POSTED UNDER Body Lift Reviews
42 Yr Old Getting rid of skin - Miami, FL
UPDATED FROM YankeeCleo
21 days post
In the hospital with the infection from hell
WORTH IT$9,000
Last I saw Dr Ortega was 12 days post surgery. I said the infection looks worse. He said it's not as red any more. But I was seeing the stitches opening up more. When he removed the drains, I nearly fainted & fell on him, but in his words "you look great. You worry too much." Well, a week later, I'm in the hospital from that infection. During the past week, he was on vacation as all people do. I called & emailed concerns to his office. There is no coverage while he's gone.
He did call me when he returned from vacation & told me to go to the ER. He suspected a pulmonary embolism but testing ruled that out. It was the infection that I was bleeding from on day 2 (he said bleeding was normal and didn't look at it), fever on day 3 (called the emergency # & was told fever was not high enough to worry); office visit day 4 (looked at pic I sent of high swollen right buttock but did not examine me), email day 7 (no response); visit day 9, visit day 10 (finally wrote anti-biotic), visit day 12 (first time he actually looked at the infection in person & gave me care instructions). I took the antibiotics and followed the wound care instructions religiously. The infection has grown & now I'm in the hospital on IV antibiotics.
He did call me when he returned from vacation & told me to go to the ER. He suspected a pulmonary embolism but testing ruled that out. It was the infection that I was bleeding from on day 2 (he said bleeding was normal and didn't look at it), fever on day 3 (called the emergency # & was told fever was not high enough to worry); office visit day 4 (looked at pic I sent of high swollen right buttock but did not examine me), email day 7 (no response); visit day 9, visit day 10 (finally wrote anti-biotic), visit day 12 (first time he actually looked at the infection in person & gave me care instructions). I took the antibiotics and followed the wound care instructions religiously. The infection has grown & now I'm in the hospital on IV antibiotics.
YankeeCleo's provider
UPDATED FROM YankeeCleo
11 days post
12 days post op last visit
I had an appointment today at 8am today to have the doctor remove my tubes. I'm flying back home today. That's why they gave me an early appointment. I asked for the first available. When I showed up, I found a woman's husband sitting in the waiting area. No one was at the front desk. They had arrived at 6:30am for a mommy makeover. So she was just about to go into surgery. WTF!!! Why do I have an 8am appointment then? Someone in scrubs came out & said "are you here for the Dr Ortega?" He put me in a room & said "the doctor is heading into surgery so he has to see you now or else it will be a very long time". He didn't give me a gown or anything. The doctor rushed in. He said the problem was that his nurse didn't show up today. But I had an appointment with him not his nurse. I told him I had questions. He said he didn't have time for a list of questions. I worry too much & I'm fine. He said people don't think he cares because he doesn't spend time after surgery but he does care. The issue is that people are fine & progressing fine & no need to spend time with them.
So if you have post-surgical questions about anything: when do tubes come out? Wound care? Hygiene? Things to watch out for post surgery... Ask before. He will not give you time after.
I do not want to tell you not to go to him because I look good and he is reasonably priced but to get this combination, something has to give.
So if you have post-surgical questions about anything: when do tubes come out? Wound care? Hygiene? Things to watch out for post surgery... Ask before. He will not give you time after.
I do not want to tell you not to go to him because I look good and he is reasonably priced but to get this combination, something has to give.
Replies (5)
S
September 5, 2014
OMG that would [RS bleep] me off and guess what?????? sounds like what JUST happened to me..
I was at my docs on Wed, 11am appointment, they put me in a room at 11:15, mind you the AC is blasting and its freezing..
I got changed and put the smock thing on.. I was standing for 15 min and then thought, let me lay down..
well 30 min go by..
I get up and walk to the front desk (not caring that I am in a smock) and said "Is the doctor here?" they said "yes he is".. I said "where is he"? they said "In his office" I said "well tell him to get in my room because its been a HOUR. My appointment was at 11, its 12:05 now.".
They know I am on this site too and I said to them "Now you know why my wait time review isnt 5 stars. This isnt the 1st time you had me wait this long."
all was fine after. I can tell they tip toe now with me knowing I am giving a review...
You might want to let your doctor know you're on real self and you watch how they snap to it and jump when you say jump after..
