Surgery in Poland with Katarzyna Ostrowska-Clark -

[kniveshurt]

Hi there,

Found this forum while researching gyno surgery. I've had it for about 10 years now and have finally taken the plunge to have it done. *gulp*

Having researched lots of options, both in and out of the UK, one name keeps coming up time and time again: Katarzyna Ostrowska-Clark in Poland. I don't think I've heard a bad word said about her and having the procedure done at her clinic. It's also about half the price I've been quoted after consultations here at Transform and Harley Street Medical! Starting to worry if this is too good to be true??

Appreciate any replies that can help allay my fears. It's such a big step to take and I really want to make sure I make the right choice.

Cheers.

[Redman_85]

I am having this procedure done on Friday at this clinic, will let you know how it goes once I am done.

[jakeyboy08]

Read my thread its all legit mate.

[kniveshurt]

Thanks for the replies guys.

@Redman_85 Good luck for Friday. Would be great to hear all about your experience once you're done.

@jakeyboy08 - your thread was one of the reasons I contacted them. Thanks for posting it. I've just got some alarm bells going off in my head as it seems a bit of an unprofessional set up compared to other places - the website, the contact I've had with the guy from the clinic, etc. And I know this sounds completely xenophobic, but I've probably got some reservations about going to Poland to get it done, tbh.

I guess it just feels really weird that I'd have to pay a deposit and go over to Poland without even meeting a representative of the clinic. What's more, they're asking that I get an ultrasound before I go there. How on earth do you organise an ultrasound yourself?!! I don't even know where to begin.


Also a bit concerned about the aftercare and

[isambard]

I had similar reservations when booking initially.

i didn't find the communication with Jeremy clark to be to the most professional standard, his replies were delayed and sometimes the answers he gave to my questions were unsatisfactory. However when i arrived there i could see that it was a completely legitimate and profesional operation.

The deposit is only a small fraction of your surgery and i think it is standard practice for many clinics both UK or overseas to take deposits.

it sounds very strange that you have to organise your own ultrasound??? are you sure that's what they want you to do? The standard procedure is to have it done the morning of the surgery. jeremy drives you to the place in the morning. this is important because the ultrasound doctor draws on your chest the outline of where the gland is. the surgeon needs this as reference for her operation. how are you expected to do this in UK ahead of time??

re your fears of doing it in poland: I was impressed with the facilities there.  The clinic is in a brand new medical industrial park with well appointed facilities. It seemed to be of higher quality and inspired more faith than equivalent facilities in the UK and I do know the UK's private and public medical facilities well. Also the surgeon has had experience working in the uk and is a registered surgeon under the NHS, you can search this yourself.
Also, i wouldn't say the UK is necessarily is well regarded for it's medical facilities lots of things here are outdated and the facilities are il equipped or just small. I think that in emerging economies you will find newer facilities with more generous space which can impact on the ease of daily operations. I'm speaking generally now, not referring specifically to the clinic in question.

She seems to have some personal policy that she does not pay for advertisements and relies on word of mouth from satisfied patients.personally i didn't understnad this but this could be partly why their website isn't as slick as say Transform who are big business and all about volume. in my parting conversation with her after my discharge she mentioned something about wanting to concentrate on quality of treatment and not built up an unsustainable high volume of patients per day. Ultimately she doesn't want to be a big industrial operation which I think is more of a Polish mentality than the big capitalistic western approach the big surgeons in the UK and USA take. There was an interesting documentary on bbc or channel 4 about Transform and one of the patients (who was polish coincidentally) complained about the rushed, industrial nature of the whole set up.

Also, given the surgeon's experience with this type of surgery I think you would struggle to find a better treatment. There are doctors with excellent reputations in the UK. With the UK I suppose you can be assured that aftercare will be easier should complications arise. Ultimately you have to factor in the issue of cost and going to poland is less than half the cost of doing it with Kharadis or other big surgeons.
Honestly paying 6k vs 1.8k isn't a representation of value for money. You are not getting more than thrice the quality of service. the UK is just overpriced. We live in "rip off britain".  have you got that kind of money? I didn't.

[mart]

It's all legit mate i was worried myself seemed to good to be true but look at my thread the results speak volumes. Get it done you wont regret it.

Good Luck.

Mart.

[kniveshurt]

Thank you for the responses isambard and mart. Much appreciated.

He definitely said I need to arrange an ultrasound in the UK. Quoting from his email:

"Arrange for an ULTRASOUND in the U.K.(or country of origin) - we will need you to bring to Szczecin photographs and a description of the type of gynecomastia - preferably with diameter and thickness of the glandular tissue."

When I questioned how I'd go about getting one done, he said it was new for them too and I should try asking my GP?! I just thought this was quite weird.

I think the biggest thing putting me off is being alone in Poland for the 5/6 days after the op, to be honest. I don't think I could cope.

I know it is a massive saving to get it done over there, but I think I'm just going to save up a bit more and get it done here with Karidis. I've got 2,500 saved already, so not that much more to save. I've booked my consultation with him on 25th April, so will see how that goes. I live in London too and I love the thought of being able to go back in my own house on the same day.

Appreciate your replies on this though, fellas. This forum is such a great resource.

[isambard]

This business with making you organise your own ultrasound is ridiculous and must be really tedious for new patients. Perhaps the Dr they use for the ultrasound has put up their fees? This sort of thing should be included, even if it means raising the price of treatment.

I know there is this sense of uncertainty when you do this sort of procedure..no matter where you do it. But the nerves really pass once you're there and committed to doing it. After the procedure it's like your on holiday really... albeit in not the most glamorous location.
Ultimately you need to do what you feel comfortable doing. I'm sure there are great comforts in having everything done in your home town. And if you can afford it why not.

But if you still consider poland...
You could ask your GP for an ultrasound. The referrals to get Ultrasounds done on the NHS are usually pretty quick and from my experience ultrasounds are routine diagnostics so they don't quibble over getting you appointments.
Personally, I wanted to leave my GP and the NHS out of the picture when I organised my own surgery. So I was pleased to have all the tests done in Poland. I even removed my own stitches when I got back to London.
You could try to ask if there is any way you could pay privately to see the ultrasound specialist the clinic used to use in Szczecin before surgery?

Let us know what you decide.