Comestic and Plastic surgery in Taiwan

[feline.eyes]

aneles and kittygirl8,

You poor things seem to have suffered much... hope you guys feel better soon. Take care ^_^

and I love your signature kittygirl8, funny.

[UglyPiglet]

Day Two

The rib is still hurting but not as bad as the previous night. I couldnt get any sleep over the night due to the discomfort + the nurse would be in to take your pressure and temperature every couple of hours.

My nose is still dripping with blood water, especially when I try to get up to take my food or go to the bathroom. I have literally lost all my sense of taste and smell but well I guess that's a good thing for now cos the hospital food is so blend you wouldnt have any appetite anyway.

I can't help but laughed now when I think about how Aneles couldnt understand why I was so excited and kept gushing to her how nice is the smell of the chicken wings the auntie patient directly opposite our bed was having for lunch, and it makes me so hungry!! That was the day before I had my surgery and was fasting before going into the operating theatre. Without any sense and taste has its disadvantage as you literally wouldnt have any appetite to eat and I learnt it the hard way cos I hadnt been eating much and was so weak to walk on the very next day when I was due to be discharge from hospital. I had also lie in bed for practically the 2 days in hospital as my nose will start to bleed like tap water once I get up. So at the end of the day, try to eat as much as you can cos you will need all the energy you need to recuperate after that.

We were also pretty amazed by how Uglypiglet was able to be discharged on the 2nd day and have practically been through half of Taiwan by now while we were both still feeling like a dead meat even on our 3rd day. Should I call you SUPERpiglet now? Hehe...

Major feat of the day for me was to be able to get up on my own after somehow managing to achieve the skill of using the left side of my body. Not only that, but to also learn how to 'wiggle' myself back to bed after that cos one other thing other than getting up is to lie back down again cos it hurts equally as much.

Simple act like coughing still hurts and Aneles and myself have come to the pact that we would quickly switched channels if we see any funny taiwanese variety shows on TV as laughing is simply a no no and a killer pain at the rib area.

For those who is planning to do rhinoplasty via rib harvesting, please please be mentally and physically prepared cos it is definitely no walk in the park and is definitely a very exhausting and painful ordeal. It really take so much out of one physically and mentally and sometimes, the discomfort is so argonising, especially when the nose is so stuffed up when you can hardly breathe while asleep that I really feel like ripping off the cast on the nose.

Everyday is a challenge and brings new physically pain and the 'pain of the day' today is my back has started to ache. Maybe Im a old lady that is why it takes so much out of me. But I hope my experience, which unfortunately seemed to be besotted with so much physically pain and discomfort, would somewhat help those who may be planning to go down this route - eat well, take lotsa vitamins, exercise at least 3 months prior to pep up your body for this demanding and draining ordeal.

Thanks kittygirl8 for the comments. Well is painful but I tried to divert my attention away from the pain to shopping and beautiful things waiting ahead of me in Taipei. Which I've planned, that's how I overcome it. And somemore I'm staying in Ximenting areas. Lots of things to see and places to shop. And with the bandages and cast, no one really recognize you, even they can tell that you just went for PS. It doesn't matter, as U're not going to reside here but only for less than a week. So dun feel shy, I even tell the salon lady who is washing my hair that I just had my nose done I believe both you and Aneles will roam around the taiwan in next few days. Trust me, the most painful and gruesome is over. Now is time to shop and enjoy~!

[appletree]

Hi guys,

I am right now in Taipei! Arrived last week & finally went through my rhino with Dr Kao on the 11th. Going to Dr Chuang tomorrow for my eyes.

Tons to say, lots I went through from these few short days in Taipei - I dont know where to even start writing.

Dont mind my babble right now & will post more when I have composed my thoughts better.

1st & foremost, I need to applaud those that came alone to this foreign country (like recently handsomepiglet aka uglypiglet) - the pain, ordeal tt one goes thru after surgery (esp. autologous rhino OR going thru multiple surgeries), I'm amazed/shocked tt pple went through all that s__t & actually played it down when they wrote about their post-surgery experience.

