Any Michigan Ladies?
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hi. Ally my roommate in the hospital had that pain device. It didn't work very well for her. I would ask how many patients they have done them on. I had a pain pump inserted onto the chest wall. It was sticking out of the chest was....looked like a straw with a ball on the end. When the ball flattened I pulled it and threw it out. It worked wonderful. ..... how did u find your new doctor? What recommendations did u get?
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Stix, that's good to know it didin't work that well for her. You pain device sounds great, too. I'll add that to my list of questions for the doc. It's funny, I had no idea there were any such pain devices even out there like my friend's or yours. I'm so glad there's options. I actually haven't decided yet if I'm going to use Dr. Sherick. He was recommended to me by my BS, so that's how I found him. But I want to find some more info on him and meet with him before I make a final decision. I also feel like I should get more than just the one opinion, so I'll probably try and find a second surgeon to interview. We'll see.
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Ally, I had an On-Q ball after bmx/te surgery. Might be the same thing Stix had. It was a plastic ball shaped thing full of pain reliever. It hung in a cloth bag. Tiny wires were inserted around the surgical area and they delivered pain meds for about 3 days. When the ball was totally deflated I (a bit hesitantly!) pulled the wires out as directed by my PS.
It looked kind of like this:
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ally, I think the anesthesiologist places the pain device you are talking about- check with your doctor. My PS placed my pain device that I mentioned earlier. Ally, have you tried U of M? another member I am chatting with just had diep there and they also do implants... I also did talk to another member that had implants done there. PM me and I can give you her name...
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Hi girl strong; I have an upcoming appointment with Dr Wilkins. Left UMX done at U of M Nov 2013 but couldn't commit to Reconstruction at the time. I had a wonderful experience at U of M for mastectomy, can I expect the same with reconstruction? Any wisdom from Michigan Ladies appreciated!!
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I have an appointment with wilkins. Pm me....what experience did u have with the mx? PM me...your giving me hope with u of m...
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hi all, can't provide much input on BS and PS at U of M since I decided to stay local because I loved my BS and she works closely with my PS. I heard good things about my PS and he did some wonderful revisions on a friends sister. His wife is his nurse so it is interesting how the three of us consult on my questions nd I like that he seeks her opinion as validation. He only does implants and I wasn't interested in anything else or I would have gone to U of M. My onc is part of the U of M system. Have liked the consults with him so far and my parents LOVE him, my mom being his patient for years. I am a bit frustrated at the moment because my oncotype test didn't get ordered when I thought so I am waiting another couple of weeks to finalize my plan. Was hoping to have it understood before I head back to work on Monday.
I have a friend who had reconstruction with a female Ps in Novi and ended up in Gr Rapids for extensive revisions with diep that she is very pleased with. Ally,I can pm you those names, if interested.
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mmtagirl....can you post those names so other michigan girls know who they had a good experience with....thank s
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I live in Allegan and was treated in Kalamazoo . I can not say enough good things about Bronson Hospital Women 's Breast Health Clinic. The entire staff only deals with breast health. They are highly recommended throughout Michigan. My cancer was diagnosed at such an early stage. This center is affiliated with the West Michigan Cancer Center. My oncologist (Dr Liepman)and radiologist (Dr.Grossheim ) are nationally known in their field. I feel I'm getting excellent care.
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Please ladies- post where you are getting excellent care in Michigan- so newbies know where to go..... It is so important. That way people won't feel like they have to go out of state for care- like nola or Chicago- who do awesome work also. And, please when you are all completed- please post on the picture forum- It is so helpful
Thanks jpteacher1
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Dr. Deborah Ruark is my BS at Troy Beaumont.
Dr. Michael Meininger is my PS at Somerset Plastic Surgery in Troy.
I would highly recommend both of them. Dr. Meininger also does some teaching on reconstruction.
Edited to add: I'm Pamelita in the pic forum.
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Thanks Dulcigirl !
It would be great if everyone participated in this. I don't think its approp. to name doctors that people don't have good luck with- Please ladies post those who you have had good cosmetic results with- and plz put your results on the picture board. I think if we have ATLEAST three or more ladies say they have had good results from a PS/BS then a consult could be reasonable if there are newbies looking for a PS in the area.
And, not everyone is going to have the same results either- at least three or more thumbs up. Nobody really wants to go out of state for surgery or pay extra fees. I also heard someone had good luck with a diep at u of m- dr. momoh ( I didn't see pictures though) and also implants two people have had excellent cosmetic outcome from dr. Wilkins at u of m- and their pictures are on the picture forum. I have a consult with dr. Wilkins in a few weeks- will update you on this
Thanks!
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jpteacher, did you get reconstruction? if so, are you happy with your results? thanks!
