Would you keep going? Advice?
February 15 2009 at 2:03 AM roakie (Login roakie)
SENIOR MEMBER
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I am so discouraged.
I have now worn Brava for close to fifteen weeks, averaging 12-15 hours per night with not a single break. I took the domes off at 11:am this morning. It is now 7pm and I am totally, 100% flat again - back to where I started. If I stand and look at myself from the side, there isn't even any protrusion of breast tissue. I can just imagine what I would look like after 24 or 36 hours.
I am 54, have gone through menopause, very thin on top and have always been totally flat, except when nursing my three children when I was a full B cup.
This is so frustrating. I just don't know what to do. I am nowhere near the "halfway point" where you see where you want to be and know you only have to go the same amount of weeks again.
I mean, I have tried Wonderup, Fenugreek, greenbush herbs, etc. I eat very, very well. I drink soy milk, eat good quality protein, take fish oil and evening primrose oil, eat sesame seeds, take vitamin C,etc. I have even been on natural estrogen/progesterone to help bring my hormones up after menopause.
I can't even wear a bra of any size. Nothing stays down on my chest.
What should I do? Keep going? When I take the domes off, I measure about 33.5 - 34 inches. Right now, I measure 32.5 right above the nipple and 31.5 under the breast. That is a difference of 1" only after 7 hours, which shows you how flat I am. To make it worse, I think most of that is a built-up pectoral muscle from the constant pulling of the domes.
I don't mean to be discouraging and I wish I had someone that could give me hope. I know everyone says a drop a day, if that, but I only have ten more weeks before the halfway point will mean a total year of wearing these things. I would do it if I thought I might even reach a AA as opposed to a minus A.
What would all of you do?
Author Reply
Vee
(no login) Re: Would you keep going? Advice? February 15 2009, 2:47 AM
Hi Roakie.
I feel so sorry for you in your situation. I can understand your frustration. My boobs are not totally flat and so I am willing to plod on with brava. I am getting small results after 10 weeks. I would have liked a lot more of course. Honestly if I was you I would probably give up. It just doesnt look like it will work for you. However, having a flat chest wouldn't be an option for me either. I really think I would have surgery. I know thats what we all dont like to think of but if I had the money and Brava was showing absolutely no results I would consider it. Wish I could offer you more hope.
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roakie
(Login roakie)
SENIOR MEMBER Re: Would you keep going? Advice? February 15 2009, 3:14 AM
I know. I am so sad and frustrated. I really considered surgery before Brava but I just can't seem to make peace with implants. I have a feeling that being so flat, I would see and feel the implant. I am so depressed.
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CousinRose
(Login CousinRose) Re: Would you keep going? Advice? February 15 2009, 10:08 AM
I feel so sad for you Roakie. You deserve to have results more than me. I had B cups to begin with so I wasn't totally flat and I know it is more difficult for AA cups to have results. I understand your thoughts about implants. I would never have them either but I understand women that do.
I was wondering. What size of domes do you have? If the domes are too big for you then your swelling will be less causing lack of results. I remember some girls getting extra large domes and going back to their large domes because they got less swelling with the extra large. If you have medium domes, maybe you need small to begin with. The size of your domes is on the bottom of the box the domes came in. There are two letters, f.ex. NL (narrow large) and some numbers after that. Check it out! I really hope you wont give up and will start to see results. Let us know what you are going to do!
Rose
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roakie
(Login roakie)
SENIOR MEMBER Re: Would you keep going? Advice? February 15 2009, 1:06 PM
I have the wide/medium domes. I think the narrow would be too small.
Actually, I just ordered a new set of domes on the advice of the Brava coach and I probably wasted my money. The thing is, she said that the rims might be over-used and not making such a good seal but I don't know if I agree. My domes never used to fall off at night, though, but now they do every single night. The domes absolutely fill with sweat to the point that the underneath of the rims gets so wet that they start to fall off in the night, even with the smartbox.
I actually have to get up in the middle of the night, take them off, wipe out the insides and the rims, wipe off my skin, and put them on again to get another seal. It is crazy. Perhaps I do need new domes to get better swelling. I just don't know at this point.
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Rox3
(no login) Re: Would you keep going? Advice? February 15 2009, 1:34 PM
Roakie,
I would say keep going. What do you have to lose? You've already invested money in the initial system, you are getting a new Smartbox, and now new sticky domes. You seem to be sleeping well in it and still having a social life when you need to go somewhere. If you wear it for a year and it works, so what. Keep your eye on the prize. The only other option is breast implants (risky) or getting fat injected into the breast (expensive). You could consider those two options but try this first. Also, what about doing NB or BB in addition to Brava?
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roakie
(Login roakie)
SENIOR MEMBER Re: Would you keep going? Advice? February 15 2009, 4:16 PM
Thanks for the encouragement, Vee. I think I will try to keep going. I am just scared.
Does anyone sweat as much as I seem to???????? Do your domes start to slip off?
I have read posts about noogleberry and Bosom Beauty. It sounds like the BB is so strong and hurts so much, I would be afraid of pulling the skin on my breasts.
Arent' the Brava domes better than the Noogleberry domes? Wouldn't they do the the same thing?
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CousinRose
(Login CousinRose) Re: Would you keep going? Advice? February 15 2009, 7:26 PM
Is medium the smallest size? I was sure they had small as well.
I agree with Rox, wait until you get the new domes and smartbox, maybe the Brava coach knows what she is saying. It does make sense when you think about it. You used to get a good swelling but suddenly it went away. Very likly the equipment is faulty. So don't give up!!!!!
I wish I could give you advice on the sweating thing but I did think of something and it doesn't hurt to share. I know you are using herbs to raise your estrogen levels and they could have sweating as a side effect. I've had some very strange side effects from herbs so it wouldn't come as a surprize to me. Have you tried Maca?
