A mother-of-three was left with deep holes in her stomach and fat gushing from her scars after a botched operation in Turkey.

Michelle Collyer, from Cambridgeshire, was left bed-bound with horrific scarring and diagnosed with PTSD after ‘treating’ herself to what was supposed to be a £8k ‘mummy makeover’ at a clinic, self-described as a ‘VIP cosmetic surgery’, in Istanbul.

The support worker first met her surgeon just 15 minutes before her operation and was told she would instead be having a singular tummy tuck, 360 body lift and breast reduction implants, costing an extra £1k.

During the operation she was put under general anaesthetic for 10 hours, four hours longer than the maximum time medically recommended, and was left with severe wounding on her stomach.

After waking up her body was convulsing in shock while she was refused morphine.

Four days later, her doctor performed a revision on her scarring – cutting into her body whilst she was awake – which eventually left her with 7cm holes and blood and fat streaming out of her stomach, before she was hospitalised in the UK and left unable to leave her house or move for months.

Ms Collyer, who runs a support group for people affected by botched surgeries, has since been ignored by the clinic on social media and email after revealing the extent of her injuries.

She told MailOnline: ‘It was horrific. The care was shocking. I’ve had three children and I’ve experienced pain, but nothing like this. I was literally just given co-codamol.

Michelle Collyer (pictured) was left with deep holes in her stomach and blood and fat gushing from her scars after a shocking botched Turkish operation

Her stomach eventually healed but she has left with 'horrendous' scarring that makes her stomach look 'deformed'

Her stomach eventually healed but she has left with ‘horrendous’ scarring that makes her stomach look ‘deformed’

Four days after her original surgery her doctor performed a revision on her scarring, which eventually left her with 7cm holes in her stomach

‘When I came round my whole body was in convulsion. I went into shock and I was so cold. The heating was broken which was making me shake even more.

‘There was such a massive language barrier and we weren’t getting internet either, so we couldn’t use the translator app.’

The revision surgery later took place the doctor’s clinic, more suited to ‘lip filler’ procedures she claims, rather than an operating theatre.

‘All he said was, “I just need to fix something”. But he didn’t explain to me what he was actually doing.

‘He then laid me on the bed and started injecting all around where my scar was with numbing cream. And he opened me up there and then, while I was awake and cut away.

‘I begged him to stop but he continued whilst I was awake. I was crying the whole time, and they wouldn’t let my husband in the room.’

After the second procedure the mother had two drains attached to her body to keep leakage. They both rapidly filled up with blood and liquid fat but the Turkish doctors declared her fit to fly and she returned home.

On her return her stomach leaked more intensely, but she was assured it was ‘normal and fine’ by the clinic.

Blood and liquid fat rapidly discharged from her stomach holes when she returned home

‘I noticed one of my gorges was soaking wet, so I changed them all. But it was a mixture of blood and liquid fat and it had the most horrific smell of flesh.

‘Within 48 hours, things really got bad, and I got very poorly with a high temperature and heart palpitations.

Ms Collyer’s stomach ‘completely opened up’ and she was admitted to hospital where she was left in agony.

She was treated by a plastic surgeon before returning home where she was visited by a nurse for wound care every day for four months.

‘I wasn’t able to move apart from to go to the toilet and I got necrosis because I wasn’t moving.

‘I had to have my family members literally do everything for me. They had to look after my children and help around the house because I literally couldn’t do anything.

‘I couldn’t lift, I couldn’t even hold a mug of tea or coffee or anything. I had to get someone to do it for me, or I had to drink from a cup and just use a straw.

‘It was just absolute hell. This went on for about four months in total to get me to a state where I didn’t need nurses in my home every day.’

‘I was diagnosed with PTSD. Mentally and physically it was awful.’

Her stomach eventually healed but she has left with ‘horrendous’ scarring that makes her stomach look ‘deformed’.

‘It’ll always be the biggest regret of my life. My surgery was supposed to be a treat to myself,’ she said

Ms Collyer’s breast implants were never put in while her breasts have been left mishaped.

‘It’ll always be the biggest regret of my life. My surgery was supposed to be a treat to myself.

‘I now have a huge scar and body dysmorphia. It’s just an endless battle within my head.’

After reporting her body’s damage to the clinic she was offered further surgery in Turkey but they warned her against using UK surgeons.

‘Once I told them I went into hospital and my surgeon’s opinion, their whole communication changed,’ she said.

‘I’ve asked for all my medical records. They denied me access. They wouldn’t send anything through.

Dr Anthony Barabas, NHS consultant plastic and hand surgeon, who treated Ms Collyer, told MailOnline: ‘It was one of the worst cases I’ve seen face to face.

‘We would not recommend surgery that will take longer than six hours. Complications including death massively rise after that. She was under for ten hours which is ridiculously long.

‘In Michelle’s case they didn’t do the surgery they said they’d do. The closure of the abdomen wasn’t done correctly.

‘The surgeon did the restitching in his office. A tiny stitch would be okay in the UK but anything else should have been done in an operating theatre.

