[breast4success]

Is the size 4 dome mean that you will develop to a D cup? Conversely #3 = C cup, #2 = B cup and so on?

No, it doesn't. 

They're just different size domes for different size breasts and to accommodate for the temporary swelling.

[here2learn]

Hi all! You'll never guess what happened today.

My pump broke. Again.

It died the same way that the first one did. Out of nowhere, it began sputtering every time it tried to evacuate air. Then, it just stopped. I called EveBra for troubleshooting and we could not get it working. They mentioned it was fine to run it for many continuous hours as I have been and that it is fine to see sweat accumulate in the clear chamber. They want me to mail the pump back so that they can examine it, so I may be without it for some time.

I am flabbergasted that my pump has died again. I treat it so gingerly. I haven't even dropped it! I was 4 weeks in to this cycle and I had really gotten the hang of things, so it's super disappointing to meet this roadblock. I can get through my waking hours by airlocking it with a hair tie, but I am worried about sleeping without the pump... I tend to loose suction repeatedly overnight and I really rely on the pump to rescue me. In my panic, I have been searching Amazon for something that might help me get through the night. I can't afford to purchase an actual wound vac new. I'm going to give this a try:

https://www.amazon.com/Meifuly-Cupping-Therapy-Adjustable-Machines/dp/B095H3GMZ8/ref=sr_1_5?crid=290ZQPLCQG4EP&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.VndRMhnfEBgi2jhNlu53YJOAIQCmn7c_Hfhw9XrGiVwSSPsG1oMFjPeeD3LBOJH2cDC512EmLY7bLrxzKmETrZUT8ZmIM6UKhxrkTFOKncwhLZIGgwR1OpAqAgje-EyTFTcDlKiqDhKByNTwJ-OQaH0NnbRVA-VZoJOfYvmTB6J6vU8xh1ReUXgnxvCiLQCUPBrZ3p-vHf6ZUZ9wYTzpUdXAy7wWIj57SjC70KBaqJ4.mgdrN1jWD5f0_AijcvL0f9M-r2ZarhtEB1B-1KWCtrI&dib_tag=se&keywords=adjustable%2Bvacuum%2Bpump&qid=1708479214&sprefix=adjustable%2Bvacuum%2Bpump%2Caps%2C125&sr=8-5&th=1

But if you have any other ideas, I am all ears!

[breast4success]

Hi all! You'll never guess what happened today.

My pump broke. Again.

It died the same way that the first one did. Out of nowhere, it began sputtering every time it tried to evacuate air. Then, it just stopped. I called EveBra for troubleshooting and we could not get it working. They mentioned it was fine to run it for many continuous hours as I have been and that it is fine to see sweat accumulate in the clear chamber. They want me to mail the pump back so that they can examine it, so I may be without it for some time.

I am flabbergasted that my pump has died again. I treat it so gingerly. I haven't even dropped it! I was 4 weeks in to this cycle and I had really gotten the hang of things, so it's super disappointing to meet this roadblock. I can get through my waking hours by airlocking it with a hair tie, but I am worried about sleeping without the pump... I tend to loose suction repeatedly overnight and I really rely on the pump to rescue me. In my panic, I have been searching Amazon for something that might help me get through the night. I can't afford to purchase an actual wound vac new. I'm going to give this a try:

https://www.amazon.com/Meifuly-Cupping-Therapy-Adjustable-Machines/dp/B095H3GMZ8/ref=sr_1_5?crid=290ZQPLCQG4EP&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.VndRMhnfEBgi2jhNlu53YJOAIQCmn7c_Hfhw9XrGiVwSSPsG1oMFjPeeD3LBOJH2cDC512EmLY7bLrxzKmETrZUT8ZmIM6UKhxrkTFOKncwhLZIGgwR1OpAqAgje-EyTFTcDlKiqDhKByNTwJ-OQaH0NnbRVA-VZoJOfYvmTB6J6vU8xh1ReUXgnxvCiLQCUPBrZ3p-vHf6ZUZ9wYTzpUdXAy7wWIj57SjC70KBaqJ4.mgdrN1jWD5f0_AijcvL0f9M-r2ZarhtEB1B-1KWCtrI&dib_tag=se&keywords=adjustable%2Bvacuum%2Bpump&qid=1708479214&sprefix=adjustable%2Bvacuum%2Bpump%2Caps%2C125&sr=8-5&th=1

But if you have any other ideas, I am all ears!

