met w/ other PS

[Guest guest]

hi all,

I have mulled this over for a few days and now will put all here - I

knew she wouldn't be the dream surgeon, and she wasn't what I call

warm either. I think I can no longer be impressed But here goes

a rather long chronicle of my experience:

* the initial nurse that met me has had trouble getting HER records

(to be reimplanted) by my old PS as well. It's been OVER a week, and

sent an overnighted written request and fee and still have nothing.

They promised to fax them right away. I left them a msg now - so I

did not bring my records to this apt and still know nothing about my

implants.

* I was given a whole supplment prototcol that is fabulous - for

weeks prior and after - I already had many items, and I believe they

are spot-on for preventing bruising and speeding healing. They also

require you get many lympathic massages for 6 wks after - again, I

like that they understand toxins need to get out.

* One of the many items I had to sign was a 'risk of explant'

document...I need to get a copy, I thought they would give me

one...anyhow, one of the 20 some points was that 'your partner may

loose interest in you sexually'. Maybe they have to put that as a

disclaimer, so no one can sue them if their looser man rejects them?

But to see that in writing was so terribly distasteful, etc. I

realized this : I BETTER BE GOING IN WITH A STRONG SENSE OF WHO I AM

AND BE READY TO STAND MY GROUND, BECAUSE NO MATTER WHO I MEET WITH,

I WILL BE HIT WITH JUDGEMENTS AND OPINIONS THAT RUN CONTRARY TO MY

VALUES AND HARD-WON SELF WORTH!

* when I met with the ps one of the first things she said to me was

that I have 'unrealistic expectations of how I looked {pre implant}

and how I will look'. This was mentioned a few times. In the past

year I felt one of my breasts was hanging lower, which it hadn't

before. This ps is convinced they were always this asymetrical and

wants me to still try and get the pre-op pics (which I am trying of

course)so I can see how I will/won't look. She said my nipples are

very different, too, so I probably don't have an accurate memory of

how I looked. (Which is funny, because I did live with the things a

good 10 years and I have an excellent memory....

* second thing said to me was a story about my first ps, who she

said had been an excellent ps with a great reputation 10 yrs ago.

Until he recently partnered with someone new (I myself had noticed

this when I visisted him a few wks ago - he was now with someone who

had a bad reputation - not board certified) Anyhow, I won't get into

details, but a) she was right and told me to tell other women not to

go to this other doctor and it was still VERY unprofessional and

odd to hit me with that off the bat. When I provided my ps's name

she exclaimed 'sleazebag, scumball'. (!!!!) She said not to repeat

what she said, unless it would help another woman. tacky indeed.

* you might recall she was big on deflating them a month prior -

initially I believed it was due to the skin retracting/healing and

it being easier for her to work with. Alas, I asked her point blank

what was easier and she said just taking the implants out was much

easier, and NOT deflating. Her reason for wanting me to ? Based on

her experience women are so depressed walking around deflated that

they have time to change their minds and choose reimplantation. I

did push this over and over and am certain, based on her info, there

is no medical benefit in me being deflated - an extra $500 as well.

She also pointed out that most women feel like they have had

masectomies. I pointed out I have considered all the ramifications

and have been studying old pictures of myself and love how I looked

( " yes, but with clothes " she countered) Many of you asked about the

risk of infection from the site of the syringe after deflating and

she confirmed, yes there is a risk of that. Antibiotics are started

day of. She also offered to put three holes in each implant and let

them deflate naturally. I said 'EWWW and the fluids are absorbed

into my body' - " It's saline! " she said. uh hu.

*Oh, IF I got deflated, I could not wear a bra at all - that

can 'train' the tissue to heal/contract improperly. So, there will

be no disgusing my altered state, basically. Which is swiftly

becoming the least of my worries

* she really did a thorough exam of my breasts (which my first ps,

who I saw a few wks ago didn't do/find necessary at all) - and did a

little 'needle test' on the nipple and I have lost all feeling in

one quadrant on both sides.

* she said it looks/feels like one of my implants was done under the

muscle and one was done over! (Can this be why one is hanging

differently?) I was told they were done UNDER. But without the OR

report she is not clear yet. I REALLY want my records now first,

too, for my own decision making process. She said she knew my ps

was doing alot of textured ones (ugh!) and that time. I thought

they were smooth, but, again, no clue, and who knows what they put

in there!

* Ok, the capsulectomy vs capsulotomy. You also might recall in her

communication to me she was fine with capsulectomy - and she is,

however, she does not recommend it for me. The cost will go up,

being under longer, more scarring, all the reasons you have all

heard. She said she believes I have no contracture (still soft) and

the capsule would be very thin (even after 10 yrs?) and there is no

calcification. She said if she goes in and the scar tissue is very

thick and has calcification THEN she must do a capsulectomy. She

said if I wanted it she would absolutely to do it but wanted to give

me options based on her two decades of experience. For the partial

capsule removal, she stated she will go thru same incision (areola)

and just score the two layers of scar tissue to they don't 'stick'

together and healing properly. If she did the whole capsule, it

would also have the incision under the breast.

* She said capsulotomy would be an hour and a half. and total

capsulectomy would be over 2 and half hours. At least she didn't

give me the " drive through " time estimates that some ps do.

* I asked her what I would look like after surgery and she

said 'exactly how you looked before, if you are the same weight'. I

asked about sagginess and she said 'only if you were saggy before

hand. You are not going to look deformed.'

*She never does lifts at the same time, thinks it is crazy, because

the tissue will shrink and women should see if they even need a lift

first. She didn't think I would be a candidate as I was very small

pre-implant.

