Right now it's hard to type as I think I've trapped a nerve in my shoulder/arm from binding. Binding is hell for me. I can't get my chest flat at all unless I use 2 binders, which I know you shouldn't do. My left arm suddenly started hurting like crazy this morning after I put my binder on. I find that it sometimes cuts off circulation to my arms but not too badly and the top of my chest is always tender but the muscles seem to be all knotted and hard. I'm 5'3, average build and a 34DD, or at least I was the last time I got measured. I am currently wearing a bra at the moment to take some of the tension off and I can feel that my chest is too big for it so I guess I'm probably an E cup now.

So it's really hard for me to look flat chested and even with a reasonably baggy t-shirt you can still make out breasts. If I wear anything baggier it will look ridiculous. I'm just not sure what to do. I can barely move my arm at the moment as the pain is very sharp. Why was a I cursed with big breasts .

Binding doesn't work for me either, so I know where you're coming from. But, if two binders is causing this severe pain, why not just let loose some and just wear one properly fitting binder? Maybe put on a compression shirt over it. At least spend like a day or more per week without a binder on for at least most of the day if you can and do some good arm stretches.

Maybe you should see a massage therapist about your arm. My sister worked at a Massage Envy over in D.C. and she said it's pretty cheap to get a 30 minute massage, only $50. Or, go see a doctor.

If you insist on continuing to double bind, I'd try to incorporate a stretching routine in every morning and night before and after you take off your binders. There's also these weird looking foam cylinders with noobs sticking up on them (you can find it with the yoga gear at Target, or on their website http://www.target.com/p/gaiam-national-ora-restore-foam-roll-12-inch/-/A-14071609#prodSlot=medium_2_8) that you're supposed to roll your back on, that could help to massage/relieve tension where you bind without having to pay for a massage every time.

Oh... also this stuff called Biofreeze works wonders! You can get it at a chiropractors office and I've also seen it at medical supply stores (they don't sell it in regular pharmacies like CVS or Walgreens).

I don't even bind tightly but if I do it every day the left side of my ribs will start to ache. Not sure why other than that's where the velcro closure is so it might be some not-even pressure thing. Either way, I go get massages and that helps (pricy, but if you can afford it massage therapy is awesome). Somehow I'm able to put all my disphoria away to get a massage. I also don't wear the binder when I'm just sitting around the house. I hate my moobs, but I hate pain more.

The foam cylinders that LearnedHand mentioned are good too. I have one of those for when I have no money to get a massage. It's not the same thing but at least it helps.

Do you have regular medical insurance? If so, you qualify for a breast reduction. I am also large chested and I bind and yes you can still see I have breasts but binding is better than not. I am going the breast reduction route because I do not have money for top surgery. I also found out you can still get top surgery after a breast reduction so I can save for howeverever long I need until I have enough money. I rather get a reduction now to ease some of my chest dysphoria and make binding easier. You should look into it. Just need a letter from your primary care doctor explaining why its "medically necessary" so your insurance ( if you have it) will cover it. It's got to be better than being so large and double binding.

I just wondered, have you been on T for very long?

I'm pre-T and have a larger chest but I was hoping that once I start taking T it would help decrease my chest size before I plan to get top surgery.

Learnedhand- I've never been able to find a binder that fits properly. I've owned a few and none have really done enough for me. I might keep looking around or if anyone knows a really good binder then please let me know. I could do some more stretching. I don't do myself much good hunched over a desk all day either. I'm in the UK so I don't really know what Target is lol but I'm sure I could find something similar to that over here. Thanks.

insideontheoutside- My ribs tend to hurt as well after a while. I used a velcro binder for about a year and the side where the velcro is hurt a lot more. I could never even out the pressure. I don't use velcro ones anymore.

Mattflo- I'm in the UK so I could probably get it on the NHS. Still the problem with our health care system is it might be free but it takes a very long time for anything to ever get done lol. I may look into breast reduction though although I'm not sure if that would effect my right for top surgery. Sometimes you can get it on the NHS and other times you can't. I think that depends on your PCT. I think if you are bigger chested you're more likely to get it on the NHS but if you are smaller chested they might turn around and say that it isn't needed and it's more of a cosmetic issue therefore you have to pay yourself.

Contravene- I'm still pre-T. The beard in my photo is my awesome skill with mascara lol.

Quote from: MRH on March 19, 2013, 07:14:51 AM
Learnedhand- I've never been able to find a binder that fits properly.

What part doesn't fit properly? None that I have really fit well either, but I modified them a bit to fit better. If you describe what part doesn't fit, maybe I could help you come up with a way to modify it.

I dunno. I guess it just feels like it isn't tight enough. It tends to just look more like a sports bra if anything. I normally buy large ones. I contemplated going for a smaller size as it might compress my chest more but I wasn't sure if it was a good idea, and considering the prices of binders I don't wanna risk buying one that isn't going to help much.

I feel your pain man it seems to have stopped now but for a couple of weeks my shoulder was in absolute agony, it radiated up my neck and head so I had a painful shoulder, stiff neck and a constant headache. I have no idea why but the symptoms stopped as soon as I had my next T shot o_0 very weird.

Sounds like I'm a similar build to you. What I do instead of wearing two binders is wear a full body suit compressor under a short binder (the extra strength velcro one from les love boat) It helps drag my moobs down and flattens them out into a smooth line from chest to stomach.

I really should take a picture of this, I try to explain it with words all the time and I'm fairly sure it doesn't make sense

I have the same problem, it just feels like a sports bra and looks like one too. I was also going to go a size smaller, but everyone talked me out of it. What I did though was (I use Underworks) is undo the seam at the side and bring it in some, so it's a bit tighter but not as tight as going down a size. I made the bottom part smaller than the top (so I cut the near where the seam was kind of like a bell shape) so the bottom is tighter than the top, because on mine the bottom part of the binder was too loose and didn't even touch  my skin since my tits are so big.

It still doesn't get me flat, but I know even if I double bound or went smaller, I wouldn't be flat anyways. 

MRH, I think you should probably see a doctor about that.  Please be careful, because nerve damage can become permanent.  I have nerve damage in my shoulders, so I speak from experience when I say you do not want nerve damage.