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My Distressing Journey with Tummy Tuck Surgery
I had a drainless tummy tuck with liposuction performed by Dr. Rafi Fredman on September 21, 2022, expecting a smoother, more contoured stomach. Unfortunately, what I thought would be a straightforward procedure has turned into a long and distressing ordeal. I feel compelled to share my experience so that others considering this type of surgery can make a more informed decision.
Initially, the surgery seemed to go well. However, within a short period, I noticed something was wrong with my lower abdomen. There was a feeling of fullness and discomfort that didn’t seem normal. At my one-week follow-up, Dr. Fredman’s team drained fluid from my lower abdomen, which was an uncomfortable and unpleasant experience. I was told this could happen post-surgery and was advised to continue wearing my compression garment to help with swelling. I followed all the post-operative instructions carefully, including adding lipofoam under the compression garment for added tightness, in an effort to minimize the swelling.
Despite my efforts to follow their guidance, I continued to experience discomfort and irregularities. At each follow-up visit, I expressed my concerns to Dr. Fredman, repeatedly explaining that my stomach didn’t feel right. I told him that when I lay flat, I could feel something unusual under the skin that wasn’t there before the surgery. However, my concerns were consistently dismissed. For nearly a year, I felt that my discomfort and the changes I was noticing in my body were being brushed aside.
During my one-year follow-up appointment on September 18, 2023, I was shocked when Dr. Fredman suggested that I was a candidate for post-liposuction. This was surprising, considering that liposuction had already been part of the original tummy tuck procedure. His suggestion raised red flags for me, as it seemed odd that I would need more liposuction when the initial goal was to achieve a flatter, more contoured abdomen.
Following this appointment, I began to feel even more concerned about my situation. I sent multiple emails to Dr. Fredman’s office, attaching photos that clearly showed how my stomach looked before and after the surgery. In these photos, it was evident that my abdomen appeared flatter before the procedure than it did afterward. I explained in these emails that I was not seeing the improvements I had been promised and that my concerns had gone largely unaddressed over the past year. It took multiple emails and ongoing frustration before the office finally agreed to see me again for an ultrasound to investigate further.
During this ultrasound, it was discovered that I had a seroma—a pocket of fluid that had likely developed shortly after the initial surgery. This seroma had gone untreated for nearly a year, despite my repeated attempts to bring attention to the issues I was feeling in my lower abdomen. Had my concerns been taken more seriously from the beginning, this complication could have been identified and addressed much earlier.
As a result, I had to undergo a second surgery on October 16, 2023, to remove the seroma. During this procedure, Dr. Fredman inserted a drain to prevent further fluid buildup, which had not been done during the first surgery. After the second surgery, I was instructed to carefully monitor the fluid collection from the drain each day and to report the amount back to the office. I also sent daily photos of how my lower abdomen was healing.
I was hopeful that this second surgery would resolve the issues I had been experiencing, but unfortunately, that was not the case. As I healed, it became clear that my lower abdomen was left disfigured and uneven. Rather than achieving the smooth, flat result I had anticipated, my stomach appeared distorted, with visible irregularities in the contour. This was incredibly disheartening, especially after undergoing two surgeries for what was initially supposed to be a relatively straightforward procedure.
On October 1, 2024, I returned to Dr. Fredman for my one-year follow-up from the second surgery. By this time, I still had a hard, raised area along the incision line, and the scar tissue in my lower abdomen had become noticeably thick and protruding. During this appointment, Dr. Fredman acknowledged that the scar tissue was prominent but told me there was nothing more he could do. I asked if the untreated seroma, which had been present for nearly a year, could have contributed to the excessive scar tissue and the disfigurement I was seeing. His response was, “That’s a good question, but I don’t know the answer to that.” At this point, it became clear that my concerns were never going to be fully addressed, and I was left feeling abandoned and deeply disappointed.
This entire experience has taken a significant emotional toll on me. I went into this process with the expectation that my body would improve, and with it, my self-confidence. Instead, I’ve been left feeling disfigured, frustrated, and emotionally drained. What was supposed to be a life-enhancing surgery has turned into a prolonged ordeal, with multiple surgeries, ongoing discomfort, and a result that is far from what I had hoped for.
