Need very talented NYC Plastic Surgeon

2

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  • femme
    femme Member Posts: 262
    edited October 2010

    I have made 2 of the 3 appointments that I planned on making.  I had a very nice discussion with one doctor's nurse.  She was knowledgeable and led me to believe that implant surgery might be a possibility for me.  I feel optimistic that I will no longer have breasts that I must pick up off the floor every morning ...a big downer for me. My first appointment is this Friday.  I think I'm on my way!!

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  • NancyD
    NancyD Member Posts: 3,562
    edited October 2010

    Good luck, femme!!

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  • LISAMG
    LISAMG Member Posts: 639
    edited August 2013

    Highly recommend Nolan Karp, Director of Breast PS @ NYU, listed in top docs, extremely skilled/specializes in implants. I am now 8 weeks post NSM and absolutely love my results. He and Choi are partners in private practice, located in mid town Manhattan. Definitely worth the consult!! I know women who had Karp correct other's mistakes and loved his work. Best wishes.

    http://www.kcnyplasticsurgery.com/drkarp.php

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  • femme
    femme Member Posts: 262
    edited October 2010

    Thank you all for the doctors mentioned.  This week I see 1 dr on Wed (tomorrow) and another on Fri. The last dr. I will see will be in 3 weeks.  I will let you all know how things turn out.  I am so excited about the idea of possibly fixing my failed reconstruction. I have been waking up in the middle of the night thinking "Why am I happy?" Then I remember what I am trying to do and go back to sleep smiling.  Can't wait for tomorrow. To be continued.... 

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  • Annabella58
    Annabella58 Member Posts: 2,466
    edited October 2010

    Atta girl, Femme!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Rooting for you in CT!

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  • femme
    femme Member Posts: 262
    edited October 2010

    I just came back from my first consult, and I am a little disappointed. The lovely PS felt that I do not have enough skin and fat for implants and recommended a diep as the best bet.  My next consult  appointment is Friday.

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  • Annabella58
    Annabella58 Member Posts: 2,466
    edited October 2010

    Femme, it may well be that a diep is your best bet.  In my case, the scarred skin did stretch but it took a beating and it did break down.  After the patch job from my tummy, and nine months in a TE, we got there.  It took quite awhile tho.

    I know many of the diep ladies are very, very happy with results.....

    Let's wait til all the info gets in and you can get a clear read on where you are in all of this.

    Still rooting for you............

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  • femme
    femme Member Posts: 262
    edited October 2010

    I saw the 2nd PS.  She repeated the opinion of the 1st PS.  I do not have enough skin or tissue for implants.  A diep is what she suggests.

    I am in my 60's, I am an artist and my career is galloping, critical reviews, sales, etc.  I am just mentioning this to say that I haven't the time for a long recovery, away from making art.Not to mention healing at my age is slower, trickier.  I wanted to tuck little implants under my skin and be done with it.  No way, they say.  I might have to wrap my brain around doing nothing.  One more consult to go - in 3 weeks. 

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  • ASL
    ASL Member Posts: 202
    edited October 2010

    I haven't been on in awhile so sorry am a bit late in chiming in here but I also had Mark Smith as my PS. Although I used him for DIEP, I know he also does implants and other types of reconstruction. I don't think you could go wrong with him. By the way, he did my bilateral DIEP when a few other docs said I didn't have enough abdominal tissue for it. Good luck with whatever you decide to do--based on what you said, you're not interested in the recovery time for DIEP. I'm happy with my decision but it was a very big surgery with a long (definite 6 week to feel good) recovery. Has anyone talked about lat flaps with you, if you're not a candidate for implants? I know of several women who have had them and been pleased with their results.The recovery time is less than with DIEP.

     Hope something works out for you.

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  • mradf
    mradf Member Posts: 398
    edited October 2010

    femme:

    I recall the difficulties you had early on when I had my own mastectomies and initial reconstruction.  I am so happy that you've reached a healthy place - both physically and emotionally - where you can consider reconstruction again.  I've experienced a lot of setbacks during my reconstruction, but I keep moving forward.  I know you will probably never go near an allograft again, understandably so, although I had some FlexHD implanted on one side on Thursday in an effort to achieve symmetry vs. my LD flap side.  I have implants of different sizes because the LD was done on one side only to repair damaged skin following a serious infection.

    My wish for you is that, while you're meeting with PSs, your successful art career reaches a peak allowing you enough time off - a surgery vacation, so to speak - to have the right surgery for your body and sufficient healing time.  Then you can right back into the art when the time is right.

    By the way, what kind of art do you do?

    Be well,

    Maria

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  • femme
    femme Member Posts: 262
    edited October 2010

    Yes, Maria, i did go through hell with my original failed surgery!  Many  bad medical decisions were made that resulted in total necrotic failure of my implants. I coincidently met the surgeon on the street who removed everything and did the skin graft.  Although he was not part of the problem and probably saved my life, I did not feel that he was a "genius PS." just a very moral human being.  i told him how unhappy I was with what I was left with and he urged me to come in to his office to see what he could do.  "Give me a chance," he said.  I made an appointment but---if everyone says I can't have implants, how can he say it is possible?  I wonder if I will be making matters worse by letting him work on me.  I still have 1 other consult to go.

