Patient report- My breast augmentation in Turkey – Report from Wednesday, 16 September 2015

Dear interested parties

Nice to meet you! How can I assist you today?

Das ist eine große Entscheidung! Wie läuft der Prozess bisher für dich? Gibt es etwas, bei dem ich dir speziell helfen kann oder Fragen zu der Brust-OP, die du hast?

Es ist großartig, dass du nun die Möglichkeit hast, deine Wünsche in die Tat umzusetzen und die Entscheidung selbst zu treffen. Es ist völlig normal, dass man zu Beginn mit solchen Wünschen unsicher ist, besonders wenn man jünger ist und mit der Unterstützung der Familie zu kämpfen hat. Es klingt, als hättest du dir wirklich gut überlegt, was du willst. Hast du schon alle Details der OP besprochen oder gibt es noch etwas, worüber du dir Gedanken machst?

For a long time, I couldn’t really share this decision and these feelings with anyone, and so I never talked to anyone about it. I searched for a good doctor in Switzerland for a long time, but the problem was that I couldn’t afford the surgery.

Then I made a great friend with whom I could talk about my wish, because this friend of mine had wanted a nose operation for a long time.

Wir suchten zusammen im Internet einen Arzt für Schönheits-OP`s im Ausland da dies das einzige mögliche Zahlbar gewesen ist für uns. Dann kamen wir auf die Seite “Medical Travel“ da wir die guten Erfahrungsberichte gelesen haben und uns sofort der gratis Termin in Bern aufgefallen ist, machten wir per Mail einen Termin fest. Wir nahmen 2 Stunden Autofahrt auf uns und gingen nach Bern ins Medical Travel Office wo wir zum ersten x den Arzt kenne gelernt haben. Ich muss sagen mir persönlich war es sehr wichtig den Arzt kennen zu lernen sonst wäre ich nie auf die Türkei gegangen, da ich selbst immer noch Angst davor hatte und meine Bedenken.

We were warmly welcomed and it wasn’t difficult to find, as the Medical Travel office in Bern is directly on a street. The office isn’t very large, but it was nicely decorated, and there was a small buffet in the waiting room.

During the consultation with the doctor, my friend and I were accompanied by the doctor and two interpreters. No one pressured us into anything, which was the nice part. You could ask any questions you had, and they were answered immediately. They showed us pictures of nose and breast surgeries. He quickly examined my breast as well as my friend’s nose, gave us advice, pointed out what wasn’t aesthetically pleasing or suitable, and most importantly, understood our concerns.

I had been scared for a long time about the breast surgery, as it was crucial for me to know that I would be able to resume my regular sports activities. I was also worried about the side effects (these could still occur for me, such as capsule formations around the implant; there is never a 100% guarantee that one won’t experience this, as every body reacts differently). After the appointment in Bern, of course, a thousand other questions came to mind, and I always asked them via email to the Medical Travel team, who always discussed them with the doctor and provided me with a response as quickly as possible. I really appreciated this, as they always replied promptly without getting annoyed. I had as much time as I needed to decide, and two weeks before the provisional surgery date, I made my decision. After that, I quickly received all my documents, including the flight, hotel, and my personal pass with all the important details, surgery appointments, and follow-up checkups. There were also great tips for tourists visiting Istanbul and a city guide included.

It felt right to be in the same hotel room as my friend and to fly back to Switzerland together. She went to Turkey three days before me and had her surgery before mine, without me being there. She kept me updated throughout, and her surgery went well, so I gathered my courage again and flew to Turkey alone, where my friend was already waiting for me.

I had already received all my flight details in a booklet and just needed to go to the counter to get my ticket. Everything went very quickly, and everything was very reliable. The flight departed on time, and everyone on Turkish Airlines was very friendly and, above all, well-organized. When I landed in Turkey, a small bus was waiting to pick up all the passengers and take us to the airport. The passport control went smoothly, and my luggage arrived quickly. When I got out of the airport, I waited exactly where it was indicated in the booklet, but no one was there yet. It was also mentioned that there could be a delay of up to 30 minutes due to the heavy traffic in Istanbul. I got quite impatient and called the organization in Switzerland. They answered and promised that someone would be there soon and I should wait, which turned out to be true. Someone arrived shortly after and drove me to the hotel where my friend was. Everyone at the hotel was very friendly, and I was able to stay in the same hotel room as my friend, which was no problem.
In the booklet you received, it was clearly explained that you must be fasting from midnight and are not allowed to eat anything the morning before the surgery. I followed those instructions as well.

I was then driven to the hospital by taxi, though it would have been much faster on foot. I was greeted by a Turkish woman who had grown up in Germany and spoke perfect High German as well as Turkish. She would accompany me for the next few days and was my interpreter. I really liked her a lot. During that time, she was like a support and a mother to me, giving me courage, easing my fears, and always having time for me. Everything went very quickly. I was shown to my room, given a safe to store my valuables, had blood drawn, and all the necessary tests for the surgery were done. I filled out the questionnaire and so on.

Afterward, they placed an IV in my arm, and I had to put on my hospital clothes. I was given a sedative and was soon taken to the operating room. Everything went very quickly there. The only thing I remember is waking up in the recovery room, hearing everyone talking, but I just wanted to sleep. After that, they brought me back to my hospital room, where I had to stay for the night and was under constant monitoring.

The night after the surgery was difficult for me. I had pain and received pain medication through my IV about every hour. I also had to use the bathroom very often because I was on an infusion. I had to keep ringing the nurse because I couldn’t go to the toilet on my own (I was too weak and in too much pain).

I must say from the bottom of my heart that I work in a hospital in Switzerland myself, and I have never been treated so wonderfully, kindly, and appreciatively. I felt a bit embarrassed in front of the nurses for having had such a surgery, but no one made me feel like it was anything unusual. They took care of me the entire night and responded quickly when I had a dizzy spell in the bathroom. No one could have done it better. They treated me as if it were the most normal thing in the world. I felt very comfortable there and honestly didn’t want to leave.

The next morning, I had to go back to the hotel already, and I was driven there by taxi. At the hotel, I was very dependent on others, and to this day, I’m grateful I had my friend with me.

On the third day, I had to return to the hospital to have my drains removed, which was quite painful, but I was so relieved when they were taken out. After that, I felt better day by day and was able to prepare for my return flight. Afterward, I had to wear a corset for three weeks, even in Switzerland. If I wore loose clothes, it wasn’t visible, but of course, it wasn’t very comfortable, and it wasn’t ideal since I sweated a lot, but it was necessary.

I would like to sincerely thank Medical Travel, the entire team, and the doctor for this wonderful experience. One of my biggest dreams has come true, and it couldn’t have been better than with Medical Travel. Thank you for the excellent organization and for treating me with such kindness. I haven’t felt so comfortable and understood in a long time. I would even choose to have my breast surgery with you again, or any other procedure. I can 100% recommend Medical Travel.
I also wanted to mention that after the surgery, my friend and I went sightseeing in Istanbul. It might sound crazy, and it was, because I was still in pain, but I didn’t want to miss out on everything Istanbul had to offer. So, we took a taxi twice in one day, first to the port and then to the shopping street. I was obviously very tired and sore, but it was all worth it, because Istanbul is such a wonderful, romantic, and playful city. It was my first time there, and it has become one of my favorite cities.

Thank you for everything.

E. Perella