Juvederm: Stories

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NO! Hospitalized, Infection, Two Month on IV Antibiotics

TMS
posted 3 years ago
updated 1 year ago

Not Worth It
Cost: $650
Atlanta, Ga

Used it for my smile lines. Ended up hospitalized...

26 Apr 2010

Used it for my smile lines. Ended up hospitalized for 3 day with Cellulitis and a staph infection in my face. I had to have a pic line that goes into the main artery beside my heart so I can take IV antibiotics 4 times a day. It has been two months now. I get the pic line out today and will be on oral antibiotics for some time.

This was not due to the Juvederm, but from cross contamination of the needle. When you sign the release form, just realize, this CAN happen to you.

Hi Cristi, I am so sorry you are going through...

13 Jan 2012

Hi Cristi,

I am so sorry you are going through this. What area of your face was done. Can you tell me about what you are going through?

My infection was in March 2010. I think you read the story. Hospital, cellulitus the infection spreading toward my lymph nodes. All that bad stuff. In the photo I provided, it looks as if I also had filler in my lips. That was not the case. It was from the swelling. My tongue was so swollen I couldn't enunciate words or eat anything unless it was something I didn't have to chew. I lived on broth or rice for some time. I was on IV antibiotics, when the infectious specialist would reduce the antibiotics, the infection would flair back up. That's when he decided we needed to be more aggressive. I had a picc line and connected medication from a bag into the port 3 times a day. I was later diagnosed with MRSA. We had discussed having the filler surgically removed, but for me, it wasn't an option unless it was life threatening.

Come June, the worst was over, but the bruising that was from my chin up....black eyes and eye lids. Numbness in the area of the injection was still there. No only that, the Juvederm that was injected had shifted above the smile line and didn't go away for almost 2 years!

In October of 2011, I was having some dental work done. I had to have injections of Novocain under my lip to work on my front teeth, It took 3 days for the Novocain to wear off! My face (on the side of the previous infection). I started to feel a bit of swelling in that area as well. I went back to my wonderful IDS. He examined my face and said that even though the cellulitis was no longer showing itself, that for the rest of my life, the cells will be there. He warned me to never have any kind of injection (novocain during dental work or any other medical situation) or bump my face in that area because it could cause the cellulitus to come on full force.

Luckily, my face is pretty much healed. The skin around the injection site is not the same, its about a dime size, but I can cover it with make up.

Its been a very long and depressing process.

I am currently in talks with my attorney. My medical expenses were over $65,000, not including the 4 months of being chained to my house for infusions and illness from meds and the doctor doesn't want to pay anything.

I am SHOCKED at how many e mails I get every month from people who have had problems from Juvederm. They really to change the side effect info.

Great review?

Comments (49)

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MarkK1927 6 Jul 2012

The EXACT same thing is happening to me right now as a result of non-surgical rhinoplasty juvederm injection. My face keeps getting worse and my primary doctor thinks it's a combination of infection and allergy and your pictures are the only thing I could find similar to my situation. I'm on antibiotics but i don't think they're helping much. My face is pretty bad and there's these gross looking white bumps appearing now. I'm quite depressed as a result of this. =(

Alicia1969 25 Apr 2012

Yah know there had been a lot of back and forth regarding whether or not doctors should be held accountable for a screw up like describe above. I want to say this before removing my name from the comments list ( filling mah email box) I think there is a certain amount of patient accountability when it comes to seeking out good medical practitioners. That is why I do a ton of research and try to learn of good doctors via recommendations and word of mouth. That said, there is a HUGE amount of responsibility on the shoulders of the medical establishment. I still cannot believe some nurse had the nerve to even get on here and place all the blame for a bad job on the patient. I find this laughable, especially since this person appears to want to advocate personal responsibility. How about the personal responsibility of the DOCTOR?

While we should be careful of where we go, we should also hope that the people we place trust in will also hold up their end of the bargain. When my kid goes to school I am not in the class room making sure the teacher shows my kid the proper way to spell CAT and DOG. I expect her to do her job.