    To answer  your question Maria, I do large oil paintings, drawings and small sculpture.  I use words in my work and treat the words with the same consideration as I do the images I paint.  

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  • mradf
    mradf Member Posts: 398
    edited October 2010

    femme:

    Some people will say there is no such things as a coincidence. How many of us happen to meet our surgeons on the street?!  You had a chance to tell him how you feel, and he had a chance to offer you a consult.  Go and hear him out!   My PS always said that there are other options down the line if something does not work.  So far, he's been true to his word.  He's on Long Island if you're interested in a consult. Like an artist, he's the potter and I'm the clay. 

    I'm sure your art is glorious.  Did someone recently post a piece you did of words in a very colorful, tile like pattern? 

    Be well,

    Maria

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  • baybeach100
    baybeach100 Member Posts: 14
    edited October 2010

    Sorry to hear that your first two consults did not go the way you wanted. Don't be dissuaded about Diep. The results with the right PS can be amazing!:)

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  • femme
    femme Member Posts: 262
    edited October 2010

    I have another consult on Friday, my next to last.  This is the doctor who removed everything and got rid of the necrosis.  He told me when we met on the street that he could do something to make it look better.  I feel that I am too old for extensive surgery, in my late 60's.  I am heathy and I want to enjoy my commitment to my art career, museum shows etc., without spending a great deal of time being wheeled out of ORs.

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  • lola12
    lola12 Member Posts: 127
    edited October 2010

    I  am using Mr Mark Smith at Beth Israel. I think he and Dr. Susan Boolbol make an excellent pair. If you good him, you can seee the entire DIEP surgery.

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  • julie75
    julie75 Member Posts: 635
    edited October 2010

    femme:

    Good luck with everything.  Glad your career is going extremely well, and I hope you can get some satisfying reconstruction.

    Julie

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  • GointoCarolina
    GointoCarolina Member Posts: 753
    edited October 2010

    I have a friend who in July had a pedicled TRAM.She is 70.I was so worried about her, everything I had read said that it was a very long hard recovery.She had a couple of weeks where she was not up to par,but she bounced right back..I was amazed,especially since she had four re excisions in as many months before having the mastectomy and immediate recon.So she had endured a lot before this last surgery.Maybe it has been mentioned here,but I have read of several women who have had the lat flap with an implant and were very happy.You really are lucky to be in NYC,there are many many talented plastic surgeons there.Just may take you some time to find the right one for you.

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  • femme
    femme Member Posts: 262
    edited October 2010

    Thanks to everyone for your encouragement.  I'll let you know what Friday's consult brings.  All the doctors, except for my old surgeon, have been suggested by this thread.

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  • Annabella58
    Annabella58 Member Posts: 2,466
    edited October 2010

    Dear Femme:

    I am glad to know that your head is clear where you are in this and that you are getting somewhere with your decision making.

    That said, no decision is ever irrevocable or graven in stone.  We are beings of feelings and emotion and what you feel about recon now may not be what you feel in 6 months. 

    I guess I second the thought that there are no coincidences in life....what's another consult, but yet more knowledge? 

    Have you considered the lat flap?   I also had necrosis and wasn't left with enough tissue (or good, non scarred tissue)...yet the lat flap worked for me.  Granted, it took along time and perhaps that is not where you wish to go just now that your life is so busy..  but it's good to look at everything out there and then you'll make your decision...or not...still good to look into everything.  With the way things are happening, they will come up with something brand new in a few years.  They already are making breasts now in trials out of our own fatty tissues, and the changes in PS even since I had my mtxmy have been amazing.  Nipple sparing, fat transfer and grafting, who knows what new and incredible things are on the horizon? 

    Take in info, pause, reflect, and pause again....you have plenty of time.  Great luck to you in your life and your art.  I'd love to see it in your avatar!

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  • femme
    femme Member Posts: 262
    edited October 2010

    I just saw the surgeon who removed the necrotic tissue 2 years ago.  He said he could do implants.  I am confused.  So far 2 doctors before him said this was not possible.  I have another appointment with a doctor recommended by women on this thread, in a week and one half.

    Have any of you had a successful outcome doing a procedure that was said to be impossible by all but one doctor?  Help, I need a brain soother...it's Friday after a full work week!

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  • ASL
    ASL Member Posts: 202
    edited October 2010

    I know it's so confusing when one doc says s/he can do something the others say can't be done. Did you ask him about the issues raised by the other doctors? Why he would have enough skin and tissue when the others said there wasn't enough? Can he show you photos or have you talk to anyone who had a similar situation to yours? (maybe that's not possible since you had some specific unique problems.)

     It's hard to know what to believe. I guess you shouldn't necessarily dismiss what he said he could do just because others said they couldn't do it--maybe he is more skilled with that particular type of problem.  (most docs said I didn't have enough abdominal tissue for DIEP, but a couple said I did, and I had it done successfully.) But you will likely be pretty anxious about it since it's obviously not a sure thing, if 2 PS already said they couldn't do it. Sorry not to be more helpful. Just keep asking questions......go back and see him again if you need to.

