HelloI have had a mascetomy last August and reconstruction nov and again August having huge problems with tightness hardness uncomfortable to wear a bra gets very sore my whole breast just doesn't feel righthave expressed this with surgeon and breast nurse say they can see it but don't really give me a answer have been to support groups but don't seem to find anyone that can relate to meThe last support group suggested I try online for some answers is there anyone who can relate to some of things that are happening to me?

What type of reconstruction did you have.?I personally hated the berlei bra...it rolled up and was just too tight.I was fitted post op with an amoena bra...very comfy. I have bought quite a few since and slept in it for 6 weeks. I still wear them now 3 years on occasion and prefer them to most sports bras. They also come in black and colours. I wore them well over a year and on occasion a aaah bra.https://erilan.com.au/collections/mastectomy-bras/products/copy-of-amoena-frances-mastectomy-bra-nudeTarget also sell one...this is new and looks similar.https://www.target.com.au/p/post-surgery-wirefree-bra-style-cn2189cw/60381866I quite like the previous one but this looks good.I can now wear a tshirt wire bra but it took me probably a year to feel okay. When I gain weight now I have more fat on the side and as I have an implant recon it doesn't drop forward like a natural breast. I have found I need to physically pull this side boob into the cup now.You could remove the wires if you need.My breasts felt very hard for over a year. My breast surgeon showed me to basically squeeze the breast gently to help the muscle soften and relax. They become tight when I exercise and I need to remember to drop my shoulders and relax my chest wall. Also I wear a D cup even though I'm probably a C cup. I fill tbe D cup but it gives me a tiny bit more width with no pressure on reconstruction area.Target also sell a non wired Tshirt bra. Plus lots of other wire free bras.https://www.target.com.au/p/soft-comfort-wirefree-bra-style-cn4-7gv/59259299I actually started with a non wire maternity bra initially (after the post op bra then proceeded to a normal one. I sort if thought them as training bras again.I hope this helps.

@KayeMarie24 Did you have implants or autologous reconstruction? And did you have radiation. I know the statistics of capsular contracture is as high as 30% for a patient who had had radiation done before. It is with certainty that all breast implants even in healthy non cancer related, cosmetic augmentation will develop a capsule. But with radiation it is even higher.

@KayeMarie24 I'm just over 12 months post single mastectomy with immediate over-the-muscle implant recon. For day-to-day I wear an 'Ah Bra' style crop top bra from Kmart (they come in a 2 pack). It has removable padding which disguised the fact that one boob is missing a nipple and are super soft and comfy.The whole armpit area is still sensitive. I've been told this is because of the number of nerves there that have been impacted by both the removal of sentinel nodes plus the stitching on of the mesh that supports the implant. I do think my scarring/capsule has contracted a little on the armpit side, so I massage the whole area with moisturiser regularly and it's not getting any worse.For a night out/with a strappy sundries I got some cheap wireless t-shirt bras from BigW. As someone else mentioned, I had to remove the hard plastic bit from the side seam. But the edge of the cup (which is moulded) was still pushing into the most sensitive part under my arm. So I cut it away further and overlocked it. I hope this photo shows how it got rid of all the thick edge binding as well as making it sit low and away from the sensitive area.

Hi Otto I found that many bras even special mastectomy ones have plastic stays in side seams that aggravated side of chest wall and where I know I get lymphoedema issues. So I remove any stays that rubAlso very important to get a bra fitted by expert . I have not had recon Bra fitting is always affected by changes to manufacturing style and weight gain.So important to find a specialist mastectomy fitterOthers here will perhaps discuss internal scarring due to recon All the bestBright in hope

Hellothankyou for answering have been fitted by someone who says she specialises in mascetomy and the bras I bought are murder have tried all sorts and have just bought from berlei a post surgery one and still find it uncomfortable my breast gets very firm through the day and becomes very sore have been doing exercises that I have been told to do but isn't helping at allit feels terrible and don't seem to find someone similar or get a answer