That sucks! 

I've seen those Chinese pumps on Ebay as well and thought about buying one but I think they only work for 30 minutes at a time and I wasn't sure about the tubes fitting. They don't have good reviews on Amazon.

If you don't mind spending $120 to $140, you could afford the same DeRoyal pump I use on Ebay. There's a guy selling several of them right now and will take offers as well as bids on the auction. Lowest one is $116 and they all look like they are brand new in box and he'll take returns - albeit for 14 days. Wouldn't hurt to make an offer and maybe you won't need the eve pump since they keep breaking on you. 

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?item=186307336877&rt=nc&_trksid=p4429486.m3561.l161211&_ssn=dr.pals

Can't vouch for the seller since I bought mine from someone else but I'd trust ebay's /paypal's buyer protection rather than these Chinese sellers on Amazon.

[Blue792]

Hi all! You'll never guess what happened today.

My pump broke. Again.

It died the same way that the first one did. Out of nowhere, it began sputtering every time it tried to evacuate air. Then, it just stopped. I called EveBra for troubleshooting and we could not get it working. They mentioned it was fine to run it for many continuous hours as I have been and that it is fine to see sweat accumulate in the clear chamber. They want me to mail the pump back so that they can examine it, so I may be without it for some time.

I am flabbergasted that my pump has died again. I treat it so gingerly. I haven't even dropped it! I was 4 weeks in to this cycle and I had really gotten the hang of things, so it's super disappointing to meet this roadblock. I can get through my waking hours by airlocking it with a hair tie, but I am worried about sleeping without the pump... I tend to loose suction repeatedly overnight and I really rely on the pump to rescue me. In my panic, I have been searching Amazon for something that might help me get through the night. I can't afford to purchase an actual wound vac new. I'm going to give this a try:

https://www.amazon.com/Meifuly-Cupping-Therapy-Adjustable-Machines/dp/B095H3GMZ8/ref=sr_1_5?crid=290ZQPLCQG4EP&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.VndRMhnfEBgi2jhNlu53YJOAIQCmn7c_Hfhw9XrGiVwSSPsG1oMFjPeeD3LBOJH2cDC512EmLY7bLrxzKmETrZUT8ZmIM6UKhxrkTFOKncwhLZIGgwR1OpAqAgje-EyTFTcDlKiqDhKByNTwJ-OQaH0NnbRVA-VZoJOfYvmTB6J6vU8xh1ReUXgnxvCiLQCUPBrZ3p-vHf6ZUZ9wYTzpUdXAy7wWIj57SjC70KBaqJ4.mgdrN1jWD5f0_AijcvL0f9M-r2ZarhtEB1B-1KWCtrI&dib_tag=se&keywords=adjustable%2Bvacuum%2Bpump&qid=1708479214&sprefix=adjustable%2Bvacuum%2Bpump%2Caps%2C125&sr=8-5&th=1

But if you have any other ideas, I am all ears!

Oh no! That’s outrageous at this price. I’m also not using the Eve pump, I bet mine would’ve broken by now, too. 
So, I actually bought that Meifuly device a few months ago, or the black version of it, anyway. If you’re looking to use it like eve, it won’t work. It only goes down to 50mmHg, and the pressure can’t be set to continuous, it only cycles. You can shorten the ‘exhale’ portion down to a second, and raise the ‘inhale’, but it’s still a frequent drop that will prob cause you to lose suction if you’re not positioned just right. They are also heavier and louder than the wound device thing, and not portable at all. 
Had you started to get swelling before it broke? I’ve been wondering if your suction was right if you suddenly found that new pump comfortable and still weren’t getting swelling. I still find mine torturous after a few hours at any pressure that maintained a suction.

