Ok, I have to get this off of my chest because I do not want anyone to have to go through the experience that I have had with Dr. Reiche in Costa Rica.
First of all, before I get into the details of how screwed up the service was that I was provided, let me get into the horrific details of my botched surgery with this man.
Number one, every screw I had placed in my jaw has been infected so far. I am only 2-months post op and have had to have all of them removed by another surgeon on 3 separate occasions.
Number two, I have a burning sensation on the lower left part of my chin that covers a significant part of my face which apparently signifies to doctors here that the nerve has been severed meaning that the feeling will not return. The maxillofacial surgeon I consulted here in the states as my follow-up doctor said he has never had this happen before (oh by the way, after taking a CAT scan my follow-up surgeon here was NOT impressed by the work that I had done in Costa Rica and this is coming from a non-biased man who was actually going to go to a foreign country to start practicing maxillofacial surgery. It is not because I had it done in Costa Rica that he is concerned, it is because the doctor did a bad job).
Number three, Dr. Reiche convinced me to get the surgery done without braces beforehand. He told me up and down that they wouldn't be necessary because my case was "special". WRONG. After doing a lot of research I have come to the conclusion that it is almost mandatory to have orthodontics before the procedure. The guy really messed me up so he could get a quick paycheck.
Now on to the service I received while in Costa Rica which is even more scandalous.
The surgeon's fee is $9,000. This includes hospital, anesthesia, everything. However, I paid $13,800 for the entire thing. One would think that the remaining money went to the recovery facility but no. Only $800 did (this was the only good experience of my whole trip - the food was great and the woman who runs the place is fantastic and yes she told me that she collected only $800 from the agency that arranges all of this). That leaves the remainder ($4,000) to go to "Costa Rica New Look" which is just a woman named Caroline and her 20 year old son. When I confronted her about the charges she said that yes, only $9,000 went towards the surgery, $800 went towards the recovery facility, and the rest was for "miscellaneous charges". She wouldn't tell me what those charges were though. She DID happen to mention that it included everything that could possibly go wrong, including if I had to go to the hospital due to complications, etc.
She is a scam artist and nothing more. I didn't need to go the hospital. She barely even saw me the entire time I was there and she collected thousands of dollars, almost half of what the freaking doctor himself, the hospital charges, anesthesia, etc, cost just to pick me up at the airport and check in with me THREE TIMES at the recovery house. Maybe I should give her more credit though, she did bring me KFC potatoes on one of those occasions.
THE NIGHTMARE I HAVE BEEN THROUGH BECAUSE OF THIS IS HORRIBLE. I could go into so many details that it's not even funny. I have been orthognathically raped by these people and I would not reccomend this experience to anyone.
Bottom line - STAY AWAY FROM COSTA RICA!!!
COSTA RICA NIGHTMARE!!!
Moderator: bbsadmin
scguy85
Oh yea, I almost forgot.
At the recovery hospital I nearly almost had a heart attack and no one even came to my bed for 45 minutes. Not lying. My heart rate skyrocketed to 175 beats per minute after I had been injected with some anti-inflamatory medication by a nurse and after pressing the emergency help button which sounds a very loud alarm no one came to my help for nearly 45 minutes. This included me nearly screaming "someone help!". 45 MINUTES I waited. Everyone in the hospital (which is incredibly small, the entire staff must be no more than 20-30 people) were attending another operation and were out of sight.
At the recovery hospital I nearly almost had a heart attack and no one even came to my bed for 45 minutes. Not lying. My heart rate skyrocketed to 175 beats per minute after I had been injected with some anti-inflamatory medication by a nurse and after pressing the emergency help button which sounds a very loud alarm no one came to my help for nearly 45 minutes. This included me nearly screaming "someone help!". 45 MINUTES I waited. Everyone in the hospital (which is incredibly small, the entire staff must be no more than 20-30 people) were attending another operation and were out of sight.
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lealicious
- Posts: 31
- Joined: Fri Feb 26, 2010 5:00 pm
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
Re: COSTA RICA NIGHTMARE!!!
4,000 dollar KFC potatoes... I hope they were the best damn potatoes you have ever tasted.scguy85 wrote:Maybe I should give her more credit though, she did bring me KFC potatoes on one of those occasions
I'm sorry to hear about your horrible experience. Personally, I would never go somewhere foreign to get my surgery done. I would rather pay a little extra for a well known, reliable surgeon. I haven't had my surgery yet, but I'm still researching and having consultations with other surgeons. My orthodontist recommended one particular surgeon who apparently has a "stellar" reputation, but I am still going to look elsewhere until I am completely satisfied with who I have chosen.
