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Great Results but Horrific Surgical Experience
Had 2 leg liposuction surgeries with Dr Su. 1st knees and inner thighs. 2nd calves and ankles. This will detail both experiences separately.
1st surgery arrived, went in room with assistant, change into surgical attire, additional skin prep by assistant, given meds. Percocet, Promethazine, and antibiotic. Suprised I did not get to meet Dr Su before surgery, as I had a virtual consultant with photos only.
Dr came in, quickly went over procedure and started marking, then immediately began the procedure. The initial lidocaine injections were very painful, alot more than I anticipated. He quickly went around my knees and inner thighs doing many injections.
Next started incisions to insert the cannula to start with tumescent fluid. This was Incredibly Painful, took my breath away and I occasionally yelled out curse words and asked if I could have something to squeeze. They gave me a hand towel. This process went on for a while and was horribly painful the entire time.
Trying to keep a level head as I was told it would be a little pinch or mildly uncomfortable like a bee sting. I would rather have 20 actual bee stings. I wondered if something was wrong with me.
Eventually at the end of the long process, he said we were done. I thought the entire thing was done. Then he said, no, now we start the liposuction. That wasn't what I wanted to hear.
So he switched to the liposuction cannula and began. That cannula has a vibration to it which was a bit more comforting. He asked me to flex and hold my leg in different positions so could feel the muscle. It was exhausting. Much of it from being in pain, the rest from contracting muscles for sustained time. In fully numb areas it was tolerable. As he got near areas that were not numb, the pain got much worse but did not last too long but it happens frequently, which keeps you on edge. Halfway through he had me stand up in front of a mirror to look at it. The results were amazing and got me teary eyed, as I had not see defined knees my entire adult life. Back down on the table to finish the other leg, then stand again to see if he needs to address any
Post op next day I had developed 2 seromas. One on each lateral knee. He had to drain them. Then asked if I could delay my trip home so he could see me the next day and drain again if needed. Next day I came back and seromas had not returned and he cleared me to go home.
1st couple days were incredibly painful with movement but ok when holding still and kept comfortable on Percocet. About day 6 I completed percocet and instructed to transfer to nsaids or Tylenol. Went to 800mg ibuprofen, which took about 10% of the pain away and I was in misery. Didn't sleep much, tried rotating with Tylenol and still in severe pain.
By the next day, I could barely swallow water. Swallowing anything was incredibly painful. Now in pain and starving. Stomach was so raw and irritated from all the ibuprofen. I reached out to Dr Su to see if something was wrong or if he had any suggestions for the pain. He simply said no and that everyone was different. I was talking to my spouse about going to the ER due to the severe pain. Last ditch effort we looked through all our medication and found we had a leftover rx for Percocet, thank goodness. That Percocet was stronger and lasted 8hr, vs 4hr. Got me through the next 5-6 days. Then I was able to transfer over to a longer lasting Aleve. Had to take that for another 5 days. A significant 4-6week recovery.
2nd surgery was for my calve/ankles. Before surgery I reached out to the office, as my 1st surgery was way more painful than I expected and I was incredibly anxious now. Asked if I could have something for anxiety, as it wasn't offered the first time. Dr Su does not allow Valium. In email, his nurse Chelsea said she spoke with him and he said I could have a full dose of Percocet, instead of half and they would have laughing gas available. This made me feel better.
Surgery day, same procedure but the assistant seen the note about the full dose Percocet and made me feel bad about taking it so I took 1.5 instead of 2 Percocet (full dose). Dr Su came in after I was prepped and went over marking and the plan. I had a few questions from the 1st surgery and he got rather irritated and short. Then injection started. Same as last time but even worse, which I couldn't fathom. I was literally yelling out, gasping, grabbing the table, towel or anything to squeeze. I was dying. Dr Su nor his assistant addressed my pain and just continued on as if I was fine.
Then the incisions! Good hell! The cannula and tumescent fluid was even worse! I was in literal agony, gasping, swearing and crying now. They did nothing! The laughing gas I was promised was no where and nobody addressed how much pain I was in. I felt so alone and felt like a POW getting tortured! I thought to myself, if I die on this table, I'm ok with that because I'm in so much severe pain! WORST experience of my LIFE!!!! Then he began the liposuction. It was a bit more comfortable as the lidocaine finally started to kick in but was still very painful around the ankles. I was in misery! I couldn't wait for this to end.
Finished, I couldn't wait for him to leave the room. I was so defeated and horrified at what I experienced. I didn't even want to see him the next day for follow-up but I went.
Thankfully the recovery from this procedure was much easier. I was very thrilled with my results but never wanted to go through it again.
IMPORTANT!!!
After my first surgery, speaking with RN colleagues about how painful my procedure was and how long it lasted, particularly the long numbing process and tumescent fluid. They said it sounded like he used straight lidocaine and was not using a buffering agent! Lidocaine has an acidic pH and will burn if a buffering agent is not used to neutralize it.
So I asked Dr Su staff if he was buffering his lidocaine. They all said, NO. HE Does NOT BUFFER!
This explains why it hurt so damn bad! It takes a ton of lidocaine to numb a leg! This in conjunction with offering NOTHING for anxiety is a brutal combination.
I have had several other awake liposuction surgeries, with other Drs since this and they were 100 times less painful!
I asked multiple other liposuction Drs about the use of buffered lidocaine in injections and tumescent fluid. They ALL buffer!
