by a Neinstein Plastic Surgery Patient
My Experience with Neinstein Plastic Surgery
Pre-Op – 6 weeks Post-Op
Let me start by saying if you are thinking about liposuction or a mommy makeover, you are in the right place. About me; I began thinking about liposuction approximately a year or two ago. I am in my mid-40’s and was objectively, in pretty good shape, sans those stubborn areas. To the outside person, I am petite so me having any kind of nip, tuck or suck procedure would be “crazy.” I had been lucky with my pregnancies. Or maybe I have the luck of some good genetics. But not the kind of supermodel good genetics where you’re 5’9”, gain 25 lbs. and pop back into a bikini with a concave abdomen and hip bones jutting out two months later. I was in my early 30’s, gained maybe 30-ish pounds each time, had 2 c-sections and got back to my pre-baby body in regular fashion. I didn’t suffer from stretch marks, loose skin or sagging breasts, even after nursing both of my children. Somehow, a few years later, in my late 30’s, once my kids were in school and I had some time for myself, I even managed to get into the best shape of my life. I was thin, strong and felt great.
But then came my 40’s. I put more focus put back on my career and less on those exercise classes I’d come to somehow enjoy as part of my regular routine. As an aside, I also am not one of those endorphin-filled moms that purports to love to exercise. I often wish I was part of what Dr. Neinstein refers to as the 5am club. I’m more like the 10am club and when it fits into my schedule, or it’s not happening. I had a phase where I somehow willed myself to “get into it.” I regularly attended pilates and barre classes, and it was good for my body. But once it was gone, there was no getting it back. The ten pounds that I had managed to widdle away in my 30’s crept back on in the first few years of my 40’s and took the first toll ever on my sense of self-image.
As far as food goes, I love it but I have also always loved to cook and eat healthy. Still, it was those dreaded 40’s when everything changed and nothing I did seemed to make a difference. All those relatively good choices found somewhere on my body to cling to. I became convinced that unless I was going to be the person that exercised for two hours a day, ate one egg for breakfast, a bare chicken breast for lunch and the repetitive skinny serving of salmon for dinner, plus all the spinach I could choke down, I would never bounce back. I tried variations of this; eating just a little more cleaner, becoming part of the peloton lifestyle, lifting more weights. Guess what – it didn’t work. And no matter how many times I heard it could happen, let’s be real, it could not. And not seeing a change started to have the opposite effect. I was becoming less motivated to exercise by the lack of results.
I started to feel a desire to explore the idea that my body type and shape would make me a good candidate for liposuction. I have the skin that should hopefully bounce back and the body that’s under there, somewhere. I had an initial consultation with a doctor near where I live. I was intrigued, but not moved. The doctor was very nice. He has a good reputation. When I got undressed to my bra and underwear he actually said “wow mom, you look good.” That made me feel good too but his “oh yea, I see where we could do a little lipo here and there and you’ll look great,” lax attitude, was uninspiring. There was the assuring “you’ll look great in a month and better in the months after” type of comments but nothing that motivated me to want to book it. Did I believe I’d have a good result? Yes. Did I believe it would be exactly what I wanted? Unclear. Did I think he was the doctor for me? No. So I left it alone. I wasn’t going on a tour of different doctors’ offices, whether paying or not paying for consults. The idea of that was undesirable to me. But my curiosity was peaked.
For a while, I kept on the path of finding small ways to see if I could muster any change. I also did more research. I’d take out my laptop after my husband fell asleep, or slowly added different accounts to “follow” on my Instagram. I didn’t want to be “influenced” or swayed by social media, so I sat back, watched, listened and learned. After a few more months, I was heavily focused on a short list of doctors. I was feeling more serious and the churning inside me, for real change, was creeping up, almost on a daily basis. I started focusing more and more on aesthetic, and what was realistic for me, not necessarily for the woman featured on a screen. But at the same time, today’s “reality” comes from what we see on a screen. Show me the before and after’s, give me rave reviews and testimonials. I ate them up.
I zeroed in on Neinstein Plastic Surgery (NPS) and scheduled consults with both Dr. Funderburk and Dr. Neinstein. Here’s an interesting conundrum; you have two doctors that do the same thing, in the same practice, so how do you pick one over the other? Let’s get one thing clear; despite the year or so I took to make this decision before getting to NPS, I am a decisive person. I either like the thing or I don’t. Same with people. But I am also logical, and this wasn’t about buying a pair of shoes. It was about changing me. I needed to find the right doctor that just got me.
