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I hope all of you have a wonderful holiday and hopefully a long wonderful weekend. Spending time with those you love is the best gift of all and one of the most important things to be thankful for in our lives. Appreciate every moment with loved ones and happy egg hunting!
by Terrye Tebbetts
Question ~
I was wondering how close your consult and your sx date was? My scheduled date is a monday and sx date is that friday. Is that too close?
Answer~
This all depends on the information and education that you have had from your ps at this point. We do surgery all the time – especially for our out of town patients who want to travel for a 24 Hour Recovery – where we see them on Thursday, they have surgery on Friday and follow up on Saturday and then go home….see How to Travel for a 24 Hour Recovery http://thebestbreast2.wordpress.com/2009/04/26/traveling-for-24-hour-recoveryhow-does-it-work/
please note though – in order for us to feel good about doing this for patients, first – we know we can produce that level of recovery, we send them a 500 page book of information to read ahead of time, they have a virtual consult with photos and phone ahead of time and we get everything ready – preop tests, paperwork etc so that when they see Tebbetts for measurements and photos on the day of consult – all the important decisions are easy because they and we are prepared!
If you are goint to proceed with this turnaround – I would want to talk to other patients who have done it with your ps. Being rushed or pushed into something either by the ps office or your own family schedule just for the sake of schedules is rarely productive and safe. Be cautious and careful — I know you know this, but I am just going to play Mom here and remind you to be safe – this is your body you are committing to changing forever.
Question -
Does anyone know if Dr Hedden in Birmingham Al does the 24hr recovery techniques? If not who in the Birmingham or Huntsville Al area does? I havent had a consult yet but want to just go to the docs that are using these techniques. Thanks so much for your help.
Answer -
I am not familiar with the ps you mentioned but here’s the deal – you have to truly understand what makes a 24 Hour Recovery before you can tell if they really do it! There are two chapters on recovery in our book and on the website that will help you truly understand and be able to ask the questions you need to ask to figure out what is going on in the OR, which will then help you discern whether they are offering a true 24 Hour Recovery. Just go to www.thebestbreast.com to read those two chapters – there are also cards that you can take in with you with questions to ask.
A 24 Hour Recovery starts with determining size through clinical measurements – then, the surgeon must use precise, dry dissection techniques and be familiar with all the protocols from pre, recovery, anesthesia and post to truly be able to deliver it.
When you get a 24 Hour – the procedure is under 30 minutes, you leave with no bras, bandages, pain meds, drains or bruising – you sleep 2 hours, get up and eat a real meal, shower and get your arms above your head – set of 10 every 30 minutes – then you get out of the house and resume normal movement immediately.
I think the most important attribute of 24 Hour Recovery, that we have been able to prove and document in Dr. Tebbetts’ patients, is that when we can do a cleaner better surgery that affords our patients the luxury of getting back to normal immediately – - – the rate of scar tissue formation dropped DRAMATICALLY – we have a published 1.5% rate of Capsular Contracture. CC is the second biggest reason for reoperation in BA surgery – and once you get one you are 50% more likely to form it again.
So with 24 Hour Recovery – it is not just about the first 24 Hours, it is truly about a better experience and lower reop rate for your life time!
I hope this helps – please use the material in the book to ask the right questions and don’t be afraid to ask to speak to at least 3 patients to verify their experiences!!
Good Luck!
Terrye
by Terrye Tebbetts
Question ~
My surgery was march 24 and my implants started right under my collar bone, and have barely dropped at all!!!! I have gone to 4 post op visits and he says not to worry but reading everyone elses posts it doesnt seem to happen to others. My Dr is a VERY sought after board certified plastic surgeon here in Houston so I dont think he messed up. I massage them every hour and do the lift and drop thing every hour also!! I know I am a completely neurotic person anyways, but I am terrified they are not going to drop!!!!!! Anybody else’s implants take FOREVER to start to drop????
Answer ~
All of the notes in this thread are right on in encouraging you to be patient with your implants – on average, it takes 4-6 weeks before you even begin to like what you see in the upper part of the breast, three months before you can really start to figure out what new cup size you will be and 6-9 months before they start to feel like they are yours.
The real tragedy here is that you were not aware and prepared for this ahead of time. That is why we tried very hard to tell it like it is in our book, The Best Breast 2, so that patients – regardless of the surgeon you use, will have a better idea of how to prepare and what to expect when it comes to your breast augmentation surgery.
You can read more about recovery and the advances that allow better, more refined 24 Hour Recovery experiences at www.thebestbreast.com.
I have always thought that if it is a surprise to a patient….then it is a problem. Knowledge is so empowering for each of you as you decide to enter this new world of breast implants!
