- As the owner of Ivy Health, I thought it would be important to share with my clients my own experience of using the SurGal Clinic, because I thought it would help demonstrate my confidence and trust in the service and team at the clinic.
Preparing
After my consultation with my surgeon, Dr Ivan Justan, for Breast Enlargement Surgery back in May, it was time to prepare for my departure to the clinic in Brno in the Czech Republic.
I had booked my flights and hotel months before to get the best deals at the time with Ryanair and Booking.com.
Two weeks before my departure I started to prepare myself for surgery by eating a healthy diet and no alcohol.
Also, as hard as it was, a lot of people around me were starting to come down with colds so as another preventative measure I started to take a healthy dose of vitamin C which seemed to have worked and kept the bugs at bay.
Departure
I travelled from my home to Stansted Airport with plenty of time to spare. It is very important to allow yourself enough time to prevent you being stressed out whilst travelling to the clinic.
Once I had checked in it was nice to relax with my partner who accompanied me on the trip for a nice lunch before boarding our flight to Brno.
A top tip for anyone travelling, I always book the seats at the rear of the plane as it makes it so much easier to vacate the plane when you have landed. Brno airport is so easy to get through within 15 minutes you are normally through passport control and in your private car.
The driver from the SurGal Clinic was already there waiting for us and we continued our journey to the clinic.
Arrival at SurGal Clinic
As we went through the grand class entrance a nurse was waiting for us and she kindly showed me to my room. We settled in and they bought us coffee and a light meal.
There was a lot of paperwork to fill in, but I took my time and the nurse came back to take everything away once it was complete. When all the formalities were over, I decided to have a shower and get into night wear.
A nurse came in and put a cannula into my arm and did an ECG. We were then left to relax and watched some DVDs that we had brought with us from home.
Day of Breast Surgery.
The staff woke me up early – around 5.30am – for the start of my pre-ops. These consist of bloods, urine, X Ray, internist valuation and the Anaesthetist, who were also followed by a consultation with my surgeon.
Once all my pre-ops results were clear, Dr Justan came in to see me and marked me up ready for surgery. I wanted to discuss with him again the implant size as it had been a long time since my previous meeting with him.
About an hour before my surgery, a nurse came in and gave me my pre-med to relax me before going down to theatre. At around 12pm, two nurses came to take me down to theatre.
I remember laughing and joking with them as we made our way. Once in theatre I was transferred onto the operating table and the anaesthetist was chatting to me in very good English and telling me she was about to administer the anaesthetic and I may feel woozy. That was the last I remember until I woke up in my private room with my partner.
The rest of the afternoon, the nurses would come in and assist with toilet duties if needed as I was informed I would not be allowed out of bed for 6 hours. They continued to administer pain relief through my drip and fluids and monitored my blood pressure. I felt very well looked after and cared for.
Early evening, they bought a meal for my partner and a light meal for myself. I had a good night sleep that night and felt fine in the morning to get up and wash my hair and freshen up.
1st day Post – Op
After breakfast, Dr Justan came in with a nurse to remove my bandages. At this stage, I had not seen the result. Once they were removed they took photos of the front and side view for their records and I could have my first real look.
I was really pleased with the result and he had done exactly what we had discussed at my consultation. They then assisted me with a support bra which the clinic provided to make sure it fitted perfectly.
I continued to take it easy and rest until lunch was brought to us. We were asked what time we would like to leave the clinic to check into our hotel, so our taxi was booked for 2pm.
Before I was discharged, the Clinic Manager came to discharge me along with the paperwork regarding the procedure. I was given a Care Pack containing painkillers for the next few days along with 6 days of DVT injections and dressings. After this, I could change into comfortable clothes and we were taken to our hotel to relax for a further two days before flying back to the UK.
2nd day Post – Op
I had a good night’s sleep in the hotel and felt fine to get up and go down to breakfast. For the first three days, I wasn’t allowed to shower or get the dressings wet, but after three days it was OK to shower and I had to replace the dressings every day.
The clinic provided me with several days’ worth of dressings, but I had planned ahead and had extra supplies at home. The dressings the clinic give you will need to be ordered with your local pharmacy because no one keeps them in stock.
I felt well enough to have a gentle stroll in the city, but made sure I rested frequently. General anaesthetic takes time to get out of your system, so it is important you don’t overdo things.
Regarding describing the after effects of surgery, everyone is different. Your chest does feel a little tight and sore, but nothing that can’t be controlled through pain relief and rest.
In the evening, I felt fine to have dinner in the restaurant at the hotel before getting another good night’s sleep before departure the next day. I would advise all my clients who have a PM flight to ask for a late check-out at the reception of your chosen hotel so you can relax right up to departure.
On the way home
Our taxi had been pre-booked so it arrived on time and we headed off to the airport. Getting through the usual airport security checks and passport control was nice and quick.
I had on me my discharge papers from the clinic in case there was any issues with carrying DVT injections or medication. I have never experienced any problems with clients carrying these, but to save any issues carrying the discharge papers from your surgeon prevents this.
On my flight home it was such a short flight everything was fine, and I was able to walk from the plane all the way through to passport control and back to our car.
Another top tip…If you can park in the short-stay car park at Stansted in zone orange, this is 3 minutes’ walk to the terminal!
3rd day Post- Op
After returning home, I soon got myself into a routine regarding aftercare. Rest is the best path to recovery as you will be limited to any physical duties. At night time I would have my shower, remove dressings, dry the wound with a hairdryer before applying fresh dressing then inject with the DVT at the same time every night.
It is very important you wear your support garment 24/7. I have spare ones so when one is being washed I don’t have to wait for it to dry before being able to wear one.
Anyone who wishes to have more than one, I can give them details where to order them from in the UK and they cost around £40.00. I continued for the next couple of weeks to rest and do what my body told me.
3rd week Post -Op
I am now starting to do gentle duties and feel a lot better in myself. I no longer require dressings on the breasts and I can now have a bath which is heaven for me.
The discomfort now is hard to explain, but I’ll try to explain the best way I can. There is still numbness to the breasts in certain areas and there is a feeling like pins and needles where the nerve endings are repairing.
I have been assured this is all perfectly normal. This can go on for several weeks or months before normal feeling resumes. I am still sleeping on my back, but I bought a support v-shaped memory foam pillow which supports me, so I’m not lying flat.
Straight after your procedure, you feel a bit uncomfortable getting up and down. It feels like you have had an extensive workout and you have pulled muscles. It is now three weeks since my procedure and still very early days, but I am looking forward to getting to the 6-week mark and seeing the result. Also, I’m looking forward to be able to go shopping and buy pretty garments to enhance my surgery.
Having Breast Surgery wasn’t something I had considered in the past, but having this procedure I am sure will boost my confidence and I will look better in my clothes. I wished I had done this 10 years ago, but it just shows it is never too late to treat yourself and be the more confident you.
Once I reach my recovery period I will be able to share with my clients the before-and-after photos, so until then I will continue my recovery a happy lady.
