POSTED UNDER Eyelid Surgery Reviews
Eyelid Surgery Disaster - Please Read if Considering This Surgery - Calgary, AB
UPDATED FROM sarahf72
13. Ask what they do for post-op. There are...
$3,700
13. Ask what they do for post-op. There are surgeons that will call you at home to make sure you are alright and then have follow ups in person a day after; a week after; a month after; six months after, etc. These surgeons care about how the results are and how you feel about the results. If they don't do this, you don't go there for surgery.
14. Go to surgeons that try to offer non-surgical solutions first. I heard after that perhaps botox could have helped me by raising my eyebrows. I don't know if this would have worked for the long term but I could have tried with a surgeon and then said - yes this is how I want my eyelids to look - or no this is not what I want. It ensures you are on the same page and shows that the surgeon wants to get the best results for you. Someone who offers surgery in the first couple of minutes may not be the best choice.
14. Go to surgeons that try to offer non-surgical solutions first. I heard after that perhaps botox could have helped me by raising my eyebrows. I don't know if this would have worked for the long term but I could have tried with a surgeon and then said - yes this is how I want my eyelids to look - or no this is not what I want. It ensures you are on the same page and shows that the surgeon wants to get the best results for you. Someone who offers surgery in the first couple of minutes may not be the best choice.
Replies (5)
J
February 20, 2012
Dear Sarah,
I really relate to your story. I am in my mid-thirties and I had lower eyelid surgery to remove puffiness under my eyes. During my consultation I said that I didn't want a dramatic result, just an improvement. My doctor specifically said that the widely known negative outcome of lower lid surgery was overcorrection - removing too much fat resulting in hollowness. Because he told me about this negative result, he OBVIOUSLY knew what would happen from taking out too much fat.
After my procedure, while still in the recovery room, the doctor came to check on me. His exact words to me were, "I took out a lot of fat. I think you will be pleased with the results." My heart immediately sank and the panic started.
I watched my eyes carefully each day. For the first two weeks the swelling gave me false hope. At week three, my right lower lid sank down into the socket leaving me with a hound dog eye. The left eye is not as bad, but not great. The despair I feel each day is beyond words. I am still young and I can't imagine looking into the mirror for the next many decades and being reminded of this terrible assault that the doctor committed on my eyes. If his skills were so limited that he could ONLY perform aggressive surgery, the son of a b**** should have disclosed that to me. I would have gone elsewhere. Why go through the song and dance of discussing the dangers of the surgery if he had NO intention of avoiding those dangers?!? I felt comfortable with him specifically because he seemed well aware of how to avoid a negative outcome.
My best hope for the both of us is that techniques will improve over the years and we will someday have successful revisions. Maybe we can rejoin our lives sometime in our forties...or fifties.
You are in my thoughts and prayers.
I really relate to your story. I am in my mid-thirties and I had lower eyelid surgery to remove puffiness under my eyes. During my consultation I said that I didn't want a dramatic result, just an improvement. My doctor specifically said that the widely known negative outcome of lower lid surgery was overcorrection - removing too much fat resulting in hollowness. Because he told me about this negative result, he OBVIOUSLY knew what would happen from taking out too much fat.
After my procedure, while still in the recovery room, the doctor came to check on me. His exact words to me were, "I took out a lot of fat. I think you will be pleased with the results." My heart immediately sank and the panic started.
I watched my eyes carefully each day. For the first two weeks the swelling gave me false hope. At week three, my right lower lid sank down into the socket leaving me with a hound dog eye. The left eye is not as bad, but not great. The despair I feel each day is beyond words. I am still young and I can't imagine looking into the mirror for the next many decades and being reminded of this terrible assault that the doctor committed on my eyes. If his skills were so limited that he could ONLY perform aggressive surgery, the son of a b**** should have disclosed that to me. I would have gone elsewhere. Why go through the song and dance of discussing the dangers of the surgery if he had NO intention of avoiding those dangers?!? I felt comfortable with him specifically because he seemed well aware of how to avoid a negative outcome.
My best hope for the both of us is that techniques will improve over the years and we will someday have successful revisions. Maybe we can rejoin our lives sometime in our forties...or fifties.
You are in my thoughts and prayers.
S
February 28, 2012
I am interested in having lower eye lid surgery in Calgary to remove and correct lower eye wrinkling and bags, are you willing to give the name of the surgeon who did this so I know to look somewhere else? Thanks.
E
JP
July 24, 2014
I am 44 and really want thus done but now I have read your story I am frightened don't know what to do now
UPDATED FROM sarahf72
8. A lot of surgeons performing this surgery...
8. A lot of surgeons performing this surgery should not be because they do not seem to have a full understanding of how this area works. On my operation report one part stated 50% muscle removal from one portion of my eyelid. I was told after the fact that they did this so I would have a deep eyelid crease. Ok - I never wanted a deep eyelid crease and would prefer to have the muscle so my eyes could blink/close properly. Again this description was completely different than what was told to be during my pre-op. Make sure you go to someone who understands that leaving tissue/muscle/fat and having eyelids that function properly is more important than a "deep eyelid crease" or how a surgeon thinks an "eyelid" should look.
9. Be aware of template/cookie cutter surgeons. I would avoid at all costs. Everyone has different features and what looks good on one person will not look good on another person. Some surgeons believe that their "template" is "beautiful" and the ideal way a women eyelid should look. Guess what not everyone has the same idea of what is attractive - a surgeon should be trying to find your ideal not stamping his ideal permanently on your face. I tried so hard to avoid a template surgeon and would never believe that a nurse/surgeon would mislead me - after reading more reviews on real self I have found that I'm not the only patient who felt misled. This is why I would recommend contacting happy patients on realself who did not have a template look and finding out who their surgeon was and asking that surgeon if they could do the same thing for you. This might mean travel but if things go wrong you will be willing to travel anywhere to get it fixed.
