I had a revision to SADI on 8/7/2024. Lost 70 pounds but then I started chemo for breast cancer that I was diagnosed with a day shy of my 3 month surgiversary. I was told not to lose quite as fast by the oncologist and the oncology dietician so I have since only lost ten more in 2.5 months.

Anyways, my double mastectomy is tentatively scheduled for 5/8/2024. During that surgery they remove all the breast tissue and put in Empty bladders they call expanders and then they slowly fill them each week with saline in the office to stretch the skin making room for the implant. The cosmetic dr says that I could take my time and try out all the sizes and go up and down and then do the reconstruction surgery to put in the saline implant when I’m sure of the size I want and I loved that idea because I want to go smaller but I know it’s going to take a while for my brain to get used to it.

The problem is that I have to begin radiation 6 weeks post surgery and the process does something to your skin that makes it very hard to stretch so the radiation Dr says I need to decide on a size before I start radiation treatments. Well I don't think it would be a good idea to postpone radiation just to decide on a breast size so I kinda need to know what my goal is right away so he fills it fast enough for me to get there within 6 weeks. At the same time it will hurt worse the faster we go. I am currently a 36 G. I was thinking maybe a 36 C or D would be small enough that they don’t get in the way with exercise and hurt my back and neck but not look too small after seeing myself larger for so many years. Also if I drop more weight and get to say a 34 I would be a D or DD but what if I lose more weight I mean I want to keep going if I can and then I’m a 32 DDD.

I was a 32 C when I was younger and I think when I got my implants I went to a small DD but I sorta doubt i will get that small again, honestly. how much weight did you guys lose between band sizes. I was thinking that if I get to 158 I would be thrilled and that’s only 20 more pounds so I know that I won’t get to a 32 at that size. Do you think it’s possible I will get back to the 120’s. I know the last two months threw my pattern off a bit but I was losing steady at 3-4 pounds a week before all of this. Is there anyone with similar stats that can tell me about their experience with SADI or maybe a virgin bypass. My loss trend was similar to that according to the NP at 3 months out. I really wish I could do this after I get to my low weight and stabilize. All I want is to be able to buy bras in a normal store and not have to pay a fortune for lunch lady bras anymore or have my back breaking and poor posture from a too large chest. But at the same time I don’t want to look too small. I figure that I would find the smallest size that I could get used to so when I lose more weight it will probably be perfect but I won’t have time to get used to it like the surgeon and I hoped. ?

So I get that cup size is a matter of preference but can anyone with similar stats tell me how much they ultimately lost if they were losing 3-4 pounds at 3 months or how much weight they lost between band sizes or 36-34 and 34-32. Or anything else that may help me. I’m so scared I’m gonna decide on a size and my body is going to change but since it’s all implant after this surgery my boobs won’t change with me with loss or gain and I will be way too big or small for my frame.

Edited January 13, 20251 yr by ShoppGirl

Well, as a guy I obviously have no real experience here but I wanted to point out a male perspective. My experience is that breast "size" is relative to overall body size.

What I mean by that is proportionally a C cup can seem quite big on a 5 foot tall 100 pound gal, whereas a DD cup might seem small on a 6 foot 250 pound woman. What the majority of guys like is just for a woman to look proportional. There are certainly exceptions (afterall people like what they like), but the majority of guys probably prefer something in the middle, thus not super small and not super big.

If you have a significant other right now, you might ask for their thoughts here? If not, I'd definitely recommend going no larger than a D cup as that can look normal at almost all the weights you're likely to land at based on your height. In other words, I think your initial gut feeling that a C or D cup will be right for you is spot on.

As to weight loss and where you "should be", it's all up to you. This whole idea that you will eventually stop losing at some number of months or percentage lost post surgery is based on averages, not science. I also think if you were to poll people here, you'd find that almost all of us tend to set initial goals much higher that what is attainable, so for those that have gotten into a "normal" range, we've probably adjusted our goal weights down at least once, it not more.

