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
YankeeCleoSeptember 16, 2014
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
YankeeCleoSeptember 5, 2014
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)
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..
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.
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
September 5, 2014
I mean I thought follow up care was important but he thought it was not necessary.
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.
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
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
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.
September 10, 2014
Im so happy you are feeling much better. Having complications are surgery are the worst. :(
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.
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.
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.
September 13, 2014
Mine healed within 3 weeks .. maybe you need to go to your doctor to see what it is
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
YankeeCleoSeptember 4, 2014
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)
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?
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
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.
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)..
Replies (5)