[Karren H]

Wow!  Sorry to hear that!  I can not believe that something so expensive has such a cheap pump.   It always amazed me that so many systems are so leaky that they have to be repumped so often.  Seems like they could make a tighter device that hold the pressure.   They should supple a couple pumps, one to use and one to send back every time it breaks.

[Blue792]

Are any of you that are using the Eve domes getting swelling under your breasts? It started happening when I went up to the size 4 domes, I think because there’s a lot of room in them they’re pulling in more tissue? Idk, but I can’t seem to keep the area under my fold from getting pressure bc of the way the rims are. My nipples are basically touching on these, so I can’t go back down to the 3. It looks odd, and I don’t want my underbust growing. Just wondering if you are experiencing that too?

[here2learn]

Thank you for sending the link for the DeRoyal pump on Ebay! And thank you all for the warnings against the Meifuly pump-- I cancelled the order. I held off buying something else because EveBra agreed to send me yet another replacement pump. But... this one seems to be defective. From the moment I took it out of the box, it has been giving me the low battery alarm every time the it kicks back on to restore vacuum pressure. I've put new batteries in from 3 different brands and nothing solves the problem. It's not the loss of suction alarm. I troubleshooted it with EveBra over the phone and they weren't able to figure out the problem. The only thing I've noticed is that the chamber where the batteries are placed is warped. My other two pumps did not look like that. So, I'm thinking this one may just have a manufacturing defect. I'm still waiting to see what EveBra decides to do about it. Meanwhile, my pump is alarming on average every 30 minutes to an hour. Not great for a good night's sleep!

The good news is that I've been able to continue without missing any days! Today marks the end of week 5, and I've logged 572 hours. And to Blue792's question, this new pump seems to generate a lot more suction than the one I was previously using! It is much more like the first EveBra pump I had (that died after 9 days). This makes me think that the second pump they sent me was actually not generating as strong a vacuum as it should. Maybe that is why I had such a hard time getting swelling. I've only had this third pump a few days and the swelling is already much better. However, there is a lot more pressure on my chest and I've developed a small sore under my left armpit. I absolutely smother myself in skin seal, so I wonder how that could've happened. I got a hydrocolloid gel adhesive bandage to put over it, and my fingers are crossed that it doesn't force me to take time off.

To Blue792's other question, yes, I am getting swelling under my right breast! It first started happening about a week ago, and I was also concerned about developing a fat pad underneath my breast. Just like you, I wasn't able to reposition the domes to keep it from happening. I am just hoping that since it didn't become a problem until recently, I will finish this 4 to 6 month cycle without it growing too much. If you come up with a solution, let me know!

Also, I wanted to mention for ShelaVenna that I am now able to sleep on my side! I found that if I keep my top arm in line with my body (rather than going across my chest to rest on the mattress in front of me), the domes keep their seal. I've put a travel pillow in between my arm and my side for comfort, and it's not so bad. Now, with the stronger suction of this new pump, I find it even easier to sleep on my side without losing a seal. I am still wearing the size 1 domes, though, so I'm not sure what it would be like with the other sizes.

[ShelaVenna]

Thank you for sending the link for the DeRoyal pump on Ebay! And thank you all for the warnings against the Meifuly pump-- I cancelled the order. I held off buying something else because EveBra agreed to send me yet another replacement pump. But... this one seems to be defective. From the moment I took it out of the box, it has been giving me the low battery alarm every time the it kicks back on to restore vacuum pressure. I've put new batteries in from 3 different brands and nothing solves the problem. It's not the loss of suction alarm. I troubleshooted it with EveBra over the phone and they weren't able to figure out the problem. The only thing I've noticed is that the chamber where the batteries are placed is warped. My other two pumps did not look like that. So, I'm thinking this one may just have a manufacturing defect. I'm still waiting to see what EveBra decides to do about it. Meanwhile, my pump is alarming on average every 30 minutes to an hour. Not great for a good night's sleep!

