The Dominican Republic has traditionally been a hotspot destination for plastic surgery, US patients are known to save up to 60% in treatment cost, including airfare and traveling fees. Known for some of the most renowned beaches in the world, the Dominican Republic attracts thousands and thousands of medical travelers each year because they want two things—cost effective healthcare coupled with vacation spots to relax and soak up the Caribbean sun. Patients travel here for cardiology, cosmetic surgery, dentistry and orthopedic procedures. Here is an interesting interview with Deborah Reeves who lives in the United States of America and traveled to the Dominican Republic to get plastic surgery. She is a mother of six, and has being researching destinations for weight loss surgery that makes sense for her. She finally setting on the Dominican Republic after much research. Deborah has given us consent to use her full name, as well as her before and photos.
Interview Questions and Answers with Medical Traveler: Deborah Reeves
Q: Please give us an overview of how and when you made the decision to utilize medical tourism for your procedure? And what made you choose India as your destination?
A: I decided to go to Dominican Republic for several reasons for elective surgery because of their expertise difference in body shaping, their restrictions are different, the price is cheaper also. My journey started 5 yrs ago when my hair stylist went over to Dominican Republic and care back #Snatched. That’s a saying used in elective surgery when your waist is small and your hips are wide and butt cheeks are big.
Q: Was this your first medical tourism trip? How did you prepare for your journey?
A: Yes this was my first medical tourism trip, I prepared by getting my body right and my mental right. I took Iron pills, Vitamin C pills, Folic Acid pills, and B12 pills everyday. I drink plenty of water and made sure my skin care was on point for surgery. I also made sure had pain pills and muscle relaxers to take with me because they don’t have the same pain medicine as the US ours is stronger.
Q: How did you choose what doctor to use?
A: I researched Dr. Y for 5 yrs keeping up with deaths, infections, and lipo burns and at that time she had no deaths, infections or lipo burns that I could find. When I say deaths I mean that she was responsible for mean no deaths on her table or no deaths due to neglect.
Q: Did you travel with a companion? If so, what were the benefits? if any.
A: Yes I did I travel with my hair stylist. I paid her flight and her stay and it benefited a lot because she had been through it and knew what to expect. You have to take someone with you that loves you and to make sure you are taking care of the right way because Dominican Republic is not like the US as far as medical they stuff is old and the facilities look ancient. Their staff is self taught so not all the nurses are licensed. Some of the recovery houses are not clean enough so people has caught infections from recovery houses. You need someone to make sure everything is clean.
Q: How was the cleanliness and appearance of the hospital you received treatment from? How was the staff and nurses?
A: The cleanliness was fine the staffed cleaned and disinfected all day. The staff and nurses of Dr. Y was great they main concern is your health.
Q: Did you have any fears or concerns about receive medical care in another country? If so, what were they?
A: Of course, I had concerns I was going to a country that is known to be a 3rd world country. My concern was coming back to my husband and kids. I didn’t want any infections, lipo burns, but my biggest concern was not needing a blood transfusion that why I took all those different vitamins to make sure my hemoglobin was high enough so I wouldn’t need a blood transfusion.
Q: Did you feel safe at your hotel and other places you visited in the country?
A: Yes I felt extremely safe. I had no worries at all I stayed at Kindness Recovery Houses. I trusted my driver Patrick he made sure we were ok at all times. The only time we were alone when we left the recovery house was at the doctors office.
Q: How long did it take you to recover from your surgery before you could travel home, and what did you do during the recovery phase?
A: It took me 13 days before I could travel back to the US. I made it to the Dominican Republic on Feb 28th and returned back home on Mar 13th. I did absolutely nothing there I didn’t even turn the TV on just did a lot of resting. I stayed in bed if I was getting a massage or going to the doctor I stayed in bed.
Q: What are the advantages of getting a medical procedure in your destination of choice?
A: The advantage is the results the are excellent on round 1 some people get several rounds. I’m satisfied now Dr. Y changed my life. I got my body back after having 6 kids and my self confidence is back.
Before and after photos of Deborah
Q: Was there anything’s that you didn’t like about the medical care? Were there area’s that they could improve in?
A: I feel like they can be more informative as far as your procedure like how many CC’s of fat they put in each butt cheek and how many liters of fat they lipo out your body. My stomach could have been lipo from my top stomach muscles down but that’s ok she did a excellent job considering my results. I contacted her and told her my concern and she offered to redo my lipo free of charge for her I just have to pay for the use of the facility, anesthesiologist, medicine etc. I appreciate that and will be taking Dra. Yily up on her offer so I will tell you how that turns out.
Q: What advice would you give someone thinking of traveling to this destination for medical care?
A: My advice would be to do as much research on the doctor of choice and the recovery houses because those two things are very important and can make your recovery so much easier and infection free. The most important thing is to follow the doctors orders and not lie about your health at all. If you are denied surgery from a doctor do not doctor hop make sure you get your health in order first thing try again a year later. Some women wants the surgery so bad their life is second to a big butt. So they will lie about their health condition to qualify for surgery and some don’t make it home. It’s no benefit in being dead and snatched. If you are feeling sick and weak after surgery let your recovery house know right away to contact your doctor, and lastly listen to your body we know our bodies better than anyone. If you not feeling right speak up and don’t let them tell you it’s normal you have to be your own advocate when you are out the country. Your PCP knows your body like you do not a foreign doctor that gives you a series of test one day prior to surgery so make sure you speak out if you feel your level of care is not right.
Q: What is something that the medical tourism facilitator or healthcare provider could’ve offered you, that would’ve made your trip better?
A: I had everything that was needed to make my stay successful including my Lymphatic massage package that was included with my stay at the recovery house.
Q: Did you experience and complications from your medical procedure? If so, please explain.
A: Yes I had complications that I cause by not listen to Dra. Yily orders. She told me to use the spiro meter everyday to make sure my lungs were being exercised and I didn’t do my lungs collapsed then I caught pneumonia. But outside of that If I had of listened I wouldn’t of had no complications
Q: What did you like or dislike about the culture in the country?
A: The culture was fine I was treated great I have no complaints at all about Dr. Y, her staff or Kindness Recovery house and staff. I didn’t get out besides going to the clinic but the few people I came across were friendly.
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