little guy, kiss my hubby and loose the bra and shoes. Some days I can't stand the feel of anything on my body, and thought I was just strange................never would have dreamed it was part of the fribro, but it makes perfect sense. thanks for enlightening me. If I find something comfy I will be sure to share.
Posted 1/21/2009 4:43 PM (GMT 0)
Getting some great ideas here...but the bonus, for me anyway, is that we are all finding out we're not alone in this dilemma....especially those of us with more to carry than we would like.

The reason for no reduction surgery is that I have so many other health issues it would be very difficult to manage everything. And at my age plus with the fibro I would imagine that a surgery of that type would wreak havoc on this body worse than just dealing with the bra issue. Wish I had done it 20 years ago when I was much younger and healthier. Ah well.... rolleyes

Anyone have other suggestions where to find larger sleep bras or camies?

Thanks,
Chutzie
Posted 1/21/2009 4:53 PM (GMT 0)

Hey Chutzie.. I have the same problem.  I'm not sure but maybe Fredricks of Hollywood might have something.  They have large size stuff and they certainly have just about any kind of undies you could imagine.

Just a thought!

Posted 1/21/2009 5:01 PM (GMT 0)
Believe it or not I found great camies at Victorias Secret, very ample. Think about it the angels are very well proportioned hehehehe!!!! Patsie
Posted 1/21/2009 5:38 PM (GMT 0)
I live in Canada and we have Costco here. They have these little....hmmm...not sure what to call them. They're like a spaghetti-strap stretchy t-shirt with "built in" bra-ish-thing. No support mind you, but I don't care most days. (I'm a D-cup) I can put them on by stepping into them too. I can't handle getting sports bras on or even doing up a regular bra most days.

I'm booked for a double-mastectomy-reconstruction in 3 weeks' time (waited almost 5 years for this) Woo hoo! [I had breast cancer at only 37 so I really don't want to get it again]) My breasts will be a B cup after the surgery and they'll be "higher" my plastic surgeon said...lol....but gravity will still work its wonders on them - just with a 50-year head start.

Anyway, go for the Costco undershirt-thingy!
Posted 1/21/2009 6:14 PM (GMT 0)
I have hated the torture devices since my mother handed me the first one and told me I had to wear it. Then like Donna, the 70s came and I threw everyone of them away, sad thing was I was skinny and you really couldn't tell if I had one on or not. Yeah, I nursed my sons and they got smaller with each one. With weight gain over the years I do wear a B cup. That is one thing I do like about winter I don't have to put a bra on unless it is a special occasion. I dress in layers a lot which helps even more. In the summer it is over sized sports bras that kinda hang there to cover them up and that is when I'm going out.

 

My heart goes out to all you with large breast. To me it would be just more to hurt. I have seen in magazines these sleeping bras I think they are called that are real stretchy, I have no idea how much support they would give.

 

luv and hugs

Marlee

Posted 1/21/2009 7:10 PM (GMT 0)

Oh, wow, I can certainly understand this issue. Whenever I'm home, that's the first thing that comes off. Luckily, my husband doesn't mind - but I have breastfed 2 children, so the girls are not as perky as they once were.

I have still not found a solution to this problem and I have to wear one of these horrible things every day for work. I'm only a 'c', but having had children means that I cannot comfortably go bra-less in public without a sweatshirt or something on (and even then...). I have tried cami's and built-in-bra tanks, but they are not flattering at all. So, I wear a regular old underwire and by mid-day, I'm about ready to cry.

If anyone here has some good ideas for this, I am all ears too (thanks, Chutz for bringing it up).

Patsi- what are the brands of cami's that you found?
Posted 1/21/2009 8:19 PM (GMT 0)
Kerri,

I said Victorias Secret and believe me they are very flattering. some have lace along the bodice and at the bottom. They have ample sizing and very sexy, not that that is my major concern!!!! They are very loose on the shelf bra, if you pick right and soooo comfortable. Now some you are always tugging the bra part down ugh! don't get those. fit is the key.

Patsie

Hey maybe I will go get a new one for kicks!!!

Dear Schultzhund (sp),

I am so sorry to hear about your upcoming surgery. I had breast surgery one year ago Feb and have done very well. I will so be thinking about you. Please let me know how you fare!!?

With many hugs, Patsie
Posted 1/21/2009 8:36 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Patsie - thanks for the support. Sorry my ID name is hard to spell! (good try - no "L" though)....Schutzhund is a type of dog training for German Shepherds - the kind the police use. We train our dogs with the police officers but we only do it for sport. It's all 3 of obedience, tracking and protection work. The dogs love it!

Sorry didn't mean to derail your thread, Shutz!

Kerry - thanks for the name: "built-in-bra tanks" Ya! That's what they are. Anyway, they work for me for now.
Posted 1/21/2009 8:43 PM (GMT 0)
Oh Schutz, derailment again,


I have heard of this somewhere. Is it a training procedure I might apply to my Standard Poodle? He is right at the pre-teen stage and in so much need of good training. He is so very smart as I am sure you know. I simply LOVE German Shepherds but cannot mange with the shedding. Magnificent dogs!!!!!

Thanks, Patsie
Posted 1/21/2009 9:13 PM (GMT 0)
Poodles are very smart and do well in obedience training. If he's energetic you can try Agility training which is super-fun. Poodles don't do very well in protection and I don't think they're much of trackers but I believe people used to use them in field training of some sort - hence the funky hairdo!
Posted 1/22/2009 3:50 AM (GMT 0)
Walmart sells large size sports bras, I buy them larger than I need so they aren't tight around the ribcage. I still end up with the mono-boob look but they keep the girls still when I do yoga.

They also sell the built in shelf camis for a really cheap price. They may not be in season now but by March, you should be able to find them. I bought some that were very comfortable and very supportive for under $10.00. Some even have adjustable straps which helps a lot. I haven't gotten the nerve to wear one without a bra to work. I work in an elementary school and never know when I'll be bending over or even practically upside-down.
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