IMHO, To sum it up - when I woke up straight after surgery - it literally felt like I just got hit by a train.

Did anyone feel pain in their eyes after their surgery? For me, when I woke up from surgery, I was screaming for my eyes as it hurt like F!!! it felt like there was needles poking my eyes constantly - gosh, the pain from the eyes was enough to divert any pain from the nose or rib.

That night was a totally horrifying time for me as there was so much pain. I begged for morphine but was denied.

To those who went thru the same op - did you guys feel similar level of pain OR am i the unlucky one that felt all these torment?

Will write more later when I get more inspiration.

BTW, there was a singapore lady tt was operated by Dr Kao last Wed (10th) & I understand that she is staying here in Kangning Apts - PM me if you wanna meet.

Lastly, i want to advise anyone that is planning to do their nose & eyes together - according to Dr Kao & Dr Chuang - it should be the eyes 1st, then the nose. Not the other way around. Kitty & I assumed it was nose then eyes & only after meeting the docs, we realised that we planned it all wrong. Dr Chuang even said that he might not be able to operate on us if we are still swollen on the 5th day after our nose surgery. I just want pple to know abt this so that they are not mislead & avoid wasting their days/time & extra money on accomodation.

Hi Aneles,

so excited for you! So what nose did dr kao gave you?

Aneles and kittygirl, handsomepiglet

Congrats on your new nose and finally the surgery is done, speedy recovery ok and rest well. So happy for you guys
Must bear with the pain for the moment, it is worthwhile afterall.
Do update us on the healing process and pictures ok?

moonlight_,

my nose is healing well, but i accidently bump into my nose this morning... SOB !!!

Anybody has any idea, when can start sleeping on the sideway or consume alcohol?

[kittygirl8]

Did anyone of you experience hair loss after the surgery or know if GA will result in such side effect? I noticed this bald patch on my head jus a minute ago which doesnt exist at all before the surgery and its kinda freaking me out. Anyone knows please advise. Thanks.

Kitty x

[bettyw]

Hi Pinkyice
its great toknow u finally got the results u desire.. any website of this doctor?
what were ur previous eyelid surgeries? cutting or sticthing? why do u wanna go for revisions??

Below is Dr Jong's website, it's also in the first post of this thread.

http://www.lrclinic.com.tw/

All my previous eyelid sugeries were done by the cutting method.
The surgeon in Singapore screwed up my eyes and he's from Mount Elizabeth Hospital no less...pfft...
And he blamed my eyes for the unsatisfactory results.
For the Thai surgeon, there was a communication barrier as he doesn't understand English well enough.
Dr Jong made sure I understand what he's going to do to my eyelids before he proceeded with the surgery.

Hi Pinkyice

Can you share with me in more details about your revisional eyelid surgery experience? I believe revisions get harder to do each time, so am quite hesitated to try again, anything you can share with me will be much appreciated....

[feline.eyes]

Did anyone of you experience hair loss after the surgery or know if GA will result in such side effect? I noticed this bald patch on my head jus a minute ago which doesnt exist at all before the surgery and its kinda freaking me out. Anyone knows please advise. Thanks.

Kitty x

Personally I didn't experience that but I remember reading about similar issues on another forum... can't remember which though. Anyway it is temporary and consult a doctor if it makes you feel better.

[moonlight_pmdct]

i know, it's gonna be scary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lolz
Will let you know:)
Thank you for the well wishes I need all the good luck I can get:)

moonlight pmdct,

Please keep us updated on your stay in Taipei, it would be interesting to see how you get on there with the language barrier and getting around etc. I am interested in staying in kang ning apartments also if I go to taipei next year.

Good luck and all the best

x

[moonlight_pmdct]

See you there Kittygirl!!! and thank you for your posts!

Congrats on having it done already!

Hi Moonlight & Kaka,

Yes let's catch up when you gals are here next week, looking forward to seeing you gals!

hey chubbygasper,

Loved your nick! I will try to drop by your room later, am waiting for Aneles to come back from her eye surgery. Will I have a gasper lookalike opening the door for me when I drop by your room lol!