The good news is that I've been able to continue without missing any days! Today marks the end of week 5, and I've logged 572 hours. And to Blue792's question, this new pump seems to generate a lot more suction than the one I was previously using! It is much more like the first EveBra pump I had (that died after 9 days). This makes me think that the second pump they sent me was actually not generating as strong a vacuum as it should. Maybe that is why I had such a hard time getting swelling. I've only had this third pump a few days and the swelling is already much better. However, there is a lot more pressure on my chest and I've developed a small sore under my left armpit. I absolutely smother myself in skin seal, so I wonder how that could've happened. I got a hydrocolloid gel adhesive bandage to put over it, and my fingers are crossed that it doesn't force me to take time off.

To Blue792's other question, yes, I am getting swelling under my right breast! It first started happening about a week ago, and I was also concerned about developing a fat pad underneath my breast. Just like you, I wasn't able to reposition the domes to keep it from happening. I am just hoping that since it didn't become a problem until recently, I will finish this 4 to 6 month cycle without it growing too much. If you come up with a solution, let me know!

Also, I wanted to mention for ShelaVenna that I am now able to sleep on my side! I found that if I keep my top arm in line with my body (rather than going across my chest to rest on the mattress in front of me), the domes keep their seal. I've put a travel pillow in between my arm and my side for comfort, and it's not so bad. Now, with the stronger suction of this new pump, I find it even easier to sleep on my side without losing a seal. I am still wearing the size 1 domes, though, so I'm not sure what it would be like with the other sizes.

I’m still baffled about the high pressure people are experiencing. I’ve owned 2 separate brava pumps (1 was ancient and broke almost immediately), and I own a gauged hand pump. Both Brava pumps were extremely gentle. More importantly, when I used the hand pump at roughly 30mmhg it also felt very gentle. I know what 30 mmhg feels like, and it’s honestly barely enough pressure to keep the domes on. Your description makes me think that their pump just sucks, and is very bad at maintaining a consistent pressure in the right range.

[breast4success]

Hey ladies,

I'm glad you were able to keep pumping despite your issues, here2learn. I know it took a while for me to get my evebra pump to stop going off when I used it at the beginning. Not sure if it's too sensitive or what, but I'm glad I had my other pump once I was ready to transition to it (and found out how to silence the alarms). 

Maybe they should have given the evebra pump an option to turn off all alarms except for a major loss of pressure or full container like my other pump. As long as the suction is there and you're sure it's right, I don't think the alarm is beneficial. You'll know something is wrong when it constantly keeps sucking or won't suck at all or very weakly.

Maybe we are sensitive, but 20 mmHg didn't feel that gentle to me in the beginning. It was bearable but I had to get used to it before I could say it was comfortable and didn't mind it. Even on my DeRoyal pump, I can't take 30 mmHg continuously - I can only use it in intermittent mode where it cycles from 20 and 30 mmHg. 

Or it may be that the surface area of the silicone rims is causing a greater sensation when the pump is engaged. They are very comfortable on their own but I think after a while, in addition to the weight (the whole thing is like 3-4 lbs), it can feel "crushing" at times although there's no pain and not much soreness except at certain pressure spots after taking them off. I dealt with that using the silicone foam bandages on those spots.

So far, I haven't noticed any swelling underneath my breast at all - just the breast itself. But I had to shorten the bra straps more than the slots allow so the domes weren't sitting too low. I have a short torso so most straps are too long for me if they aren't fully adjustable.

I'm still on the size 4s and started having nipple contact this week but only in the last hour or so. I called Evebra to inquire about the size 5 and 6 domes and they were each $250 not including tax and shipping. I contacted the nurse to see if it is necessary to move up or is just for comfort and she said I could stay at the 4s if I want and maybe decrease by an hour if I don't like the sensation or it causes irritation. I'm going to play it by ear as I'm in the home stretch now.

I'll be at 12 weeks tomorrow and am about at the size that I was trying to get. I didn't want to pay more unnecessarily since I'm just trying to stabilize now and not grow more. The nurse confirmed that if I'm at the size I want right before I put the domes on (for me, 10 hours after they've been off), I only need to continue 4 more weeks to make it permanent. I'll probably do 4-5 weeks and 1 extra week for the smaller breast so it can be more even with the other side.