The blame the victim mentality of this nurse is lovely--wish I could use it at my job. "Yeah boss, I know you want to fire me for being a bad employee and all, but it is YOUR fault that I didn't do good cause you didn't check up my every move and micro manage every thought and breath" I mean, does this person seriously want patients bringing in microscopes and check under beds to see if they are at a good hospital and if not shame on them if they get bad service? If the doctor had cut off a toe when he was supposed to be removing a kidney then we would say he was at fault--but because this is cosmetic procedure we believe the patient is 100 percent at fault. REALLY?

Well, I call BS on this! It's just the medical establishments new way of trying to scapegoat other people when they don't so their jobs. I do not have to inspect the fingernail of a doctor who comes to work on me--he is SUPPOSED to be doing his job--when he doesn't he is held accountable--PERIOD.

Megan P (Community Manager) 27 Apr 2012

I definitely agree that people (doctor or otherwise) need to be held accountable for their actions. The unfortunate thing is with the way laws are set up it often times is not a doctor doing injections for things like Juvederm, so unfortunately a lot of the bad results are from under-trained people injecting this material in places like medi-spas & such.

Making sure we do our research is very important before moving ahead with any procedure. I think TMS gave some great advice in one of the first comments she posted up above when she said, "1) FIND A GOOD PLASTIC SURGEON!"

Of course that is not to say it takes all the risk away, but being in good, capable hands can certainly reduce it.

Lisa415 24 Apr 2012

I think I got a staph infection too. Only it wasn't nearly as bad as TMS. I guess I lucked out. I had a small painful rash on the skin above my upper lip. I've had juvederm injections before, but this place was a little closer to my house so decided to try it. I wish I would have turned around and ran out when I noticed the trash cans overflowing with bloody tissues. Plus the doctor was around 80'ish and so was his wife, who was playing nurse. They appeared to not know what they were doing as they opened the juvederm package and seemed to fumble around quite a bit. I don't recall the doctor cleaning the injection site with alcohol either. When I went back a few days later to show the doctor the rash, he said it was herpes. I've never had herpes before, ever, in my whole life. I figured if he said it was herpes, that makes it MY FAULT, and if he said it was cross contamination...that makes it HIS FAULT. So, whats he going to say? Herpes of course! It's been two weeks and the rash has almost completely cleared up. I know that I got real lucky. It could have been worse. I'm going back to my regular place when I need juvederm again. I never had any problems at my regular place. I will never go back to this place that seemed so dirty and atrocious.

Juler 24 Apr 2012

Hi Lisa,

Glad your complications were resolved. How did you go about the process?

Lisa415 26 Apr 2012

Hi Juler,
I cleaned the rash a few times a day with rubbing alcohol. It hurt like heck with alcohol on it, but I wanted to keep it clean. For a few hours after cleaning, I would let it dry out. Then, I would apply triple antibiotic cream and let that sit for a few hours too. Before bed, I would clean again with rubbing alcohol, then apply triple anitbiotic cream again. In the morning, clean again, let it dry out, etc..for a week and a half. Now, 2 and 1/2 weeks later, I still have a slight discoloration above my lip, I am still using triple antibiotic during the day and at night. No longer cleaning with alcohol. This was definitely NOT herpes. Saying its herpes is a big cover up for these doctors out there. Did you have a similar situation?

Juler 24 Apr 2012

Hi TMS,

Please update about your lawsuit when it is finalized. I am considering suing.

Juler 21 Apr 2012

It is 4 am and I cannot sleep because of this infection in my lips and n/l folds from restylane injections. I stumbled upon your blog looking for answers. Today is April 21, 2012. I had restylane injections on Feb. 18, 2012. Five weeks later, I started have complications that have only grown worse. I have been on steroids and antibiotics for a month. I have to go in and have each injection site cut and drained of pus. When there are major flare-ups, I have to cancel work and plans with family and friends. Does anyone know if I have any legal recourse?