In my own case, I initially set my goal for 200, partly because it's a nice round number, and partly because that was lower than I remember ever being as an adult. Once I blew through that, I adjusted down to 180. I'm leaving my "goal" there at this point because I'm now focused on body recomposition. In other words, I'm trying to add some additional muscle and lose a bit more fat. Per my last In-Body scan, I'm at 13.5% BF and would like to be sub 12%. (Lean, but not shredded.) That would put me in the 165-170 range, but I want to also add roughly 8-10 pounds of additional muscle, so I'll leave the goal where it is for a while.

Let me close by saying I'm in awe of how well you've been handling the cancer diagnosis and treatment! I think I would have have completely fallen apart had I been in a similar situation. I know many of us here are rooting for you.

1 hour ago, SpartanMaker said:

Well, as a guy I obviously have no real experience here but I wanted to point out a male perspective. My experience is that breast "size" is relative to overall body size.

What I mean by that is proportionally a C cup can seem quite big on a 5 foot tall 100 pound gal, whereas a DD cup might seem small on a 6 foot 250 pound woman. What the majority of guys like is just for a woman to look proportional. There are certainly exceptions (afterall people like what they like), but the majority of guys probably prefer something in the middle, thus not super small and not super big.

If you have a significant other right now, you might ask for their thoughts here? If not, I'd definitely recommend going no larger than a D cup as that can look normal at almost all the weights you're likely to land at based on your height. In other words, I think your initial gut feeling that a C or D cup will be right for you is spot on.

As to weight loss and where you "should be", it's all up to you. This whole idea that you will eventually stop losing at some number of months or percentage lost post surgery is based on averages, not science. I also think if you were to poll people here, you'd find that almost all of us tend to set initial goals much higher that what is attainable, so for those that have gotten into a "normal" range, we've probably adjusted our goal weights down at least once, it not more.

In my own case, I initially set my goal for 200, partly because it's a nice round number, and partly because that was lower than I remember ever being as an adult. Once I blew through that, I adjusted down to 180. I'm leaving my "goal" there at this point because I'm now focused on body recomposition. In other words, I'm trying to add some additional muscle and lose a bit more fat. Per my last In-Body scan, I'm at 13.5% BF and would like to be sub 12%. (Lean, but not shredded.) That would put me in the 165-170 range, but I want to also add roughly 8-10 pounds of additional muscle, so I'll leave the goal where it is for a while.

Let me close by saying I'm in awe of how well you've been handling the cancer diagnosis and treatment! I think I would have have completely fallen apart had I been in a similar situation. I know many of us here are rooting for you.

Thank you for your kind words. I think I am going to be the same with the moving goal. I was actually tiny my whole life and didn’t start gaining until around age 25. I was a size one when I met my husband so I would love to get back there but I am not nearly as active now even when I exercise like mad. My hobbies have changed from very active ones to sedentary ones so formal exercise is my primary form of activity. I just want to feel good at this point and if I get to a size medium I will be happy enough. I won’t just stop there though unless my body wants to. Building muscle is going to be my next big challenge. I wish you the best of luck in your goals with that. I am thinking that at some point I am going to have to get a personal trainer for the muscle building since that is something I have never even tried. Hopefully next year I will be In a place that I can start working on that. Maybe insurance will cover it since I will need help to do it safely after my surgery ? I need to ask about that.

12 minutes ago, ShoppGirl said:

Maybe insurance will cover it since I will need help to do it safely after my surgery ? I need to ask about that.

Personal Training is not normally covered by insurance, though if your doctor prescribes specific types of training where a CPT can help, it's remotely possible. More likely to be covered would be a Clinical Exercise Physiologist since they are healthcare professionals that focus or health or illness rehabilitation. They are also more than qualified to develop a training plan and instruct you on movement patterns. They typically work in hospital rehab settings or for large physician practice groups. This differs from a Physical Therapist that focuses more on rehabilitating injuries vs. illnesses.