I'm also wondering if the amount you paid was in USD. If you came to Australia you probably could have had the surgery for cheaper. I think without insurance it would be about $15,000 Australian Dollars. But with insurance it'll be much cheaper cause they cover quite a lot for the surgeon's fees, and heaps of the hospital fees. So maybe it'll be about half-price.
I am also so sorry you went through this. I had a bad experience here in the U.S. My screws are all securely in place - I just had the wrong jaw surgery! He did only my lower, when he should have done both jaws. I hope everything will work out for you in the end. What an ordeal you have been through.
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mamaneedsanewjaw
- Posts: 139
- Joined: Fri Mar 12, 2010 9:06 am
How terrible for you! So sorry you have had to go through this. It sounds like the recovery is hard enough without any complications. And then to hear what you had to go through is unthinkable! How on earth can someone have a positive experience with this man after what you went though?
So are you having to pay more out of pocket for all of your treatment from the complications?
So are you having to pay more out of pocket for all of your treatment from the complications?
Yea, I'm having to pay more out of pocket to correct things that he botched. I know some people had a positive experience with him on this board but I sure didn't.
And two oral maxillofacial surgeons here said that his work was very shabby after looking at some CAT scans.
I honestly would have jumped off a bridge instead of getting my surgery done in Costa Rica by Reiche.
To anyone wondering whether they should go there or not, my vote is an emphatic NO!!!
And two oral maxillofacial surgeons here said that his work was very shabby after looking at some CAT scans.
I honestly would have jumped off a bridge instead of getting my surgery done in Costa Rica by Reiche.
To anyone wondering whether they should go there or not, my vote is an emphatic NO!!!
Wow, I am sorry to hear this. Really surprising since OzzysMom had such a good experience. How is everything going? Any updates? I hope you're able to fix everything.
Braces first time 12/96-11/99
Braces second time 12/08-10/09
BSSO & Le Fort I 6/15!
Unwired, in elastics, and on soft foods 6/26!!!
Orthodontic elastics 7/21-8/11
Braces off... OCTOBER 2ND, 2009!
Braces second time 12/08-10/09
BSSO & Le Fort I 6/15!
Unwired, in elastics, and on soft foods 6/26!!!
Orthodontic elastics 7/21-8/11
Braces off... OCTOBER 2ND, 2009!
No, nothing has been going better. The whole thing has been horrible. The guy who did my procedure is satanic. That is all I have to say about him. I wouldn't wish what I have been going through on my worst enemy. I've had numerous doctors here say that if he were practicing in the United States I would have a legitimate medical malpractice suit.
If anyone is even thinking about going to Costa Rica, please private message me and I would even be willing to talk to you over the phone about my horror story just to keep another soul from having to go through what I went through.
I am actually currently looking into what the guidelines are for suing an international doctor. I know that that is pretty much impossible but nonetheless I have looked into it.
BOTTOM LINE - DON'T GO TO COSTA RICA!!!!!
If anyone is even thinking about going to Costa Rica, please private message me and I would even be willing to talk to you over the phone about my horror story just to keep another soul from having to go through what I went through.
I am actually currently looking into what the guidelines are for suing an international doctor. I know that that is pretty much impossible but nonetheless I have looked into it.
BOTTOM LINE - DON'T GO TO COSTA RICA!!!!!
Other than the infections, what else has gone wrong with your jaw? 2 months post-op is a little early to proclaim that feeling will definitely not return, right? Were the bones cut in the wrong places or something? I'm just curious, b/c you've thrown around a lot of complaints about how botched everything is but very few details about what exactly went wrong with your surgery.
Infections and nerve damage are risks that we know about upfront.....not necessarily malpractice and satanic complications. If you are dissatisfied, I hope you get things resolved. I'm not saying I don't believe you, but you haven't posted the details yet to support all this. I'm really curious what these numerous doctors have said about what is botched now.
Infections and nerve damage are risks that we know about upfront.....not necessarily malpractice and satanic complications. If you are dissatisfied, I hope you get things resolved. I'm not saying I don't believe you, but you haven't posted the details yet to support all this. I'm really curious what these numerous doctors have said about what is botched now.
