Experience with Dr. Agha? Travel for LBL worth the risk?
Hi Chris,
Thanks for your input and for your emails too. I did spend more time this week checking out the message on the Dr. S forum and looking at his work. The combination of great feedback plus the huge savings is really something to consider. I went with Dr. Aceves for my VSG and felt strongly that he was the best surgeon available for me, it didn't turn out to be a money decision at all. So I'm very open to travel. Like I mentioned in email, my biggest concern is whether I can stand to be away from my family for two weeks. I have little boys who are 6 and 8. My 4 day trip to Dr. Aceves was the longest I've been away and it was really rough, I was in a big hurry to get home by day 4. The upside for sure is the epidural which no one here seems to do and being able to really focus on my recovery without chores or my job or other distractions.
Britt
Thanks for your input and for your emails too. I did spend more time this week checking out the message on the Dr. S forum and looking at his work. The combination of great feedback plus the huge savings is really something to consider. I went with Dr. Aceves for my VSG and felt strongly that he was the best surgeon available for me, it didn't turn out to be a money decision at all. So I'm very open to travel. Like I mentioned in email, my biggest concern is whether I can stand to be away from my family for two weeks. I have little boys who are 6 and 8. My 4 day trip to Dr. Aceves was the longest I've been away and it was really rough, I was in a big hurry to get home by day 4. The upside for sure is the epidural which no one here seems to do and being able to really focus on my recovery without chores or my job or other distractions.
Britt
Hey Britt, I'm in the Seattle area too. I haven't had any consultations yet, but from online research I've been left thinking that there isn't a local surgeon who can handle my needs. I'll still do local consults when the time comes, but I'm also very open to traveling for surgery. Dr. Agha definitely has the best before and afters, doesn't he? I've gone to his site many many times. I'm worried about after care too, but I'm worried about local after care as well. I wouldn't want to go home too soon after surgery, and I think would need someone to stay home with me for the first week or so. There are just so many logistics to figure out, you know?
How long did it take to get a consult with Dr. Dry? I hear he does great work, but he doesn't post pics on his site and I hear it takes quite some time to get in for a consult.
How long did it take to get a consult with Dr. Dry? I hear he does great work, but he doesn't post pics on his site and I hear it takes quite some time to get in for a consult.
Hi TurtleShell,
The consult did take a long time. I called in May and got an appointment for August 31st. I asked to be on a waiting list and then got in last minute in July. Scheduling surgery is similar, I think they're fully booked now through October. Dr. Dry does have some new photos on his site. And the day after my appointment I went back and met with Ann to look at some other photos too. They're being great about trying to squeeze my husband and I back in for a second consult more quickly.
What I loved about Dr. Dry was he was about as direct and on top of the details as any doctor I've ever talked to. He was way ahead of most when it comes to pain management and healing. As a doctor I trusted him completely. But I wasn't thrilled with the order of surgeries that had a LBL first and everything else later - for me my legs and then boobs are tops in priorty. So it'd be weird to have an LBL first. I know it'll help my legs but not enough so I could wear shorts.
I'm going to go ahead and send my photos to Dr. Agha. I figure I can find out what he thinks while still going ahead with my second consults with the docs here.
Who knew it would be such a project!
Britt
The consult did take a long time. I called in May and got an appointment for August 31st. I asked to be on a waiting list and then got in last minute in July. Scheduling surgery is similar, I think they're fully booked now through October. Dr. Dry does have some new photos on his site. And the day after my appointment I went back and met with Ann to look at some other photos too. They're being great about trying to squeeze my husband and I back in for a second consult more quickly.
What I loved about Dr. Dry was he was about as direct and on top of the details as any doctor I've ever talked to. He was way ahead of most when it comes to pain management and healing. As a doctor I trusted him completely. But I wasn't thrilled with the order of surgeries that had a LBL first and everything else later - for me my legs and then boobs are tops in priorty. So it'd be weird to have an LBL first. I know it'll help my legs but not enough so I could wear shorts.
I'm going to go ahead and send my photos to Dr. Agha. I figure I can find out what he thinks while still going ahead with my second consults with the docs here.
Who knew it would be such a project!