I was wearing a 42DD pre-surgery at 251 pounds, and at 165 pounds, I am in a 38DD. If I lose the last 10-15 pounds I hope to lose, I doubt I will change band size, honestly. The reason I say this is I run my hands around the area where the bra bad goes and I have almost no pinch-able fat left. I could see dropping to a D cup because the breasts themselves still have plenty of room to get smaller, but the band size is limited by the size of my ribcage, which I can feel prominently in that area. In the past few months, I dropped more than an inch from my bust and less than 0.25 inch from my band. In an ideal world, I think I would like to wear a 38C, but that's just my preference.

And I am so amazed by how well you are taking all of this. I'm really wishing you the best with the cancer treatment and hoping you are well again soon!

something to note that i discovered many women (and men) don't realize is cup size is not static across band sizes (sorry if you do know, i just got the feeling that this wasn't clear in the thread above...)

anyway...

the amount of "boob volume" that can be stuffed into a 36C is actually LESS than the amount you can stuff into a 34C. along the same lines, that same 36C boob is larger in VOLUME than a boob in a 38C.

sooooo... 3 women with bra sizes 34D, 36C, and 38B actually all have the same size boob (if they are wearing a properly fitting bra of course), however their TORSO sizes are different.

with that said,

1) @ShoppGirl its reallllllllllly hard (impossible?) to tell what size you will be in the future. on top of that, it's equally (more?) difficult to determine if you will stay that way.

2) i do understand that you have a decision to make (under time crunches and duress, omg) but like everything else on here, its reallllllllyy hard to compare yourself and your outcomes to others cuz, well, you know... but since you asked, here are my deets:

btw, 28D is like a unicorn to find in a retail store...i just get the sister size of 30C (which isn't that easy to find either, but at least better than trying to find 28D!)

i didn't keep meticulous records of my changing bra size during active weight loss, so i can't say how quickly i changed bra sizes. i dont think i even bought a new bra during weight loss phase, just kept wearing ill fitting ones or none at all, ha.

not sure i was any help here, but it there is anything to take away from this data of my sample of ONE, is that if you shrink proportionately as you lose weight, you will stay the same bra size (remember 28D has same boob volume as 30C, just smaller torso, which has nothing to do with implant size)...now, will you shrink proportionately? who even knows.

3) lastly, in my insignificant opinion (i mean i am just a stranger on the internet), if it were me, i would opt to err on the side of smaller vs bigger. i can always wear a padded bra if i wanna go bigger afterwards, but not much i can do to make a set too-big boobies smaller.

good luck! ❤️

something to note that i discovered many women (and men) don't realize is cup size is not static across band sizes (sorry if you do know, i just got the feeling that this wasn't clear in the thread above...)

anyway...

the amount of "boob volume" that can be stuffed into a 36C is actually LESS than the amount you can stuff into a 34C. along the same lines, that same 36C boob is larger in VOLUME than a boob in a 38C.

sooooo... 3 women with bra sizes 34D, 36C, and 38B actually all have the same size boob (if they are wearing a properly fitting bra of course), however their TORSO sizes are different.

with that said,

1) @ShoppGirl its reallllllllllly hard (impossible?) to tell what size you will be in the future. on top of that, it's equally (more?) difficult to determine if you will stay that way.

2) i do understand that you have a decision to make (under time crunches and duress, omg) but like everything else on here, its reallllllllyy hard to compare yourself and your outcomes to others cuz, well, you know... but since you asked, here are my deets:

btw, 28D is like a unicorn to find in a retail store...i just get the sister size of 30C (which isn't that easy to find either, but at least better than trying to find 28D!)

i didn't keep meticulous records of my changing bra size during active weight loss, so i can't say how quickly i changed bra sizes. i dont think i even bought a new bra during weight loss phase, just kept wearing ill fitting ones or none at all, ha.

not sure i was any help here, but it there is anything to take away from this data of my sample of ONE, is that if you shrink proportionately as you lose weight, you will stay the same bra size (remember 28D has same boob volume as 30C, just smaller torso, which has nothing to do with implant size)...now, will you shrink proportionately? who even knows.

