Hyaluronidase: Stories

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JUVADERM Nightmare!

  • posted 1 year ago
  • updated 11 months ago

I was interested in getting a more refreshed look...

I was interested in getting a more refreshed look but was not looking for a surgical approach. I consulted a plastic surgeon in Newport Beach and Juvederm was recommended to diminish an asymmetrical hollow look under my left eye for $550.00.
After receiving the injection of Juvederm my left eye had the appearance of a bug bite instead of a refreshed look. I went back to the plastic surgeon and she injected another syringe of Juvederm under my left eye for another $550.00. (A product of Allergan)
1 year later I returned to the same physician and reported that I was tired of this lump moving around under my left eye and being asked if an insect had bitten me. The physician injected Vitrase into the area where the Juvederm was placed to dissolve the lump that was put under my eye. I decided to have my eye tissue tightened by a different plastic surgeon to stop wasting time and  considerable expense on this filler.
My left eye literally fell apart in surgery at the injection site of the Juvederm.
The physician that injected me originally did not know why this happened. She did not offer to compensate me for the failed filler experiment and basically washed her hands of any responsibility for this mess.
I had to under go 2 painful skin grafts from behind each ear, painful steroid injections to soften scar tissue, hours and miles of doctors office visits and antibiotics.
Presently my left eye still does not close. It constantly burns and feels irritated. I did file a claim with Allergan and their response was " we checked with the physician that injected you and there was nothing wrong with the product so there is no claim" I have filed a claim with the Dr. that injected me and "they are looking into anything that was done inappropriately" . The indication for Juvederm clearly states mid to deep dermal areas not the thin area under the eye.
Please be forwarned, in my case a disaster happened and the physician and Allergan stuck together and stuck the patient with the cost of the product and the expense to fix the entire mess. It has cost me thousands of dollars and 2 years of my life and eyesight to get my eye back to this point. Allergan is aware that they can wear down any attorney for years to fight this. The patient assistance hotline people at Allergan  are polite, request information and then report that there is no problem with their product.
BUYER BEWARE!!!

Dr injected me with juvaderm, looked red and puffy...

Dr injected me with juvaderm, looked red and puffy left eye lid. Dr. Telney Lawton plastic surgeon dissolved it with Hyaluronase resulting in a large open ulcer. 2 years later, 2 skin grafts later, my left eye is still permanently damaged. Allergan and Dr Lawton still advertising , taking money and injecting away. They say they have no idea what happened, do not help the patient and you are on your own! This is Big Business at its worst!

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my left eye is permanently damaged! When things so wrong you are on your own. be prepared to spend big bucks and if things don't work out this Dr will say well you asked me to remove it so I did?

Comments (35)

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sharrees 18 Mar 2013
what type of skin tightening procedure did you do to try and tighten afterwards and how much time did you give yourself to heal before undergoing the skin tightening? did you tell the dr that was doing the skin tightening everything you had been through with the left eye?
sharrees 19 Mar 2013
Sorrt to bother you with this. Your story has scared me and I to had juvaderm injected then removed. Like you I am tired of messing with injections so I want to under go a skin tightening treatment. Most Dr are recommending either a Phenol peel or Laser. But when I read your story I have become frightened. I have told the new physician my juvaderm experience and showed pictures and went to a derm dr to make sure all was well. Now that I have read your story I am hoping for a little more detail into what procedure was attempted for skin tightening erc..
Chrissie 19 Dec 2012
That's a horror story. You have a good case against the company and the doctor! Since you have photos, bring them to a good, reputable law firm that handles civil litigation and see if they would take your case on a contingency basis so you don't have to pay unless they win the case. If they don't think you have a good enough case, they won't take it. Law firms have free initial consultations. The doctor has malpractice insurance so I think would settle so she can keep this quiet. Good luck to you!
drnaz 23 Oct 2012
Its my 2nd day with vitrase and my face looks awesome after having this stuck in my face for 4 years almost- dr kenneth beers in palm beach is a dr who also lectures on fillers- my derm told me about him since he wouldn't touch me and the restylane- I didn't think this would work- it cost 350 for Vitrase- shld of done this 4 years ago- but I was freaked out
puffy and Pissed 23 Oct 2012
I am sooooo Happy 4 U!!!! I had the hyalournidase done and couldn't believe the amazing results... What is the difference between the hyalournidase and Vitrase? I am so pleased to have "my face" back that I will never attempt to change or enhance it again... My surgery had a great result but during that procedure, he also injected fillers to which I didn't authorize and it had been a nightmare fo rover a year... That finally ended this past Sept. 2012....Never again...
drnaz 23 Oct 2012
I think they are they same-and he also did my cheeks yday with NO BRUISING- although I had tear trough that he fixed. U just need to goto someone who know what they r doing- my face was so ugy for 4 years and I m so happy again- but I understand where ur coming from
Annabel in London 19 Sep 2012