10. When things go wrong and you are not happy - some surgeons don't really care - they have moved on to the next patient. You can see this on negative reviews on realself that you will be told "give it more time", "it looks really good", "you are impatient". I was told "maybe you will learn to like you're new look" - I didn't ask for a new look. You may also get blamed for the results - I was told that I asked for this or I should have provided better communication. The surgeon is the professional in this case and should know the steps to take - if I did something like this in my profession - I would be held responsible as it is my profession and I should know what questions to ask and how to communicate properly. Also, if you think you can get your money back - good luck!
11.
9. Be aware of template/cookie cutter surgeons. I would avoid at all costs. Everyone has different features and what looks good on one person will not look good on another person. Some surgeons believe that their "template" is "beautiful" and the ideal way a women eyelid should look. Guess what not everyone has the same idea of what is attractive - a surgeon should be trying to find your ideal not stamping his ideal permanently on your face. I tried so hard to avoid a template surgeon and would never believe that a nurse/surgeon would mislead me - after reading more reviews on real self I have found that I'm not the only patient who felt misled. This is why I would recommend contacting happy patients on realself who did not have a template look and finding out who their surgeon was and asking that surgeon if they could do the same thing for you. This might mean travel but if things go wrong you will be willing to travel anywhere to get it fixed.
10. When things go wrong and you are not happy - some surgeons don't really care - they have moved on to the next patient. You can see this on negative reviews on realself that you will be told "give it more time", "it looks really good", "you are impatient". I was told "maybe you will learn to like you're new look" - I didn't ask for a new look. You may also get blamed for the results - I was told that I asked for this or I should have provided better communication. The surgeon is the professional in this case and should know the steps to take - if I did something like this in my profession - I would be held responsible as it is my profession and I should know what questions to ask and how to communicate properly. Also, if you think you can get your money back - good luck!
11.
Replies (5)
H
July 27, 2015
Who was your doctor? I don't want this to happen to me. So I'd like to avoid this Dr.
J
December 12, 2016
What was the name of the Doctors plz. I have a appointment in Calgary in 3 weeks
H
October 26, 2018
I hope you’re doing better I’d like to know the doctor too so I can avoid, thank you
T
T
April 13, 2019
Has anyone got reviews on Dr. Ezekiel Wiese. He did not see me for pre-op. I believe it was an intern or his assistant.
UPDATED FROM sarahf72
11. You can't get away from a it if it goes...
11. You can't get away from a it if it goes bad. Usually if something bad happens in your life you can take a vacation, it goes away, you forget about it, etc. If this surgery goes bad it stays with you - it follows you on vacation, goes with you to work, the mall, etc. Its there when you go to bed at night and there when you get up in the morning. Look at the negative reviews - its pure torture for the people that end up in this category.
12. All pre-op and post-op appointments should be with the surgeon. There is no excuse for a surgeon not to do this. If you find part of a pre-op or post-op is with an nurse and not the surgeon - go somewhere else. This causes communication issues and details get left out. It is more likely this is a template surgeon and a sign that the surgeon is more concerned with making money than patient satisfaction.
13. When the surgeon is marking where the incisions will be - ask to see where lines have been drawn. A lot of surgeons even want you to see to ensure you will be happy. I wish I did. You can make sure the new crease is where your old crease was. If the surgeon doesn't want to tell or show you - leave - even if you are seconds away from the surgery. I would rather be out the cost of the surgery than be where I am now.
12. All pre-op and post-op appointments should be with the surgeon. There is no excuse for a surgeon not to do this. If you find part of a pre-op or post-op is with an nurse and not the surgeon - go somewhere else. This causes communication issues and details get left out. It is more likely this is a template surgeon and a sign that the surgeon is more concerned with making money than patient satisfaction.
13. When the surgeon is marking where the incisions will be - ask to see where lines have been drawn. A lot of surgeons even want you to see to ensure you will be happy. I wish I did. You can make sure the new crease is where your old crease was. If the surgeon doesn't want to tell or show you - leave - even if you are seconds away from the surgery. I would rather be out the cost of the surgery than be where I am now.
I just read your post and would like to say how very sorry I am for what has happened to you. I can identify with everything you have said, except my surgery was a mid-face lift. I, like you, specified exactly what I wanted, said I did not want a cookie cutter approach and was assured that I would get exactly what I wanted, i.e. subtle look and not a "done" look. Like you when I looked in the mirror I was shocked and horrified by what I saw. I didn't recognize myself at all, I had cheeks that were so high they looked unnatural. I also tried to hide from friends and family, when I went out shopping I was filled with a constant anxiety incase I ran into anyone I knew. At work people laughed at me, sniggered behind my back, everyone knew I had had surgery, I was devastated. I had to leave my job. I have been into hospital for mental health issues, have a therapist, and am on anti-depressants, however, none of these things seem to help. Unrealistically, I long to go back to how I was. However, you don't have to go through these things. If you research the area you have posted on there is a lady called Vickissue who has dealt with a pretty bad experience regarding her eyes. She tirelessly researched for years to find a solution and now she looks beautiful. I suggest you contact her. If you cannot find her on here write to one of the moderators I am sure they will help you. You are only 30, you sound very intelligent and are very well written, don't give up there is hope out there and I know that you will find it. Good luck to you.