Costa Rica forum < Paying for Plastic Surgery In Costa Rica

  • Christina deMoraes

    Bravo Amie! =)

    posted by  Christina deMoraes in Costa Rica forum 

    You are SO right in bringing up the points of all the HIDDEN COSTS involved in this experience and since you did it on your own, you had to find out the hard way... no one told you but I feel, someone should have! Obviously you said you came without a facilitator of some sort so again, your expectations were realistic in that you didn't expect anyone to be there to help or guide you and you did it on your own. I just think it is a shame that so many of us end up doing it on our own like this... and too many end up with poor to disastrous experiences that could have been avoided with proper and honest information and support. I guess the bottom line is... do you WANT to do it on your own like this or wouldn't you rather be fully informed and supported from the beginning?? I mean, that's why we are HERE, no? =)

    Once I learned from my experiences, I insisted on informing my patients of EVERY little thing so they wouldn't have any surprises, wouldn't have to guess what aftercare would be most helpful, wouldn't feel nickel and dimed when they got there and felt totally supported from day one. Ethically, responsibly... if you KNOW about these hidden costs and what will be the most helpful and reassuring to someone and what they really need in information to make them feel comfortable, why WOULDN'T you provide this? I understand people's frustration with the medical tourism experience, no matter thru WHOM it is organized... I agree that there is very little "value" or perk for the patient that chooses to use a facilitator and it saddens me because I know how valuable they could and should be when they focus their services on providing patient support and NOT on getting the referral commission. Doctors too though, SHOULD be providing this information because it is an inherent part of the surgical experience of their patient and will affect their recovery: physically, psychologically and financially.

    Unfortunately though, there are VERY few facilitators or docs out there that make it their goal of actually providing the priceless service of PATIENT INFORMATION, ADVOCACY AND IN COUNTRY SUPPORT directly TO the patient rather than, like you mention, just worrying about getting their referral and their commission. Don't think for a second that this tendency in the industry does not absolutely REPULSE me! And what's worse, is that it seems no one can see past the title that you are placing on me for the "sins" of others. =(

    In case you didn't read MY post well, I said that I HAVE BEEN A PATIENT MYSELF and THAT is WHY and HOW I started doing what I do! I started just like you are now. If you want to know WHO you are really talking about and TO, then I kindly ask you to read my whole story on my website rather than making a judgement from a "title."

    I had weight loss surgery (the BPD/DS) in the USA in 2001 and lost 175 lbs! By 14 mos post op we were living in Brazil. I didn't speak the language at the time, I had two small children and I was by myself! I had ALL my reconstructive plastics there: abdominoplasty and breast lift, then lower body lift (retouched my front and mons) with arm lift, then breast implants and then butt implants with an inner thigh lift. FOUR separate rounds of surgery! I KNOW the PAIN and the GAIN in plastic surgery and I know what it's like to place your life in the hands of the relative unknown and be terrified doing it!!! I also know how EMPOWERING and transforming it is, not only through my OWN journey, but through then helping hundreds of my peers.

    With this knowledge, this experience and the request for help from my WLS peers online, I started my services in Brazil as a way to HELP PATIENTS like ME... NOT with the goal of promoting a surgeon or even a country but to share my experience, share what I learned through my OWN ups and downs and provide a much needed service of advocacy, support and thorough information. I saw on the boards what was going on in CR way back then (2002) and was determined to learn from these posts and create a much different experience for my patients. I am quite content that I did so and so were my patients.

    I agree there is good and bad all over and I have heard of some bad ones in Brazil too, but overall, and I speak from direct EXPERIENCE from living, interviewing and working side by side with them for 5 years, they are for the most part, incredibly caring and warm individuals that care about their patients, take great pride in their work and most importantly, approach their patients with the humble attitude that they can give that patient a new sense of self, a new look on life through the skill of their hands.

    Perhaps because their work is literally displayed in string bikinis for most of the year and Brazilians love talking about their bodies and displaying them, the surgeons are held to a higher standard. Scar placement is crucial, curves are adored and sculpting is an art form. Most other countries surgeons are NOT forced to display their work like this and be open to the scrutiny that bikinis and vanity provide. =)

    The culture demands the best techniques to achieve what they want. Brazil has been placing the "new" silicone implants for more than a decade, while their use has just started in the last few years in the US. THE best technique for butt implant insertion IS the Brazilian one of intra-muscular and they perfected it about a decade ago while the rest of the world is catching up and patients suffer in the meantime with bad results and pain. Brazilian butt lift is also uniquely Brazilian and springs from their unique culture of valuing and creating curvaceous buns! =) Even with the devaluation of the dollar against the Brazilian real over the last few years, (causing prices to rise there) it's still an excellent location if you are looking for world class skill and experience and recognize the value in the reassurance this can give.

    I am here as a fellow patient of massive reconstructive plastic surgery and I did it abroad, going into the unknown, just as you all are here. I have the benefit of my own experience of 4 rounds of surgery and the luxury of 300 more patients and probably another 600 more rounds of surgery between them! (Most of them came for total reconstructions and 2 rounds per stay). If I wanted to HIDE what I do, I wouldn't have disclosed it on my profile. I have the experience of my own personal journey as well as my patients'... I have seen it ALL and learned from it all. I made it my mission to take each experience and use it to make the next one better... all in service to my PEERS. Why does this evoke such strong mistrust and fear?? =(

    I have learned to be strong and fight for my patients. I have confronted surgeons when they were not holding to a standard that I felt essential or started minimizing safety protocol I wanted held to... when they began cutting corners and the dollar became more important than the process and the soul behind what we were doing... I have stood up for the rights of my patients, turned my back on the income I'd lose and simply refused to refer more patients to a surgeon if there were doubts about his integrity and surgical protocol. I didn't throw mud when this happened and always chose the high road...sometimes to my sadness when the patient went anyways and had a complication... =(

    I was where you are Amie... but I chose to DO something about it and it's been very empowering. =) I can see your passion too and your desire to help others through your experience and I think you'd make a GREAT patient Advocate. The medical tourism experience IS going to change and it's people like you that will help force it. We who enter this industry with our own experiences FIRST are essential to giving real integrity and value to our peers. There is NO substitution for "been there, done that" and when your mission is to help your peers and not make a business out of promoting a doctor or hospital in order to get paid, then we will see an industry that is respected and is allowed to provide a valuable service that empowers and transforms LIVES. =)

    Blessings to all!

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