Plastic Surgeon?

I am going to be looking for a Plastic Surgeon soon to see about having a breast lift I needed one before surgery and now I need one more than ever! Does anybody have any suggestions? I just moved from Alabama so I have no idea who is good here. I live in St. Pete and would like one either St. Pete or Tampa area. Thanks!

Kellie, I don't know of one in your area, but I travel from Tallahassee to go to Dr. Bernard Shuster in Hollywood, FL (near Ft. Lauderdale). I've had 2 plastic surgeries with him and I just love him & his office staff. They're great! He will be speaking at the OH Conference in Ft. Lauderdale on Aug. 19 so if you're able to attend you'd get a chance to meet him & probably see some of his before & after pics. My next surgery with him will be a BL w/ augmentation so I've looked at his breast work and it looks great! As soon as I'm fully recovered from my June surgery, I'm ready to get mine done! Good luck with your search! Vickie J. 277/ 132.2 (after LBL) / 138 3/21/06 facial rejuvenation ps 6/27/06 LBL ps

Vickie - That is so funny I just was reading reviews about Dr. Shuster .. he sounds like he is a very good Dr. I would travel in a minute to know I had someone good who cares! I would love to go to the OH Conference but I just started a new job and couldn't take time off. I am a little worried about pain management with PS. I can tolerate a good bit of pain but a friend who has PS in AL wasn't given anything but Advil after surgery and that just doesn't sound right to me. How would you rate your pain levels from your PS and would you do it all again? Also, I am curious about recovery time?

After interviewing 9 plastic surgeons, I chose Dr. Shuster b/c he had experience doing facial ps on someone else who had a parotid tumor removed. Because I had this previous tumor surgery, I was at a much higher than normal risk for facial paralysis. He did an excellent job with no complications! So yes, I would absolutely do it again and with the same surgeon! I'm pretty good at handling pain but I had plenty of drugs if I needed them. He prescibed Vicodin for pain & Valium for "anxiety". When I asked about the Valium b/c I wasn't anxious about my surgeries, the office told me it was so that when I began to feel better and started doing too much my hubby could pop one in mouth and make me go lie down!! I used the pain meds in the hospital but once I was released to go to my hotel (I had to stay in the area a few days after each procedure b/c I live too far away to come back & forth for check-ups the first week or so) I only took the pain meds at night to help me sleep and I stopped doing that after a few nights. I just didn't need them. This was true of my face ps & LBL. I did take a pain pill for drive back to Tallahassee after my LBL (9 days post-op) just b/c it was a 7.5 hr. drive and I was afraid I'd be in too much pain before we got home if I didn't. I made the drive just fine and haven't taken pain meds for the ps since that week. My recoveries have gone very well. After my facial ps I did so well, I didn't have to go back to see Dr. Shuster nearly as often as he had told me pre-op I would need to return for check-ups. Since my LBL I've really taken it easy (as I was told to do) and have had no problems with my recovery. I was able to take plenty of time off work, so that hasn't been an issue for me. I do find that even now, 4 weeks post-op I feel great, but I do run out of energy before I run out of things I want to do. But that has always been the way anesthesia effects me - it takes a a while to get my energy level back up. Of course, the fact that I'm over 50 might have something to do with it, too! Hope that helps answers some of your questions! Vickie J.

Dr. Robert Rehnke is very good and has been in practice for years here in St. Petersburg. Dr. Gayoso on 4th St. in St. Pete is also very good. Also, Dr. Peter Sarkos, he is fairly new to the area and to practice but is very nice and they have a extremely nice office and surgery suite. I have found that alot of surgeons want you to be 2 years post op before they would even have a consultation with you. I am not sure about Tampa. I am sure there are great plastic surgeons over there. Good luck! Let us know how you make out! Tricia

Thank you for all the information. I know that I am not far enough out yet most likely to have PS done I had my surgery Nov. 21st, 2005. However, I thought maybe if I could have a consult I would know what type of $$ I was looking at. I have heard that insurance will pay sometimes so I will definately try that first. I really want the breast lift first and I have lost 100 pounds so far and I don't see myself losing that much more but I guess I don't know for sure. I am just letting my body do its thing! I wouldn't mind weighing around 115-120 and I weigh 130 now. I just realized how funny that looks me at 130 not 100% happy how stupid that is! Anywho...I may just call around in a few months at least let myself hit the 1 yr. mark before I start talking to PS. I want the girls done SO bad that is all I think about. I have noticed more skin on my tummy now it isn't horrible but I definately have excess that I wouldn't mind have taken off. Do they measure to see if it is enough for insurance I wondered how they do that?

I would highly recommend Dr. Eberboch. He is in Hudson but is fantastic and loves working with post-op bariatric patients. He also does lower body lifts. Good Luck!

Dr. Greenwald is AWESOME! He is located in Tampa. Sherri

Hi Sherri, What part of your body did you have the plastics done on? Where is Dr. Greenwald located in Tampa? I am only 8 months out but am thinking about it once I have lost all my weight. Gail