Simba1234 21 Apr 2012

I have not heard of that but I am in the same position like you.

Juler 24 Apr 2012

Hi Simba1234,

I understand that you are in Sweden? Which would entail a completely different health and legal system than here in the US.

Regardless, I wish you the best justice for what you have suffered.

The worst thing for me: I never would have tried Restylane if not from suggestions by the resident who benefited from experimenting on me. Also, I only wanted botox. I did not even consider Restylane until he suggesting it.

Please let me know of any recourse you have addressed.

selena79 1 Apr 2012

I had the same kind of infection two years ago also. Please let me know if you want to file any class action against juvederm. Thanks.

Ann M 28 Mar 2012

Please be sure to have a board certified plastic surgeon do the procedure.

Donzz 15 Jan 2012

WoW i have been having jervederm for some time now and it, i have never had a reaction...i feel bad for you...this is scary as the side effects arnt supposed to be bad just a little swelling and redness...i do hope u get better soon n im sorry u had this reaction....

Lysll 30 Oct 2011

Hi, I just had Juverderm injection 5 days ago and my face looks exactly like yours, I think l have infection and very painful. I hope my doctor who did my infection can fix the infection tomorrow. Should I hire an attorney to represent me, would this infection go away, I an very scare as I feel the filer and pucs are leaking from the opening of pores. Cannot sleep, very worried.

TMS 15 Mar 2012

Lyell, how are you doing now?

louiser 24 Mar 2011

I have had injections for years but monday got juvederm by the next day upper lip was 3x its size and looked like brusing on upper lip with unbearable burning and felt very hot could not eat drink or sleep thurs am went back to dr he said i had cellulitis my lip looked distorted. but now that i think about it he injected multiple places in my face and only wiped my lip with alchohol so iam sure cross contamination was the problem. he usually has me wash my face before any proceedure but not this time. it was the most painful thing i have ever had even my teeth hurt. he put me on antibiotics hope the discoloration and swelling goes down soon i look terrible

Missmullen 24 Mar 2011

i hope you get better soon, i am wanting to do juvederm in nasal folds for my 31st which is coming up...

TMS 2 May 2011

How are you doing? Did the antibiotics work?
Where did you have the injection? In the lip?

Im shocked that soooo many people are having these horrible reactions/infections, yet Juvederm is not changing the warning label.

More training needs to be done so cross contamination isnt as frequent.

Please let me know how you are?

HoneyDoll88 10 Feb 2011

I understand-i hope that everything works out for you

TMS 10 Feb 2011

I can't. I've hired a attorney. I don't want to do anything to jeopardize the out come. Sorry

HoneyDoll88 9 Feb 2011

Can you post the name of the doctor/facility? I think people should be warned:(

TMS 2 Jun 2010

Simba.... tell me about your restalyn problem?

Simba1234 3 Jun 2010

Well. I had restylane sub q in my cheeks eleven m. ago. In the beginning it was hell, I swelled up like crazy but only on one side, when that swelling went down it switched over to the other side!!!! It was really scary. After 4 m. the swelling subsided but I still have minor swelling after 11 m. I did not have that blue colour you have but it is some discloration grey in colour. My body fights this like yours and I has always been a very healthy person. My body just hated this stuff. I think my immunsystem is involved. In the beginning I layed in bed for 2 m. I had small amounts but this material is supposed to stay in skin for 1 and a half year. It is restylane but bigger molecules, I think that was the problem. My body did not recognize it. Sorry for spelling or grammatic I am from Sweden. Hope you dont will have this long-term problems.

Simba1234 3 Jun 2010

We have nice dogs thought.

TMS 2 Jun 2010

Hi Simba 1234 Its been 3 months now, so Im feeling better. Still not great through. I have been running a fever of 99 to 101.5 for weeks. Still on oral antibiotics. The hard part now is the post infectious arthritis. Its pretty painful. Im sure I will keep getting better every day. Thanks for thinking of me :)