Britt
I am not a frequent poster anymore but have come back on OH because i am looking into plastics as well as hernia Drs. I was looking at Dr. Agha's site the other day and i was so impressed with his work. But I was wondering the same thing about traveling as i live in NJ. I was amazed at his extreme case especially since her stats are almost the exact same as mine. Of course if i did go out of state that would mean waiting at least 2 years to finish school. and other things. Could I really live out there a year? so I understand where you are coming from
"Nobody trips over mountains. It is the small pebble that causes you to stumble. Pass all the pebbles in your path and you will find you have crossed the mountain. "
"Look at a stone cutter hammering away at his rock, perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred-and-first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not the last blow that did it, but all that had gone before." ~Jacob A. Riis
I'm from Seattle too, and I'm just about to start on plastics. I actually have a breast lift/augmentation and tummy tuck scheduled with Dr. Pratt (in Kirkland) in 2 weeks. I saw a bunch of plastic surgeons in the area, and had almost decided on Dr Anous for my tummy tuck (also in Kirkland) but then happened to talk with a former patient of his on the makemeheal messageboards. She had an absolute nightmare experience with him, and advised that I look up his legal records in WA state. It's free on the web.
Now, every plastic surgeon I looked up had at least 1 lawsuit, so I think it's common for them to get sued. Heck, my own sister is a fabulous gynecologist down in OR and she has been sued once (something completely out of her control, it was dismissed). People sue first, ask questions later.
Anyway, Dr Anous didn't have just one lawsuit. He had MANY multiple lawsuits against him. I wasn't able to view the judgments or details, but, I went with my gut reaction and decided not to use him.
Depending on how many years Dr Agha has been in practice, it's reasonable to expect that he's been sued. If it's only once over a long career, that's pretty darned good.
I ran across Dr Agha in my search too, and am thinking about him for my thighs/butt. I don't see any problem with taking a 'frankenstein' approach to plastic surgery. Just cuz someone can give you a great rack doesn't mean they can give you great arms or a great butt. I wasn't that impressed by Dr Pratt's butt-lifts. But his breasts are fabulous.
I'm curious, which surgeon did you feel did a great job on arms? That's the next surgery I'm planning (hopefully for next year) and I'm looking for recommendations!
Now, every plastic surgeon I looked up had at least 1 lawsuit, so I think it's common for them to get sued. Heck, my own sister is a fabulous gynecologist down in OR and she has been sued once (something completely out of her control, it was dismissed). People sue first, ask questions later.
Anyway, Dr Anous didn't have just one lawsuit. He had MANY multiple lawsuits against him. I wasn't able to view the judgments or details, but, I went with my gut reaction and decided not to use him.
Depending on how many years Dr Agha has been in practice, it's reasonable to expect that he's been sued. If it's only once over a long career, that's pretty darned good.
I ran across Dr Agha in my search too, and am thinking about him for my thighs/butt. I don't see any problem with taking a 'frankenstein' approach to plastic surgery. Just cuz someone can give you a great rack doesn't mean they can give you great arms or a great butt. I wasn't that impressed by Dr Pratt's butt-lifts. But his breasts are fabulous.
I'm curious, which surgeon did you feel did a great job on arms? That's the next surgery I'm planning (hopefully for next year) and I'm looking for recommendations!
Hi Lizzy,
I haven't quite figured who I like best for arms. Agha's look great and he does the extra stuff for the back and side boobs as needed. Egrari arms looked good too. That's a hard one.
Interesting about Dr. Pratt, I keep looking at his site too. Would you care to share price? Dr. Egrari came in at $28k for lower body lift plus lift/augmentation in one surgery. It's not quite the same as your tummy plus boobs but similar. If Dr. Pratt was better priced I was thinking today of going to see him too. What I've noticed about Egrari is that he has a few options to avoid the flat butt thing. Dry seems to pay extra attention to the lipo and sculpting as part of his approach to LBL.
