Would you go abroad for surgery?

[Corporatemum]

I have researched this clinic for months in Poland amazing reviews no deaths and brilliant infection rate very very low. I’ve had a consultation with the doctor who made me feel so at ease.

However I have a fear of dying and leaving my kids behind. I would still have the same fear here in the UK. But at least I know they won’t have to fly my body back.

I would be having a tummy tuck and breast up lift and would stay out there for a 7-10 days then fly home. I appreciate that when I come home there is pretty much no aftercare so if anything goes wrong I would have to rely on the NHS or fly back to Poland if I was well enough.

Not a fucking chance would I go abroad for surgery.

For me 'no deaths' doesn't make me feel particularly safe. And how legit are the reviews? All dodgy clinics have good reviews and remove the bad ones.
You will be burdening the NHS if anything goes wrong. I'd be absolutely against this. I have no kids to leave without a parent though. You could be horribly scarred. Is a tummy tuck really absolutely necessary?
You need a BAAPS registered UK surgeon. If you can't afford that then don't get anything. Spend the cash on your kids.

No. But then I wouldn't have any unnecessary surgery, of the type that the OP describes.

I would travel only for a medically necessary procedure either to access a top specialist or because it could not be performed at home.

cosmetic surgery is not the place to cut corners

Yes because shockingly there are good doctors and hospitals outside of the UK. Just make sure cost doesn’t blind you to all else. Do your research, go to a reputable clinic, talk to former patients and make sure you have access to funds for aftercare in the unlikely event that you need it. Most of the horror stories have some element of unecessary risk about them.

A friend had a Mummy makeover in Columbia a few years ago and it was a good experience for her.

'Mummy makeover'

🤮🤢

No. People going for surgery abroad really pisses me off. I work in the NHS and the amount of things that go wrong after these overseas ops is shocking and people expect the NHS to sort it out. If you go private abroad then go private here if anything goes wrong post op!

I had my surgery with Fi clinica

Bet you replies would be different if you said "usa/germany/france"...

Bet you replies would be different if you said "usa/germany/france"...

Yes I was just thinking. 'Oh no, I would never get any surgery in Switzerland!'
Quite snobbish to assume that doctors in UK are necessarily the best educated and skilled, with the most advanced technology and tools.

I think a lot of the reservations are more around the travel home and the aftercare, not necessarily just looking down on healthcare in other countries.

I take it you haven’t researched that far or else you’d know that Turkey has some of the highest levels of antibiotic resistant bacteria in the world. If you get a surgical site infection over there you’re well and truly screwed

I wouldn´t. I have had a breast reduction in Spain, where I live. Best decision I ever made. What I paid included one year consultations as aftercare. I developed some issue in part of my scar. Nothing to do with the surgeon, it´s just that my skin is becoming reactive with age, just like my mum´s. She kept me on for a year and a half, I had some steroid injections in the problematic area, which helped massively and didn´t let me go until all was good and satisfactory in her opinion. There is no way I would have an op in a place where you have no or little aftercare, you have to fly home ( I was knackered after the op). There is no way I could´ve pulled a suitcase behind me. The drains were in for what, a week? The aftercare is almost as important as the operation.

The lack of aftercare would bother me a lot. I had a large mole on my stomach removed as a cosmetic procedure about 6 weeks ago. First time I have had an unnecessary surgical procedure and it was only a mole removal, so it should have been no big deal. Except I was allergic to something they used (maybe the plasters? We never found out for sure), the whole area went red and swollen and the stitches began to ooze pus. I was in and out of the clinic on a daily basis for ten days before it was sorted out. It took about a month to be okay again. It was painful and looked a lot worse than it actually was, but I was very glad that I could go to them for help and the aftercare was there.

It is an experience that has made me think twice about any larger and more intrusive surgical procedures, and I wouldn't go anywhere where I far away from aftercare.

No. I know someone who had dental work in Turkey. Subsequently had problems with their teeth and gums. UK dentist refuses to touch them. Has had to go back to Turkey to get it sorted.

If a friend asked me, I’d say

• find out whether and how clinics and surgeons are regulated in the country you’re considering and what the latest inspection reports for them are. (As an example, in the UK it’s CQC for regulators and GMC for surgeons). Are there any complaints against them or has any regulatory action been taken against them?
• search to see if there are any press stories about them in the local press.
• what pre-operative assessment will be done when you travel out there. Not all can be done remotely and do you think they’ll recommend not proceeding when they finally see you face to face if your obs aren’t good.
• ask what aftercare is included and what happens if there are problems. What’s offered to someone resident in the country may well not be possible for you as you will be a 2 hour + flight away and the NHS may give you short shrift as it’s cosmetic surgery.
• your potential surgeon obviously has excellent English but will the ward staff? They’ll be the ones you see the most of and if there’s a language barrier how can you raise concerns if you’re feeling unwell.

To be honest, I’d be saying this if they were considering private cosmetic surgery in the UK (apart from the language barrier)

Well I had surgery in Turkey and had a slight infection and antibiotics cleared it up in days. I wasn't well and truly screwed

I’ve had a boob job in Thailand and nose and chin done in Czech.

very happy with both and very pleased I went overseas for both.

id recommend taking specialist medical (cosmetic) travel insurance though as your normal policy will be void.
i used this company:

https://www.medicaltravelshield.com/

I'd say the main issue is the lack of support for any issues as your in a different country. I had back surgery recently and you need the support of the people around you that carried out the procedure.

If like buying camera or something abroad because it's cheaper, all great until it goes wrong and you can't take it to a local dealer.

I don't this it's inherently because these sort of treatments aboard more risky than they are in the UK. Although you have to question why a lot of the are so much cheaper.

No. Same issues with no follow-up by your surgeon, and potential danger of travelling so soon after surgery. The reason it never says those countries, is they won't be much cheaper than the UK and people like a bargain.

I had very successful bariatric surgery in Turkey a couple of years ago and am currently saving for plastics-I lost over 14 stone so have a LOT of loose skin!

Especially when it comes to cosmetics, because it’s not like there is a culture of this in the UK.

I must say though, my friend stayed in the clinic for weeks and it was planned so it wasn’t a case of back on the plane in a few days.

These are major interventions. You can look at all the data you like in any country you like, there are risks attached to such a decision. You may not die but you may not get the results you want either. If you have problems post op, your kids will suffer too and worry.
It may work brilliantly and you may be very happy.
Only you can decide what is your priority. Are the risks worth it?

No-and certainly never while my children weren't adults.