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  • femme
    femme Member Posts: 262
    edited October 2010

    I am looking forward to my consult the week of the 8th of Nov.  So far 2 docs say it (implants) can.t be done on me.  One says it is possible.  I think ASL gave me good advice (the post just before this post).  One doc who said it was not possible also said implants are uncomfortable.  Have any of you who have had implants for your reconstruction, found this so?

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  • ASL
    ASL Member Posts: 202
    edited October 2010

    Femme, you might want to consider starting a new thread (or threads) about your questions since the people checking out this one are probably only ones who live in the NYC area. Lots of women might be able to give their perspectives on whether implants are uncomfortable or what type of success they had with procedures that some docs said couldn't be done. You might also want to do a search on those topics--I know they've been discussed before, especially the comfort of implants.

    I don't have implants but from what I've heard, it's a really individual thing-- most women usually seem to get used to them over time. Many I've been in touch with say they don't really notice them.

    Good luck!

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  • swimangel72
    swimangel72 Member Posts: 1,989
    edited August 2013

    Femme - I've been following your story - good luck with your next consult. I just want you to know that from all my reading on these boards the past two and a half years - as well as talking with people in person who have done both flaps and implants - there is NO easy solution to breast reconstruction. Both methods involve more than one surgery - many trips to the surgeons - often infections (especially with implants) - often tears and disappointment. However, that doesn't mean you'll experience all these problems - but there is no guarantee. I know you're not looking for guarantees.......just the simplest procedure possible to give you breast........but I do hope you'll keep an open mind to what the majority of your consults tell you. So far two out of three have advised that you shouldn't have implants - if the next consult tells you the same thing, I'd be very hesitant to go to a PS who tells you you CAN have implants. If it comes to wrapping your brain about doing DIEP.......there are many stories of successful DIEP surgeries from older women, so I hope you'll consider that surgery as an option if you must. Again good luck with your search!

    P.S. Edite to add - Dr. Israeli (at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset) and his group also do implant reconstruction - I would totally trust his opinion on what is best for your situation.

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  • femme
    femme Member Posts: 262
    edited November 2010

    Swim- I will be seeing Dr Israeli and am looking forward to his opinion. Thank you for your well thought out advice,

    Femme 

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  • MNK
    MNK Member Posts: 13
    edited November 2010

    Hi, my name is Moira. I am a novice here. I was just diagnosed a couple of weeks ago. I went to both Sloan Kettering and Dr. Derisi in Great Neck. I have further consults with Sloan and with Dr. Israeli coming up.

    Any advice? 

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  • femme
    femme Member Posts: 262
    edited November 2010

    I'm not sure if I should be giving advice but if there is one thing I have learned it is not  to be afraid to ask pointed questions like, "Why do you think you can do this surgery when no one else can?"  "How will you do the surgery?"  "How long is the surgery, the recovery?"  You get the idea.  Right now I'm just logging in opinions and will make my decision within the week.  I have gotten tough and I wish I was the take charge woman I am now, when I had my failed surgery(s) at Weil Cornel 2 years ago. 

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  • Letlet
    Letlet Member Posts: 1,053
    edited November 2010

    Hi Moira,

    Not sure what specific advice you are asking for but wanted to let you know that I had attended a breast reconstruction class at Sloan-Kettering. It was run by a nurse, they had a wealth of information, put pictures up on the screen to see. They even passed around an expander, silicone, saline implants for the audience to touch and feel for themselves. After the presentation they opened the floor to questions and boy was there a lot. The whole thing was about 2 hours and I left with I lot of information stuck in my head and in my hand as well. With that being said I also met with Dr. Disa, one of the PS there. He was very, very nice and he really put me at ease. I asked him many questions and he answered it. Afterwards his nurse pulled out a book of before and after pictures from actual patients. The book actually filled me with a LOT of HOPE and relief! (Afterwards though I cried because the reality of what I was doing sunk in, I am 31 years old looking at a picture of fake boobies that I will be getting, not because I want to, because I HAVE to. Because of cancer)

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  • julie75
    julie75 Member Posts: 635
    edited November 2010

    Letlet: 

    The breast reconstruction class you attended sounds like a wonderful source of information!  Thanks for passing that on.  I'm glad it helped you.  I'm also so very sorry you have to go through this.  The emotional impact is so difficult to deal with.  My thoughts and prayers are with you.

    I live in the L.A. area,  and I think I'll check into this course.  I have TE's right now, and pretty much understand the reconstruction process, but still - if someone else needs this information, I can pass it on.

    Julie

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  • swimangel72
    swimangel72 Member Posts: 1,989
    edited November 2010

    Femme - did you have your last consult today? Was it with Dr. Israeli? I happened to have a post-op checkup with him this morning at 8:30 (for the fipple-fix he did for me last Monday).........wondering what kind of advice he gave you?

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