I do have an appointment with Dr. Sattler too. I really liked what I read about breast augmentation on his site - they've got it all categorized in a way that helps you describe what you like and don't like, it was really helpful. And I think his boob afters look pretty impressive. That's how I felt about Egrari too - both his pictures and how my friends turned out. Dr. Sattler seems like the one other local guy that does well with WLS patients and I get the impression he might be a *****eaper since he's newer on the scene and doesn't seem to have quite the rock start reputation that Dry and Egrari have.
Keep me posted on your surgery with Pratt? Would love to follow your progress.
Britt
I haven't quite figured who I like best for arms. Agha's look great and he does the extra stuff for the back and side boobs as needed. Egrari arms looked good too. That's a hard one.
Interesting about Dr. Pratt, I keep looking at his site too. Would you care to share price? Dr. Egrari came in at $28k for lower body lift plus lift/augmentation in one surgery. It's not quite the same as your tummy plus boobs but similar. If Dr. Pratt was better priced I was thinking today of going to see him too. What I've noticed about Egrari is that he has a few options to avoid the flat butt thing. Dry seems to pay extra attention to the lipo and sculpting as part of his approach to LBL.
I do have an appointment with Dr. Sattler too. I really liked what I read about breast augmentation on his site - they've got it all categorized in a way that helps you describe what you like and don't like, it was really helpful. And I think his boob afters look pretty impressive. That's how I felt about Egrari too - both his pictures and how my friends turned out. Dr. Sattler seems like the one other local guy that does well with WLS patients and I get the impression he might be a *****eaper since he's newer on the scene and doesn't seem to have quite the rock start reputation that Dry and Egrari have.
Keep me posted on your surgery with Pratt? Would love to follow your progress.
Britt
3cutecats
on 10/6/11 10:36 am, edited 10/6/11 10:38 am
on 10/6/11 10:36 am, edited 10/6/11 10:38 am
If you have not decided on your Dr. yet I would share my story with you regarding Dr. Agha. I had a Spiral thigh lift , tt and and outer thigh lift in Aug 2011 and I really regret at this point going through him. I didn't read any neg. reviews on him and his before and after were the best. He is so amazing on the front end and afterward him and his staff treat you like your a piece of crap~ I am left with many incision openings, staph infection from the or room, scars so high on my back I can't even wear Grannie panties without them showing~ my husband called to get my pain pills refilled and he said she shouldn't be in pain can't she try some Advil or something??I am so sad and depressed~ I have called him twice after hours due to big holes in my body that ended up being infected and I was told by him never to call him after hours~ in fact I still have his email ~ where he told me the majority of my emails were after-hours and not to call him anymore ~ that would be 2 whole phone calls ~ wow~are you kidding me after spending 24,000.00 and your my Dr. I can't call you at 6:00 in the evening and second call being at 8:00? I was so taken by him before all this now I can hardly believe he is the same person~ for real~ I have many areas that need scar revisions and still dealing with an open incision. As far as my outer thighs I still have saddlebags and I asked him about that since at the last min. he talked me into and adding outer thigh lift with lipo to the bill and so I went for it, and so he says now I need that area lipoed and if he does that I will need them lifted again~ What are you kidding me that's what I just paid for~~~ so over all you could say I am deeply disappointed would I recommend him~ never (however he says if I get my Bl/BA he would do it then WHAT I am not going forward with anymore surgery that's canceled after this nightmare) that's called blackmail this is something I have already paid for I should at least get my money back for this one add procedure that he did not do~ but what bothers me this is why I did the EXTENDED tt he said I needed to do the extended tt in order to the the outer thigh lift (more money too) oh it goes on and on~ I just want to cry as I write all this this is my first time really sharing everything and if he doesn't take care of me it's not going to be my last I think women become afraid of him~ ~ his aftercare is horrible I cried the last two times I left his office did he care how I felt absolutely NOT~ now you have been told at least once and all revision you will be paying for he fixes nothing for free~ here I lost all this wt. saved up years to pay for this cash and NOW I can't even wear a bathing suit for these scar's that were supposed to be below my butt crack are NOW up on my BACK~ he says fixing the scar's on my back will take several surgery's~ wow with four young kids to take care of this is hard news to take in~ never-less the pain and healing time~ so I would think twice before going to see Dr. Agha~ my hope is he will make all this right with me so far he has not~
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