What can a patient do to prepare for their first meeting with a plastic surgeon about breast reconstruction?

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SheilaBondMD (Physician - Surgery - Plastic (Verified) ) - 04 / 18 / 2012

Before the first meeting, I would do some reading about the various types of reconstruction in general terms. Our ASPS (http://www.plasticsurgery.org) web site is a great resource. Write down any questions that come to mind and bring these questions with you. Your doctor after examining you should help you to understand the procedure and your options.
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member2721 (Survivor (1 year)) - 04 / 03 / 2012

My first meeting was one of enlightenment and surprise. I had no idea of the options available for reconstruction. In hindsight, I should have done a little Internet research on the different types of breast reconstruction, so I would at least be familiar with the names of them. I wouldn’t worry about knowing all the fine details of each, because the plastic surgeon should be able to explain the procedures in detail. I am a questioner (much to the chagrin of my plastic surgeon!) and I asked many questions about the different types of implants, pros and cons of each, sizes/shapes, am I a candidate for any sort of ‘flap’ surgery?, which one is right for me?, how large do I want my breasts to be after reconstruction?, how will they look?, are there any patients I can speak with to understand their journey with reconstruction? I also would have tried to find a support group to get first-hand account of what that first meeting with a plastic surgeon is like.
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