Dr. Feng & My Experience

[Guest guest]

This is not a policy issue. Not all docs can suit everyone's needs and I get that-.That's not the crux of the issue. I was told things by that are COUNTER to the standards of the ABPRS. Kolb had addressed this "microsurgery" bullshit info too and said it was false and misleading and against the rules of the ABPRS. This was 's excuse for the anesthesia issue and she said "It CAN'T be done (mastopexy under local/IV) and she told that other docs who told me it could are WRONG to do this because they can't do the job well. Kolb was one of the many doctors who states mastopexy can be done under local/with sedation. Not all docs want to do mastopexy under local/sedation and THIS IS FINE (got that)? but to mislead someone is not fine! To tell them their disease and thyroid is not effected by general anesthesia (in a calloused way) and is bunk in their head is WRONG. To tell a patient that the doctor must be trained in MICROSURGERY to do a mastopexy is inaccurate (though like an idiot, I believed her and as a result checked off certain surgeons from my shopping list). To tell you they will talk to Feng about it and get back to you and don't (after 2 calls and 5 e-mails) is VERY CHEESY and that's my point. Her not wanting to treat my situation is one thing, just say "we use general anesthesia" only, would have been more professional. I have been told this by other docs and although disappointed. I'm OK with this. Policy is policy--I got that. Misinformation in an unprofessional manner should not be policy. And coming forth to share such information should be discussed and met with greater understanding and perhaps a grain of sympathy for a fellow implant sufferer.

-Marie

[Guest guest]

I have been reading some of the discussions about Dr. Lu-Feng

and since many are researching which surgeon to go to, I thought I

would put in my 2 cents worth.

First of all, when I was researching explantation, I had it narrowed

down to Dr. Kolb or Dr. Lu-Feng. I thought BOTH would be

excellant, but chose Dr. Feng because I have family and friends

within a few hours of Dr. Feng's clinic.

I have never had EITHER Dr. Feng or Dr. Kolb be disrespectful, rude

or unkind to me. Dr. Feng's staff does NOT keep up with email as

well as I would like to see, and Dr. Kolb did reply to my emails

immediately. However, every time I have ever called Dr. Feng's

office, I have been treated with the utmost respect. I have never

been rushed, spoken " down to " , or been denied help in any area I

have called about.

We at Explantation.com, get many emails from all over the world. We

also hear from many of Dr. Feng's patients and feature stories from

her patients. We have NEVER had ONE complaint about her or her

staff being rude or unkind in any way.

(By the way, we still have NO feature stories by any of Dr. Kolb's

patients, so if you are one of her explantation or explantation and

mastopexy patients, we would LOVE to have your story and photos. It

is NOT by choice that we have not featured any of her patient's

stories. Dr. Kolb, if you have any patients you think may be

interested, let us know, ok?)

Here is my theory on this issue:

Medical staffs and assistants are merely human beings. They can and

do make errors, just as all of us. If they feel they are being

interviewed critically, or if they are spoken to with " an attitude " ,

if they feel the person they are speaking to is angry or bitter, if

they feel they are being scrutinized or being attacked - they may

react in a rather defensive tone. They are human. If they are told

the policies of the surgeon and clinic they represent, and someone

is unwilling to go by the policies, they probably feel they are NOT

THE RIGHT CLINIC AND/OR SURGEON to suit that particular woman's

needs.

I also have several close relatives in the medical profession. The

physicians and surgeons expect their assistants and staff to

carefully discern which people are most likely to be appreciative

and cooperative of their medical expertise. When a patient is very

contradictory, defensive, offensive, seems to be hard to please,

unwilling to accept their policies and procedures, THEY GET A RED

FLAG UP, too.

In this day of medical malpractice suits, and the fear of being

sued, they MUST try to be honest and give information that will

allow the potential patient THE RIGHT TO CHOSE if they are indeed

the surgeon/Dr. the person is really looking for.

I accept that Dr. Feng has her reasons for the policies she has in

her surgical practice. If I did not, I would not have gone to her.

I asked many questions, as to " why " , she did or didn't do certain

things - and she readily answered my questions. I am a KIND person.

I LISTEN, and I am not defensive or argumentative. Therefore, I am

treated with respect.

If anyone has called Dr. Feng's office and not gotten the

information they feel will satisfy their medical needs, they have

the right not to chose her. If Dr. Feng's staff talks to any

persons who make it clear THEY WILL NOT BE HAPPY WITH THEIR

POLICIES, they have a right NOT to treat them. PERIOD. This does

not make them a bad medical insitution.

