Your experience is highly unusual. What did the doctor say when you and your wife asked? Was there a reason given? I’d love to know, as there may have been a medical reason.

Thanks for writing in. I hope your wife feels well despite this.

If she had told us that for whatever reason that only one nipple could be done (not both breasts), then we would have said no thanks. Better to have breasts with no nipples and have them at least look even than having only one nipple popping out.
We assumed incorrectly that both would be done. Please discuss this and all details with your surgeon AHEAD OF TIME.

Your Doc is right. You have to wait a while to see how things settle. In the mean time, get a copy of your surgical records from the hospital. Don’t delay, especially if you’re going to sue. Those records will give the details of the surgery, including any possible errors.

As for the sagging, you didn’t mention how old you are but my reconstructed Twins are a little saggy and hang at an outward slant, too. That’s just the way my body is. I have wide-set breasts and no amount of plastic surgery is going to change that.

The difference in size can be explained by the amount of tissue that died. The Wound V.A.C. just closes the wound. It doesn’t add tissue. This is what my chest looked like after the V.A.C and before the bilateral latissimus flap reconstruction. You can see in those pics that the V.A.C. doesn’t heal things into a breast shape. It just makes it so you don’t have to pack the open wound with saline-soaked gauze for months.

I can tell you why no other PS in your area will touch you. You are still under the care of your current Doc, so no one else in the area will go near you. I had that problem when the sutures started tearing open after my explant. The only place I could get care was the ER at the hospital.

My advice? Get the surgical records and talk to a malpractice lawyer to see if you have a case. Most will do a free consultation. Just know that, based on what state you are in, there may not be enough money after the suit to pay for reconstruction. For instance, in Florida a PS is only required to carry a minimum of $100,000 in malpractice insurance. Was this doctor even a board certified plastic surgeon? Just because it’s a teaching hospital doesn’t mean that you’re getting the best. Good plastic surgeons are artists and sadly, any surgeon can call themselves a plastic surgeon even without the specialized training or board certification.

When you have your reconstruction done, find a Board Certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon. Do your research. Find out where the surgeon got their training, how long they’ve been doing it and if they themselves teach.

My other advice? Give yourself a chance to emotionally heal before having another surgery. Surgery with a qualified surgeon will repair the physical scars, but trust me when I say that the emotional scars stay with you much longer than you think they will.

In my case the VACATION didn’t heal my chest into a breast shape. It can’t. It just closes the wound. But it’s Much faster than packing and since you’re diabetic, this would be much better for you..

By the way, pink skin is a good sign. Grey or black? Not so much: -)

So glad this is open and here!!! My 2-4 hour breast reduction took 12 1/2 hours! 1-9-2012 . Right one looks great but the left one OMG I just had my 2nd surgery last wed where they went in and removed all of the dead areola skin off. Had to go see him thur, we took the bandages off and I about crap! I have a huge half moon shape cut in my areola , when I looked at it I saw all the pink tissue that belongs IN my breast. So Dr came in and looked at it said it looked alright (don’t know where he was looking!) it looks like my nipple is still attached just most of the rest is gone!. So he said I have to come back mon 3 surgery now and he wants to go back thru and get some that he missed ugh.. Thr nurse called to confirm the appt and I asked her what was on the schedule..which is how I learned about the vacuum! it’s on his notes that he might be doing this, I’m diabetic and smoking I know I know! But when you see your boob falling off you tend to want one! So above..are you NOT recommending the VAC? I heal real slow but I don’t want it to look even more deformed, know what I mean? I have like a day to decide lol. I kinda just want it healed and over with. Can they reshape them so to speak? I won’t go into the first surgery where I almost died. Plus he JUST now put me on antibiotics, becuz when they removed the tube from my throat after the 2nd surgery apparently there was lots of mucus on it. Could be pnuemonia too I guess..

I went from 46F to a C cup. I love being able to see where I’m waking again! but not the dead areola.
Also I was told not to put ANY creme or lotion or antibiotic stuff on. But I read other blogs where everyone was put directly piy on antibiotics, and told to use neosporin cream. Anybody else using anything? what about mederma, obviously probably not with open wounds.

Thanx Cathy

If you look at the one year photos, you’ll see that I have a bit of keloid scarring, myself. For me, it’s no big deal and a tremendous improvement over what I had. Any surgery is going to leave scars. What may help is leaving the tape on the incisions longer.
As for numbness, it gets better all the time. I know I’ll never have normal sensation, but I’m happy with what I have.

Instead of surgery, have you considered a proper bra fitting at Lane Bryant and bra shopping online at herroom.com? It’s a site with bras for ladies our size. I’m an E cup and a well rounded woman and I know they have pretty, supportive things that will fit you, too. It’s an option to consider.