POSTED UNDER Breast Fat Transfer Reviews
Consultation review - could not respect my boundaries and individual goals for treatment
ORIGINAL POST
Difficult to Work With; Doesn't Listen
I cannot speak to his results, but working with this doctor was an experience I don't enjoy reliving. While preparing for a fat transfer procedure, I requested that he not take fat from my already-thin legs, even if he couldn't get enough fat from my abdomen. He could not accept this and kept pushing back, telling me that I can go to the gym to make my legs bigger and commenting that I probably hadn't been strength training correctly and that's why my legs were skinny. (Uh, as if i haven't been skinny my whole life, have a condition that limits nutrient absorption, and am getting surgery so I can look better WITHOUT working out constantly) I felt completely disregarded and got the impression that he wanted the results to look a certain way, regardless of my own goals for surgery. Like I was just another potential before and after picture for his portfolio.
The whole situation was extremely stressful as I had already paid a deposit and completed an extremely onerous pre-treatment protocol to prepare for a surgery (Brava). He did not refund any of the deposit, despite not performing the surgery.
He may be a good surgeon, but I can't recommend him as a health care provider, as I felt like he could not respect my boundaries and individual goals for treatment.
The whole situation was extremely stressful as I had already paid a deposit and completed an extremely onerous pre-treatment protocol to prepare for a surgery (Brava). He did not refund any of the deposit, despite not performing the surgery.
He may be a good surgeon, but I can't recommend him as a health care provider, as I felt like he could not respect my boundaries and individual goals for treatment.
Polite2010's provider
I’m writing to describe my experience with Dr. Bermudez with my breast fat transfer procedure.
I came for an initial consultation, which went well. I expressed that I wanted to take fat from my midsection, but not my legs (I didn't like my midsection fat, and already thought my legs were a bit too skinny.) Dr. Bermudez expressed some reservations since I was thin and he wanted to get as much fat as possible, but seemed fine with it. I started the Brava prep and adhered to his directions, and after weeks of barely getting any sleep, of missing opportunities and time at work, and of foregoing travel and social events to make sure I did enough Brava prep, I went in for my pre-op consult. He said the prep looks great, but when we talk about fat source locations again, he said that he needed to take fat from my legs. For reasons mentioned above, this made me quite worried. He said I could think about it and tell him tomorrow. After an anxiety-filled night, I called, hoping to talk out my concerns and instead was immediately met with anger, impatience, and condescension since I was potentially costing the practice money. I was a sleep-deprived and worried patient, just looking for some reassurance and some willingness to hear my desires for my own body. If he had listened and had some empathy, I would have gone through with the surgery no problem. Instead, I ended up cancelling because there was no way I could feel comfortable with him doing a procedure that would permanently alter my body.
Later on in a follow up call, Dr. Bermudez heard my concerns, explained a few things, and said that he would be fine with taking a light touch on my legs, and only going there if he felt he really needed to. That would have been fine with me, but at that point, I couldn’t reschedule the time I had taken off from work months in advance and even if I could have, I felt extremely uncomfortable talking to him, let alone trusting my health to him. I also didn’t want to deal with doing the Brava prep all over again from scratch. I was left devastated that the procedure I wanted so much and put so much into wasn’t going to happen.
I understand the deposit was meant to be non-refundable, but I would like to receive the money back considering that
1. I was very excited about the procedure and had every intention of going through with it based on our first consult (and put in the time and effort to make sure I did what I needed to do)
2. Dr. Bermudez was rude and angry (and frankly, pretty mean) at a time when all I needed was a little reassurance and discussion
3. Right before the surgery date, Dr. Bermudez said he was unwilling to accommodate my desires in his approach to the procedure, even though earlier and later said it would have been fine,
4. I wasted so much of my own time, money, and mental health only to be left extremely upset and disappointed that it was all for nothing,
I genuinely appreciate the time you have put into my care and into reading this note. Thank you.