Some physicians are not intimated by demanding patients. My son

happens to be a difficult, demanding patient - who is very

intelligent, inquisitive, but impatient and sometimes sounds

unkind. He often is treated curtly by his physicians. I have been

with him - and watching his method of communication and his level of

communication skills, I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY DR.S do NOT like to TREAT

my son. I would not treat him either! The physicians who HAVE had

patience with him and treat him kindly, no matter how he talks to

them, I admire and respect greatly. They would NOT have to treat

him. He has been through a lot and has many reasons to be bitter

with the medical industry as a whole. I won't go into all the

errors and injustices he has had in his short life of 25 years, but

maybe some day I will. The fact still remains - he has AN ATTITUDE

and IT SHOWS.

I am satisfied with the reasons Dr. Feng gave me for not repairing

my left breast (when I had complications), under local anesthesia. I

had no right to expect her to go against her own policies and

convictions and if I would have wanted it done under local, it would

have been my responsibility to find another surgeon who would meet

MY EXPECTATIONS. I chose to trust HER and her good reasons. That

is my right. It is HER right.

Bottom line, if I can tell when someone is getting aggressive or

testy with me - I can get defensive and RED FLAGS go up. It is

possible that has encountered some people who have made it

quite clear to her - they would never submit to Dr. Feng's policies

and practices. She may not return calls or may would seem to be less

accomodating than she is to those of us who are willing to use their

clinic with full trust. I don't think that clinic is in need of

patients, and would have no need to coax a person to comply with

their procedures. Is it possible that some people (even if they

don't MEAN TO BE) SOUND very critical and demanding and send red

flags up to others? When I talk to someone who sounds negative, I

am MUCH less willing to deal with them, than when I talk to someone

who is kind, positive and has good communication skills.

I think a course on effective communication skills should be

required in high school. There are certain phrases and ways people

communicate, which compel certain responses.

In my opinion, many of the misunderstandings people mention, are

just ineffective communication skills.

I have such a deep respect for the wonderful, gifted, surgeons who

have chosen to help breast implanted women. All of them. It goes

so deep, that I don't even refer to them as " Feng " or " Kolb "

or " Huang " . They have put many hours into their studying and have

made huge sacrifices to our cause and to give our lives back to us.

I figure the least I can do, is address them, and speak of them in

the greatest respect. That is just ME. I never, in ANY WAY, want

to speak negative of them. They are HUMAN. They can also make

mistakes. They are dedicated and have chosen a path of high

resistence. It is our responsibility to encourage them and show

them respect. There are TOO FEW OF THEM OUT THERE who are willing to

deal with us.

Hopefully, I have not offended anyone. I feel very defensive of my

dear Dr. Feng, and all of her wonderful staff. They saved my life,

my breasts, and they were my angels of mercy in the greatest time of

need. Could other Dr.s have done this? I surely hope so, but let

me praise them and tell my side of this saga. If feels

anything like I do, she is desparately trying to keep Dr. Feng from

being judged in areas she doesn't even have a chance to defend

herself in. There are many young women out there, needing a good

surgeon. I would hate for someone to rule out Dr. Feng, just because

one or two people found her to NOT be the right surgeon for THEIR

particular needs or desires.

[Guest guest]

There are articles in the plastic surgery literature about doing reduction mammplasties under local with sedation so doing mastopexies is not that unusual. .

-----Original Message-----From: perlesetlacet@... [mailto:perlesetlacet@...]Sent: Saturday, April 20, 2002 4:51 PM Subject: Re: Dr. Feng & My ExperienceThis is not a policy issue. Not all docs can suit everyone's needs and I get that-.That's not the crux of the issue. I was told things by that are COUNTER to the standards of the ABPRS. Kolb had addressed this "microsurgery" bullshit info too and said it was false and misleading and against the rules of the ABPRS. This was 's excuse for the anesthesia issue and she said "It CAN'T be done (mastopexy under local/IV) and she told that other docs who told me it could are WRONG to do this because they can't do the job well. Kolb was one of the many doctors who states mastopexy can be done under local/with sedation. Not all docs want to do mastopexy under local/sedation and THIS IS FINE (got that)? but to mislead someone is not fine! To tell them their disease and thyroid is not effected by general anesthesia (in a calloused way) and is bunk in their head is WRONG. To tell a patient that the doctor must be trained in MICROSURGERY to do a mastopexy is inaccurate (though like an idiot, I believed her and as a result checked off certain surgeons from my shopping list). To tell you they will talk to Feng about it and get back to you and don't (after 2 calls and 5 e-mails) is VERY CHEESY and that's my point. Her not wanting to treat my situation is one thing, just say "we use general anesthesia" only, would have been more professional. I have been told this by other docs and although disappointed. I'm OK with this. Policy is policy--I got that. Misinformation in an unprofessional manner should not be policy. And coming forth to share such information should be discussed and met with greater understanding and perhaps a grain of sympathy for a fellow implant sufferer.-Marie