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[philanthropist]

hey future LLers

i used to read this forum a lot before doing LL. my experience turned out okay and i am overall happy with the result.

BUT i just wanted to warn future Llers about some red flags shown by some doctors.

here are some red flags:

the doctor  wont write an invitation letter for you to do LL if you are from foreign country. they will ask you to deposit surgery money to various bank accounts (again without a receipt or formally following any procedure). they may ask you to speak to them on phone for some of these details and not accept sending emails (probably to not keep any records). they may ask you to bring some payment in the form of cash to be given before surgery. they may not arrange for a medical visa for you. they may ask you to come as a tourist and then apply for a visa extension after surgery even if your tourist visa expires days after surgery. basically they seem to somewhat operate "under the cover". they may "hop" countries and operate out of different countries.

my experience with my doctor was quite poor, he was nowhere to be found after surgery, he would not respond to emails. he would not help in me in any way for getting visa extension, any documentation etc. our biweekly consultations were very short and funnily i was given an extra bill for various expenditures mid-way even though i was promised all this was covered (like x-rays, post op visits, etc)

i intentionally do not and will not name the doctor because it is unimportant. what is important to know to keep a eye open for such red flags. i had heard so much good things on the forum that i became completely oblivious to such obvious red flags. most importantly please dont decide on any doctor based on the forums alone. make sure you have at least one real person (preferably non CLL related) who can vouch for his experience with the doctor.

my surgery outcome was good, i had no real complications but if i had got complications i am sure i would have to run back home to a local doctor for care.

cheers!

[jievince3]

Who is your doctor?

[Sara123]

I agree that I think it’s not right to judge a doctor based just on the things written on this forum. I’m starting to see that some doctors have a bad reputation unfairly.

[philanthropist]

Who is your doctor?

sorry i cannot say.but please read the red flags I mentioned in my post. It is just common sense but we forget these simple things when we get so obsessed with LL.

[philanthropist]

I agree that I think it’s not right to judge a doctor based just on the things written on this forum. I’m starting to see that some doctors have a bad reputation unfairly.

yes it can go both ways. Good doctor receiving bad feedback and bad doctors receiving good feedback.

but never underestimate the mental strength needed to do this procedure. you need a reassuring doctor. remember that you have to lengthen for 2 months after surgery and every day you have an option to quit. you ask yourself if you really need this.

imagine you feel a strange pain during lengthening and you send multiple emails to your doctor an he doesnt respond because it is a silly question to him. What do you do?

it is not as simple as doing homework your doctor tells you and going back cheerfully every 2 weeks. patients who disobey the doctors usually feel a lot of fear.

for example one time I had severe nerve pain in one leg and I asked the doctor with a detailed description on email. he simply said "continue 1mm rate". a good patient would have done 1mm but I did 0.75mm because iwas very scared. i guess i am a bad patient ?

physically this experience was nothing. mentally it was a nightmare.

[Sara123]

yes it can go both ways. Good doctor receiving bad feedback and bad doctors receiving good feedback.

but never underestimate the mental strength needed to do this procedure. you need a reassuring doctor. remember that you have to lengthen for 2 months after surgery and every day you have an option to quit. you ask yourself if you really need this.

imagine you feel a strange pain during lengthening and you send multiple emails to your doctor an he doesnt respond because it is a silly question to him. What do you do?

it is not as simple as doing homework your doctor tells you and going back cheerfully every 2 weeks. patients who disobey the doctors usually feel a lot of fear.

for example one time I had severe nerve pain in one leg and I asked the doctor with a detailed description on email. he simply said "continue 1mm rate". a good patient would have done 1mm but I did 0.75mm because iwas very scared. i guess i am a bad patient ?

physically this experience was nothing. mentally it was a nightmare.

"physically this experience was nothing. mentally it was a nightmare"

I love this. You are right, the fear and anxiety for the future you must feel during lengthening and consolidation as in what might go wrong and how you might end up crippled, probably outweighs the physical pain. Although going through that level of anxiety AND a lot of physical pain at the same time. I cannot imagine this. You need to be very strong or find the immense strength somewhere to go through this level of psychological and physical pain simultaneously.

[notatroll]

"physically this experience was nothing. mentally it was a nightmare"

I love this. You are right, the fear and anxiety for the future you must feel during lengthening and consolidation as in what might go wrong and how you might end up crippled, probably outweighs the physical pain. Although going through that level of anxiety AND a lot of physical pain at the same time. I cannot imagine this. You need to be very strong or find the immense strength somewhere to go through this level of psychological and physical pain simultaneously.

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