Wearing post surgery bra after masectomy then reconstruction ?

franji50

Hi, I just came out of hospital 2 days ago after a right breast masectomy and reconstruction with implant. My left breast also had a small implant too. I had high grade dcis in my right breast.  I am very confused about wearing a post surgery bra as I only had the berlei bra sent to me at home and saw a breast care once while in hospital who quickly showed me the bra.  Since being home, I have purchased one more post surgery Berlei bra and 2 white Amoena bras. 
I wasn't given any advice on how long a day I should be wearing a bra now. Do I wear it 24 hours a day ? I had one on a few hours today and it felt like it was enough. It felt a little tight across under the cup of the breast where it is tender. So not sure if this is ok ?
But I am not really sure what I am doing or if it is ok to just go free and easy while I am resting at home ? Or is it better to wear a bra and for how long ? How tight should it feel under the cups ?
I am surprised that no there is no post home visit to see how you are going 
Appreciate any advice as I am feeling lost. Thankyou

kmakm

Hi @franji50. Basically you do what feels comfortable as long as you don't have too much pressure or rubbing on wound sites. If it's more comfortable to go bra free, do it. I ended up wearing the Berlei bra 24/7 for about 40 days after my lumpectomy & re-excision. After my BMX and recon I don't wear underwire bras as they're too uncomfortable on my drain scars. Even the wireless bug me and I often wear the crop top type. Though they don't give me good shape!

Don't stress. As long as you're comfortable you're OK. K xox

Silba

Franji50

Hi
 check with the hospital , I had a community nurse come at home for 4 days till the drains come out and they were wonderful in going through all the bras and crop top and what not.

 I had a bilateral mastectomy with no reconstruction , but I couldn't stand to have anything rubbing around the cut areas.

 If your comfortable going bra free for a while at least at home do it, don't stress let everything heal .

primek

I wore my amoena bra 24/7 for at least 3 weeks if not longer. After 3 weeks I started off in bed without then put it on overnight as it hurt too much iff for too long. It gets better.

socoda

Hi @franji50, I had a single mastectomy with immediate recon using an implant and my surgeon told me that I had to wear a bra 24/7 for at least a couple of months. I bought extra berlei ones and used them but after six months swapped of a night time to a yoga bra. My surgeon wanted me to ensure I had support for the implant of a night time and I still use the night bra (almost 3 years later) cause I figure I went through the whole exercise of getting an implant straight away so I want it to remain the best it can be for as long as possible - whether that actually makes any sense or difference doesn't matter to me, I suppose it's like a security blanket but it's a bra.  My breast care nurse advised me that if I was feeling tender along the scar line to use a dressing folded up (or a sanitary pad would work) and placed under the band of the bra to provide some cushioning and it's amazing the difference that made to my comfort. I kept that up until it felt better which was a couple of weeks. Hope you feel less tender soon. Xx