I wanted to share my experience with Dr. Beverly Fischer in Baltimore. I was so excited to get my top surgery and was even able to raise all of the funds through GoFundMe (my insurance doesn't cover a dime). I should have taken it as a red flag that the first consultation was so brief. She had no interest in what I wanted my chest to look like. She basically just took a look at my chest and made some drawings and explained the procedure and left. I had looked at binders and binders full of beautiful surgeries so I thought this was a safe bet.
As soon as the bandages came off, I knew she had not taken everything out. I was so upset but of course that early on, she just said it was all swelling. I even went back in and she tried to drain it and nothing came out (because it looked like it could be a hematoma).
Month by month has passed and I have sent pictures every month because there has been ZERO improvement because there's still TISSUE in there. Every time, I don't get to correspond with the Dr. but only her nurses who have consistently gas lit me telling me that its swelling. But when I asked about a revision, she said they could do liposuction (!!!!) I have questioned them repeatedly about why they didn't take everything out and it's either been met with silence or more gaslighting. I have been treated like I'm dumb and uninformed and like I don't know my body. I'm pissed.
I told them I was going to take it to small claims court and they simply responded with a quote for the almost $3,000 revision on top of the $8,600 I already paid for her to NOT perform the full mastectomy.
Needless to say, I want to get the word out about my experience because the communication and patient advocacy is ZILCH. I am not surprised given this is all run by white women. It's classic. I did not want to think that they are not taking me as seriously because I'm a person of color (since there is an entire history of white medicine not respecting people of color), but my experience has been horrible. This is my body but they could care less. I wish I could get every penny back.
Note In the picture attached, these are NOT my pec muscles. My pecs sit much higher. The curves below the surgical line are the curves that my breasts made and all of that below the line is the tissue that was not removed. Dr. Fischer just cuts and goes in, does not pay attention to the aesthetic, or ask about masculinizing your chest. Luckily, I'm having a consultation with a new top surgeon tomorrow but may this serve as a warning for folks to avoid Dr. Fischer. This is seven months in, looking exactly as it did 2 months in. Has not moved a millimeter.