POSTED UNDER Breast Implant Revision REVIEWS
Unacceptable Staff. Unacceptable results.
ORIGINAL POST
I can't review on the job Dr. Benson did, as I am...
sandee90December 19, 2014
$10,400
I can't review on the job Dr. Benson did, as I am still tightly bound up in gauze, bandages and drainage rubes hanging from me. But I can't help but to comment about his staff...
First of all, getting a hold of his scheduler "Elizabeth" was about as hard as getting a hold of Osama Bin Laden. Multiple unanswered calls, I had left voice mail, which was eventually returned the next day but I had missed it. We finally end up corresponding via email which her replys were vague and unprofessional. Ok, so no big deal--the surgery was FINALLY scheduled.
Then I received a call on a Saturday afternoon, just 2 days before my surgery and the woman says, "um, are you taking your antibiotics yet?" Uh... what antibiotics? Nobody prescribed me antibiotics to take before. "Oh, well, we can call them in." Well, I was kind of up north not around any pharmacy and couldn't get to one until Monday, but... Ok? Then I asked for a pre-fill for painkillers to be called in. Nope! Sorry. Narcotics can no longer be called in. Nice. So I go in on Tuesday for the surgery in Grand Rapids and I come out in some pretty good amount of pain (The staff at the surgical facility was very nice and professional, by the way) and he cuts me a prescription for Percocet instead of the routine Norco, as Norco tends to make me itch. We go all the way home and my friend runs to the pharmacy, only to come back empty handed. Dr. Bengston had crossed out Norco with a pen and written in Percocet but never initialed it, so the pharmacist would not fill it. I contact his office twice and was basically told "tough luck" and "woops! Sorry. Can't do anything for you." What a NIGHTMARE! This has been THE most painful surgery I have ever had in my life and to be left without pain med is UNACCEPTABLE! I kept passing in and out at home from the throbbing pain! This could have been prevented if his staff would have mailed me ALL of my prescriptions weeks in advance to ensure I had everything ready for my surgery. I have never encountered such an unprofessional staff in my whole life! It isn't rocket science people. I paid good money for this, get your sh*t straight!
First of all, getting a hold of his scheduler "Elizabeth" was about as hard as getting a hold of Osama Bin Laden. Multiple unanswered calls, I had left voice mail, which was eventually returned the next day but I had missed it. We finally end up corresponding via email which her replys were vague and unprofessional. Ok, so no big deal--the surgery was FINALLY scheduled.
Then I received a call on a Saturday afternoon, just 2 days before my surgery and the woman says, "um, are you taking your antibiotics yet?" Uh... what antibiotics? Nobody prescribed me antibiotics to take before. "Oh, well, we can call them in." Well, I was kind of up north not around any pharmacy and couldn't get to one until Monday, but... Ok? Then I asked for a pre-fill for painkillers to be called in. Nope! Sorry. Narcotics can no longer be called in. Nice. So I go in on Tuesday for the surgery in Grand Rapids and I come out in some pretty good amount of pain (The staff at the surgical facility was very nice and professional, by the way) and he cuts me a prescription for Percocet instead of the routine Norco, as Norco tends to make me itch. We go all the way home and my friend runs to the pharmacy, only to come back empty handed. Dr. Bengston had crossed out Norco with a pen and written in Percocet but never initialed it, so the pharmacist would not fill it. I contact his office twice and was basically told "tough luck" and "woops! Sorry. Can't do anything for you." What a NIGHTMARE! This has been THE most painful surgery I have ever had in my life and to be left without pain med is UNACCEPTABLE! I kept passing in and out at home from the throbbing pain! This could have been prevented if his staff would have mailed me ALL of my prescriptions weeks in advance to ensure I had everything ready for my surgery. I have never encountered such an unprofessional staff in my whole life! It isn't rocket science people. I paid good money for this, get your sh*t straight!