3) lastly, in my insignificant opinion (i mean i am just a stranger on the internet), if it were me, i would opt to err on the side of smaller vs bigger. i can always wear a padded bra if i wanna go bigger afterwards, but not much i can do to make a set too-big boobies smaller.

good luck! ❤️

55 minutes ago, ms.sss said:

something to note that i discovered many women (and men) don't realize is cup size is not static across band sizes (sorry if you do know, i just got the feeling that this wasn't clear in the thread above...)

anyway...

the amount of "boob volume" that can be stuffed into a 36C is actually LESS than the amount you can stuff into a 34C. along the same lines, that same 36C boob is larger in VOLUME than a boob in a 38C.

sooooo... 3 women with bra sizes 34D, 36C, and 38B actually all have the same size boob (if they are wearing a properly fitting bra of course), however their TORSO sizes are different.

with that said,

1) @ShoppGirl its reallllllllllly hard (impossible?) to tell what size you will be in the future. on top of that, it's equally (more?) difficult to determine if you will stay that way.

2) i do understand that you have a decision to make (under time crunches and duress, omg) but like everything else on here, its reallllllllyy hard to compare yourself and your outcomes to others cuz, well, you know... but since you asked, here are my deets:

btw, 28D is like a unicorn to find in a retail store...i just get the sister size of 30C (which isn't that easy to find either, but at least better than trying to find 28D!)

i didn't keep meticulous records of my changing bra size during active weight loss, so i can't say how quickly i changed bra sizes. i dont think i even bought a new bra during weight loss phase, just kept wearing ill fitting ones or none at all, ha.

not sure i was any help here, but it there is anything to take away from this data of my sample of ONE, is that if you shrink proportionately as you lose weight, you will stay the same bra size (remember 28D has same boob volume as 30C, just smaller torso, which has nothing to do with implant size)...now, will you shrink proportionately? who even knows.

3) lastly, in my insignificant opinion (i mean i am just a stranger on the internet), if it were me, i would opt to err on the side of smaller vs bigger. i can always wear a padded bra if i wanna go bigger afterwards, but not much i can do to make a set too-big boobies smaller.

good luck! ❤️

Fantastic info, thanks for sharing! I never realized just how messed up bra sized were.

Your last point about opting for smaller is also worth considering. Just from working with my wife to find appropriate sports bras. I know how hard it can be for larger chested women to find good support. To hear her tell it, they expect all active women to be twigs.

I suspect if it were me and I knew I was planning to be active, I'd also opt for smaller just based on that.

Big decisions ahead! I think the size you choose should be according to lifestyle and personal style. Do you feel more comfortable with a larger cup size? Are you going for any particular silhouette?Since this is reconstructive will the implants be over or under the muscle? I wish you had more time to think but since you do not, try looking at models with a similar frame as you.

As @ms.sss pointed out, cup sizes and band sizes look different than what we think especially when implants are thrown into the mix.

Here are pics of me with a wide frame and small bust. The range is 38B and 36B (maybe A) , I had a breast lift without implants (surgeon wanted to place implants in a separate stage, maybe one day but I like being smaller now because my largest pre WLS size was 44G) It’s possible that you may go back to a 32 band size at your lowest weight, 34/36 was my lowest band size ever.

Good Luck!

Edited January 13, 20251 yr by GreenTealael

8 hours ago, SpartanMaker said:

Personal Training is not normally covered by insurance, though if your doctor prescribes specific types of training where a CPT can help, it's remotely possible. More likely to be covered would be a Clinical Exercise Physiologist since they are healthcare professionals that focus or health or illness rehabilitation. They are also more than qualified to develop a training plan and instruct you on movement patterns. They typically work in hospital rehab settings or for large physician practice groups. This differs from a Physical Therapist that focuses more on rehabilitating injuries vs. illnesses.

