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POSTED UNDER Tummy Tuck REVIEWS

Terrible Experience - I Look Worse Now Than I Did Before

ORIGINAL POST

What a terrible experience. Despite otherwise...

staceyc83
$8,948
What a terrible experience.
Despite otherwise being a healthy weight, I have had a 'Mummy tummy' since the birth of my daughter five years ago. I went to Dr. Tuan V. Pham in Perth, Western Australia for a full abdominoplasty with muscle repair and liposuction.
The surgery seemed to go well, though it was concerning that Dr. Pham only checked on me once for the six days that I was in hospital after the surgery.
After-care was terrible. Trying to keep his attention long enough to get an answer to a question was infuriating. He would just keep telling me that my stomach was going to be "so tight, so tight."
Two days before Christmas, I went back as I was concerned about my scar appearing red and oozing. Dr. Pham gave me a prescription for antibiotics. After I got home, I realised that he'd prescribed me something that I'm extremely allergic to (which of course I had notified him about in all the initial forms, as well as the hospital forms). I tried calling the office, and heard nothing more than a recorded message that the office was closed over Christmas and New Year. So there I was, trying to get an appointment with a GP on Christmas Eve for an antibiotic that would not kill me.
I have been concerned about my end result for a few months, but Dr. Pham would never give me a straight answer to my questions. Finally, at 5 months post-op, I went back for another appointment, extremely upset at the handfuls of skin and fat that I could literally pull out from my stomach and sides (see photos).
The nurse saw me first, and told me that I was still swollen and the problem was caused because I'd obviously lost weight (I hadn't). Then Dr. Pham came in and told me the swelling was all gone and the problem was caused because I'd obviously GAINED weight (I hadn't).
Then he got right in my face and said "It's fat, it's all fat. That's what happens when you don't do any exercise after surgery." I tried to explain that I have been exercising almost obsessively ever since I initially healed from the surgery, but I'd lost his attention again.
He told me that it was a good result and I should use "diet and exercise" to fix the problem. The problem being, he believes, that I have put on handfuls of fat, localised in my stomach, in the five months since the surgery. Not, of course, that he did a half-assed job. So now I'm left to find another surgeon to fix the botched initial surgery.

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Dr. Tuan v. Pham

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Terrible aftercare. Was not at all concerned that I was extremely unhappy with the result. Offered no solutions to try to fix the problem.

Replies (11)

May 7, 2017
I just want to say that I am so sorry for what you have went threw with him and how rude of him. Have other people had good results with him? Did you take before and after pics? Can't you report him to the board? I am sure there is something you can do.
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May 8, 2017
I am so sorry that you have had this experience. You certainly wanted things to go better, and they should have. Cases like this make all of us Plastic Surgeons look bad, and I apologize on behalf of the profession.
This said, it seems that your surgeon is a "Facial Plastic Surgeon", which means that his training was in Ears, Nose, and Throat surgery with an additional year of cosmetic surgery as a fellowship. Based on this, I'm not sure how many tummy tucks he has done. You may want to inquire about that. More importantly, your next surgeon should be a bonafide "Plastic and Reconstructive" surgeon who has completed a training program and is Board Certified in that field.
By the way, this is all perfectly legal here in the states, although we are trying to get some better "Truth In Advertising" laws passed. From what I understand you have the same issues in Oz.
Good Luck to you!
June 16, 2020
Thomas, I need lower lid retractiom repair which need cheek lift , brow lift along with eyelid work. Should I go facial surgeon or occuplastic surgeon??
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May 8, 2017
I feel bad reading this, I am 10 weeks Post op and not 100% happy with my results and I'm being told that it's just swelling. I understand your frustration..
May 30, 2017
Thanks. I hope you end up with a good result! Wishing you the best.
May 27, 2017
Srry to hear hun is he willing to do a revision
May 30, 2017
Thanks. No, unfortunately he couldn't care less that I am unhappy with the results. Won't do a thing to help.
December 6, 2017
I’m so sorry you are going through this! It is perfectly clear from your pictures he did a less than satisfactory job. Totally his fault!