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I am not far enough through recon or treatment plan to comment. 3rd fill coming this week. Waiting on test results from onco. Will post specifics once I am through and can give a definitive thumbs up or down.
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Great! Thank You.
I will keep track of the thumbs up. It is important to know how many surgeries people went through to get to this point if you are going to say thumbs up re: a PS. then possibly you could email me why it took 3 or 4 surgeries.... like asymmetry or you wanted TWEAKS...etc... We'll give everyone 3-6 months after reconstr. for things to settle and LET us know how the TATTOOS went and who you used!!!! For those people who don't feel comfortable with posting their docs names.... that is OKAY. Just PM me and I will keep track of these - I will start a reference log in my computer of who has had great results from their surgeons- please lady's get a pic. posted 3-6 months after your reconstruction...
I am sure every new person going through this will appreciate your effort.
Thank You!!!!
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I had a lumpectomy so didn't need further surgery.
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good idea, Stix. U of M couldn't/wouldn't do what I wanted - they said my only option was implants (because I'm thin) and no nipples. Part of the problem, too, was that I needed a bilateral mastectomy so it took two surgeons 10+ hours. Dr Momah would have had to do my surgery (he was willing to use my thigh fat to make me A cup breasts) one breast at a time (3 months apart) and that wasn't a good option since I had active cancer in both. So I had to do NOLA which, as you know, was a very expensive way of going but I'm thrilled with the results and wouldn't change a thing. I've since heard that there is a doc in Grand Rapids - Dr Hammond - who might have been able to do a DIEP for me. It's too late for me but I'd love to hear if anyone has experience with him.
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It sounds from these posts that Michigan choices have grown since I went to Chicago for my diep in 2011. At that time I was referred initially through Borgess in Kalamazoo to a local PS who seemed intent on keeping me in his practice for implants. He told me with a straight face that diep was available only somewhere in the Carolinas; that it was not covered by insurance; that you have to spend a month in a hotel and it cost one of his colleagues $80,000 out of pocket when his wife went this route. He matter-of-factly told me to just get implants and be happy I could have them.
Having read many posts in this forum, I drove home to Allegan and within ten minutes found three options in Chicago. Another 30 minutes and I knew my insurance would work with two of them. One point the unethical PS in Kzoo did make that may have merits is that hospitals providing microsurgery options need to have more than one microsurgeon PS, as well as residents who are training in microsurgery, to have an in-OR team that can complete the reconstruction as speedily as possible, and to provide 24/7 monitoring coverage at the hospital in the 2 days following surgery. I had heard of one PS in Grand Rapids (at Spectrum) doing diep recons, but with a non-microsurgery PS assistant in the OR and no residents to help with the monitoring. I don't know if that was and is still the case there; I called her practice to ask how many dieps she had done and they would not answer the question, so I did not consider or research that option any further.
I'm pleased with my Chicago outcome, but it sure would be simpler to have done it nearer to home. A simple follow-up visit becomes an all-day project, and we spent nights prior to the original and revision surgeries in Chicago, which was not inexpensive. You all are doing a great service in profiling and reviewing the Michigan options in this thread, for those who need in-state choices now and in the future. My experience with the Kzoo PS makes me quite suspicious that at least some of the local PS's are not going to try very hard to help women locate microsurgery options that would send the patients elsewhere.
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Dr. Hammond is my PS, and I absolutely love him! I did not have Diep, however, but implants. His website for those who are interested can google PIPSMD, Grand Rapids, MI (Partners In Plastic Surgery).
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Thank you Bayou Babe. All of the input of our options in Michigan is so incredibly helpful as we go through this process. My oncologist indicated some of her patients had good results with Dr Hammonds partner (Van Pelt) as well so it is super to hear from a patient of his. Can I ask if your experience from start to finish with their office was all positive? I have a consult with both PIPSMD and U of M before I decide.
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Stix, what a great idea! As someone just embarking on the PS route, I greatly appreciate this. And yes, I had a second opinion at UofM and got the name of a plastic surgeon there. Right now I'm kind of leaning towards just going with Dr. Sherick out of St. Joes, since he does a lot of reconstruction with my BS, but I want to meet with him first and get a vibe.
Dulcigirl, thanks for that pic of your pain device! It will give me a good reference when I talk to my BS about it.
Hope everyone is doing well this week. Chemo's kicking in for me after my second round last Tuesday. My taste buds are shot, my (buzzed) hair started falling out, and I've been a little blah feeling…BUT…I got up the courage to feel my tumor and it's definitely SMALLER!!! Such a huge relief!!! My onc plans on measuring it this Monday at my pre-chemo appt and I can't wait. Makes all these side effects so much more tolerable knowing it's working and blasting those cells.