Awesome I am putting this terminology in my notes to ask about. Thanks. I am hoping that if I have someone who’s really trained that I can return to my exercise routine faster than they typically recommend because they’re monitoring me specifically instead of the cookie cutter let’s just be safe and say eight weeks or whatever. Also, I really do think with the lymph nodes being removed that I’ll have to be pretty careful with weights and I’d rather have someone who knows what my limit should be.

4 hours ago, ms.sss said:

something to note that i discovered many women (and men) don't realize is cup size is not static across band sizes (sorry if you do know, i just got the feeling that this wasn't clear in the thread above...)

anyway...

the amount of "boob volume" that can be stuffed into a 36C is actually LESS than the amount you can stuff into a 34C. along the same lines, that same 36C boob is larger in VOLUME than a boob in a 38C.

sooooo... 3 women with bra sizes 34D, 36C, and 38B actually all have the same size boob (if they are wearing a properly fitting bra of course), however their TORSO sizes are different.

with that said,

1) @ShoppGirl its reallllllllllly hard (impossible?) to tell what size you will be in the future. on top of that, it's equally (more?) difficult to determine if you will stay that way.

2) i do understand that you have a decision to make (under time crunches and duress, omg) but like everything else on here, its reallllllllyy hard to compare yourself and your outcomes to others cuz, well, you know... but since you asked, here are my deets:

btw, 28D is like a unicorn to find in a retail store...i just get the sister size of 30C (which isn't that easy to find either, but at least better than trying to find 28D!)

i didn't keep meticulous records of my changing bra size during active weight loss, so i can't say how quickly i changed bra sizes. i dont think i even bought a new bra during weight loss phase, just kept wearing ill fitting ones or none at all, ha.

not sure i was any help here, but it there is anything to take away from this data of my sample of ONE, is that if you shrink proportionately as you lose weight, you will stay the same bra size (remember 28D has same boob volume as 30C, just smaller torso, which has nothing to do with implant size)...now, will you shrink proportionately? who even knows.

3) lastly, in my insignificant opinion (i mean i am just a stranger on the internet), if it were me, i would opt to err on the side of smaller vs bigger. i can always wear a padded bra if i wanna go bigger afterwards, but not much i can do to make a set too-big boobies smaller.

good luck! ❤️

I do totally understand the sister sizes, but thank you. That is my concern that if I were to go with a D now at 36 that if I do actually get down to a 32, which is what size I was when I was 25 so technically I guess it is possible, that I would be a triple D or F depending on the brand and where it’s made and if I recall correctly 32F was one of the harder sizes to find. I am just tired of having to go to one store that is almost always out of stock and have very limited options for bras. So I’m thinking maybe I should go with a C to be safe. That is true that I can always wear a padded bra or even one of them water bras if I just had a certain outfit that I wanted to be a little bigger in. I never thought of that.

3 hours ago, GreenTealael said:

Big decisions ahead! I think the size you choose should be according to lifestyle and personal style. Do you feel more comfortable with a larger cup size? Are you going for any particular silhouette?Since this is reconstructive will the implants be over or under the muscle? I wish you had more time to think but since you do not, try looking at models with a similar frame as you.

As @ms.sss pointed out, cup sizes and band sizes look different than what we think especially when implants are thrown into the mix.

Here are pics of me with a wide frame and small bust. The range is 38B and 36B (maybe A) , I had a breast lift without implants (surgeon wanted to place implants in a separate stage, maybe one day but I like being smaller now because my largest pre WLS size was 44G) It’s possible that you may go back to a 32 band size at your lowest weight, 34/36 was my lowest band size ever.

Good Luck!

