Ladies--bra, underwear in hospital??

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OK...I'm getting down to the nitty gritty. I didn't expect to wear a bra in the hospital, but I see some of you did. I tried on a camisole with a shelf bra and also a sport bra and find them difficult to get into....tight and roll up on me! Regular bra? Closure in front or back? (I will have a husband at home who can do back closures if I can't)....and on the bottom? underpants, flannel pajama bottoms? How long do you keep the catheter? Anything else? Thanks in advance. This forum is great!
Pat
 
Pat,

I didn't wear a bra in the hospital. I'm a 38C & had no problems. Remember that you will have incision right where the band rests between the girls. It can be very uncomfortable to have anything rubbing on it no matter how they close you up.

As far as underwear, whatever you're comfortable with. In my case, they had the catheter out real quick. The docs want you up and walking in a couple of days, and a cath is a real hinderance (plus a possible source of infection).
 
I found the best bras to wear after my first surgery and was I ever happy I had held onto them and was able to use them after my second surgery four years later.

I am amply endowed but while in Mass General they didn't have me wear any bra or support. I ordered from www.onehanesplace.com when I got home. They are by Barely There light weight, easy to pull on, all stretch with no hooks or underwire. Very comfortable and gentle on incision. (The Item No. is 898NP and price is about $7.00 each.) Just enough support to be comfortable.

I now wear them when we fly as they don't beep when going through security. Some underwires will bring a beep.
 
I didn't wear a bra for the first 5 days or so post surgery, but the nurse coordinator suggested that I purchase one as the breasts will pull on the incision (regardless of breast size :)).

A family member found a relatively inexpensive bra at Walmart -$10 ( no underwires, soft material and coolmax-so wicks away the sweat, nice and soft and opens in the front with clips so it was easy to put on). For the first while, I only used the top clip as the other clips put too much pressure on the incision.

FWIW, I brought my own comfy underwear and nice PJ's that had a button up top (changed into this after day 5 - first few days, I used the hospital gown).
 
I had a binder on when I came out of surgery. Then the 2nd morning we put on my bra. I bought some front closure sports bras for $7 at Walmart. They suggested I wear a bra 24/7 for the first few weeks. I changed into my normal bras after about 3 weeks, still wearing the sports bras at night until about 4 weeks post op. I tucked a folded up 4X4 under the bottom of the bra where it comes into contact with my incision, in fact I am still tucking something there 6 weeks out. I wore "boy shorts" underwear while in the hospital and my own capri pj pants and v-neck pj tops/t-shirts, after my 1st shower on the tele floor. I brought a robe and a pair of slip on sandals that I could wear with socks. All my lines (except for 1 IV), chest tubes and foley came out on the morning of day 3 post op, right before I was to go to the tele floor.

Hope this helps...Good luck to you.
Kerri
 
I didn't wear a bra at all until several days after I was discharged from the hospital. Once I finally put one on, I didn't find it uncomfortable. As far as the cath, I kept mine for a longer than normal time I think because I had so much drainage from my chest tubes that they couldn't pull them and so I had so much hardware to roll into the bathroom with me it was just a real hassle. I was ok keeping mine in. I think they finally took it out about day 6 or so. Obviously I didn't need any underwear due to that and even though I pack pj's, I just found it easier to stay in the hospital gown.
 
Well, I've been thru 3 OHS's and no bra during my hospital stay for any of them. The gown is fine, and you can get a 2nd one to wear as a 'robe' while you're there. I also wore the pant bottoms but not this last time, as I was too hot for the most part and so just had my husband bring my panties to me.
My catheter was removed pretty quickly all 3 times. It was strange to wear a bra at home for the 1st time, many days after I got home. I had lost weight and it didn't fit too well. So, my daughter drove me to VS to get a smaller one until I gained my weight back!
 
I woke up with a "Surgical Vest" on! It was recommended that I wear it for a month, (which I did), I also bought front closure bra's (for home) with the hook and eye to change to while the vest was being washed...they were softer and held them together for sleeping.
In the hospital you will probably only wear the standard issue gowns, they are easier for the staff to get at you..I asked them for the largest one so nothing was showing and I was able to wrap it around me!
 