I hope this helps – patience is your best friend right now!
Terrye
Question -
I was wondering who had which kind of silicone, and the pros and cons you have noticed? I am 100% getting silicone but my surgeon offers both. I do not meet with him until May so I wanted to hear from women who have them.
Answer -
I have been off the boards for a bit so forgive my delay in repsonding to your request and this question. You have asked a very important question that all women considering silicone should ask. I think the confusion surrounding silicone implants today is a huge issue for patients – and it is really sad because the manufacturers and surgeons have chosen to muddy the waters.
So let’s go back and get a handle on what is what. In the early 1990′s they took silicone breast implants off the market. They were reintroduced back into the market in November of 2006 with dramatic advances and changes that made the FDA say – this is a good produce and they deserve to be available to everyone again. In a very basic sense – here are the changes – they increased the amount of fill per implant shell which helps protect the integrity of the shell long term (helps it pass the tilt test – see www.thebestbreast.com for more info on the tilt test) and they increased the viscosity of the silicone gel – they made it thicker, not “form stable” but thicker – thus the new names – cohesive and memory gel. By thickening the gel, gel bleed through the shell is lower and thus capsular contracture rates for the device improved. These implants are widely used today and require no enrollment in a study. Any ps can use them.
While the old silicone implants were off the market, Mentor and Allergan both started studies on more form stable gel implants – or “gummy bear” implants. These studies are still in force today. They require a 10 year committment from each patient. Dr. Tebbetts participated in both studies so we have patients that have the Mentor CPG and the Allergan style 410. In fact, I have the 410 and have had them for almost 10 years now. These implants are shaped, not round. They are textured for positioning purposes and the gel is thicker – it is not solid but more form stable than the cohesive or memory gel products. The style 410 is also adequately filled to prevent any type of shell folding. Very few surgeons can use these products. There are only 150 participating surgeons in the Allergan study nationwide.
You will find a host of [B]opinions[/B] about which silicone implant is better than the other. But there is not a lot of [B]science[/B] yet as the information is still closely held by the manufacturers and the FDA.
I think the most important fact for all of us to realize going into breast augmentation is that NO implant device will last forever. The decisions we make pre-operatively will directly effect how long our results will last. So it is important to understand all the issues and information about the devices, but more importantly, understand how to work with your ps to determine which device is ultimately best for you and will offer the least amount of risk to your breasts and body long term.
For example, if you are dead set on a gummy bear because you love the idea of the more form stable gel, yet you are paper thin with no tissue chosing this implant will put you at MORE risk for a malpostioned or rotated implant. So you get what you think is a better device but then have a football looking breast on one side and a normal one on the other – that then requires another operation. So see, it is about taking the best of all the parameters and then fitting them with the best choices of implant shape, filler and shell type, pocket location and size and incision location.
The number one reason for reoperation in BA is not for device failure or longevity. The number one reason women have a reoperation in BA is for SIZE exchange – either they get something too big that damages their tissue or they get what their body really needed but get greedy and want bigger. There are clinical ways to avoid the pitfals of deciding size ( go to http://www.thebestbreast.com/articles.php for sizing information).
The moral to this long dissertation is that you can research and choose what you think to be the best, latest and safest product but if it is used incorrectly – if it’s too big for you, you are not a good candidate for it or there is not enough soft tissue coverage (pocket location) for it – then is it really the Best for you?
Good results are a product of looking at the BIG picture for your BA – not just one aspect of it. I hope this helps you and your ps look at all the little specific details of YOUR body and YOUR case so that you can both make the best decisions for you together!
Terrye
Another 24 Hour Recovery Experience I wanted to share with you……..
Terrye, Dr. Tebbetts, Kathleen, Betty and the rest of the staff,
I don’t know where to start! I never, ever in my life thought I would be one to consider a breast augmentation, but after losing what little I already had after having my two babies, and meeting a few of your patients who shared their amazing stories with me, I decided to reconsider. Once I read your book and consulted with your staff, there was no doubt in my mind that if I was ever going to do it, I would only do it with you. Lifelong friends gasped when I told them, I was the one who would never in a million years be anything but au naturale, and “Why go all the way to Dallas?” they asked. Now they know why. My surgery experience and recovery were seamless, your system perfected. It is almost unbelievable how quickly I recovered. It is true, I was out to dinner that night! I was picking up my babies the next day, with no pain and no painkillers! Now everyone is asking me for your number. I cannot thank you enough for your professionalism and tact. You have set the bar very, very high for all other reconstructive surgeons. My *new* breasts look real, pretty, and not in any way over the top or tacky. They are perfect!
