I had a turkey tummy tuck on my grandmother’s inheritance, but it ate me alive
A mother was in so much pain she felt her body was going to “split in two” after undergoing a botched tummy tuck in Turkey.
Carrie, 36, went through ‘hell’ after a £4,500 operation on her stomach – paid for with her grandmother’s inheritance – caused a rare flesh-eating disease.
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Carrie, from Slough, Berkshire, paid £800 to fly to Istanbul after booking herself in for liposuction to remove a sac she developed after the birth of her two children.
But the standard three-hour procedure ended up taking six hours and resulted in a “black” stomach.
“When I woke up, everything was painful – I knew something was wrong,” she said.
“It was such a tight feeling that I felt like my body was going to split in two.
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‘I wanted to take away the pain.
“My stomach started turning black and they said I had necrotizing fasciitis.
“I had to go back to surgery to flush it all out.
“They cut me open and did it while I was awake, putting up a screen in front of me.
“That took about 45 minutes. It was hell.”
According to the NHS website, necrotizing fasciitis is a rare and life-threatening infection that can occur if a wound becomes infected.
After the second operation, Carrie claims the doctors told her everything was fine and she could fly back to Britain.
Four days later, once back in Britain, the mother collapsed in pain and was rushed to hospital, where she was diagnosed with sepsis and organ failure.
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She underwent five operations in 12 days, with medics cutting out the dead flesh in an attempt to save her life.
Carrie said: “When I got home it all started to go downhill.
“The day after I came back, I went to change my bandage and saw a huge hole.
“I went to the hospital and they told me to pack it in every day.
‘I had a fever and was shivering.
It hurt so much, it was like being burned.
Carrie
“The hole went completely from right to left across my stomach and I could see the stitches on the inside.
“About four days after the operation, I got up to go to the toilet and collapsed in pain.
“I went back to hospital and they said I had sepsis and needed emergency surgery.
“They had to cut the meat out and in the end they only took half of my stomach.
‘There is no meat left on my stomach.
“While I was in intensive care, I was screaming in pain.
“I was totally into it the whole time.”
Carrie had a skin graft from her right leg to her abdomen and spent a week in intensive care.
The specialist assistant was allowed to leave the hospital three months later, but had to take a year off work.
She believes she did all the research possible before choosing her surgeon.
Carrie said: “I’ve struggled with my stomach ever since I had children.
“I’m not skinny, nor huge, but there is a pouch and stretch marks that I hated. I wanted it gone.
“I got some inheritance money from my grandmother and I wanted to use it to get something that would make me happy.
“I talked to the company that did my surgery for two years. I researched them, they had great reviews and I trusted them a lot.
“I thought I went with the right doctor.”
Carrie claims her first “red flag” was when she arrived at a public hospital instead of a private clinic.
Carrie said: “They sat me on a chair and drew the marks on me, and then they told me I had to pay cash on the spot.
“They gave me a lot of forms to read and sign.
“I kept reminding myself that I had done the research and that I was doing the right thing.
“When they gave me the anesthetic, I heard a baby crying because a woman in the next room had just given birth.
“It was bizarre.”
NHS advice on cosmetic surgery abroad
The NHS had advice for anyone considering going abroad for surgery.
It may cost less than in the UK, but you have to weigh the potential savings against the potential risks. The safety standards may not be that high.
No operation is without risk. Complications can occur after surgery in the UK or abroad. If you have complications after surgery in the UK, it is the surgeon’s responsibility to arrange follow-up treatment.
Overseas clinics may not provide follow-up treatment, or may not provide it to the same standard as in Britain.
If you have any questions about your treatment, please inquire about:
- What happens if complications arise?
- Where follow-up appointments will take place?
- What happens if you need another operation after the original procedure? How easily can you travel back to the destination where you had the operation?
- How much will it cost?
Discover also:
- How surgeons and clinics are regulated in your chosen country
- How standards are enforced
And ask the surgeon:
- What training and qualifications do they have?
- Which organizations do they belong to?
- How long have they practiced?
- How many procedures like yours have they done?
- If they speak a language you understand, should they be able to explain the procedure to you and understand your concerns or questions?
For more NHS advice on surgery abroad, visit the website: here.
Carrie had her tummy tuck in 2022 but is now sharing her story to encourage women to have surgery in the UK instead of flying to Turkey.
She added: “I regret it one million percent.
‘If I could have turned back time, I would never have gotten it.
“If you want to change your stomach, just go on a diet and go to the gym.
“It still affects my mental health and I have to position my clothes so that you can’t see my stomach because it makes me look deformed.
“I had to continue with it. I can’t change it and if I dwell on it, my mental health will suffer.
“I try to stay positive and think I am lucky to be alive and see my children growing up.”
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