OMG, see that size looks amazing on you and I really think that eventually it would on me but I know my brain just takes a while to get used to things and unfortunately I don’t have the time I would prefer. I think you guys have talked me into going for the smaller size though. I really do enjoy my yoga and I have wanted a reduction for years because of them just being in the way during activities, difficulty finding an adequately supportive sports bra as @SpartanMaker mentioned, back and neck pain and ill fitting clothing at any size because my breast are the last place that I lose weight so they stick with me. Volume wise I have only lost one cup size so far and I have lost 80 pounds!! I mean that doesn’t matter now because it’s gonna be all implant anyways in a few months but I’m just saying that I am over the big breast thing. At the same time when you’re used to looking at a pretty large chest for a decade I can imagine that a C cup is gonna look pretty tiny at first. My estimation is I will have like two weeks to get used to it before I start radiation and I’m pretty much locked in to that size. Then again, I will get used to it for six weeks I suppose because I will be flat to begin with. The radiation oncologist did say that it may be possible for me to go with like expanders for one cup size larger and then decide to put in the smaller implant so I intend to ask the surgeon about that at my preop appointment. Maybe I will actually be able to find a really good fitting sports bra and try jogging for the first time since my 20s!!

I really do appreciate all of you sharing your experiences, suggestions, and encouragement. This community is absolutely incredible. ❤️

10 hours ago, NickelChip said:

I was wearing a 42DD pre-surgery at 251 pounds, and at 165 pounds, I am in a 38DD. If I lose the last 10-15 pounds I hope to lose, I doubt I will change band size, honestly. The reason I say this is I run my hands around the area where the bra bad goes and I have almost no pinch-able fat left. I could see dropping to a D cup because the breasts themselves still have plenty of room to get smaller, but the band size is limited by the size of my ribcage, which I can feel prominently in that area. In the past few months, I dropped more than an inch from my bust and less than 0.25 inch from my band. In an ideal world, I think I would like to wear a 38C, but that's just my preference.

And I am so amazed by how well you are taking all of this. I'm really wishing you the best with the cancer treatment and hoping you are well again soon!

Yea it sounds like you are bigger boned. That’s something I liked to say when I was heavier because it sounded better but I’m really don’t think that I am supposed to carry a lot of weight. My frame is tiny.

Edited January 14, 20251 yr by ShoppGirl

I went from an 18E at about 200lbs to a 10E at 108lbs. I remember I was a 12F/G at 132lbs. (Bought a few new bras as I thought yay goal. I didn’t even get to wear all of them before they were too big. Sigh!). I wish they were a little smaller in the cup as I still have trouble getting fitted tops and dress to go around them at times. You know buttons gaping and trouble doing up side zips the last 2 or 3 inches.

Yes, your frame will influence what size looks better on your body. Friend had a reduction to a 14C 2 yrs ago. She has a large frame and was about a size 18/20 Aust dress size & 18E bra. I felt they looked too small on her broader frame and size. Now she’s on Wegovy and losing weight so her smaller boobs should start to be more balanced I think.

But I do agree with the suggestion to err on the side of going a littler smaller. Padded and push up bras can make a noticeable difference if needed. And it’s easier to find a wider range of prettier bra styles & options. Plus if you’re active, it’s easier to find more comfortable sports bras if you’re a smaller cup size than those large cup overs that feel like you’re all bound up & restricted.

I dont have alot of experience with this type of topic but I have always been larger busted once I started having children. I got up to 48 DD before sleeve surgery and now on Zepbound. I find it interesting as mentioned in other posts about the band size. I started at 48 and am currently at a 42 and possibly not far off from a 40 width band size. Ive gone down cup size from DD to a C currently. I have never been good at getting the right sizes I probably need to be in. I should just go have a fitting and get the correct size period lol. For me because I have been larger busted, I prefer to be smaller I just feel it suits me better and I still have at least 60 more pounds to lose before hitting goal so hard to say where Ill ultimately end up at. Good luck to you