I met with Dr. Funderburk first. I liked his laid-back southern charm, his kind demeanor and moreover, his confident but not arrogant nature. It was also clear to me that not only had Dr. Funderburk listened to me, but he instinctively knew what I wanted. He was also practical and sensible. There was no sales pitch and no unrealistic expectations. I left that virtual consult feeling like I was on the right path, but I still wanted to meet with Dr. Neinstein and check all the boxes, so to speak. I had a virtual consultation scheduled with him as well, but it was a month or so later. This is where their office staff comes in. They follow up. They are not pushy. They are all very nice. I was feeling more and more ready, and confident in my consult with Dr. Funderburk but in the back of my mind, still thought I needed to meet with Dr. Neinstein. So I utilized their wonderful staff. I asked them about the differences between the doctors and was told I’d be happy with either and would have excellent results regardless. This was helpful, but also not. In my mind, at the time I wanted to know if one would be better for me than the other. I wanted that decisive direction. And the staff will tell you that cost with the doctors varies. If cost is a concern, then this can be a deciding factor. For me, it was not. But then there were a couple of other comments that caught my attention. I was told that Dr. Funderburk had done liposuction on almost all the staff at the office. This was intriguing because it’s the staff that sees both doctors operate and all the results. I decided maybe it was better to go against my natural grain and that there was no need confusing something I already felt good about.
I was excited and felt confident moving forward. I booked my procedure with Dr. Funderburk. I was deciding between a spring date that was available, or a late summer date. I decided to give myself the extra time, not try to squeeze this in and to schedule for late summer. The decision was made. Then I went on vacation.
Now that I knew I was doing this, every time I put a swimsuit on the week of vacation, I wished I had already had the procedure. Every time I came out of the shower and looked at myself, I was ready. I told my husband what I was feeling, showed him how that available spring week could work well with our respective schedules and we agreed. Mid-vacation, I reached out to NPS and asked about moving everything around. The NPS staff was fantastic in helping make this happen. I can’t say enough nice things about all of them (Becca, Olympia, Chloe, Shannon, Tara, etc.). I got all my ducks in a row while sitting poolside. Their out-of-town guides, pre-procedure amazon shopping lists, referrals for nurses and masseuses, is exactly my speed. I plan and organize like no other. They very quickly responded to any questions I had. This type of in sync coordination was amazing and made me even more sure that I was going to the right place.
Two weeks later, and with my amazon purchases in tow, I was on my way, alone, to NYC for 9 days. I don’t think I left myself enough time to be nervous. I still was, but I also felt confident. In my pre-op appointment with Dr. Funderburk, I felt even better than I had after meeting with him virtually. We added on a few things. A little extra lipo and some fat transfer to my breasts. Still, I left wondering that night if I had properly vocalized everything I wanted or if I missed anything. The office staff kept in touch with me. I used them as a bit of a sounding board for some of my leftover concerns. For example, I wanted some youth (literally) put back into my breasts, but not bigger breasts. I think I asked everyone who checked in with me over the next 24 hours about this and they were all so wonderful and reassuring.
The day of my procedure, I was totally relaxed. I am a rule follower, so everything was in place. No loose ends. I was picked up afterwards by the nurse I had scheduled through Elite Recovery. To note, when I was doing all that last-minute rescheduling, the nurses also “tweaked” my shopping list. And I listened.
My first nurse was Caitlin. I cannot say enough nice things about her. I generally do not like the idea of someone new in my space, or someone having to care for me in that state. But to my surprise, it was the opposite. Caitlin was completely used to what was happening to my body and to my surprise, there was no discomfort or embarrassment around her. Caitlin went through my stash of goodies and then did a quick run to the store for me. So here, I’d add to your shopping list; cough drops/lozenges because post anesthesia, your throat is so dry. Also, if you’re in a hotel, get a full case of water. You will go through it and more! She also picked up period panties for me in a chic black. I highly recommend these. They’re basically adult diapers, but they’re there to sop up the ooze that comes out of your incisions. After the procedure, you’ve somehow been stuffed into a compression garment that has an opening for you to use the bathroom and the nurses will cut it up the back too. This is odd, but you’ll be grateful. And if your nurse doesn’t ask NPS for a full-size bed pad before you leave the office, like Caitlin did, make sure you do. For several days after, I was so thankful I had it!
I wondered what an overnight nurse would be like. Mary took over for Caitlin at 10pm. I had a hotel suite, so we had two rooms and she didn’t have to sit in a chair and watch me sleep. I slept 8 hours! The next day, Dr. Funderburk came by for a quick visit and was thrilled with how I was doing. Onward. I had my first lymphatic drainage massage 24 hours post-procedure. More on that to come. Then Mary really kicked into high gear. She was there to show me my medication schedule, how to strip and log my drain output and to care for myself. Mary was a pro. She called housekeeping for a shower chair. This felt unnecessary to me, but I listened. The NPS staff had told me to keep a nurse at least until after my shower and again, they know their stuff! Completely naked, swollen and bruised post-surgery, I felt so comfortable. Mary reassured me that I was already so independent. I believed it too. I was confident and could care for myself, but I hated seeing Caitlin and Mary gone a few hours later.
I thought I would be bored in a hotel room for a week by myself. The first couple of days it poured in NYC. Already deterred from going out for a walk and having to disguise the stuffed bear I was, and the drain hanging two feet off my body, I stayed in. However, I wasn’t sedentary. I listened to my nurses and doctor. I remained mostly out of bed. I walked around my room and occupied myself with more work than tv. It also took up a fair amount of time to shower and put myself back together every day. I did go out a few days later.
