I got my brace today :(

[hotpinkshoelace]

omg i got my brace today and it is horrible! my dad took me shopping so i could get clothes to wear, and like i didn't want to try them on in the store because well yeah. Anywayz like I can't wear any of the old clothes i used to wear. can you wear shorts with a brace? idk i just hate this soooo much. I thought that getting new clothes would make me feel better but they don't i still feel just as bad

[lisanicole]

the brace...

pink,

I know the brace sucks. I had to wear mine for seven years, but I still ended up having surgery. I hated the brace so much that I wouldn't wear it to school and would just wear it from afterschool (around 4pm) until the next morning. But I suggest wearing it as much as you can so your curve doesn't get worse.

Is it a milwaukee (sp?) brace or a boston brace? My mum had me name my brace (which I named it Clyde) and I just tried to have good humour about the whole situation. I hope you feel better!!!

Godbless
lisanicole

[phaden]

Hi Sarah:

Sorry you're feeling bad about the brace. Have you checked out the message board at www.spinekids.com? There are heaps of teenage girls with scoli there and some long, long threads about what clothes to wear.

My 12-year-old daughter wears a Boston that comes very high at the top and sticks out a bit when she's standing up. She loves hoodies, because they cover the stick out bit. Multiple layers (like a short-sleeved T-shirt over a long-sleeved T-shirt) hide the bumps from the velcro straps in the front. For pants, low-slung elastic-waist cargoes and sweat pants that actually ride below the brace work best for her. She's lucky to be in New Zealand, where all girls from Junior High on wear uniforms to school that are sort of baggy and bulky, and you can't really tell what people are wearing underneath them. She's just had to give up little halters and strappy things for the time being.

Hang in there. For Caitlin, the first few weeks in the brace were pretty scary and unsettling, but she's gotten fairly accustomed to the thing now.

Patricia

[angelcake702]

Sarah, I know JUST how you feel!! I got my brace last summer, and things that work best are hooded sweatshirts and jackets...
I hate it too & sometimes, I just wish I could throw the brace away and have a straight spine...lol but I guess all dreams dont come true..but the hooded shirts reallllly help..

[Jill K]

hotpinkshoelace-
It is possible to wear shorts with your brace, it is also possible to wear jeans too. The only thing is that shorts can still be your size but i suggest the ones that have expandable waists. Shorts with expandable waists are nessesarily "dorky". You can by athletic "warm-up" shorts....the ones that are made out of mesh. For pants the same thing..mesh expandable. But if you want to wear jeans you might want to go 2 sizes or so higher. Skirts are also good because skirts dont have to be tight. I got this skirt that fits with or without my brace. When i wear it with my brace it looks about 1-3 inches shorter because it is higher on my "hips". For shirts i basically only wear baggy t shirts (when its warmer), jackets (when its colder), sweaters, sweatshirts... If you have anymore questions just ask.

[isaacschicky]

Hey

HI my name is Hannah. Umm i am 14 and i wear a brace also. I wear shorts and t-shirts and its all good. Just don't always worry about how u look. I am sure u don't look half as bad as u think. I was really worried when i first got my brace and i was scared about how i looked. Well get shirts that cover half ur butt. It really helps! And maybe stay away from really TIGHT shirts. But don't go for the really baggy grungy look. U can still look stylish but feel confident. I wear shorts all the time. Just look for jean shorts maybe 1 size larger. It really helps. But after a while u will start seeing which clothes make u look and feel the best. Just give it some time and start to accept yourself. I will tlak to u soon! If u need anything at all don't be scared to ask me! My e-mail is glitzy_ditzy06@yahoo.com thanks so much! Bye! Best of luck!

[andy_mccabe]

hi
i know i'm a guy (and new to the forums )
but seriously, the way i see it, i wear a brace, and if you go around with the attitude, that, no one actually really cares that much that you wear it and be humorous about it, this can help.
i know it sucks alot, wearing it at school and stuff, but too be honest, its alot better in the long run(i'm sure you've heard this before)
what i wear mainly, (even thought i'm a guy, just gonna givesome tips like the others )
i wear baggyish jeans, cargo's, hoodies(a god send) loose t-shirts and shirts.
to be honest, i havnt found that wearing a jacket has limited my 'clothes wearing', but then again, it might be diffrent for girls, i'm not really sure

anyway, hope i helped
good luck with the jacket
andy

[Kaybabii326]

hey sarah,

I just wanted to let you know that i got my brace about a month ago and, for me, it was awful. However, i adjusted to my brace within two weeks and now i wear it 23 hours per day. I get one hour to shower, get dressed and sometimes a half hour to ride my bike. Braces suck, but they are making you better. I would suggest, to any girl with a brace, to shop at old navy. They have fitted shirts in bigger sizes. They arent "old-ladyish" and you can wear any style you like. I love their clothes because they have things like peasant tops and cute skirts. The sizes that fit over my brace are usually L to XXL in old navy. Also, (i know this sucks, i cried when i went into this section) sizes small and medium in maternity work well with a brace. Just remember, its not forever! (at least thats how i try to look at it)

[Ciera]

Yes you can wear shorts with it!
Ciera,