Catch up with you later

[moonlight_pmdct]

oh no!! how is your nose doing now? Do you see any side of deviation from the midline?

About the sleeping on your side, I heard that you can start do that now (just keep your head elevated above your heart and make sure not to push your nose against your pillow) About alcohol, I'm not sure. I know that tobacco is a definite no-no 'cause it affects the healing process.

Hi guys,

I am right now in Taipei! Arrived last week & finally went through my rhino with Dr Kao on the 11th. Going to Dr Chuang tomorrow for my eyes.

Tons to say, lots I went through from these few short days in Taipei - I dont know where to even start writing.

Dont mind my babble right now & will post more when I have composed my thoughts better.

1st & foremost, I need to applaud those that came alone to this foreign country (like recently handsomepiglet aka uglypiglet) - the pain, ordeal tt one goes thru after surgery (esp. autologous rhino OR going thru multiple surgeries), I'm amazed/shocked tt pple went through all that s__t & actually played it down when they wrote about their post-surgery experience.

IMHO, To sum it up - when I woke up straight after surgery - it literally felt like I just got hit by a train.

Did anyone feel pain in their eyes after their surgery? For me, when I woke up from surgery, I was screaming for my eyes as it hurt like F!!! it felt like there was needles poking my eyes constantly - gosh, the pain from the eyes was enough to divert any pain from the nose or rib.

That night was a totally horrifying time for me as there was so much pain. I begged for morphine but was denied.

To those who went thru the same op - did you guys feel similar level of pain OR am i the unlucky one that felt all these torment?

Will write more later when I get more inspiration.

BTW, there was a singapore lady tt was operated by Dr Kao last Wed (10th) & I understand that she is staying here in Kangning Apts - PM me if you wanna meet.

Lastly, i want to advise anyone that is planning to do their nose & eyes together - according to Dr Kao & Dr Chuang - it should be the eyes 1st, then the nose. Not the other way around. Kitty & I assumed it was nose then eyes & only after meeting the docs, we realised that we planned it all wrong. Dr Chuang even said that he might not be able to operate on us if we are still swollen on the 5th day after our nose surgery. I just want pple to know abt this so that they are not mislead & avoid wasting their days/time & extra money on accomodation.

Hi Aneles,

so excited for you! So what nose did dr kao gave you?

Aneles and kittygirl, handsomepiglet

Congrats on your new nose and finally the surgery is done, speedy recovery ok and rest well. So happy for you guys
Must bear with the pain for the moment, it is worthwhile afterall.
Do update us on the healing process and pictures ok?

moonlight_,

my nose is healing well, but i accidently bump into my nose this morning... SOB !!!

Anybody has any idea, when can start sleeping on the sideway or consume alcohol?

[moonlight_pmdct]

Did anyone of you experience hair loss after the surgery or know if GA will result in such side effect? I noticed this bald patch on my head jus a minute ago which doesnt exist at all before the surgery and its kinda freaking me out. Anyone knows please advise. Thanks.

Kitty x

Kitty,

I don't think GA is supposed to cause baldness. Is it a patch that is bald or you can see your hair on the whole head falling off one by one? one of the thing that I can think of is that during the operation, they might have used tape to secure your head or appointment and then they accidently torn your hair off. hmmm that's one theory, but I think you better ask Dr. Kao.

Good luck and let us know!!! I'm kinda scared too!

[tobehunk]

The Pain

Strangely, I started to feel the same pricking pain in my left eyes as what Aneles has experienced. It is truly the most agonising pain, so much so that it over shadowed the other pain from the rib and the stuffed up nose.

I was told by the nurse that we're not allowed to drink any water or take any food at least 6 hours after the surgery to avoid bleeding to the internal organs. (To 'Ugly/Super/handsome piglet', probably this is the reason why the nurse wouldnt give you water when you requested and its truly argonising especially when we would have fasted for like over 10 over hours since the night before and have to endure another 6 more hours after surgery)

The worst part is when I try to move my body and that's only when I experience the full extent of the pain from the right side, where the rib was harvested. The only word that I can describe the pain is that it felt that a part of me has been ripped/sawed off. Even a little thing like swallowing and coughing is enough to hurt the hell of of you, thus I cant imagine who those other forummer who had talked about vomitting. Other than that, the nose will keep dripping blood like mine did, its really like a pool of tap water, except its your own blood that is oozing out.
Coughing out or swallowing the phlegm is a major feat too as it will send ripple of pain to the rib area. Trying to get any sleep is difficult too as the nose will either be too stuffed up that you can't even breathe, or it would be constantly dripping with blood.

