Cynthia’s Fine Lingerie

I’ve been going to Cynthia’s for 20+ years, and she and her assistant have always been kind, caring, friendly, and professional. They are always ready with an answer, or can always research your question, if they don’t know the answer offhand.

I’m a breast cancer survivor. I’m disclosing this for the sake of my complaint against this establishment which caused me undue stress.
Upon my first visit I had to use the restroom there, but I recognized another breast cancer survivor talking to the women behind the counter. While in the restroom located near the counter I overheard the two women talking about another woman (not present) who had a mastectomy and was evidently out in public not wearing her prosthetic breast – the «survivor woman» said in an acerbic judgmental way «Don’t you think that looks odd?»
I began to feel unnerved because who are these women to judge anyone under those circumstances? If someone feels more comfortable in public b/​c she’s not harnessed by «body issues» it’s her business. All the more power to a woman who lives her life on her own terms; I think it just means she loves her body just as it is, which is psychologically healthy!
I was waiting for my fitting but under the weather – I had cold symptoms and showed up because I was determined to get the fitting over with because my surgery was the next week – I had planned after that to go home and rest. The woman who was to do my fitting came over and suggested we reschedule since she didn’t want to catch a cold because she fitted so many women such as myself which was her job. Sound thinking and I was cool with that.
Then she said to me «How did you discover your breast cancer: was it through a mastectomy or did you find a lump?» And I was in a state of disbelief! I asked her to repeat what she just said and she did – innocent of where she was treading. I told her that was none of her business and personal. This is also a violation of my confidentiality. Also, why ON EARTH would I want to be driven back to the memory of inception and doom that the diagnosis of cancer can be?! This woman had no sense of how offensive this was – even though a week later she disclosed that she was a survivor 20 years hence.
Fast forward to my rescheduled appointment: I went in for my fitting and had since decided under my medical circumstances that I wanted a lumpectomy instead of a full mastectomy.
In the fitting room, I told the woman who introduced herself to me as Cynthia, that I wasn’t getting a mastectomy as my paperwork indicated but the updated lumpectomy instead and wondered if that would mean a different bra would be needed she said «no,» but then said something to the effect of «Oh that just means you’ll have to have radiation treatment.» I said «What?!» She retorted «oh yes, you’ll have to have radiation – with a lumpectomy you’ll have to have radiation.» I was taken aback and immediately stressed out since there was no mention of this from my oncologist in the several months of chemo treatment.
All this was said while she was fitting me in this «medical prosthetic bra» that was so tight I was saying it was like a corset and hard to breathe. She said it was supposed to be tight to keep the drain in place, etc.
A week later after surgery the «medical prosthetic bra» caused me to cramp so much I almost shrieked out loud and was having chest pain and the only way to relieve it was to unfasten the hooks enough for relief – me thinks Cynthia should have women fully exhale upon fittings or expand their lungs so not to create a tourniquet effect from the measurement being too conservative.
Leaving this establishment I was out of my mind with stress from this «oh yes, with a lumpectomy you’ll have to have radiation» remark, so much so that I realized I couldn’t drive safely and pulled over to call my oncologists office. Speaking with a nurse who could palpably discern my stress said she would inquire and call me back as soon as she had an answer.
When the nurse did return my call she said that there was no radiation forecast in my case, none needed. And from this I was relieved and pissed off at the same time that this establishment had caused me so much discomfort overall that I needed to complain – to my surgeon’s office and also, here on Unilocal as a responsible consumer for what it’s worth.
ALSO – just noticed that there is a separate listing for this same location under «Cynthia’s Breast Prothesis and Bra’s» with a similar experience/​review – and a 1 star rating – feel free to read that review! That was a year before my experience…