Let’s talk packing for this trip. I was lucky to have messaged a previous patient of Dr. Neinstein’s, who had publicly posted her whole journey, to ask a few questions. And I have been beyond grateful for her responses. She told me only pack soft, loose pajamas and sweats. This was the first time I ever went to NYC without even a pair of jeans and with only sneakers and slides for footwear. I gave myself over to what this week was. If you are having any type of breast work, note that you won’t need your own bras. You will barely wear your own socks too (you’ll wear compression ones from NPS) or even your own underwear (unless you leave your hotel room). Take loose, dark, disguising sweats or other loose-fitting pants with a stretch/tie waist and pajamas! More importantly, bring a vest and/or a below the buttocks length jacket to hide what’s happening at your midsection. Whenever I did end up going out, I will admit that I was self-conscious everyone would know what I was hiding. My extra outer layer gave me comfort.
During my weeklong stay post-procedure, I had booked three lymphatic drainage massages with Lais. First of all, she is just darling. But more importantly, Lais is so knowledgeable. I wish I could have taken her home with me for the next two months. My first massage was kind of painful. I have a high pain tolerance too. It is a very strange sensation to be numb under your entire midsection, yet to still feel pain, not just pressure. I couldn’t believe how much I drained from my back incision! Like a puddle! Oddly, I couldn’t wait for Lais to come back. My second massage was less painful, but I still wouldn’t call it comfortable. By massage number three, it was getting better. Lais put some kinesiology tape on my inner thighs for the swelling and told me to leave it on for the next 2-3 days, and especially because I was traveling home. Tip: this is not easy to remove and can hurt. Thankfully, my husband has experience and wisely told me to lather up in the shower with soap and baby oil, hold the skin at the base and slowly peel/roll down.
Booking follow up massages for 1-3x/week upon my return home was a little more challenging. I don’t live in a state where NPS has recommendations, so my search was on. It took trying different providers, but I have kept up with these 2x/week and I think they are extremely important. Again, if cost is a concern for you, factor in all your care, including your procedure, travel, nurse(s), post-op massages, and if you’re like me, there will be always be add-ons plus a little shopping!
Backing up a bit, before I came home, I had a post-op appointment to remove my drain. This appointment maybe became the most surprising part of the entire process thus far (in a good way). Dr. Funderburk was called away last-minute so Dr. Neinstein kindly stepped in to check on how I was doing and chat with me before I was off to the airport. Dr. Neinstein made me feel immediately at ease with how my recovery was going. Nurse Tara was there to remove my drain, which she did quickly and painlessly. Standing there, nearly naked, Dr. Neinstein and I launched into a conversation that jumped around so many topics, and where it felt like we were just getting to know each other. I genuinely believe he wants to meet you and cares if there’s a personal connection, beyond the reason you ended up in his office. As a professional and a business owner myself, I thoroughly appreciated this. As a vulnerable human being that had just been through something major, I liked how un-rushed and how open he was.
Having wondered pre-surgery which doctor would be right for me, I can confidently say that had I waited for that second virtual consultation and met Dr. Neinstein before making this decision, I know I would have been more confused. I genuinely like them both so much and have complete confidence in both of their abilities. If it’s a question for you, it shouldn’t be. I would trust either. And that’s why they’re a team. You never know if you’ll need them again in the future. I wouldn’t hesitate and I would see either one.
This was one of the best decisions I have ever made. If you can travel for the peace of mind that you are in the right hands, you absolutely should! You will feel like NPS is a place you can, and will want to return to. I will. I am thankful that I could have seen either of these sought after doctors. And before I left, while I had nurse Tara in the room, I asked her for some opinions and tweaks to my filler and botox and gladly climbed into her chair. The subtle things she did are amazing. Nurse Tara will be a definite go-to whenever I’m in NYC!
A few last notes on what to expect and where I am at, in case you’re wondering. The first week was eye opening. I am glad my husband was not around for it. There’s a lot of fluid that comes out of you. I was very stiff but moving around as much as possible helps! Traveling home, Tara stuffed me with enough lipo foam that I looked pregnant. I just hoped I didn’t get stopped going through security! At about 2 weeks post procedure, I was feeling a bit of compression garment fatigue, but soldiered on. Dr. Neinstein is also right that somewhere between weeks 3-4 there’s an obvious turning point. I am about 6 weeks post op now. I am still wearing my compression garment part time, as instructed. I even still add the lipo foam when I sleep, although I don’t technically have to. I am LOVING my new mid-section and am already more confident in clothes. I felt amazing shopping for the first time recently because everything I own that was tight before is now big! But I also know I still have a way to go. I still have some numbness from my sides to my lower abdomen and a little swelling, particularly in the lower abdominals, where the skin also still needs to tighten more. I will admit that I am slightly impatient in wanting all the swelling to go away but like they say, I am trusting the process. For anyone who’s curious about the fat transfer, I am so glad I did it. The swelling has gone down and they look great. Overall, I feel amazing and look forward to seeing where I am at 2- and 3-months post-op, and over the course of the next year. Stay tuned!