Trouble with reconstruction | BCNA Online Network

StrongCoffee
Member
3 years ago
Hi @au0rei, yes the mesh was part of the surgery. They didn't decide to go over the muscle until after the mastectomy part of the surgery was done, then they could see I still had some good padding under the skin.
To support the implant, they create a sling for it using titanium mesh (safe for MRIs, Xray, etc). This is stitched on to the surface of the chest muscles to hold it in place.
You can't feel it, but it can be seen on an ultrasound. As I mentioned previously, there's quite a bit of stitching on the armpit side, as that's where gravity wants to take the impact, so it needs lots of support.
Best of luck with your upcoming surgery. I have posted my story in the Choosing Reconstruction group on here, it is titled "Immediate Over the Muscle implant Reconstruction" (or similar) if you want to look to have an idea of what to expect from the surgery.
au0rei
Member
3 years ago
Hi @StrongCoffee thank you for sharing. Could I know if the mesh that you were talking about the 'internal bra' or some ACM that the surgeon uses to support the implant? I am going to have an implant done as well, also most likely over the muscle. Thank you. xx
StrongCoffee
Member
3 years ago
This is the bra I butchered - nice and cheap, so wasn't stressed if it didn't work.
StrongCoffee
Member
3 years ago
@KayeMarie24 I'm just over 12 months post single mastectomy with immediate over-the-muscle implant recon. For day-to-day I wear an 'Ah Bra' style crop top bra from Kmart (they come in a 2 pack). It has removable padding which disguised the fact that one boob is missing a nipple and are super soft and comfy.

The whole armpit area is still sensitive. I've been told this is because of the number of nerves there that have been impacted by both the removal of sentinel nodes plus the stitching on of the mesh that supports the implant. I do think my scarring/capsule has contracted a little on the armpit side, so I massage the whole area with moisturiser regularly and it's not getting any worse.

For a night out/with a strappy sundries I got some cheap wireless t-shirt bras from BigW. As someone else mentioned, I had to remove the hard plastic bit from the side seam. But the edge of the cup (which is moulded) was still pushing into the most sensitive part under my arm. So I cut it away further and overlocked it. I hope this photo shows how it got rid of all the thick edge binding as well as making it sit low and away from the sensitive area.
au0rei
Member
3 years ago
@KayeMarie24 Did you have implants or autologous reconstruction? And did you have radiation. I know the statistics of capsular contracture is as high as 30% for a patient who had had radiation done before. It is with certainty that all breast implants even in healthy non cancer related, cosmetic augmentation will develop a capsule. But with radiation it is even higher.
KayeMarie24
Member
3 years ago
Hi otto1234, Just wondering how you are doing now as it is now June 2021.
Have read these posts as I too have some similar issues, mine is very early days after construction after a tissue expander. Have you had any of your problems resolved? Hope so.
otto1234
Member
6 years ago
Thankyou for answering
it certainly helps to hear finally others that are having problems too
nearly getting to the stage of not wearing a bra its hurts way too much
also experiencing hard tube like feeling that exercising doesn't seem
to help
has anyone had that??
my breast in different spots hurts and it just feels awful
the surgeon and breast nurse say to give it 12 months??!!! But lot of my friends are saying to get 2nd opinion??
but not sure on that
can anyone give their comment ?
JenniferW
Member
6 years ago
Hey petal
I have probs too. Battling with a couple of sernoma (cysts) these are painful and popped up after surgery. I too am on my second op. The first set of implants I encapsulated pretty much immediately. I was so looking forward to all my woes ending with this surgery..... just over it at the mo but will bounce back again one day soon.
Might be worth asking???
Hope you feel better. Sending good wishes for you. J x
StarGirl
Member
6 years ago
I have given up on bras altogether. They are all too painful. I only wear tradie crops now. No fastenings at all (I step in and out but you could pull it over your head) and hardly any seams. I am 12 months post mastectomy. No recon yet. I am waiting for it to stop hurting. I feel like all the other bras even so-called post mastectomy ones are too tight and sit too high. And front fastenings hurt!
otto1234
Member
6 years ago
Thankyou for your help
have had a implant first that my surgeon put in the muscle which was terrible so have had another op and she has put the implant on top of the muscle
have bought different sirts of bras have been fitted by a mascetomy specialist but still have huge ptoblems
the hardness is awful having been doing exercises and was told to buy a spiked ball and roll around the breast which I have been doing but not helping
thankyou for those sites will go to target and the other site and try