In short, his results are amazing but the Anxiety and pain control are abysmal, unless you like torture.
1st surgery arrived, went in room with assistant, change into surgical attire, additional skin prep by assistant, given meds. Percocet, Promethazine, and antibiotic. Suprised I did not get to meet Dr Su before surgery, as I had a virtual consultant with photos only.
Dr came in, quickly went over procedure and started marking, then immediately began the procedure. The initial lidocaine injections were very painful, alot more than I anticipated. He quickly went around my knees and inner thighs doing many injections.
Next started incisions to insert the cannula to start with tumescent fluid. This was Incredibly Painful, took my breath away and I occasionally yelled out curse words and asked if I could have something to squeeze. They gave me a hand towel. This process went on for a while and was horribly painful the entire time.
Trying to keep a level head as I was told it would be a little pinch or mildly uncomfortable like a bee sting. I would rather have 20 actual bee stings. I wondered if something was wrong with me.
Eventually at the end of the long process, he said we were done. I thought the entire thing was done. Then he said, no, now we start the liposuction. That wasn't what I wanted to hear.
So he switched to the liposuction cannula and began. That cannula has a vibration to it which was a bit more comforting. He asked me to flex and hold my leg in different positions so could feel the muscle. It was exhausting. Much of it from being in pain, the rest from contracting muscles for sustained time. In fully numb areas it was tolerable. As he got near areas that were not numb, the pain got much worse but did not last too long but it happens frequently, which keeps you on edge. Halfway through he had me stand up in front of a mirror to look at it. The results were amazing and got me teary eyed, as I had not see defined knees my entire adult life. Back down on the table to finish the other leg, then stand again to see if he needs to address any
Post op next day I had developed 2 seromas. One on each lateral knee. He had to drain them. Then asked if I could delay my trip home so he could see me the next day and drain again if needed. Next day I came back and seromas had not returned and he cleared me to go home.
1st couple days were incredibly painful with movement but ok when holding still and kept comfortable on Percocet. About day 6 I completed percocet and instructed to transfer to nsaids or Tylenol. Went to 800mg ibuprofen, which took about 10% of the pain away and I was in misery. Didn't sleep much, tried rotating with Tylenol and still in severe pain.
By the next day, I could barely swallow water. Swallowing anything was incredibly painful. Now in pain and starving. Stomach was so raw and irritated from all the ibuprofen. I reached out to Dr Su to see if something was wrong or if he had any suggestions for the pain. He simply said no and that everyone was different. I was talking to my spouse about going to the ER due to the severe pain. Last ditch effort we looked through all our medication and found we had a leftover rx for Percocet, thank goodness. That Percocet was stronger and lasted 8hr, vs 4hr. Got me through the next 5-6 days. Then I was able to transfer over to a longer lasting Aleve. Had to take that for another 5 days. A significant 4-6week recovery.
2nd surgery was for my calve/ankles. Before surgery I reached out to the office, as my 1st surgery was way more painful than I expected and I was incredibly anxious now. Asked if I could have something for anxiety, as it wasn't offered the first time. Dr Su does not allow Valium. In email, his nurse Chelsea said she spoke with him and he said I could have a full dose of Percocet, instead of half and they would have laughing gas available. This made me feel better.
Surgery day, same procedure but the assistant seen the note about the full dose Percocet and made me feel bad about taking it so I took 1.5 instead of 2 Percocet (full dose). Dr Su came in after I was prepped and went over marking and the plan. I had a few questions from the 1st surgery and he got rather irritated and short. Then injection started. Same as last time but even worse, which I couldn't fathom. I was literally yelling out, gasping, grabbing the table, towel or anything to squeeze. I was dying. Dr Su nor his assistant addressed my pain and just continued on as if I was fine.
Then the incisions! Good hell! The cannula and tumescent fluid was even worse! I was in literal agony, gasping, swearing and crying now. They did nothing! The laughing gas I was promised was no where and nobody addressed how much pain I was in. I felt so alone and felt like a POW getting tortured! I thought to myself, if I die on this table, I'm ok with that because I'm in so much severe pain! WORST experience of my LIFE!!!! Then he began the liposuction. It was a bit more comfortable as the lidocaine finally started to kick in but was still very painful around the ankles. I was in misery! I couldn't wait for this to end.
Finished, I couldn't wait for him to leave the room. I was so defeated and horrified at what I experienced. I didn't even want to see him the next day for follow-up but I went.
Thankfully the recovery from this procedure was much easier. I was very thrilled with my results but never wanted to go through it again.
IMPORTANT!!!
After my first surgery, speaking with RN colleagues about how painful my procedure was and how long it lasted, particularly the long numbing process and tumescent fluid. They said it sounded like he used straight lidocaine and was not using a buffering agent! Lidocaine has an acidic pH and will burn if a buffering agent is not used to neutralize it.
So I asked Dr Su staff if he was buffering his lidocaine. They all said, NO. HE Does NOT BUFFER!
This explains why it hurt so damn bad! It takes a ton of lidocaine to numb a leg! This in conjunction with offering NOTHING for anxiety is a brutal combination.
I have had several other awake liposuction surgeries, with other Drs since this and they were 100 times less painful!
I asked multiple other liposuction Drs about the use of buffered lidocaine in injections and tumescent fluid. They ALL buffer!
In short, his results are amazing but the Anxiety and pain control are abysmal, unless you like torture.
Provider Review