If anyone has any experience, good or bad, with PS Dr. Daniel Sherick out of St. Joe's Ann Arbor, please let me know! I'd love to hear your experience!
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I've had a wonderful experience with my team out of St. Joe's Ann Arbor.
My BS is Dr. Jennifer Kulick. She's repeatedly gone way above and beyond for me and is the reason I stuck with St. Joe's over UofM. I absolutely love her.
My onc is Dr. Kathleen Beekman. She's been great as well, even calling me on her personal time to discuss chemo options.
I'd highly recommend either one of them and am extremely satisfied with St. Joe's Health System. I've made many connections with the staff and feel like they take a personal interest in my well being.
I've yet to meet with a PS, but will update when I do.
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Thanks for posting ally.... When you do meet dr. Sherrick. Please ask him for references you can call....ask for ones somewhere around your age that had your same PS. If he can't give them to you then I would think twice about using him..
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Hi MI ladies,
It's nice to have a second "MI" site. There is a "MI Survivors" site that we had been meeting on, although it has been a long time since I was on. A group of us met for several years and did the 5K Komen walk downtown together and also met for several get-togethers. I miss many of the friends I met. I guess with Facebook, the sites here aren't getting used as much. I pray everyone is doing as well as they can be. I noticed there was a post for positive experiences with doctors in the area. When I was first diagnosed in 2006, in right breast, there were only 6 doctors in the country doing the microsurgery reconstruction. I ended up having the SIEA flap surgery with Dr. Robert Allen, who had trained most of the 6, in SC. I was VERY pleased with the results. I was not a candidate for implants due to my RA and did not want to lose my stomach muscle because of back issues for any of the traditional flap surgeries. Two years later when it showed up in the left side, I was able to see Dr. Rebecca Studinger, a PS who practices out of Providence Hospital in the Detroit area, who had interned with Dr. Allen in SC after seeing the results of my first surgery. At that time, she was the only PS doing the perforator flap surgery in MI. Because I no longer had any stomach fat, she used the fat in my left leg, doing the TUG for the first time in MI. I was up at the Dream Cruise 3 weeks after surgery, I felt so good. I have not regretted using her. She is a wonderful, caring doctor and 5 years later, I am still pleased with the results. I'm so happy there are so many more options for people now, although I still think the traditionalists do not get the word out about the perforator flap options. When I was looking, I was absolutely amazed that U of M, Karmanos or any other big hospital in the area did them. Luckily, there are more now.
Hopefully, spring has finally arrived and we all will be able to get out of our homes. I need to start training for the 3-Day walk in August so it better start warming up, lol. Take care everyone and good thoughts to all.
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dear all. Could you let me know who else used Rebecca studunger.... and did you have implants or microsurgery? She must do some implants also....i was thinking of consulting with her. Thank you.
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HI again... anybody use rebeecca studinger?
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I have a friend who used her. Said she was a lovely woman but the outcome, not so much. That is the only reference point I have and it is 2nd hand.
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Well I guess I'll add to the MI group. I had a right mastectomy on March 28th. No reconstruction started at time of surgery since PS refused to to surgery unless I loose 100 pounds. I live in Gregory, MI (11 miles from Hell). Treatment has been through Sparrow Hospital using MSU Surgery for the BS and PS. Hospital choice really did not exist as my BCBS only pays 70% after a $2,500 deductible and my husband's works for Sparrow and his insurance covers 100% if done in Sparrow facilities. My husband was planning to retire at the end of the year and I'm not sure what I will do to cover the remaining treatment/medication after that. Still in the waiting stage at this point to determine if I need Chemo/Radiation. Tumors were hormone sensitive so the I will be embarking on a 10 year treatment of Tamoxifen. Anyone paying for this out of pocket. My insurance has a $100 a month co-pay for medication so when we loose Sparrow coverage I will need to pick-up a good portion of the price.
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Lynn, on this web site, go to the home page. In the purple bar that runs across the page, there is a subject called Day to Day matters->Paying for Care. You will get some help there. There are a lot of sources for you to checkout. I believe the Suzan B. Koman program has info on paying and I also believe there is a national program for payment of treatment fro breast cancer. You will have completed a lot of treatment by the time your husband retires.
You are correct to start researching now so you will be prepared when the time comes. There is also a thread in this board on insurance. Upper left, All Topics, Day to Day Matters, Financial and Insurance, about the third topic down. There is a lot of help here.
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Hi ladies, I was previously going to use Dr. Sherick out of St. Joe's Ann Arbor, but after doing some research, I think I'm going to go with Dr. Izenberg. He's also out of St. Joe's, but has more experience with breast reconstruction. I have a consultation with him May 5.
Lynn, I'm so sorry you're also faced with this financial burden. I hope you're able to find some answers here on the boards.
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