I’m sharing my story in the hopes that others can learn from my experience. If you’re considering a tummy tuck or any type of plastic surgery, it’s important to know the potential risks and complications, and to choose a surgeon who listens to your concerns. I hope that by sharing what I’ve gone through, I can help others make more informed decisions about their plastic surgery journey and avoid the frustration and disappointment I’ve experienced.
Initially, the surgery seemed to go well. However, within a short period, I noticed something was wrong with my lower abdomen. There was a feeling of fullness and discomfort that didn’t seem normal. At my one-week follow-up, Dr. Fredman’s team drained fluid from my lower abdomen, which was an uncomfortable and unpleasant experience. I was told this could happen post-surgery and was advised to continue wearing my compression garment to help with swelling. I followed all the post-operative instructions carefully, including adding lipofoam under the compression garment for added tightness, in an effort to minimize the swelling.
Despite my efforts to follow their guidance, I continued to experience discomfort and irregularities. At each follow-up visit, I expressed my concerns to Dr. Fredman, repeatedly explaining that my stomach didn’t feel right. I told him that when I lay flat, I could feel something unusual under the skin that wasn’t there before the surgery. However, my concerns were consistently dismissed. For nearly a year, I felt that my discomfort and the changes I was noticing in my body were being brushed aside.
During my one-year follow-up appointment on September 18, 2023, I was shocked when Dr. Fredman suggested that I was a candidate for post-liposuction. This was surprising, considering that liposuction had already been part of the original tummy tuck procedure. His suggestion raised red flags for me, as it seemed odd that I would need more liposuction when the initial goal was to achieve a flatter, more contoured abdomen.
Following this appointment, I began to feel even more concerned about my situation. I sent multiple emails to Dr. Fredman’s office, attaching photos that clearly showed how my stomach looked before and after the surgery. In these photos, it was evident that my abdomen appeared flatter before the procedure than it did afterward. I explained in these emails that I was not seeing the improvements I had been promised and that my concerns had gone largely unaddressed over the past year. It took multiple emails and ongoing frustration before the office finally agreed to see me again for an ultrasound to investigate further.
During this ultrasound, it was discovered that I had a seroma—a pocket of fluid that had likely developed shortly after the initial surgery. This seroma had gone untreated for nearly a year, despite my repeated attempts to bring attention to the issues I was feeling in my lower abdomen. Had my concerns been taken more seriously from the beginning, this complication could have been identified and addressed much earlier.
As a result, I had to undergo a second surgery on October 16, 2023, to remove the seroma. During this procedure, Dr. Fredman inserted a drain to prevent further fluid buildup, which had not been done during the first surgery. After the second surgery, I was instructed to carefully monitor the fluid collection from the drain each day and to report the amount back to the office. I also sent daily photos of how my lower abdomen was healing.
I was hopeful that this second surgery would resolve the issues I had been experiencing, but unfortunately, that was not the case. As I healed, it became clear that my lower abdomen was left disfigured and uneven. Rather than achieving the smooth, flat result I had anticipated, my stomach appeared distorted, with visible irregularities in the contour. This was incredibly disheartening, especially after undergoing two surgeries for what was initially supposed to be a relatively straightforward procedure.
On October 1, 2024, I returned to Dr. Fredman for my one-year follow-up from the second surgery. By this time, I still had a hard, raised area along the incision line, and the scar tissue in my lower abdomen had become noticeably thick and protruding. During this appointment, Dr. Fredman acknowledged that the scar tissue was prominent but told me there was nothing more he could do. I asked if the untreated seroma, which had been present for nearly a year, could have contributed to the excessive scar tissue and the disfigurement I was seeing. His response was, “That’s a good question, but I don’t know the answer to that.” At this point, it became clear that my concerns were never going to be fully addressed, and I was left feeling abandoned and deeply disappointed.
This entire experience has taken a significant emotional toll on me. I went into this process with the expectation that my body would improve, and with it, my self-confidence. Instead, I’ve been left feeling disfigured, frustrated, and emotionally drained. What was supposed to be a life-enhancing surgery has turned into a prolonged ordeal, with multiple surgeries, ongoing discomfort, and a result that is far from what I had hoped for.
I’m sharing my story in the hopes that others can learn from my experience. If you’re considering a tummy tuck or any type of plastic surgery, it’s important to know the potential risks and complications, and to choose a surgeon who listens to your concerns. I hope that by sharing what I’ve gone through, I can help others make more informed decisions about their plastic surgery journey and avoid the frustration and disappointment I’ve experienced.
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