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Rox3
(no login) Re: Would you keep going? Advice? February 15 2009, 7:32 PM
Roakie,
What did the Brava coach say about you getting less swelling now than at first - faulty domes and you need to buy new ones? Aren't those the domes that split and you had to repair...so she may have a point? Did she say you should have MORE swelling as the weeks go on? It's so confusing.
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roakie
(Login roakie)
SENIOR MEMBER Re: Would you keep going? Advice? February 15 2009, 7:59 PM
Yes, these are the domes that split but the silicone caulk completely fixed them. The one place I get constant leakage is underneath my armpit.
All the sticky stuff is gone off the domes so that could be a reason. The coach said that the rims get like an old mattress where they just don't adhere as well in certain places. She is thinking that is why the swelling is reduced.
I don't know if there is a smaller dome, just a narrower one. I already see the impression of the hard rim around the outside of my breast when I take them off so I think narrow would be too small.
I am not currently taking any herbs. I gave up on those. I don't understand what is causing such profuse sweating.
One thing - I am an avid swimmer. I have very wide lats (the muscles that make a v-shape down the back) and some pretty developed pectoral muscles where they attach by the armpit. So, I have a big hollow under my arm and absolutely no fat on my upper body for the domes to adhere to. I wonder if this could also make the domes easier to slip off.
Oh well.
Are you both using manual suction or still the smartbox?
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CousinRose
(Login CousinRose) Re: Would you keep going? Advice? February 15 2009, 9:58 PM
Still using the smartbox. I don't trust the airlock and I am getting enough swelling.
I am almost 29 inches underbust (28,7) and I have the narrow ones. What is your underbust measurement? If you are narrower then me then the narrow ones will fit you!
I know there are certain foods and herbs that help with perspiration. I know aspargus is one of them. Try google it. It can't hurt
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roakie
(Login roakie)
SENIOR MEMBER Re: Would you keep going? Advice? February 16 2009, 3:41 AM
I measure 30.5 under my bust. Hmmm. Do you think the narrow allow for better adherence? Do they extend under your armpits as well, or just to the side of your breast.
What is the width of the narrow domes - just measuring across from one edge of the plastic rim to the other (not including the silicone rim?
This message has been edited by roakie on Feb 16, 2009 3:43 AM
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Rox3
(no login) Re: Would you keep going? Advice? February 16 2009, 11:22 AM
Roakie,
I am a 30.0 underbust, 34.0 overbust (small A cup bra). When I was buying my system, they said based on my measurements that the narrow would be too small. She said to get the "Wide Large" domes. They do not come under the armpits and fit to the sides of the breasts and that's it. I was surprised b/c I'm only 5'2" tall, 118 pounds and wide large sounds so big. But they said that I would be out of anything smaller too soon and would have to re-buy the domes so to get this side. Based on that, sounds like the narrow would be too small for you.
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CousinRose
(Login CousinRose) Re: Would you keep going? Advice? February 16 2009, 1:16 PM
It's true what you are thinking. Our underbust measurements depend largly on the broadness of our backs so if you have a broad back like you say then the underbust measurement is unaccurate to figure out dome sizes.
I measured my dome and it is 4 inches wide - from side to side minus the silicone. I think there is an inch difference between wide and narrow. Mine go all the way to my armpit but also don't cover my breasts entirely so I am confused on which I should use myself (ordering size bigger this week).
Good luck
Rose
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roakie
(Login roakie)
SENIOR MEMBER Re: Would you keep going? Advice? February 16 2009, 7:43 PM
Last night I used the manual suction. I got out as much air as I could, and then my husband was able to get out some more! It was somewhat uncomfortable, but the domes stayed on all night without losing air. This morning when I moved my arms to the side, they gapped under the arms and I took them off, wiped out the sweat, and put them on again for several hours. I got better swelling so I think I might stick with that route. The means the new domes I ordered are probably unecessary.
Do any of you find that your pectoral muscles are getting really large or tight with the suction? Mine are so much bigger than when I used to do pushups and sometimes I wonder if this is what makes the swelling look more than it is.
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Livinonaprayer
(no login) Re: Would you keep going? Advice? February 19 2009, 7:02 PM
I wouldn't give up yet (unless you are experiencing pain or skin injury) - you've come so far. Did you take before pictures? Sometimes it is hard to see a difference when you get used to seeing the swelling. Also, maybe with your new domes, you won't lose suction which may be affecting your progress. I think the halfway point is complete BS. When I stopped using Brava, what you see after 24 hours with the domes off is probably what you will keep. Because you mentioned you are thin on top, it may take longer even though you've had children and breastfed if you don't typically store fat on your upper body. A lot of people have success with the manual suction, but personally I used the sportbox because it controlled the pressure and would remove moisture from the domes. If you can handle sleeping at night and are used to the system, I would try to keep going - especially while the weather is cold. My first cycle I used Brava from the end of March until mid June (11 weeks) and hated wearing it during nice weather when I wanted to be outside. My second cycle was from December - March and that was perfect because I stayed inside anyway. I had to stop before I wanted to because at 14 weeks, I started getting a swollen moveable lump on my rib under the left breast and a hard bump on my sternum where the domes rested. It was very painful but fortunately both went away.
Rox3
(no login) To Livingonaprayer February 20 2009, 1:29 PM
Would you mind sharing your results from cycle #1 and then cycle #2? What were you beginning measurements and your final ones with each cycle?
Are you now doing cycle #3 and what is your goal size? I'm at 5 weeks and I don't see any results yet but I know it's early. I'm going to try to go until May 23 when I go on vacation for a week which will be 18 weeks.