Caretaker

I would strongly suggest anyone who is planning to do rhinoplasty via rib harvesting to either have someone close to you to come along, or please employ a caretaker cos for the first two days, you would probably be 'paralysed', especially the part when you need to get up to go to the bathroom. It is impossible to get up on your own cos the pain for that little small act is enough to kill you. (so dun ever take little normal act of getting out of bed every morning for granted now )

What we slowly learned is to try to get up via using the left hand and the left side of your body, but that too need some skill. So for anyone planning to do this, please 'practise; getting up from the bed every morning for at least 3 mths prior to the surgery if you tend to get up via the right side, but then again, I wonder if that would help much cos the pain can be so argonising, even a mere act of moving your body is painful. The pain however would somehow dissipate if you manage to find the 'right angle' and remain at that which would make the pain from the rib seem somewhat lessen.

Well some may say that the nurse would probably be able to help on this, but somehow or rather, it doesnt seem to be the 'duty' of the nurses over here to do so. They do of course help one to get up and etc when you asked but they would not go out of the way to help you and seemed somewhat 'business like' if that's the right way to put it. My experience was for a few times, they would help you to get up, some doesnt and just stand and watch you struggle, or other times they 'disappear' after helping you get up from bed, and you would have to make your own way to the bathroom and back. With the drip on one hand where you also need to pull along the big metal stand where the drip is hung on, it also makes getting around rather immobile. So folks, dont expect any 'Japanese fantasy nurses here lol.

It would help to bring along a straw for drinking, lip gross for the dry and cracked lip and a small compact mirror where it helps to see better when you are cleaning the inside of the nose with the q-tip while in bed cos the nurse aint gonna help on that either. Its good to bring along 2 packs of ice pack so you dont have to wait for it to freeze up all the time. Of course it would be good if the hospital can provide.

OH.MY.GOD......wow... kittygirl8... really have to thank you for the very detailed experience... very good... really gives us who wan to do the rib graft surgery some thots.... i think i can speak most of us here.. we appreciate your details... at least it will help us mentally n physically prepared to if we wan to do the rib graft path.... BIG THANKS!!

ur description of the pain ordeal really scares me... and im a guy... hahah... but at least i know how bad it can get...

some thots... did dr hsu tell u what nose will he be trying to achieve for you?
i notice ur rib graft was also on the right side - same as uglypiglet. any reason y?

when they operate on u to take the rib, was it the same day they did the nose as well? cant u rest a few days before the nose after the rib ops?

and wat type of rooms did u stay in the hopital? i mean was there like type a or b ... share with how many ppe? or can u have a room all by ur self? and how much the cost?

lastly, really get well soon!! and post up the pics for us to see... its so scarey hearing how much pain u guys have to go thru... so its better to see the after of the surgery to make it worth while...

GET WELL SOON OK?!! AND SPEDDY RECOVERY!!

[tobehunk]

U go girl~! The pain was gruesome right after the surgery when I still recalled the stupid nurse ask me to breathe myself as they remove the oxygen mask from me. Which actually I'm already breathing at my own. Wow my throat at that time was so dry and thirsty and the nurse refuse to let me have a sip but using the damn cotton wool soak with water to moist my lips But somehow U've to try endure the pain when u visit the toilet that night. After that night, the pain subside. For the sharp pain that u felt on ur eyes, I've not encounter it. Most probably already numb or immune after my dbl eyelid surgery...... Congrats, the very obstacles is cleared, next is rest well for your eyes. Continue to update your condition and progress, gorgeous aneles [/quote]

uglypiglet, did u take the sinecch? do u still any?

[bettyw]

Hi all,

Just did my nose with Dr Kao last week. Since noone has experience with him here yet so thought I can share mine here.

