Real & raw review from British 29 year old mum of 3

Before I start, please please just take note that this is a really honest and mixed review. As much as I’m happy that I’ve had my surgery, and that this is something I’ve wanted for years now, I also want someone to read this and don’t rush into anything and also know more real truths and have some real insight to what a surgery like this involves with this clinic, surgeon and country.

I did my research, I looked up reviews, and from this surgeon I found only but good reviews so I felt like I was in safe hands. Money wasn’t a factor for me, I chose Turkey as I was travelling to the UK and Iive In Dubai and this was on route and from my research, it has the best and most experienced surgeons in the surgery that I desired.

When you arrive to the airport, I expected to be greeted by a luxurious car and someone with a card holding my name ready for pick up, as seen in the promo videos, but this was not the case - you get directed to go to a stand where they couldn’t find my name, your in a queue of people in the same position as you, only to be finally walked through a car park and queue for a car to take you to the hospital. Not the smoothest start, but we finally get to the BHT clinic where your journey begins.

Not exactly a warm welcome, your ushered into a room, told to sign paperwork, no real explanation of what the paperwork is and what it says; it isn’t printed great. I sat and read through it; which I could tell wasn’t favoured by the staff, it felt very rushed. Even though the paperwork your signing is about the procedures risks involved in your surgery.

They take you to have photos taken, you stand there fully naked with 4 women in the room looking at your body whilst they put a camera in your face. It was really invasive and I felt extremely uncomfortable. Standing there with all these eyes looking at me telling me to do these poses. I hated that and felt like they could have been more respectful.

After this, you’re taken to your room, which is clean and comfortable. Nice private room with shower. You have your bloods taken to check that you are fit for surgery.

Then I saw the Anaesthesiologist who puts you to sleep. Very short conversation asking if you’re allergic to anything. And then he leaves, very brief. I was very anxious and nervous. I feel like there was no compassion or understanding from any of the staff, including nurses at this point. Despite telling them how scared I was.

I finally meet my surgeon Dr Murat Diyarbak?rl?o?lu

He is kind, makes you feel at ease, professional, makes you feel like he cares about the patient and he listens to what you desire and also does not make you feel rushed. My interaction with him was good. He was also honest that the surgery that I am asking for was a lot and the recovery was going to be intense. I said I know (even though I didn’t) and still wanted to continue but I wanted him to keep me as safe as possible and take no risks as safety was my number one priority.

He marked me up and that was the last time I saw him until hours after my surgery.

Hours later nurses came in to put my IV in and get me ready for surgery. The nurses are rude, speak no English, no compassion for how you’re feeling, it’s like a conveyer belt, one in and one out.

I am wheeled down to the operation room, tears rolling down my face, I was so scared my body was trembling. I was looking around for just a smile, or someone to tell me it was going to be okay. Instead the nurses (who’s ID badges are clipped to their uniforms with their details hidden towards them so you can’t see any of their details, even one of them had a plaster covering her photo with a smiley face scribbled on it.) so I couldn’t give you their names if I wanted too. I found this really bizzare and felt there was reason that every single one of them does not show their details on their ID badge. They also all wear massive hoops and gold earrings and jewellery. I found this odd and unhygienic.

In the room before the operating space they were all laughing and talking in Turkish, so unprofessional and cold. Not one of them looked at me to see how scared and upset I was. I was crying at this point and my body was shaking.

I get wheeled in, at least 10 people in the room, not one of the faces I recognise. I was asked to get onto the operating table and lie down. My arm is strapped down, I could hear the heart rate monitor going loud and fast, and next thing I know I’m knocked out feeling terrified.

I wake up feeling terrified, in intense pain and shaking uncontrollably. I was screaming for my husband and pain relief whilst being wheeled up to my room. But everyone ignores me. I was saying ‘no1 is listening to me!’

I get wheeled into my room, my husband nearly faints at the sight of me and the state I was in. I was white in the face.

I was having panic attacks, my arms were swelling, my wrists were turning purple and blue. When I pressed the buzzer it took 20 mins for a nurse to come and see to me, they would look at me and say ‘ no problem ‘ and walk back out. I didn’t feel like I was in safe hands, I thought I was going to die as my heart kept pounding out of my chest. And if something happened to me there was no-one around to help me and no-one that spoke English. There was one nurse called Esta who was Nigerian and she was lovely and helped me, I asked for her to look after me as she listened to me and made me feel safe, but she said she was a private nurse and had other patients to looks after.

Dr Murat came in to see me the next day, I had a wound issue with my tummy tuck, which was bleeding. I had a nurse put special cream on the area every 4 hours. But the area was not getting better.

They was ready to discharge me after 2 nights but I didn’t feel ready to leave. I could Hardly walk or do anything for myself. I was in no position to go anywhere. So we paid for an extra night stay at the hospital which I highly recommend doing if you’re not ready to leave.

They had to take my bloods to check my levels after surgery. Unfortunately my veins are hard to get blood from, so after 8 attempts they had to get blood from my feet. I was hysterical at this point begging them to find a doctor who could get my blood, and also a smaller needle as the one they was using was HUGE. But they didn’t understand, and I could feel they was getting annoyed with me, huffing and puffing. Again no understanding or compassion at all.

Whist I was at the BHT clinic a patient in the room opposite me passed away, the family was crying, it was like a horror movie and it was very upsetting and scary. My thoughts are with the family. I do not know how and why she passed.

I leave and arrive at the hotel, which is beautiful, the room was lovely, extremely comfortable and clean. And the food was amazing. THE FOOD AT THE HOSPITAL IS AWFUL. The cafe downstairs is good but the meals they provide you are not.

A nurse comes out to visit you once a day and change your dressings.

After 6 days they clear you fit to fly. I didn’t feel like I was fit to fly at all. Lucky for me I was travelling to Antalya as my husband was having his teeth done. Due to my wound issue with my tummy tuck I told my surgeon I wanted to return in one week for a check up before I flew back to England.

I came back a week later (this now being 2 weeks after my surgery)

I had necrosis skin from my tummy tuck and dr Murat operated on me under local anaesthetic. He cut away the skin and stitched me back up. If I had flown back to the UK I wouldn’t have had this option. YOU HAVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION that there maybe complications and you have to be able to return to Turkey to get these rectified. If you have kids, or work commitments this is something that you HAVE. To think about. I wasn’t the only one with complications. I saw many women in the waiting room in the same position as me. So don’t be nieve, I did everything by the book, I am healthy, I looked after myself, I don’t smoke; I didn’t think I was going to have complications - but I have. I’ve had to see private doctors for extra antibiotics and creams after surgery.

I am 5 weeks out of surgery, and my breast lift wounds have still not healed properly. I messaged the what’s app but it takes so long for a reply; I get the impression that now I’ve had my surgery that they don’t really care about talking to me anymore.

There is no direct contact between you and dr Murat so you ask them a question on what’s app then they ask him and then they get back to you so it’s very long winded and you don’t get an answer to your questions very clearly or efficiently.

I also don’t think that they should be allowed to do this many procedures at once. I was so scared and in so much pain, and only now after 5 weeks am I starting to feel like myself again. And I am still not fully healed!

Please anyone reading this, just make sure you have taken all these things into consideration. Make sure you have help at least 6 weeks after surgery, make sure you can return to Turkey if you have complications. Make sure whoever is looking after you is strong as I could not have done this without my husband. I have also taken if upon myself to pay for hyperbaric oxygen therapy to help speed up my healing process.