chosing a plastic surgeon

Hey Joyce,
First I want to say what inspirational phrases you have given on posting on this board. I love reading your responses. As to how to make sure you plastic surgeon is good, I check in several areas. The first is I check with other doctors from my church and talk to others, in addition, I talk with nurses in the area. I have a good lawyer friend and he checked for me. I know exactly how you feel because one time I had surgery on my foot and it went south fast. After that, I make sure I know my surgeons. Check with you oncologist and nurses and ask them. If you email me his name, practice name, state, I can see what I can find. Angela

Joyce:

I also had to search for a plastic surgeon and went to 8 doctors until I found the one I had my surgery with. Some were just awful, mostly in attitude or full of themselves. I was blessed to find a surgeon that all he does is breast reconstruction. I felt very comfortable with him, and he had compassion. His office was willing to work out a payment plan for the balance not covered by my insurance. I had my surgery on 2/4/08. When I first went to him, I had already been to 8 before that so I knew what I wanted to do which was the tram flap. I asked him to show me pictures of what he considered his best and worst procedures and honestly I couldn't tell which was the worst because they both looked very good.

Make sure they are board certified, both in general surgery and then plastic surgery and with that you should do ok. Once, they are certified, you know they have the training. I would also ask the surgeon who did or is doing your lumpectomy or mastectomy because they work with plastic surgeons and know who are better. If you know any nurses in the hospital, ask them, they really are your best source of information. They know all the gossip.

Lastly, it all comes down to how you feel when you meet him/her the first time. I felt very comfortable with mine, took his time to answer all my questions and was in no hurry to rush me out.

I'll also have to say that after my procedure, he kept me in an extra day to make sure I was feeling better before I came home, then called me all weekend to check up on me. I honestly haven't heard of any doctor in a long time of doing that with a patient. My friend had her procedure done 2 weeks before me and he also called her to make sure she was fine. You can also look him up on this web site and it will tell you if he/she is board certified www.plasticsurgery.org

Joyce, I hope I have helped you out and not overwhelmed you with all this info. Hugs, Lili

Hey, I am really tired so I did not read the replies and I bet everyone said this, so forgive me. Be sure he is board certified, he is well practiced in whatever you choose and has before and after pics, that he hears you, takes time with you and likes you, ask other ppl who have used him about him. I find the oncologist to be a great source, well mine is a woman. So she will give me the scoop. Sometimes men get hung up in the good old boys club. I am leaving tons out because I am tired but take all of those and all the ones you have before and then here is my biggest one that maybe has not been mentioned.

Plastic surgeons are Dr. Pretty Titty. They pretty much run a cash business because most of their business is not covered by Ins. When they reconstruct breasts, they are used to making hooters style. And, if you do not want that, you be sure that you get just what you want. Same for the nipples. My PS was a personal friend and he thought he knew more than me so he whipped some c/d cups on me when I would have loved a b cup. Mine are too far apart to make cleavage so I have to deal with the under the arm thing, I hate it. When I went in the day before surgery to have my nipples made so he could mark me, I told him he had them in the wrong place, that they were way way too low. He said, no I think that is right and I gave him the hairy eyeball and he said he would move them up one nipple size. The next morning as they were taking me in, I reminded him. He still put them where he wanted and as things have settled I cannot even see them. Get it done the way you want. If he has testicle cancer and were to have some put back I don't think he would want them hanging down close to his knees, right?....Get what you want. I am 56, women my age go to him to get those breast out from under their arms, not have them reconstructed to be just like they were. Gah...there has to be some justice in all this.

Much love...Jan