* she said it takes a good 2 yrs for the tissues to fully heal (with

either capsulectomy/capsulotomy.

*She is adament about drains in any procedure and they will be in

for 2 - 7 days depending on the fluids. Pain will be much less than

implant.

*post explant bras: she would like to ok them first - should be an

underwire with a soft jersey material - she said it is so important

what kind of shaping explant patients get - just had an elderly

woman who wore some sort of push up and her tissue has healed around

it and has an indentation of some sort. She recommended some sort

of 'shelf bra' type tops as well - like s Secret has all

those ones. (Gee, the ones I have been wearing for years now - can

I exchange 'em for a smaller model? hehe) Something with a nice

shape around the breast is very helpful.

* You have follow up appts every week for 6 wks - then 3 mos, 6 mos,

one year, and every year.

* she is a ps with hospital rights and her office is in a hospital.

* afterwards you are give a veritable medicine cabinet of drugs:

pain meds, antibiotics (of course), celbrex, zanaz, ambien, etc.

(makes you sleep, not depressed, no spasms,) - I said 'well, I will

take my pick of those and not get most of them filled - didn't phase

them.

* They do a platelet test prior to the surgery to make sure your

blood is not too thin or thick. I do like this, and think it is so

important and over looked. They also require a physical.

*they automatically provide you copies of your records/OR rpt.

* you are given a several page resume on the ps' credentials,

education, certifications, etc.

* lastly, I wanted to mention how they stressed to not smoke of

course, and not to not be around second hand smoke for 3 months

AFTER surgery - because that exposure can literally make your nipple

fall off, that tissue is so vulnerable. VERY interesting, wanted to

mention that.

SO my friends, that is the jist of it. She said, in a surprised

way, I was obviously very prepared and rational and had done alot of

research. She spend an hour with me talking - I was there nearly 4

hours for the intial consult. Here is my take:

* Did I feel she was insinuating I would not look good without my

implants? Yes. There was a huge element of " ok do this, and I will

do it how you want but I will be able to say 'I told you so' "

* the office staff was phenomonal; I think their approach using

massage, supplements, etc. is appealing.

* I surprised she was not very supportive of a total capsulectomy -

because we had emailed and I thought 'bingo, we've got a winner'.

Clearly, she is willing to do it, has done it, but believes for me

it's not necessary. (don't they all)

* Found another ps who has done explant (saw it on another website)

for someone who wanted hers out for health reasons - turns out he is

or was her partner/they are in the same building and teach

together. Maybe I am just tired of this, but would he be worth

seeing - it seems like he'll be of the same mind as her, based on

his website and his assistant who I already talked to. I mean, I am

not going to find a Dr. Feng here, I doubt, so eventually I have to

just pick one of the better ones, even if they don't agree with my

needs.

* I want to rant on my first ps - just give me my records!!! this is

insanity that I can't have answers to simple questions that are my

rights! the witch told me they found my records and that was over a

week ago - all they had to do was get a chk and they'd FAX Them to

my house. Well, fedex delivered it to their mansion and you still

make me wait. I have been sweet as can be, and nothing. Oh, and get

this, the contact number she left me, WAS HER WORK NUMBER!!! (the

wife handles the records) - so I had to leave a message on her work

number about my personal medical records. (and she works in real

estate, mind you) Nice. Grr. Growl.

* Ok, now, I want to ask one question - kind of devil's advocate

thing. I understand how important total capsule removal is, and

have read all the files and Dr. Feng's comments too - but if one

only got a capsulotomy, what would the draw backs be? The pieces of

silicone shell (I have saline, but I know the shell is silicone)

imbedded in you, etc.? I read a list of Dr. Feng's points when she

would consider NOT taking out the whole capsule and it was basically

if they were 1) smooth 2) no systemic problems/symptoms 3) no

contracture and a few other points. Just curious - what DOES happen

to that tissue though, even if it is contaminated, does it breakdown

eventually. Has anyone been ok here after not getting them all out?

Yes, the cost for total capsulectomy is much much greater, and I do

not like the idea of those incisions being underneath. I could get

them out fairly soon if I didn't get the total capsulectomy, whereas

I will have to wait months and months longer for financial reasons

for the total. (not saying I won't) I also do not like the idea of

being under for over 2.5 hours - I had an experience while being

under for a long time once (all wisdom teeth) where my heart

rate 'tripled' supposedly and the dr came running out yelling at my

mom " you didn't tell us she had a heart problem " ? (freaked my poor

mom out!!) - I didn't have a heart problem, but I had been under for

awhile. That scares me, esp. now that I am older - that was 20 years

ago. That scares me more than leaving scar tissue in. Again, I am

not discounting any info here at all, this is just part of my

decision making process - I like to consider different angles of

things. I come to the best decisions that way. The most stress on

me now, is not the healing, the 'shock' of being flat, but rather,

the going under part. We all have different buttons, and I guess

that is mine and it has been pushed:)

Finally, all her insinutations that I won't like how I look, which

my boyfriend thought were incredibly rude, only gave me a secret

smile on the inside, wanting them out more; confirming my desire to

be how I was. Little did she know, those comments fueled my

strength and fire - I felt like it was a big Screw You to the Media,

Society, FDA, and greedy Plastic Surgeons everywhere. I know why I

want these out and it has to do with being the most authentic and

healthy version of myself that I can be - inside and out - there

will always be those who find something wrong with that. That is

how they eek out a living.

Remember what Upton Sinclair wrote.... " It is difficult to get a man

to understand something when his salary depends upon his not

understanding it. "

Bless you all for listening