The nurses ordered me a bra made for surgery patients. It didn't really have a lot of support as it was one size fits all and it velcro'd all over. The straps, the front...ALL of it. I still have it, but don't wear it. I started wearing my own a few weeks out of surgery.

Mileena
 
I wore a hospital gown while hospitalized, a nightgown when I got out. I didn't wear a bra while in the hospital. Got some camisole tops w/ shelf bras at Costco to wear after I got out. It was summer, so I could get away with that; in the winter, you'd freeze!
I had a short, snap-up seersucker robe for the hospital.
 
I never wore a bra in the hospital nor did I get out of the hospital gowns. I had two surgeries and was opened twice in 12 hours and nobody said anything about a bra. My chest was so sore that I didn't wear one until I started cardiac rehab at 6 weeks. My catheter was in for about 10 days so no panties either. I packed a bag for the hospital and my poor husband carried it back and forth for few days. I never used any of it except for the hairbrush, toothbrush and deodorant. I finally told him to leave the bag home. I even wore the hospital slipper socks because of the rubber grippers since the last thing you want to do is fall. Everybody heals differently. They wouldn't let me shower until about day 8 because I still had so many iv tubes in my neck. The hair salons now sell some really nice dry shampoos and I wish I had one since I felt so disgusting. Definitely bring a chapstick! I blew up with so much water that they were very stingy with the ice chips and I was dying of thirst. A doctor said I could suck on sugar free candy! It helped a little with the thirst which was horrible!
 
I was told to wear a bra 24/7 after surgery and I did. You just need one that is comfortable. The nurses said it didn't matter what kind as long as it worked. The hospital provided a special bra for OHS patients too. To cut down on the rubbing of the bra/band on your incision, wrap gauze around the bra band edge. I did that for weeks and it worked great.
 
I didn't bother with a bra while in hospital or for the first few weeks at home - but then I don't have much to brag about, so it wasn't much of an issue. I did buy some stretchy tank-tops with thin straps which I found I could "step" into (rather than trying to put them on over my head) and pull into place. They fit snugly and were very comfortable to sleep in. I also had a pair of baggy PJ pants with a draw string waist - again, they were very easy to step into and they could be as loose as was comfortable.
 
I had a chest binder while in hospital. Before I went into hospital i bought some cheap sports bras and cut the underwires out of them to use when I got home. They were comfortable and just gave enough support
 
They should give you a surgery bra! it feels so good along with your pillow. Nothing you have to put over your head button down the front loose pj's! Soft, along with house shoes, eye drops, chap stick and a mirror hair brush and if your hair is long something to tie it up with. God Bless!
 
I keep hearing about the "dirty hair" stories and already bought some of those stretchy headbands to pull my bangs off of my face. They get pretty oily in just 24 hours so it'll help hide them and keep them out of my eyes.
 
Well since it has come up....one of the WORST things to me about the hospital stay was the no shower thing. I begged and begged and then I got mad. I refused to walk the halls until they let me shower. I know they may have their reasons....but I felt so much better once I had a shower and washed my hair. I had to wait until all the tubes were out, and they kept telling me they didn't want me without the monitor on and I couldnt shower with it. So, I stopped walking!:D

I don't recommend it but it worked!

Mileena
 
There is a really great waterless shampoo that I found at my local Sally shop. You can also find it online at their site. I also found out from a nurse that they have something similar to baby wipes for adults at most hospitals. I took my own last time. Its not a shower,,but,if you can wash your face,brush your teeth,wash your hair and privates,you can feel human for the day.
 
Mass General was outstanding about keeping me clean both my surgeries. I can't imagine nurses not seeing to it their patients are clean.

My first surgery, I had cath and tubes which prevented me from shower the first few days but the nurses fully washed me morning and evening with bed baths/basins. As soon as possible, they let me shower and wash my hair.

Second surgery, they wrapped with plastic bags whatever they didn't want getting wet and nurse had me in the shower very soon post op. She stayed in bath with me but I was able to wash myself and shampoo.

I couldn't stand to not be cleaned up. What kind of nurses allow their patients to go unwashed. :eek: That's basic nuring care IMO
 
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