Dr Kao has really good knowledge of the nose and is very confident in his work. He is as friendly as he sounds like in his emails and gives very detailed consultation. Discussion was almost 2hrs and he makes sure there is mutual understanding on the nose shape I want with pictures of models. You can bring your own pics but Dr Kao has tons of model pics taken from magazines. I was quite surprised to see he also printed out my photo beforehand and he also does photo imaging so I can see how my nose looks like. I like that he takes the consultation professionally and seriously.

This is my 3rd revsion. I did it twice with Dr Chuang and the reason for this revision is due to a deviated implant from the 2nd revision. Exact reason I am still not sure cos both Dr C and Kao had different views. Dr C feels the deviation is slight only and I can keep it that way, not necessary to go through revision to correct it. Faintz.. who will not mind having a crooked nose? Honestly, he is too busy and consultation with him is stressful cos he always has another surgery to rush for and limited time to talk.

So I went ahead with Dr Kao. Did rib cartilage and the surgery took around 7hrs. Was hospitalised for 2 nights due to the GA.
Rib hurts slightly especially 1st 2 nights, pain was terrible when getting off the bed and coughing. I stayed at Kang Ning hospital and the service were quite limited. Better to have someone to take care of you during the stay cos nurses there are different from Sg. They only do their job like changing drips, take blood pressure. If you need help to get off the bed or to go toilet, they are relunctant to help you. Food is not included in the hospital stay uness you want to order from them at additional cost. But there is a 7-eleven below if you can walk there, otherwise it is better to have someone to help you get food.

Results so far is very good and I'm happy with my nose now. But it is only one week and swelling still so have to wait longer to see the final results. No regrets going to Dr Kao. He has very good post op follow up too, quite caring doctor. Comes to the ward everyday to check everything is alright and after I came bk to sg, he emails me first to ask how is my nose doing and any probs.

Sorry for the long posts, but hope these info can give a better idea to those who are still considering which docs to go to in Taiwan.

Hi, thanks very much for sharing can you pls post Dr Kao's website ?

[bettyw]

Angeluv, I really love your results with Dr. Kao. The bridge of yours does look high and I wonder if it is expected to go down after a few years (toriumi philosophy).

I was quite hesistant with TW docs since none of them seem to give the type of results I prefer. Dr. Kao is the first positive one I've seen. Even better that he is an ENT.

I'm thinking of considering sending Dr. Kao an email but the website gives me a headache! So many chinese words! Does anyone know his contact email?

On a side note, has anyone suffered from "over agressive rhinoplasty" before? I had a high bridge which was shaved down too much when all I wanted to remove was a tiny lump, done by one of the blue eyed boys here - kinda left me with a washed out look from the front. Now I probably need an augmentation instead

Foubelle: I think its quite unlikely to make the nose "slimmer" without alarplasty. It will look weirder in my opinion if one had a higher bridge (looks sharper) with flared out nostrils ? Just my 2 cents.

Thks

The bridge is not that high, actually lower than the 2nd revision. Dr Kao gave me lower bridge with higher tip. The bridge will go even lower after swelling is gone. I am just concerned if the tip will be still as sharp like now or rounder when absorption happens. Anyone has idea?
Those who did rib cartilage, how did ur nose turn out after few months? Has the shape changed?

Dr Kao email is chuanhsiang@yahoo.com.tw

Thank you for the address - what about Dr Kao's website?

[boii18]

kittygirl8 thanks for your updates! Hope to see the pictures soon however gruesome they are >.< I hope that you have a nice time in taipei even though you seem to be in terrible pain. Definitely others are going to go the same path as you so no worries yeah! Take care and be sure to take your medicine regularly!

aneles do take care after your nose job with dr kao and your possibly upcoming eyes job with dr chuang


UglyPiglet thanks for the updates, the changes are really dramatic!

And I think they took from right rib because its farther from the heart, any idea? Thats my common sense, haha non-bio/med layperson here.


To kittygirl and aneles, you both did your noses at dr kao, am i right? Then aiming to do eyes with Dr Chuang?