sandee90's provider
Replies (13)
February 9, 2015
Its unfortunate you had some issues. My expierence has been top notch all the way at the Bengtson Center. Some of your issues are not due to your doctor but how proceedures go. You cant get narcodics as you said by them just calling in. You are given the scripts after a surgery as you were given. Sounds like if you didnt have an itch problem then you would have had no problem there. Unfortunatly I know its frustrating with having a script not initialed etc.. I honestly think that doctors forget how strict the pharmacy is now on all that stuff,I've had some not care and others reject. I can't imagine doing breast surgery and how complicated that type surgery is let alone fixing other doctors mess ups or something that is out if their hands. Were you part of a Siri mesh study and got the mesh done with no cost or maybe no study. Sounds like if you didn't have that then you would have had no support. Our own bodies act differently and that's not a doctors fault. My friends that went also to Dr. Bengtson all had diffrent things done,and had amazing results. One had drainage,one had none,and I also had no drainage except a month later. I felt so comfortable with the entire staff and Dr. Bengtson that I had no reason to look any further. They are awesome and really care. I can always get a hold of someone and have been taken care of even after hours. I'm very picky and a huge critic on things. Your posts even recent one is way way too early to comment so harshly I feel but of course just my opinion and that was yours. Your body will change so much. It takes up to a full year. Did you read any of that before surgery. We all have hopes for greatness and to feel more comfortable in our own skin. I can see from your pictures that you must feel not comfortable and hard to see that there will be any change. I have never written a response or a review ever on anything but your remarks were so far from everyone I knows experience and how wonderful they really are that I had to comment. My script was filled after I got home when my husband went back out to get filled. I took the first day ir two then wanted not to take as not to be feeling off like those meds make me feel. I also was in pain after surgery,a lot of pain,they gave me as much pain medicine they could while at the hospital. They were great there too. I'm sorry that you had the experience of not having your pain medicine. I hope no one is reluctant to go in fir consult and surgery with Dr. Bengtson after your review. I know it was to help others know but,I truley believe this was a giant cluster of honest mistakes by you and center. Dr. Bengtson wants everyone o have the best experience and I'm sure he was very sorry for your experience. No one frankly wants to have to pay for things they feel should have been something their body should have just been like,it's frustrating and stinks to have to save like some of us,like me . Flt like forever. It is our chouce and our risk that we take when gounginto alter our body,just like any surgery can pose diffuculty or even death. Dr's arent God,they do thier best. I had tge feeling your feeling even at this early stage ibstead if a year from now to legally do sonething? Maybe i read it wrong..felt it was going thst way. Remember you have fluids in your body and your body is trying to except changes and heal. I hope you start feeling better and notice change monthly. Dr. B will do his best for you. Just like myself tgere are certain things i cant or shoukdnt do but some doctors would just care about tge money and not the results years from now and Dr. B does ,and his staff are all sincere and out going. amanda,Alicia,Nichole and Elizebeth. When you go in for a consult people need to also realuze tgats uually the only one needed before surgery unless you feel like coming back in to review or ask more etc. Some doctors dont even see you after surgery at the hospital usually because your on drugs etc..and will on your week follow up. Dr.Bengtso came in to check on me,eased me begor surgery too. I also had a call from Amanda i think it was tge day after. I took the pre surgery vitamins and stuff to take for swelling and trauma after a surgery that the Bengtson center had me take. This is something other doctors don't do. I'm glad I didn't read your review before I had my breast done at the
end of October. I had a breast lift,reduction and fat transfer to help with that scooped out look. Also had Siri done. I have no problems with the Siri scaffold . Your right it does eventually absorb. Your lucky you were given double up. It's like 5,000 just for normal amount besides price in breast work. At this point the way you feel ...having the uncomfortable areas you wish you didn't have refixed and money wasn't worth it. Maybe not,but just as I ..we need to be patient to see true results. Its so hard to believe you went to same place that everyineelse has a great experience from. I don't like fake people and everyone is sincere and care. Hopefully you can move on,not dwell on negative because once we do,we naturally look fir fault and problems and can never be pleased. Good luck! Look forward to reading your result in six months . I'd refer anyone, I'd have anything done and trust Dr. Bengtson 100%. for anyone reading,just go and go to one other Dr. Following if you need a second option to decide. I didn't feel I needed that. I also had a client that could go anywhere in the world as money isn't a factor as it for me and most of us. She did a lot of searching and studying doctors and Dr. Bengtson had many many credentials ,research, teaching other doctors,fixing other Dr. mistakes and has several awards and patents. not are all posted ..
February 9, 2015
Sorry I should have checked tge spelling errors,my buttons get stuck and spel check doesn't always fill in the correct words as we all know. I wanted to say also that I wasn't tryingto say any if your complications are from you but maybe only the best your body can do . Frankly as you know it is way too early and I hate hearing that too. Best wishes,hope your next reports are from better experiences this month forward. Take care.
