Steven E. Copit, MD

If you are a breast cancer survivor go see Dr Copit!! He is amazing. I had 2 surgeries with him to correct someone else mistakes. I wish I would have seen him from the beginning. If you are getting a mastectomy, please not your plastic surgeon is just as important as your breast surgeon.

Diet and exercise couldn't do it because of muscle separation. Was very worried about having surgery and if I could justify it to myself (people complimented my weight/size). But I didn't like how I looked, size of stomach especially at end of day, and worried muscles would only get weaker as I got older.

Updated on 19 Jan 2016:
Pain management has been very good on medicine prescribed. Wears off a bit about 30 min before next dose needed, but has allowed me to walk around as Dr directed and accomplish minor household tasks as needed this first week post-op. Binder was uncomfortable first day, now it is fine. It appears procedure mostly removed excess skin and tightened muscles, other reviews suggested their pain is greater. Each surgery is individual. Reducing weight prior to surgery and having realistic expectations (from reading a year of other's reviews here) has likely made for the best possible experience, along with having the ability to lay in bed/not work as needed the first week post op.

Results still look very much like picture the day after surgery. Will post additional photos in a month.

Updated on 22 Jan 2016:
Nurse removed drains at visit one week later. Drainage was down to a little less that 20 cc each drain each day. Nurse was right, it didn't hurt to remove the drains. It felt worse to have stitches pulled from stomach - but that wasn't awful and it was quick. They left in belly button stitches to come out next week. Dr. Oked use of spans instead of binder and I've just put on the super high waist panty bc I feel like some fluid may be accumulating. Dr said if it does they remove it with a needle next week. He said that doesn't hurt - so far, he's been right about what does and doesn't hurt, so I'm optimistic he'll be right about that, too. Here are pictures. You can see holes where drains were. Nurse said to just keep holes covered and they'll close in a few days. Waking around a lot. Pain is good - now just using percoset at night, Tylenol during day.

Updated on 5 Feb 2016:
At 2 weeks the sutures around belly button were removed. These are photos of what it looked like. I find the Spanx uncomfortable and have stuck with the binder all day and off at night. Still walking a little hunched, particularly because I have a desk job and sitting in chair for extended time is doable but way more uncomfortable than walking around. Discomfort is greater in the evening, perhaps bc some fluid is still accumulating during the day. By end of 2.5 weeks pretty much off percoset, taking 1 pill end of day, or none, and about 500 mg of Tylenol.

Continue to take extra protein (protein powder drink 1x per day ). Can feel uncomfortable tightness in stomach all the time, but it's bearable and wasn't that the point?

Updated on 5 Feb 2016:

After a TT, being sent home with a Danny pack called On-Q. It's direct in the incision pain control. It slowly releases the medication through a catheter in my incision. This lowers the need for heavy narcotics and had helped tremendously in pain control. I've been able to walk with very little discomfort since my TT yesterday afternoon. Has anyone else used o e of these? Quite brilliant!!

Diagnosed 2011 DCIS, partial mastectomy, radiation, reconstruction for symmetry on left
then more cancer found in tissue on left. Next ,double mastectomy w/ immediate reconstruction (diep/free flap) using abdominal fat. This was 15 hr surgery and my 4th..
I was left with one side huge and radiated side average. Told reduction not possible but
Dr. Steven Copit of Jefferson University Hospital is brilliant and achieved what I was told not possible!!!

Updated on 11 Aug 2013:
This is a heads up on symptoms of breast cancer.. In both of my breasts(1 year apart) I had severe itching on my nipples..the first one was so bad they thought Pagets.. Second time minor itching turned up more cancer,2nd time, biopsy's and mamo showed nothing. My only reason for the discovery is my breast surgeon insisting on being present during the 1st reconstruction..sending it off to Pathology.
Do not ignore itching.

Updated on 11 Aug 2013:
pay attention to small signs!!!

Updated on 25 Aug 2013:
Feeling better every day. Had a bathing suit on for the first time in 2 years.. Actually look
normal, on the outside anyway:)

Updated on 9 Sep 2013:
Sadly, it looks like either the radiated side is shrinking again or the other side is getting bigger:(. The radiated side had no revision done because I was happy with the size. Have an appointment 9/17 with the surgeon so we'll see

I came to doctor Copit years ago for rhinoplasty and ended up having to go back to him as he did not do what I wanted the first time. Unfortunately, years later after the swelling went down my nose is still not what I wanted. While Dr Copit may excel in other fields unfortunately, I do not recommend for rhinoplasty. Truly just do not feel like he listened to anything I wanted and years later am still feeling insecure about my nose.