Consultation!

Well the time has finally come and I have taken the plunge and booked in my first consultation with James McDiarmid next wednesday in Cheltenham. I am so excited already lol how sad!
I have been reading all of your stories both good and bad and I get even more excited when I see how happy and positive you all are even if things have gone wrong. I was in m&s yesterday looking at the bras imagining myself in them and I wanted to buy them all but had to restrain myself!
Anyways I wanted to vent my excitement and will keep you posted of how it goes
This is the first step to a whole fabulous new meeeee
xxxx

Well done Katie,

I have heard great things about James, hes one of the surgeons on here that gives us all great advice but he is currently on a break at the moment.

Good luck with all, Wednesday will be here before you know it xx

Hi Katie

I had my first consultation a few weeks ago and now made an appointment with a surgeon for the 12 January. I know how excited you are, I was also very nervous lol. I haven't been on here long, but I've found the girlies are lovely and are willing to give advice etc.

Good luck and keep us informed how you get on xx

Congrats Katie,

Im also booking a consult with James for January :) Is this at the Nuffield Hospital through mybreast?

Look forward to hearing how you get on xxxx

Hi Ladies
Thank you for your replies :) Of course I am nervous too but far too excited to worry about the nerves. I know its only a consultation but I bet I will be feeling both nervous and excited on weds. Yes butterfly I have heard so many good things about him that's why I decided to see him. But i've also heard good things about Dr Khan so will see how I get on with James first.
Momojack, I filled in a form through his website (mhclinic) and got contacted back directly from Angela Hatherall, McDiarmid-Hall Clinic, Cheltenham. So I guess this is direct and one of his secretaries, and not through a company?
Does anyone know if it works out any different going through mybreast to see the same surgeon rather than direct? Or is it the same? I got quoted roughly £4500-£5,200. Which I know is a lot of money but im not interested in finding the cheapest just the best possible surgeon at a reasonable price.
xxx

Hi Katie,

I think the aftercare package tends to differ by going through a company. Usually you will get a longer aftercare package with a company. I went with the surgeon I wanted through MyBreast and got a much better aftercare package than I would have if I went through him directly so it's worth looking into it hun xx

Good luck Katie! x

Butterfly - thanks for the advice! Im now wondering whether I should re book through mybreast for james? Or see him at the clinic direct and then go through mybreast if its possible and im happy with him. I just wonder whether that would mean 2 separate consultations for the same thing?
Thank you smallblue hope all went well with yours!
xx

Your welcome hun, I know if you had a consultation through a company and then sorced the surgeon privatley the surgeon can get a bit of an ear chewing from the company lol but I think if you do it the other way round it won't matter. All you need to do is tell James that you really liked him but wanted to go with him through a company because of the obvious, that saying you never know James may offer a good aftercare package anyway. Check it all out hun xx

well done Katie!! Good luck!!! xxx

Butterfly I found a previous post on here from James himself regarding going direct or through mybreast and he says that "TheMybreast warranty is pretty unbeatable - I can discuss individual warranties for private patients at consultation and they can then decide which way they go."
I guess that means the patient decides whether they want to go through mybreast or through him direct? Or have I misinterpreted the information lol.

I have also filled in the info for mybreast to book a consultation so if they can offer a suitable appt I may just go with them and cancel the other appt that I have directly.
Thanks AmyD
xx

Hi hun,

if I were you I would request to see James through Mybreast as the consult fee is only £25 and it is then taken off your surgery fee if you go ahead with them. Especially if he has already said it himself that Mybreast are unbeatable regarding there aftercare.

I am with them hun and they have been great with me so far. I have had probs with my implants bottoming out and apart from them being a bit slow on the admin side with regards to the surgeons care and attention I can't fault it xx

Hey

I have tried to ring mybreast but their phoneline says they arent open until 3rd Jan which is a pain! So ive got my consult booked in direct on the 4th and doubt mybreast will be able to get me in that quick when I ring on the 3rd!

Lol its whether to be greedy or sensible and save my money rather than paying twice to see him. I have emailed his secretary to ask for her advice and explained I would like to go through mybreast rather than direct. So will see what she has to say...I have a few days to decide I guess.

Butterfly, would you recommend Adam Topping? I was considering seeing adam topping, stephen hamilton and James McD seeing as all 3 are through mybreast. But I know I would be very impatient if I liked James McD and would want it done asap lol.

xxxx

I thought Mybreast was reopening the 2nd. Oh well, guess I'll have to wait an extra day to book what will hopefully be my last consult before the big day. I haven't had surgery yet, I'm going with Simon Withey, have only heard good things about him and specifically asked for him. But you're not going to the London location are you? I've been twice to see him in London so far, I live in Suffolk. I also had a phone consult with him a couple of weeks ago, I have a lot of questions, especially since debating between uplift only or uplift with implants, and he took more time for me over the phone.

Hey hun,

Yes I would recoommend Adam Topping hun. Even though I am having probs with my implants bottoming out I don't think it's anything hes done wrong. He is a very nice man, very patient and put me completely at ease. Hes done breast surgery on Embarrassing bodies a couple of times on channel 4 and done a great job to. I liked the fact that he is a reconstructive surgeon as well. He works in the Surrey area hun so Guildford, Highgate and farnham would be your hospital options.

You can always see more than one surgeon through MyBreast and choose who you feel comfortable with xx.

Let us know how it goes xx

Hi Ladies,

Yea roxanne I tried to phone but got an automated message saying they arent open until the 3rd. Well he's definitely a possibility for me to see too. I had my heart set on James even before meeting him yet but now have realised I should wait until I have seen him and a few others.

Is it worth staying with one company like mybreast and seeing several ps or going to different companies too? I gather you cant haggle with mybreast but I guess thats because they offer a good aftercare service. I am not tied to the areas I go to, I will actually be travelling further than london when i got to cheltenham to see James!!
I worked out it would only take me 1 hr 30mins to get to farnham/guildford. So thats definately a possibility.
Does Simon Withey only work in the london area?

:) xxxx

Not sure about what areas Simon Withey is in Katie.

I think it's all down to which surgeon you like best hun and then weighing up what is more important to you ie do you prioritise the surgeon or the aftrecare package or you might just be lucky enough and you find your favpurite surgeon working for the company that's suiting your aftercare requirements as well which is what I was lucky enough to find. I did want to go with MyBreast though hun because of their aftercare so it narrowed it down for me xx

Thank you for your advice :). I will keep my appointment and will see if I can get hold of mybreast on tuesday. I have a horrible feeling there wont be any consultations until a couple of months time! But I guess thats another bridge to cross when I get to it.

xxx

Yeah, Simon Withey is in London. Don't know if he works outside of London.

TBH Mybreast is the only company I considered. Their aftercare and surgeons won me over. I know it's a bit more expensive, but I figure if I'm spending all this money I might as well get exactly what I want, and the surgeon I want. It also suited me because the other PS I wanted to see was Stephen Hamilton. But after I saw Withey it felt right, so I haven't booked consults with anyone else. It's good to know the option was there though.

I also had a private consult locally with a BAPRAS surgeon. He was quite nice too, I knew I could trust him. Plus would be nice to go locally. But believe it or not it was more expensive for a day case only, and they really have made no effort to contact me regarding a follow up. I don't like pushy sales approach, but something would have been nice. They were quick to send me the bill for the £100 consultation fee though.