Anyone had surgery in Thailand?

[floppies]

Just discovered this website.  Wow!  what a revelation.  I am 55 and have struggled privately with gyno since teens.  Cant believe I haven't done anything about it.
I am taking a month's vacation in Thailand and believe they have many reputable clinics there. Has anyone had surgery over there?  Good and bad stories gratefully received. 

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

Cannot make any recommendations about Thailand but please accept a few thoughts in general.

It sure sounds wonderful to have surgery in an exotic locale and at a very inexpensive price.  But consider the following:

You are in a strange country -- your medical insurance covers nothing.  If there is a complication during or immediately after surgery, you are on your own as regards additional expenses.

Is the surgeon appropriately trained to do the surgery and is the hospital/clinic up to US standards??

Gyne surgery can be difficult -- there are occasional immediate post-op problems and sometimes long term healing problems.  Who do you turn to for help?  Will you return to that foreign country?  Do they have any type of revision or follow up policy?

Finally, if the worst happens and you need legal redress against the surgeon or clinic -- you are basically out of luck.

Just some food for thought.

Dr Jacobs

[floppies]

Many thanks for your comments, Dr Jacobs.

To date I have received about six replies from Thai clinics, however, none of them fill me with confidence.  I actually live in Australia and had planned to go to Thailand for a month anyway so thought I'd get surgery whilst I'm there and kick back on a beach or around a pool sipping cocktails all day whilst I recuperate.

However, THE most important consideration for me is getting a skilled surgeon fully conversant with Gynecomastia procedures and I'd travel any distance for that.

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

Quite honestly, I doubt if any surgeons in Thailand can match the experience of having performed thousands of gyne operations that any of the doctors on this forum can offer.

Do your research carefully -- the best chance for a good result is the first (and hopefully only) operation.

Good luck!

Dr Jacobs

[daves123]

Hi there, I am a Kiwi who is also heading to Thailand for a holiday (where else would you spend a holiday anyway !).
I read a newspaper article here recently about surgery tours to Thailand in a reputable newspaper. Sure, people said it was great, and I am sure it is for certain simple procedures.
However the more I thought about it, the amount of potential pitfalls that came to mind multiplied exponentially. The Land of Smiles could so easily turn into the Land of Tears.
Sure, it may work out fine and you would save a few thousand bucks, but hell man, this procedure needs to be just right otherwise you can be easily disappointed. If anything went wrong you are a long way from home in a vastly different country where things are done a LOT differently to how they are done in first world countries like Aus. or NZ.
In the end I did not think twice about paying a few thousand extra for the complete peace of mind that I was having the done job properly in my hometown of Auckland without any stress worrying about how it might have turned out in Thailand.
Now I still get to enjoy my holiday in Thailand with a flattened chest - yes !!