Thank you!
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Dr. Tebbetts just returned from Venice with some pretty amazing photos of Carnivale…..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ev4oePqOSVw
Enjoy!
Terrye
Dear Terrye,
Hello. I just wanted to check in with the office. Today is my six week point and I want to make sure I am good to move on without restrictions. I believe I can now….swim, tan, anything else? Can I wear an under-wire bra, or should I wait three months for that. Also, when would you like me to come back into the office for a follow up?
I also just wanted to tell you how wonderful everything has gone! I am still amazed that I had implant surgery and that it was only six weeks ago! I have had no problems at all. My kids didn’t even know that I had undergone major surgery. I was able to pick up the two year old right away and simply side tracked the question with my 3 and half year old. It was so easy! Both my husband and I are very pleased with the results! Dr. Tebbetts is a genius and so very talented. My scar is minimal and my size is perfect! I never imagined, in my last 15 years of life as I dreamed about a chest, that it would be this easy and perfect! I feel very blessed to have found you, Dr. Tebbetts, and the rest of the staff! I guess I should be thankful for Google as well, since it lead the way:) You all really are making dreams come true in the most realistic and natural way possible! I want to tell everyone about it….but then don’t want to reveal my secret to perfect strangers!
That is my summary. All is great, tightness almost gone, no pangs of pain. They look great and are starting to feel like mine!
Answer -
Thank you so much for your wonderful note! I am so happy for you and can’t wait to hear how your trip goes too!!
Yes, you can do anything at this point – although tanning is never a good idea due to it’s skin cancer risks! But being outside with sunscreen or a spray tan might help you get through your trip???
You can wear an underwire if you want – but please still be mindful of the incision and just be sure it isn’t rubbing. And if you can come back for your 6 month visit for pictures – that would be awesome!
Thank you again for catching up with us – we look forward to seeing you soon!!
Terrye
by Terrye Tebbetts
When patients will travel “across the pond” for a better recovery, you know you are doing something special!
Hi,
I’m now 3 weeks & I’m sooo happy! My gorgeous new breasts (something I never thought I’d say), have settled down nicely and most of the time I forget that I’ve had anything done. I can’t wait to go shopping and buy some new lingerie. It’ll be so nice not looking at every bra to see if it has enough padding!
Coming to Dallas from England was the best decision I made. I had originally heard about Dr Tebbetts through a newspaper article a couple of years ago, but my children were too young to leave for an overseas trip. Recently I decided to look into breast augmentation again. I ordered the Best Breast book and contacted several plastic surgeons in London & Europe as well as Dr Tebbetts. Most surgeons ‘dodged’ my questions and I didn’t like the way they chose implant sizes, recovery experiences & the dismissive, unfriendly emails I received. When I contacted Dr Tebbetts, Terrye was amazing! She immediately got back to me (even on a sunday!) I read my book & read all the blogs on the website. When I had my phone consult with Terrye I felt completely at ease & new that there was no way I’d trust anyone else to do my surgery! I arrived in Dallas feeling completely prepared, it was great to finally meet everyone, the whole team are wonderful! I had my surgery on the friday & as everyone else says, had no pain, just tightness. I went shopping that afternoon after my 2 hour nap & out for a fabulous dinner that evening (thanks for the recommendations!) I kept disappearing to the rest rooms every 30 minutes to do my arm exercises! I knew exactly what to expect & nothing was a surprise. It was a wonderful experience & my husband and I had a great vacation too. A huge thank you to Dr Tebbetts, Terrye & the whole team!
Filed under: Uncategorized
by Terrye Tebbetts
We really did not mean to specialize in breast augmentation many years ago – - good things just happen. As they have happened over the years, you begin to notice trends.
Have you ever dreaded all the weight loss commercials after the Holidays? The industry just seems to know what we are thinking…right? Well. at first I thought all the breast implant patients showing up just before Spring was a coincidence, but year after year – the pattern rings true. The Holidays are over, the New Year’s Resolutions are done and now, the breasts still need help and NOW is the time.
Today, we are happy to introduce NINE new pair of beautiful breasts into the world. New beauty that will undoubtably make the pools and beaches and everyday life in America resonate with self confidence and beauty.
When I called all of our patients today – starting at 5:30 pm – they were either out at the mall – shopping – or going to dinner. They are up and resuming normal movement and activity on sheer will, Ibuprofen and an entirely new level of surgical skill. And to add to the challenge, 7 of the 9 are from out of state – CT, NY (2), CO, MA,TN, CA !! The others are from Texas.
Cheers to you all! 24 Hour Recovery is a TEAM effort – and our TEAM, today, is full of all – stars!
