5/4/09. I like the few before and after photos on Dr. Richard Westreich's website. I also like the way he approaches rhinoplasty. Above all else, function, then appearance. Clearly after reading some of those online blogs, I'm utterly terrified that my nostrils can collapse or something can go horribly wrong. More than being better looking, I'd like my nose to work properly and not cause me problems in my life. Westreich's assistant is a peach. The woman's lovely. Period.
Dr.Westreich was great too. His facility is clean, comfortable, and his educational background (you can download his CV) puts me at ease. He took out (clean) specs and checked around inside my nose (and sprayed me w/ a decongestant, since I was stuffed up, but what else is new). Then he took out paper and drew for me what was going on inside. He explained that my septum deviates to the right, and in order for my left nostril to compensate for the larger airway, the turbinate is enlarged - he also explained my nasal cycle and the corrections that he'd make inside to completely correct my breathing. Great! He then took pics, that he told me he'd make the adjustments we discusssed later in the day and email them to me. When he took the pics, the photo he took with me leaning my head back, he said "see this pic, this is what we submit to the insurance company. You can see that your septum is deviated." Uh...why did everyone else tell me I need a CT scan, if this guy can just submit pics to Cigna and they'll take care of everything?! Well, Dr.Miracle, that's awesome. I got the CT scan anyway this past weekend incase I don't use you as my surgeon.
Then comes the quote. He says, "If your insurance covers the facility fee, anesthesia, and septoplasty, you'll be responsible for $4,000. Because the facility is 'out of network' you may be partially responsible for that fee as well"...
Great price for me. And I'll say, that the photos he emailed me tonight were good, but not exactly what I want, so I decided to make some further adjustments with photoshop (ha! Yes, I'm great with photoshop) and sent them back to him. He told me they were subtle, reasonable, and certainly attainable. I like this option, even if he's less "famous" than the others. Overall, a good impression.