I also checked to see when we are able to do mammograms after pumping (I usually do it at the end of January each year). They said after I stop pumping for 4 weeks it shouldn't cause any abnormal findings.

I've started alternating between sleeping sitting up and lying flat because I'm seeing a difference in how I swell when I do one or the other. If I lie flat, I get more fullness and roundness but not as much projection. Sitting up I get more projection but sacrifice a little on the fullness. I will probably switch to lying flat only in the last two weeks once I'm sure the size is stable.

[Blue792]

Hey ladies,

I'm glad you were able to keep pumping despite your issues, here2learn. I know it took a while for me to get my evebra pump to stop going off when I used it at the beginning. Not sure if it's too sensitive or what, but I'm glad I had my other pump once I was ready to transition to it (and found out how to silence the alarms). 

Maybe they should have given the evebra pump an option to turn off all alarms except for a major loss of pressure or full container like my other pump. As long as the suction is there and you're sure it's right, I don't think the alarm is beneficial. You'll know something is wrong when it constantly keeps sucking or won't suck at all or very weakly.

Maybe we are sensitive, but 20 mmHg didn't feel that gentle to me in the beginning. It was bearable but I had to get used to it before I could say it was comfortable and didn't mind it. Even on my DeRoyal pump, I can't take 30 mmHg continuously - I can only use it in intermittent mode where it cycles from 20 and 30 mmHg. 

Or it may be that the surface area of the silicone rims is causing a greater sensation when the pump is engaged. They are very comfortable on their own but I think after a while, in addition to the weight (the whole thing is like 3-4 lbs), it can feel "crushing" at times although there's no pain and not much soreness except at certain pressure spots after taking them off. I dealt with that using the silicone foam bandages on those spots.

So far, I haven't noticed any swelling underneath my breast at all - just the breast itself. But I had to shorten the bra straps more than the slots allow so the domes weren't sitting too low. I have a short torso so most straps are too long for me if they aren't fully adjustable.

I'm still on the size 4s and started having nipple contact this week but only in the last hour or so. I called Evebra to inquire about the size 5 and 6 domes and they were each $250 not including tax and shipping. I contacted the nurse to see if it is necessary to move up or is just for comfort and she said I could stay at the 4s if I want and maybe decrease by an hour if I don't like the sensation or it causes irritation. I'm going to play it by ear as I'm in the home stretch now.

I'll be at 12 weeks tomorrow and am about at the size that I was trying to get. I didn't want to pay more unnecessarily since I'm just trying to stabilize now and not grow more. The nurse confirmed that if I'm at the size I want right before I put the domes on (for me, 10 hours after they've been off), I only need to continue 4 more weeks to make it permanent. I'll probably do 4-5 weeks and 1 extra week for the smaller breast so it can be more even with the other side.

I also checked to see when we are able to do mammograms after pumping (I usually do it at the end of January each year). They said after I stop pumping for 4 weeks it shouldn't cause any abnormal findings.

I've started alternating between sleeping sitting up and lying flat because I'm seeing a difference in how I swell when I do one or the other. If I lie flat, I get more fullness and roundness but not as much projection. Sitting up I get more projection but sacrifice a little on the fullness. I will probably switch to lying flat only in the last two weeks once I'm sure the size is stable.

I’m glad you got that info on the size 5 domes! My nipples are also touching, I called and was told to email, and no one has gotten back to me. I was wondering if it was safe to use with nipples touching, or not. If it’s just a matter of comfort, I won’t worry as much, but I will probably still need the larger domes. Hopefully I can get in touch with someone, eventually. Are you just calling the number on the website to get the nurse?

I can say for me, it is the silicone rims that cause my pain, not the suction inside the domes. I have a bony sternum, and the overlap on the giant rims is very painful. They also fold under my armpit they are so large on me. They certainly weren’t designed with small rib cages or torsos in mind.

Please keep us updated on your last few weeks, and what happens when you stop. I’ll be so curious to hear how close your permanent results are to what you’re seeing now. Congrats on being 3/4 done!