Please help

Pzaz
on 6/27/12 12:08 pm, edited 6/27/12 12:24 pm - Baltimore, MD
 Hello everyone,
     I really could use some advice.  I just had a medial thigh lift with lipo on May 14th.    I am having severe swelling in my legs, ankles, feet, and toes.  The swelling in my thighs I feel is not that bad anymore.  My right leg is the worse.  It's red and tender to the touch.  My other leg is better.  The swelling is so bad that it hurts to bend my knees and ankles.  It hurts to wiggle my toes!  On May 29th, I was admitted for blood clots in my lungs. I went to my primary for the swelling and feeling overly exhausted.  When I said that, he wanted to do a CAT scan.  They found spots on my lungs that could be blood clots, so they treated me as such.  While in the hospital, not once would they do anything about my legs.  I was discharge on June 1st.  I'm still being treated for the blood clots.  On June 7th, I was admitted again for a staff infection in my right leg and low blood pressure.  They ended up putting in drains in both legs.  No, my surgeon did not put drains in.  He cut off 25 pounds of skin!  He also did not have me to wear any type of compression garment.  Within the first hour after the drains were put in, I drained 10 pounds of fluid!  I was discharged on June 12th with the drains and now they are not really doing anything. My left leg puts out about 45 cc's a day, while the right legs 5 cc's a day.  Am I missing something?  Am I over reacting?  I feel like my surgeon is not taking this seriously.  Any insight is appreciated.  I'm starting to get depressed.
Lizzy25
on 6/27/12 4:47 pm
 You are not overreacting at all!! Blood clots in your lungs? That's life-threatening. Staph infection? Also potentially life-threatening. It sounds like your plastic surgeon has been downright negligent. Did he see you for followups? Was he aware of your swelling issues? It sounds like you're a lot like me, used to just following whatever medical personnel say and blindly trusting them. Then I had complications too, I almost bled to death 4 days after my TT, and ended up in hospital for blood transfusions. I learned very quickly that in order to get results sometings you need to get PISSED. You need to be assertive, you need to go for second opinions, you need to demand treatment and answers. This doctor's practice relies on his good medical reputation and at this point it sounds like he doesn't deserve one. You need to tell him how he's let you down and demand answers, and a treatment plan for how you're going to continue to heal. Let him know that you're not afraid to tell anyone who will listen what he's done to you. Does the surgeon work for the hospital where you were treated, or is he independent? If he works for the hospital, you need to write a letter to the medical director. At the very least. It sounds like he deserves to be fired. 
I am so very very sorry that you have had to suffer because of his incompetence. You are lucky to be alive right now and I hope your recovery smooths out. 
"The greatest challenge to any thinker is stating the problem in a way that will allow a solution." -Bertrand Russell
5'9 HW: 297 GW: 160 CW: 161
(deactivated member)
on 6/27/12 11:18 pm - TN
I developed blood clots that were considered severe after my tummy tuck/new boobs + lift. 



  My early symptoms were leg swelling. One thigh was four times bigger than the other one. The swelling took 4 months to go down. I just now (6 months later) got off the blood thinner medicine. It was a long treatment and now I am anemic and low energy.

    Blood clots are very serious! Thank goodness they were detected!   Praise GOD I made it through! I am getting back on track and getting my strength back.  
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