Susan's Place Transgender Resources

I'm just going to copy/paste what I wrote in my blog.

I am fortunate enough that I can easily ignore the way my body is. I don't really look at my crotch too often but there are the more obvious parts that I dislike. My chest and hips.

I've been cursed with what some consider a "hourglass" shape. My chest at its widest point is about 47 inches, underneath is 35, waist is about 34, and hips are 46. I tend to bind using only one binder, my 997. It's moderately comfortable (although, the binder has a crap ton of flaws), binds my chest alright and binds my hips. It smooths my curves out a bit.

Last night, I decided to double bind using my tri-top layered under my 997. It was hard to breathe and I tend to be short of breath doing basic things in my tri-top (like going up stairs). I looked in the mirror and it brought on a panic attack. I had thought that the 997 smoothed me out and made me flat but when I saw myself it wasn't anywhere near flat. I felt as if both binders were barely doing anything. I started having a much harder time breathing and was close to crying. I knew I needed to get my binders off ASAP. I struggled to get out of them but eventually my chest was "free" and I wasn't looking in a mirror.

That's the biggest freak out I've had in awhile. There has to be better options out there that will work for me (besides surgery) and are maybe somewhat comfortable. Has anybody else been in similar situations? What do you do to take care of it?

I'm sorry that happened, panic attacks suck. :(

I don't have a large chest, but the tissue in what I do have is quite firm and doesn't flatten well.  My binder does smooth things out and makes it easier to hide with bad posture/clothes/etc., but it doesn't make it flat.  I don't know if it will help, but I'm going to try wearing a shirt under my binder, and using an Ace bandage under my binder to try to push the lumps to the side, since my binder isn't tight enough to hold them there.  That's all I've got.  I hope you find something that helps!

i know excatly what your going through! i have a slightly larger chest (34 C) and i also use the 997 because i have an hourglass shape. but, the binder doesnt make me flat, i cant use two binders because i have bad asthma and i can barely breath with one binder let alone 2  XD I have panic attacks every morning because i cant get my chest flat and i hate looking down and seeing lumps  :( all i do about this is just have a confident male attitude and i dont even think about my chest, no matter how hard it is  haha i'm sorry i'm not much help XD

ive gotten 3 or 4 different kinds of binders from underworks and the only one that really works for me is the tri top. all the others are as effective as a sports bra.. so hardly ANYTHING..

Quote from: Mark on September 12, 2010, 10:34:33 PM
ive gotten 3 or 4 different kinds of binders from underworks and the only one that really works for me is the tri top. all the others are as effective as a sports bra.. so hardly ANYTHING..

The tri top can barely cover my whole chest and makes it so I can't breathe too well.

Quote from: Nygeel on September 12, 2010, 10:38:34 PM
The tri top can barely cover my whole chest and makes it so I can't breathe too well.

yeah originally the first tri top i bought was way to small even though i ordered the right measurements. I think you have to order a larger size then you'd expect. Other then that idk what to tell you. I had gotten the 988, 998, 974, and 983  (tritop) and it was the only one that really did much.. if you order a larger size, it may help?

Anyway, at least fall/winter is around the corner and we can layer up and wear hoodies and such =]

Quote from: Mark on September 12, 2010, 10:47:15 PM
yeah originally the first tri top i bought was way to small even though i ordered the right measurements. I think you have to order a larger size then you'd expect. Other then that idk what to tell you. I had gotten the 988, 998, 974, and 983  (tritop) and it was the only one that really did much.. if you order a larger size, it may help?

A size larger won't be longer. I need the length to cover my chest. I'm at the larger end of one size and bought what the sizing guide says. It takes a while to get cool here and my hoodies are mostly too tight in the hips but fit the shoulder...might have to go up another size and get 'em really baggy.

Quote from: Nygeel on September 12, 2010, 10:59:34 PM
A size larger won't be longer. I need the length to cover my chest. I'm at the larger end of one size and bought what the sizing guide says. It takes a while to get cool here and my hoodies are mostly too tight in the hips but fit the shoulder...might have to go up another size and get 'em really baggy.

=[ sorry man outta ideas then

okay i don't really have the same figure but here are some thoughts i had when reading through this thread:

1. you may wanna get a long binder, but a size larger than you usually get, so you'll be able to breathe. then cut it to the length you need. don't bind your belly and hips with the same binder. a binder that's one size larger is sometimes the better choice because it will most likely still put enough compression on your chest, but at the same time doesn't accentuate the fact that you're flatter beneath and above the chest.
Maybe you can find a binder that is padded in the front?

2. instead of using the binder to compress your hips, you can use control panties. they have them in a style that looks like tight black boxer briefs, and they have several advantages: you will lose like an inch or two in butt circumference plus they sort of "redistribute" the fat, so your butt will look more masculine in shape. since the material on the outside is rather silky/slippery, your pants will behave more like guys pants as well.

3. if you can find a binder that has velcro (i know the underworks binders don't and i believe you had sizing problems with the love boat ones, but maybe you could have velcro sewn into one for you), you can sort of try out what your chest looks when varying tightness. 

4. give your belly and lower ribcage a chance to breathe (that's what i meant earlier by "cutting the binder to the length you need") ---that way you'll at least be able to breathe into your belly

emil, the 997 which is the long binder isn't enough compression to hide my chest. It's cut too low in the front, arm pit holes are too big. It's moderately comfortable.  Not sure what you mean about a binder that's padded. I won't use control panties. I hate the way they feel. Don't know what you mean about my pants behaving more like guys pants. I also have a velcro binder which doesn't cover enough of my chest with the binding, the binding fabric doesn't do much, it's cut weird, aaaand is uncomfortable. I have a T-kingdom binder. The les love boat ones aren't long enough based on what I've read. The breathing problems were because of my breathing hard/freaking out/crying and the very tight compression around my ribs.

sorry, i read that sentence

QuoteThere has to be better options out there that will work for me (besides surgery) and are maybe somewhat comfortable. Has anybody else been in similar situations? What do you do to take care of it?

as though you were looking for ideas and was just trying to help, but you sound rather offended. that was not my intention. hope you'll find something that works for you.


edit: t-kingdom binders don't even do enough for me, so i wouldnt recommend them to anyone really. padded binders are binders with a semi-solid padded front. i only know them from avoiding them because i'm skinny and i fear it would look akward on me, but they had them on one of the asian websites, esha or juya  probably. pants worn over control boxerbriefs don't hug my hips of crotch, they sort of just look a lot different, that's just my experience.

Quote from: emil on September 13, 2010, 02:30:52 PM
sorry, i read that sentence  as though you were looking for ideas and was just trying to help, but you sound rather offended. that was not my intention.

Not offended, just frustrated.

Having suffered both panic and anxiety attacks I know how crappy they are :( If you haven't had one before re: looking in the mirror with binder on I would tend to attribute it to having the two on and restricting your breathing too much. I noticed for me when I put on a super tight sports bar - even though it's made for sports - I wasn't able to really breathe properly and it was in turn making my anxiety level go up. The lack of all the needed oxygen can do funky things and start chain reactions where you're heart starts beating faster, then you really notice the breathing and then you're in a full on panic attack.

As for other things that might work, just your regular binder and a tshirt and a button down shirt maybe? I do that just with a different sports bra sometimes.

I feel that it was brought on more because I was binding as much as humanly possible and still had a very visible chest.