Susan's Place Transgender Resources

So I've had an Underworks 997 for almost 2 years now, I'm no bigger than when I got it, and it's no smaller, it fit perfectly before and I could wear it all day with no problems, but now when I wear it, it gets really hard for me to breath- but only when I'm sitting.
It's definitely not the wrong size, I'm on the small end of the scale for this one, but I'm wondering why sitting makes it so hard to breath. I stopped wearing it for about 2 months to see if the problem would go away, or at least get a little better, but it's the exact same as before.

I'm hoping to get a lesloveboat binder this summer to replace this one, but until then, do you guys know why this one would be doing this?

Did you put it in a dryer?

Nope, I've definitely avoided that.

Have you gained more muscle? Started T?

Nope and nope :/

My doc said my ribcage had expanded. Could this have happened to you?

Maybe that weird material shrinks rather than stretches as it gets old. Love boat binders are much better, you'll never want to go back.

Quote from: LordKAT on May 16, 2013, 03:33:50 PM
My doc said my ribcage had expanded. Could this have happened to you?

Possible I guess, maybe I'll measure myself again.

Quote from: xander on May 16, 2013, 06:44:00 PM
Maybe that weird material shrinks rather than stretches as it gets old. Love boat binders are much better, you'll never want to go back.

Sure hoping they're better than my Underworks! Its great for flattening, but dang those things are uncomfortable.

Quote from: CursedFireDean on May 16, 2013, 08:04:50 PM
Sure hoping they're better than my Underworks! Its great for flattening, but dang those things are uncomfortable.

I read somewhere else that you're a small guy. I'm quite small myself and they work really well for my size/shape. Buy the high performance short binder. SO FREAKIN' COMFORTABLE and I find it flattens better than Underworks too. I think it cost $55 but it is so worth it.

Quote from: xander on May 16, 2013, 10:02:40 PM
I read somewhere else that you're a small guy. I'm quite small myself and they work really well for my size/shape. Buy the high performance short binder. SO FREAKIN' COMFORTABLE and I find it flattens better than Underworks too. I think it cost $55 but it is so worth it.

Yup, a small guy here. That's the one I've been considering, glad to hear it's more comfortable and more flattening than Underworks! Definitely the one I'll try next :)

Let me know how it goes. Are you going to be able to afford it soon?

I'm an avid underworks guy.

Now then onto your question lol, that seems odd. You know though our bodies are always changing, I like the suggestion that you rib cage might have expanded a bit. I'd also wonder though if something else might be 'wrong'. How do you feel overall? Any shortness of breath, increased heart rate? Is you level of T sitting in the normal range? If you are experiencing this shortness of breath even without the binder i'd recommend seeing your doctor and letting him/her know. They may suggest an ultrasound/x-ray to check that everything's ok.

I've exclusively worn underworks for the last two years, every single day, sometimes for days on end without removing it and i've never experienced any shortness of breath (pain yes, cause when you wear a clothing that puts pressure on your rib cage for five days straight that stuff can start to ache!). I strongly believe that if you fitted yourself according to their guide you should feel absolutely no discomfort. So thus, i'd be a bit worried something else is going on. A shortness of breath can be an indicator of any number of aliments. I would recommend you talk to your doc.

Quote from: xander on May 17, 2013, 07:09:04 AM
Let me know how it goes. Are you going to be able to afford it soon?

Yeah, at latest, I'll be getting it mid-June. Earliest, I'll order next weekend. It all depends on if I go to an anime convention next weekend or not, still haven't decided.

Quote from: Bastian on May 17, 2013, 10:22:56 AM
I'm an avid underworks guy.

Now then onto your question lol, that seems odd. You know though our bodies are always changing, I like the suggestion that you rib cage might have expanded a bit. I'd also wonder though if something else might be 'wrong'. How do you feel overall? Any shortness of breath, increased heart rate? Is you level of T sitting in the normal range? If you are experiencing this shortness of breath even without the binder i'd recommend seeing your doctor and letting him/her know. They may suggest an ultrasound/x-ray to check that everything's ok.

I've exclusively worn underworks for the last two years, every single day, sometimes for days on end without removing it and i've never experienced any shortness of breath (pain yes, cause when you wear a clothing that puts pressure on your rib cage for five days straight that stuff can start to ache!). I strongly believe that if you fitted yourself according to their guide you should feel absolutely no discomfort. So thus, i'd be a bit worried something else is going on. A shortness of breath can be an indicator of any number of aliments. I would recommend you talk to your doc.

I've been feeling fine recently, not on T yet, so I doubt it's T issues (possibly hormone issues I guess, I don't know), and the only other shortness of breath I get is from exercise, since I've got exercise-induced asthma.

Huh, that is very odd. If it continues i'd still recommend seeing your doctor, just in case it's something more serious.