Im so sorry about what has happened to all of you. What horrid lying and money thirsty people there are around. I too had Juvederm injected under my eyes 4 months ago and am left with two large blue bumps. My face looks completely different as the filler has created puffiness all around my cheek bones too. It's horrible and depressing. I look weird and am no longer attractive. I am too scared to try hydralonaise. This has sent me into great depression and I am disgusted that so called doctors are still doing this to people. We must make sure people know the truth about this product and procedure

drnaz 22 Oct 2012
I ve had restylane stuck for nearly 4 years- I finally tried vitrase today and it worked- but u have to goto the right dr
girl_Los_Angeles 22 Oct 2012
Unfortunately there certainly seems to be a lot of wrong doctors out there. The expert doctors on here are always advising you to go back to the plastic surgeon who did the injection, but it seems that that is the wrong thing to do, I know in my case, it most certainly was. Possibly the biggest regret of my life. The few who are saying they like the vitrase results went to a different doctor...
tcullis 22 Oct 2012
I agree with you but the fact is no Dr. wants to take on a mess that anothe Dr. created and the Dr, that botched your injection charged a lot of money for that procedure and is responsible to fix it. Unfortunately in my case it took thousands of dollars, a year of recovery and facial disfigurement and she kept every dime she charged for the procedure. Amazing she also claims that none of this was her fault?
Pobble 23 Aug 2012
I feel for you, tcullis! I had juvederm in the UK four years ago (sorry, but yes, it was four years!) and it's still there, as lumpy and overfilled as ever. I got my money back from the guy who did it, a highly qualified plastic surgeon who forgot to tell me that he had never done tear troughs before, and was only doing mine because his very experienced wife was sick that morning! If I'd known, I'd gladly have waited till the wife was feeling better. For 4 years I have had not only the lumps, which migrate around under my eye, but terrible stretching and distortion of the skin, with the result that I now have wrinkles under my eyes for the first time ever. I have been thinking about getting hyaluronidase injected, but I'm now having second thoughts. It's ironic that when I have filler put in exactly where I want it, it disappears after a few months. But when I have it in the wrong volume and in the wrong place, it lasts for years!! Anyway, I hope your situation resolves itself soon.
RS555 2 Mar 2013
Pobble, you're the first person I've come across with a similar time frame to mine. Im sick of hearing doctors claim its impossible for Juve to be there after 12 months. Its been over 3.5 years for me and I have poofy mouth jowls that wont go away where she injected around my corners (which I never asked her to do). Of course, as you mention, there is none left in the lips where you would want it to last. So my mouth bags stick out futher than my now flat thin lips. Horrifying. Two attempts to dissolve and nothing worked. Would love to know this would eventually go away.
sunshinegirl1 17 Aug 2012
Hi Girl LA. Curious to know who your doc was? Was doc in LA? I had a really bad experience with Dr. Gilbert Lee in San Diego with resty under eyes. Lots of bumps. I went back to him to have dissolved and he covered his butt by saying he sees and feel any bumps and I should see a shrink.He actually took after photos and airbrused results. Great attitude for a doc. right? I am looking into Dr's in San Diego Oc or LA that are experienced in dissolving lumps? Any recommendations. I am scraed to get dissolved, but can't live with these bumps so a second opinion.
sarah1743 25 Dec 2012
Dr Amir Karam
sarah1743 25 Dec 2012
In SD in ca.
sarah1743 25 Dec 2012
Check out expertinjector.com to find 3% of MDs that r actually experienced in fillers.
Christine2532 24 Jul 2012
Lord, TCullis, I'm just floored at what you have had to endure. It is horrible. There has got to be someone willing to form a class action suit. I had no idea this was not suggested for under eye treatment. I had my tear troughs filled 1 yr ago and have developed bags, not immediately under my eyes, but lower on the cheek bone. I was told filler would be gone by now and these were bags I naturally developed. I had a lower bleph about 4 yrs ago - they aren't natural bags particularly since one is slightly larger than the other. I look older. After reading this I certainly don't want anything injected into them yet wonder if a syringe could remove whatever it is that is causing this. I would be happy to assist in any way I can. I'm assuming I should begin by filing a claim with the company so there is a record of the complaint. I don't expect to get any help but hope that something could be done if all of us file grievances.
JackieS 29 Nov 2012
I think this is a good idea Christine. I am a Paralegal and was thinking the same thing! I am building up the courage to speak with some of my attorney friends! Something has got to give. So you had lower bleph AND THEN they put filler in a year and a half ago? Oh my! I look ten years older as well and was considering lower bleph surgery...then saw horror stories on here...now I'm frightened. Now thinking of just getting hyaluronidase...but looked at the stories and am scared of that too! Sheeeeesh...I wish it would just go away, it's been almost two years for me!
girl_Los_Angeles 20 Jun 2012
Good luck with your treatment today. Is it helping? How is your eye sight? Did it get affected by the dissolver? It's good of you to share your story on real self so that others could be aware of the complications from hyluronidase. It's part of the healing process, I suppose. I feel better after sharing my own story on here. I was so alone in all of this before. The professionals on here, they dispense not very good advise, not all of them mind you but a lot of them. Like they tell you there's no problems with hyluronidase , it only targets the filler or that they have never seen or heard of complications, if you have problems, always go back to your PS. All of them are b.s-ing and abusing their position. I think it is a bad idea to go back to the PS that did the muck-up, he's not going to fix it for you! He just wants to protect himself and soon as something goes wrong, sends you down a wild goose chase so that he'll be off the hook. I should have been yelling at him and refusing to even set my feet back in his office after the initial unpleasant results with the filler instead of going for the hyluronidase. God I just wanna punch him. :(