M
September 5, 2014
He sounds like a lot of surgeons - once they get the money and the surgery is over they lose their motivation. My surgeon was the same - when I told him I had some questions because I wasn't that happy with my outcome he told me I should just be happy that I looked better than I did before. Needless to say, now that I need a revision for the surgery that I had six years ago - I will be going to someone else.
Y
September 5, 2014
Being happy with the outcome comes across like we're being "picky". So maybe we need to word things differently. I just wanted routine questions answered about wound care, what to expect, what to watch out for, normal follow up stuff. He had no time for that nonsense
Y
September 5, 2014
I mean I thought follow up care was important but he thought it was not necessary.
M
September 5, 2014
Mine was the same way after my breast reduction - I learned more about aftercare from the women on real self then I did from my surgeon. He was too busy assessing future patients to be bothered with me.
P
September 9, 2014
Wow! I am so glad I am reading this. It seems like going to Florida is all about getting a cheap rate, and nothing else. I want to go because it's what I can afford, but I don't want to sacrifice being treated like a human being! It's surgery for goodness sake! I hope that you are healing well. xoxo
Y
September 9, 2014
This doctor was doing 2 or 3 surgeries in one day but others were not the same. Going to Miami is not a bad option. And this surgeon is a good one but if I had to do over, I would have chosen Dr. Ghurani
Y
September 9, 2014
My doctor ripped off the tape from my stitches on Friday (12 days post op) to take a look at my infection. The surgical nurse was there rather than the regular nurse & she didn't speak English. I tried asking her to cover the stitches but she didn't. The stitches from my hip to the middle of my butt were uncovered and hurting for days. I thought it was from the infection. I was washing with Dial & applying the ointment like the Doc said but it wasn't helping. Last night, I covered it with medical tape and also covered the holes from the tubes. Now, I'm feeling much better.
G
September 10, 2014
Im so happy you are feeling much better. Having complications are surgery are the worst. :(
Y
September 10, 2014
Thank you. Hopefully others can read and find these things useful and avoid infections & such. It didn't bother me too much but it will leave a nasty scar.
R
September 12, 2014
Dr. Ortega did my mommy makeover and I am very happy with my results. I didnt have any complications at all.
You look great and sorry to hear about your infections. Hope you heal soon.
Y
September 12, 2014
Thank you. I had a much bigger surgery I guess & he only performed it once before. I didn't know that. Wish I did. How long did it take for the stitches & tube holes to stop hurting? I'm almost at the end of week 3 & the are still painful to the touch.... With my compression garment and clothes on.
R
September 13, 2014
Mine healed within 3 weeks .. maybe you need to go to your doctor to see what it is
Y
September 13, 2014
I told him so many times about several issues. He said I worry too much & I look good. However, I'm having shortness of breath and I might have internal bleeding. I practically fainted in his arms & he did nothing. I told him about the bleeding... Nothing... Sneezing pain... Nothing. I doubt he will care about stitches hurting. I'm seeing another doctor about my symptoms.
UPDATED FROM YankeeCleo
9 days post
Bad news today. 10 days post-op
Well, I have an infection in a small section of the incision. I don't think it's a large issue but Dr. Ortega wants to make sure I'm ok. So I have to take antibiotics & as a precaution, I might have to stay in Miami longer. Tubes still in.
Replies (1)
S
September 4, 2014
what does the infection look like, if you dont mind me asking? I have an area that the doc ismaking me use a bleach solution on.. its a small opening and its white (has a white residue) and the worst part, in my crack (a**).. so I have been cleaning it with this solution now but I am worried too that its infected.. why is it white?
Y
September 4, 2014
It's covered with bandages or else I would take a picture. It's a little inflamed and the skin is pink. They only cleaned it with saline though and told me to use antibiotic ointment
S
September 4, 2014
eeek. Mine too, it not really red but slightly pink in the area surrounding but on the actual opening, its white. I thought I had gauze stuck and realized it wasnt gauze..
:(
I am doing what the doc said (just saw him yesterday and he was removing the 'funk' and told me to get this 25% solution and soak it in gauze and change it 2 times a day but to keep it on that area..
so thats what I have been doing.. its scary when you see something not normal, or feeling sensitive/tender..
I hope this area closes up.. if anything, he might have to fix it.
Y
S
September 4, 2014
it stings a little..
mostly when I put the solution on it.. and when I am in bed laying down (I think the pressure of the gauze there with the solution on the tailbone area)..
Y
Replies (5)