I have talked to so many women who have breast pain that it seems to be part of fibromyalgia. I certainly have it. I may have pain one day and then not the next. Some days it’s a horrible stabbing pain and other days throbbing.
There seems to be no apparent reason for the pain although one doctor told me maybe it was swollen milk glands. I don’t really know if that is true. My breasts even appear to be swollen at times. Since I have large breasts the swelling makes them throb.
One doctor told me it was costochondritis or chest wall pain. Essentially the cartilage which connects the ribs to the sternum is inflamed. It can be recurring. You may not know ahead when it will happen. Similar to other fibromyalgia pain the doctors tell you to rest, take analgesics or anti-inflammatory medication. Some people get cortisone injections.
When I go shopping my skin starts to hurt from trying bras on. I have a strategy to help me remember. The fibrofog makes things difficult in every way. When I find bras that work I go online register with the company if I have that option and order one. That way when I want to find it again I can go to a past order and find the exact type of bra.
Some of my friends have found that Victoria Secret bras help. That was a very helpful tip for me. You can even find them online in up to 40DDD. There isn’t much of a selection of colors, just nude and white but that’s ok for me. Unfortunately it seems to be impossible to find them in the store this large. Although they are more expensive the money is well worth it.
Spending a little more on a good bra is especially worth it. I may wear a bra that is cheaper once or twice. It either doesn’t fit correctly and I hurt or doesn’t hold up and I hurt. So then I throw it away. I also buy good bras on sale every chance I get. Drip drying seems to make the bras last longer. I have some good bras that have lasted for years when I do this.
Another company that I have tried and has large sizes is Pennington. They are online too. The bras from them are very satiny and smooth. I have friends that have tried Breezies from QVC. They go up to size 48DD. Breezies even have customer reviews online. Soft and not too restrictive sports bras seemed to help in the beginning. Now I still seemed to get the pain when using them.
Many days I try not to wear a bra for the entire day. That seems to make the pain worse. I wait till the last minute to pit it on before I leave and take it off as soon as I get home. The bra I do wear needs to fit correctly. The lightest tap gives me bruises for an entire week.
My doctor told me not to wear a bra. When wearing a bra is just impossible I have a couple of strategies. I may wear a cami underneath with a t-shirt on top then and a shirt over it. Other times when my skin seems to hurt too much I wear a silky undershirt and very loose t-shirt.