February 10, 2015
February 10, 2015
I smiled reading your response,it's too bad that your a lady and have to talk that way. It's not easy always articulating everything in text but I certainly don't bash people and throw words around. I didn't say as far as the idiot remark .. That they can't call narcotics in. Yes they write them out and you can get before hand usually if requested. As far as the study goes,there is one for those that are the right patient and fit the criteria. Obviously you didn't. I was happy for you if you had. I did have the mesh but not any doubling up. I read info about the potential of that happening but like everything it's a risk and I took it. I wanted the support and wanted natural look ,not what implants would for me. Only reason was to reduce to achieve less strain on my back. I went in today with concerns too,on different things. I feel like I'm done being swollen too but I'm not. I'm very impatient,it's hard waiting. I looked fine before but back/ shoulders became too much. It is scary. Yes things like what your going through and even a relative that had her breast reduced from a prior breast surgery,lost her breasts. Literally had her nipples turn black,and skin die etc.. Freaked me out . My point with you is even though your being told certain things,I hope there are some changes and that there can be something like a revision that will help you. You deserve to feel good and have your breast without creases and bubbles etc.. I will
have to have a revision late summer as 9 months is closer to more
real results. No one knows you,your past surgeries and the actual complications or pain and crap your going through. It is good to let people know that that could happen, it just is amazing that you went to same place as I. I wish you had had the same experience. Oh and no..I'm a fast typer so yep that and the name calling didn't effect me..Ive never comment on anything ever before,I could tell I'd get a response like that. Btw if you thought I meant your fake,I was meaning overly outgoing fake people at businesses,not you. I was given the three step supplements to take leading up to surgery and after. I can't recall any antibiotic that I had to take prior to? Do you recall the name of it? I wonder why I didn't? I was given promethazine for nausea,Motrin and acetaminophen/COD #3 for pain if needed. I'm sorry,I know that we both ( everyone ) no matter what expects everyone to follow through and not drop the ball. I sincerely hope any future procedures to not only improve but go smoothly for you and your able to achieve a better result. Thanks for the kind words.
February 10, 2015
( no one but your doctor etc) it's good you let people like on this site know the risks. Restating so you didn't take wrong way. Everything seems so so off from how I viewed everyone,and it being around near same time of year,I needed to state that it wasn't the norm there..it's very unfortunate experience for you.
February 10, 2015
Again, please; save your breath. You're really not even making sense. You can try to defend Bengston and his staff all you want, but the fact is, him and his staff were less than competent with ME. I don't care about other patient's experiences or YOURS. Risky or not, MY experience was not a good one. NO patient should EVER be left without pain medication. Is this hyper critical of me to think this way, (or as you articulated, "overly fake" whatever that even means)? Absolutely NOT! I've worked in the quality and customer service field for over 10 years and know when to call out BAD customer service. It's BAD customer service to NEGLECT to ensure the patient has their proper medication(s). As you've even stated, you never even had antibiotics! EVERY time there is a foreign object surgically placed into your body, you HAVE to have a regimen of antibiotics for at least 3-4 days prior to surgery and up to a week after to decrease risk of developing an infection, including deadly MRSA. This isn't something to casually forget about. It's BAD customer satisfaction when the product does not work or delight the customer. It's BAD customer satisfaction when there isn't any offer to make it right. All I got what "oops! Sorry." Sorry didn't alleviate my pain when I was left without pain medication. "Sorry" also doesn't take that awful flap out of my breast. "There is risk in everything" is a pitiful excuse for a pitiful job done and is unacceptable to ME. Not when I'm shelling out BIG money to look asthetically better, only to come out equally flawed and have to spend even MORE money to get it corrected. Another thing... Those "three step supplements" (come to find out after I had researched these supplements with a Harvard University Grad) do absolutely NOTHING and are potentially DANGEROUS to take prior to surgery. The best thing to take prior to surgery is NOTHING to decrease life-threatening complications during surgery. Those supplements are all smoke-and-mirrors to provide the patient with the illusion that Bengston is advanced. Those vitamins contain WAY more vitamin B6 than the body needs and could potentially cause permanent nerve damage to the wrong person. But people are sheep and will believe anything their doctor will push on them.
But back to reiterate my initial point: This review is MY review, based on MY experiences with Dr. Bengston, his staff and my surgical outcome. Other people's positive experiences with them mean less than nothing here and do not help my negative experience. But, thanks for stopping by and accomplishing an absolute waste of time with poorly written replies and a weak, moot point.
February 10, 2015
I did not refer to you in any bad manner nor say you were fake. I totally agree and understand where your coming from. I was trying to be positive and supportive from this point on after reading more you had to say. I think you read most of what I said in the wrong way,but as I reread I can see how it sounded like as if your at fault or anything but theirs or anyone else. I did not mean it to come of that way,for that I apologize. I'm sure it's even more frustrating to hear what I said and others positive experience when you didn't. I will look into the antibiotic ,I don't think I had any before. Ugh.
I'm not going to bother with the rude stuff. I'll consider it was from taking things wrong and frustrated. If I had your experience and out come,and the same outcome twice etc..i can't imagine! I'll have to reread your stuff as I can't recall why from the start( first surgery) there was complications with surgery part. Were you told tissue or something was not "normal in that area or going to be a challenge from both doctors. I'm sorry I'll reread.. Take care and I hope something can be done to help in some way by someone. I mean this sincerely.