Anyway if you pursue the class action lawsuit thing , I am definitely on board i can promise you. Keep in touch. Feel free to message me anytime.
Elizabethhhh 21 Jun 2012

I didn't even get hyaluronidase, but as my juvaderm fades I am developing new wrinkles around the crows feet area because my lower lid was stretched so much. You do this to look better and I look older and worse than before. I didn't even have wrinkles there before my eyes were just a little bit hollow. I needed such a small amount and he used almost a whole syringe. I have been very angry and sad as well. It has been about 3 1/2 months since my injections. I heard that exercise can help metabolize it quicker so I have been walking between 5-7 miles about 5 times a week. I am also entering a 15 mile race in September. For me, it really works. It also helps with depression and stress. My goal is to have most of this stuff out by September and I feel if I keep up the exercise it will be out. If I'm wrong about it helping at least the exercise makes me feel better. I get so angry at myself for doing this. It made me feel like a different person. I should have been happy with the way God made me.

Megan P (Community Manager) 21 Jun 2012

I love that you are doing something so constructive (training for & competing in the race) with the emotions this has stirred up for you - very admirable.

puffy and Pissed 14 Sep 2012
Did you get the Hyaluronidase yet? I just did, 36 hrs ago and I couldn't be happier. The Dissoler didn't cause Tcullis' ulcer; Having had the surgery right after the Juvederm, followed by the dissolver is a more likey senerio. Please don't let all the hype keep you from seeking the best treatment for your juvederm issues. Trust me, that crap isn't going to dissolve anytime soon on its own. Please speak to doctors and more than one for thier opinions on this dissolver, I can tell you, that this stuff saved my life, literally,keeping me from a second suicide attempt this past year.
JackieS 29 Nov 2012
Exercise doesn't help it. I tried that route for 2 years. 8 - 8 oz. glasses of water a day works best for me. For some reason the daily salt intake increases and swells juvederm and the water intake flushes the salt. That's my two cents. I also posted that on my tear trough review. Hope it helps!
JackieS 29 Nov 2012
This is good news Puff! I like hearing good stories AND it is worth talking to a surgeon about our BEST options. Thanks Puff :)
tcullis 20 Jun 2012
Thank you for your kind note. As a matter of fact I am going in this morning for a dye laser treatment to the skin graft area to help it blend with my normal skin. I am sorry to hear that you are having less than desired results as well.
I am floored by the number of people who paid good money for this miracle treatment and regret every time they look in the mirror. Neither Allergan or the companies that make the acid support the use of these substances in these areas so we are the test animals for juvederm. The Drs. And the companies are making a fortune on this treatment and very effectively show you the back door when things go wrong. You would need a small fortune and months of work to take them to court and they know that. I am hoping that I can find a an attorney that can help with a class action suit against Allergan because they still do not put on the label to not put this product in the areas that people are having so many bad results.
It is sad that we have to look on out own for alternate ways to fix this mess.

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