‘She had two drains in until she flew. They filled up with 400ml each. That is too much discharge to fly.

Turkish surgeries  offer packages including VIP airport transfers in ‘luxury vehicles’ and 5-star hotel stays with breakfast. But at least 28 Brits have died from dodgy surgeries since 2019

A variety of procedures not offered in the UK are carried out by doctors in Turkey  

‘She shouldn’t have had combined breast and abdomen surgery. In Turkey they cram as much into one surgery as possible because they don’t think people will come back.

At least 28 Brits have died, and many more left seriously injured, by dodgy Turkish treatments since 2019.

Dr Barabas added: ‘Complications in Turkey are very frequent. I’ve seen 30 over the past 18 months. Most NHS departments have a steady trickle coming in. One case cost the NHS £120,000. But the tide is changing in the UK. We only cover life threatening or open wounds – not just if you don’t like the result.

‘In Turkey speed, not safety, is the priority. The problem is a lot of patients go on the cheap and choose the cheapest option. You are taking a bit of a risk getting surgery abroad where you are away from your doctors.

He added: ‘Another problem is ‘cosmetic surgeon’ is not a protected term. Anyone with a surgical degree can say they are one. In Turkey, if you speed through your exams you can be one three years after medical school.

‘Lots of surgeons are very poorly trained but realise there is a lot of money to be made – so go straight for it.’

Ms Collyer warned others of the danger of Turkish treatments.

‘Don’t risk your life,’ she said. ‘Prior to choosing the clinic I researched for two years and nothing came up bad against them.

‘That should have been a red flag. I should have woken up and thought, why isn’t there at least one bad review?’

The red flags of getting cosmetic surgery abroad

All surgery carries risk, but it is important to do your research before hopping on a plane to get cheap plastic surgery. 

Although it can cost less than getting surgery in the UK, you need to bear in mind that the safety standards may not be the same. 

Holiday packages 

You should be cautious of any website that sell cosmetic surgery as part of a holiday, the NHS warns. 

Some websites sell the idea of sightseeing alongside hotels with breakfast included. 

NHS advice adds that if you are looking at holiday packages make sure you have a consultation with a surgeon and don’t just meet a salesperson. 

The health service adds that you should not pay to see a surgeon you have never met.  

The Royal College of Surgeons of England also echoes the NHS’s concerns and advises to not agree to cosmetic surgery before meeting the surgeon and visiting the hospital.

UK plastic surgeon Veerle Rotsaert said: ‘Travelling long-haul overseas to have surgery done, followed by no proper aftercare, that’s where often things go wrong.

‘Often third party agencies sell surgery without any surgeon ever seeing the patient in person and having a proper consultation until it is actually surgery day.’

Extra costs

Many of the surgeries offered overseas in countries such as Turkey are more affordable than private clinics in the UK.

However, there could be hidden costs. 

The Royal College of Surgeons of England urges people to consider the cost for additional flights and hotel stays for future corrective, or touch-up procedures.

It also warns patients to consider what might happen overseas if they pay ahead of time but change their mind before the operation as their right to a refund could vary in different countries. 

Choosing the right surgeon

Surgeons and clinics are regulated differently in different countries and standards can vary.

Before traveling abroad for surgery the NHS says you should ask if the surgeon is fully trained in the surgery you want and how long they have been practicing for. 

The surgeon should also be fully insured to carry out the surgery you want, says the Royal College of Surgeons of England. It suggests asking to see details of the surgeons insurance. 

It is also vital you have a proper consultation with your surgeon before you consent to having the surgery, experts warn.

Risks of flying 

Flying and having major surgery increases your risk of getting a blood clot, which can be life threatening. 

As a result, the NHS warns people should wait five to seven days to fly after procedures such as breast surgery and liposuction and wait seven to 10 days to fly after facial cosmetic procedures or tummy tucks.

However, some surgeons suggest waiting between two to six weeks before flying depending on the procedure. 

Dr Rotsaert explained: ‘This is because first of all, you want patients to stay relatively close to their surgeon in case of any immediate post-op issues.’

He added: Secondly because of the deep vein thrombosis/pulmonary embolism risk associated with the act of surgery, it’s aftermath, as well as prolonged immobilisation.’

Drinking plenty of water, avoiding alcohol and walking about during your flight can help circulation, but this doesn’t completely remove the risk of a blood clot especially having major surgery, the British Association of Plastic Reconstruction and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS). 

Aftercare

Follow up care after your surgery is an important part of your treatment. But traveling abroad can make it more complicated. 

Before getting surgery outside of the UK consider how long it would take you to travel back to your surgeon if there is a complication, says the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

Make sure you have a contact for a named doctor that can deal with any complications, rather than a helpline, experts warn. 

You need to also make sure the clinic will deal with any problems and that they will help if you are not happy with your outcome. 

In many cases the NHS will not help you unless you have a serious complication which requires emergency or life-saving support. 

Source: NHS, BAPRAS and Royal College of Surgeons England. 

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