February 12, 2016
They won't show you the bad pictures, only the good ones. And pictures don't show pain.
UPDATED FROM sandee90
10 days post
realself keeps buggibg me for an update, so here it is...
sandee90December 26, 2014
1 week and 3 days post op; feeling pretty good. Hardly any pain except for the small pinching feelings here and there from my body healing at the sutured areas. My drain tubes were removed on Monday and that was INSTANT relief. I had very little to no draining on the gauze pads afterwards and finally have been sleeping well. Asthetically, I'm already happy with the outcome, as they are softer and look SO much better than what Vagotis had left me with. I'm about a full cup size smaller and already feel the relief in my shoulders, neck and upper back. No more saline water balloons, soft silicone now. One thing I did notice was a "bubble" on the side of my right breast and I'm hoping this relaxes in time. I understand that Dr Bengston had a difficult time reconstructing that breast as the previous implant had left things pretty messed up and he had to go in there several times to get it right. I also have the trans dermal meshing put in to hold things in place and there are sutures inside me holding that meshing also. I can definitely feel those sutures as he had told me I would. They are quite sore and lumpy, but in time, my body will absorb everything. Really hoping this bubble relaxes soon as it's extremely noticable, even with a bra on. I will post pictures after my 1 month follow up to keep update on that "bubble" and what Bengston has to say about it. Over and out!
Replies (0)
UPDATED FROM sandee90
26 days post
my complete review with photos
sandee90January 11, 2015
After almost 4 weeks of post-op pondering on whether or not I'm satisfied, i know conclude that I don't think it was worth the money, pain and time down. I still feel like a freak. Yes, they are softer and feel more natural than the mess Dr. Vagotis left me with, but they are just as asymmetrical and I have a huge bubble of flesh hanging off the right side of me and I'm a scarred up mess. I went from having a huge bubble and scar on my left side to an even bigger bubble and scars on my right. Over $10,400 to equally look like a freak. Please, please, if you are reading this and are considering breast implants and there is nothing drastically wrong with your breasts, leave them alone! I've been through 13 years of breast hell with multiple promises from so-called top notch surgeons only to have my self esteem and bank account destroyed. Natural is best!
Replies (4)
February 24, 2015
So how did it all turn out? Did you get a free revision? Did the doctor try to make it better? I'm having problems with mine. I'm 6 months post op. It doesn't appear as tho the dr. is going to do anything about it as she won't admit to making a mistake. I'm so upset to have spent all that money and to have no recourse for a shitty job. I don't know what to do besides spend a lot more money to have a different PS fix it. Please leet me know how things are progressing with you. I noticed that none of the PSs on this site have commented. I guess they stick together.
P. s. I'm from GR.
February 24, 2015
No progress, it looks the same. I never even went back to him for a follow-up because I just can't stand dealing with his staff. One thing that I have learned in the end passed 13 years of breastfeeding surgery is that you pretty much sign away all liabilities. Plastic surgery is not perfected and I encourage everyone I meet to avoid it all all costs because it will bite you big time in the end. I'm taking my losses and just dealing with my deformities. I'm done with these so called "meticulous" surgeons only to come out with less than feasible results. Every time a doctor gets their hands on me, they f*ck me up and at a costly price... with out one single offer to make it better. I was treated like I was invisible and at the price I paid, I should've been treated like royalty. I went to another professional to have it looked at and now they are supposedly totally against this type of surgery whilst Bengston is totally for it ( probably because he earns big bucks for teaching other surgeons and pretty much wrote the book). I told that surgeon I'm done with it all. The next surgery I get is to remove it all. No breasts are better than fake, lumpy, asymmetrical, scarred up ones. I'm sick of it!!!
February 24, 2015
That really blows. I'm so sorry for you. I can't believe we don't have any recourse. I can't believe that a so-called "teacher" of ps could let you be like that. Doesn't he care about his image? If mine doesn't make a free revision I'm going to tear her apart on every single review/opinion board I can find. If I can't get something out of her the. At least I can try to save others from going to her. My problem is that she went too far into the muscle and now my breasts move independently whenever I move my arms and contort into hideous unnatural shapes. Don't know if I'll be able to wear tank tops in public. You should ask your PS if he's so comfortable with his work will your breasts be boasted on the Before & After page? These PSs make me sick. What a gig!
February 24, 2015
I did that to the last surgeon that slayed me. Dr. Vagotis in GR. HORRIBLE!!! I posted post op pics of what she did all over the Internet and she still did not budge. Good luck!
Hoping things have improved for you. Really hoping you like your results. Please keep us posted and thank you for sharing your story!