Plastic Surgery Warning

I thought that little guy best represents how I feel about plastic surgeons.  Not sure where to begin but I will tell you the best thing that I ever did was Gastric Bypass!  The worst thing I ever did was the excess skin removal.

I had Gastric Bypass February of 2003.  I lost over 100 pounds, in 2004 I started gaining weight again and was up to 180 and said "WOW, I'm almost back to 200".  I told myself I needed to do something about that.  What ended up helping me was finding a workout video that found.  I ended up loosing some of that weight.  I'm around 160 pounds today.

But, where I was going was the 2005 surgery I had to have my excess skin removed.  I started by going to my bariatric team and got their referral.  I trusted them and didn't even do any researching on him or his company.  Had my consultation with Dr. Brian Kobienia at MMK Plastic Surgery in Edina, MN and he said things that I wanted to hear, so not taking the time to think about it, I set up my surgery date.  The day of surgery I had a bad feeling and wish I would have said something then but anyways, I've had nothing but problems since.  The surgery was for the arms & inner thighs.  He left a bulge of fat at the bottom of my incision in the right inside leg, did not make the right arm the same size as the left (even after I told him in the consultation with him and right before I went under the knife).  Then I find out at my first post surgery appointment that he had cut a nerve on my right arm (verbally) it was never put in my file as I requested a copy of everything.  So I had no proof, went to lawyer after lawyer and got the same response.  Surgeons are very well protected by the law.  So all I could do was turn them into the Better Business Bureau and be an advocate to tell people my story and hope that no one will use this company and do research before they contimplate doing that kind of surgery.  Because I was happy until I had that done.  I could go on and on about my experience the last 3 years but this has gotten quite lengthy as it is.  If anyone wants to talk more about it, you can e-mail be at [email protected] 

Thanks for reading 
Elizabeth


 

Hi Elizabeth

I'm so sorry you have gone through this. I hope it all works out for you.

I've had 3 different plastic surgerys and have had wonderful success. I had the greatest plastic surgeon do mine. It is SO important to do your research a head of time.

My .02 cents is, talk to as many people as you can who have used the surgeon you are looking in to. There is no better recommendation than happy patients who have had good results.

Take care.

Peggy

Thanks Peggy!  I am really glad to hear that you had such experiences with plastic surgery.  I will not be doing anything else anytime soon but always dream about it.

Elizabeth

Thanks for sharing your experience.  Now and then I think of plastics, but I'm so tired so surgery and doctors right now.  I think of all the skin and the shape my body is in and sometimes it dismays me.  BUT, I'm healthy and that's why I had the surgery in the first place. It's a very good idea to learn the successes and failures of plastics, just as it's good to hear about the successes and failures of WLS.  Yes, some people die and have complications, but others don't.  Thank you again for sharing.

Edi

Hi Edi,

I so agree with you.  Doctors/Surgeons are not on my good list right now.   I really hated the way I looked before the plastic surgery but I'm even more unhappy because now I look even worse.  My arms & legs look disgusting (to me) and with the hidious scarring I have, I don't wear shirts above my elbows or shorts above my knees.  All Thanks to Dr. Brian Kobienia!   You are so right though, I have my health but now my livlihood is at risk because of the cutting of that nerve on my right arm, which is my dominant side and I'm an Admin Asst.  I do 90% computer work and somedays it is so painful in my right hand and arm.  This sounds very depressing, I'm sorry.  I'm usually always bubbly but no one understands what I'm going through, so I'm glad that I found this website.

Thanks for the note!
Elizabeth

Thank you for sharing your story Elizabeth!! That takes a lot of courage!!

Elizabeth,

I'm SO sorry to hear about your bad experience.  That just sucks.  I, like Peggy had a good experience with plastic surgery as I had a lower body lift and breast lift done back in 2004 with Dr. Michael Fasching in Plymouth.  It was the best money I ever spent!

I know you're not in the mood for any more surgery, but have you consulted with another surgeon to repair the damage done during the first surgery?  I know they probably can't do anything about the cut nerve, but I'm wondering about the right leg and the size of your arms.