Recovering from Lefort 1 (5.5 mm impaction) with genio (6 mm) 1/20/10
Lessons learned
I had the option of having my lefort surgery done in Bombay/India but I decided it was best that I returned home to Melbourne/Australia and pay more to have this done by a well known professional knowing if things go pear shaped I can utilize the legal system. To save a couple of grand is not worth it when you are dealing with such a big surgery like this.
OhioM -
Where do I begin with what went wrong?
All screws have been infected - not normal.
The nerve on the lower right part of my jaw burns, meaning the lower part of my face has a REALLY warm sensation on it that comes and goes, which signifies severe nerve damage.
The upper jaw was done wrong and is now crooked. I will most likely have to get it done again.
The doctor who did it insisted on getting surgery done withour braces prior to the operation which a lot of people say now was just him trying to get a quick paycheck and signifies a really unethical guy to begin with.
Aesthetically speaking, the chin doesn't really look good or suit my face.
The lady who organized the whole thing charged a ridiculous amount of money for her fees but this was not disclosed to me up front. I assumed it all went to the surgeon but a huge portion goes to her, like 30% of what you pay and it's the only way to book surgery with this doctor.
I wasn't even given pain medication...only an anti-imflamattory...not kidding on that one...
All around it was horrible. And the experience was very, very shady.
If you want anymore details you can message me. I'm a cautionary tale, go to Costa Rica at your own risk and don't say you weren't warned!!!
Where do I begin with what went wrong?
All screws have been infected - not normal.
The nerve on the lower right part of my jaw burns, meaning the lower part of my face has a REALLY warm sensation on it that comes and goes, which signifies severe nerve damage.
The upper jaw was done wrong and is now crooked. I will most likely have to get it done again.
The doctor who did it insisted on getting surgery done withour braces prior to the operation which a lot of people say now was just him trying to get a quick paycheck and signifies a really unethical guy to begin with.
Aesthetically speaking, the chin doesn't really look good or suit my face.
The lady who organized the whole thing charged a ridiculous amount of money for her fees but this was not disclosed to me up front. I assumed it all went to the surgeon but a huge portion goes to her, like 30% of what you pay and it's the only way to book surgery with this doctor.
I wasn't even given pain medication...only an anti-imflamattory...not kidding on that one...
All around it was horrible. And the experience was very, very shady.
If you want anymore details you can message me. I'm a cautionary tale, go to Costa Rica at your own risk and don't say you weren't warned!!!
no matter what a lot of people are saying, this is not malpractice in itself.scguy85 wrote: The doctor who did it insisted on getting surgery done withour braces prior to the operation which a lot of people say now was just him trying to get a quick paycheck and signifies a really unethical guy to begin with.
having the operation before braces is possible in some underbite situations, and even speeds up the post OP treatment.
I can't believe what I am reading here. As soon as I go away for awhile, this stuff gets posted. I have to admit that I take this personal because I have been very outspoken about how wonderful my surgical experience was and I hope I don't offend any members here but I am trying my best right now not to lose my cool.
Most people here know me as being a respectable, helpful and contributing member since 2008. They are also aware that my experience in CR was nothing but top-notch. I posted pics of the whole experience so I have been open and honest about it from day 1.
Look at my pics, before and after and you will see that Dr Reiche performed nothing short of a miracle on me. My care over there was better than anything I ever had in the USA.
For someone who was unable to get health insurance due to a pre-existing condition, the CR option w/Dr Reiche was a wonderful option. Yes, I was slightly concerned about traveling for my surgery but after doing my research, my fears were calmed. I was treated like gold over there. The costs were lower but I still had to take out a personal loan in order to do it(and I'm still paying it off but it was so worth it).
As for the costs, once you agree to the estimated cost given to you...what does it matter who gets what percentage of what? Seriously, you agree to pay for what you receive...it includes the surgeon's fees for surgery, consultations and post-op appts, operating room, anesthesia, hospital care with a private room overnight, medication, transportation to and from all medical appts, food, housing, aftercare, etc...Not to mention the fact that they called me several times when I got back home to check on me. As long as you receive those things....does it matter who gets how much of what? You got your surgery and care and that is what matters. Of course Caroline has to make something from this because it is her business and her heart is truly in it. She still emails me to see how I am doing after a year and a half. If you tried to do all of the above on your own it would truly be difficult so she made everything easy for me. I got what I was told I was going to get so that is all that matters.
I find it to be very suspect that the person who started this thread had sent me a private message after surgery saying that everything was fine.
There was no mention of any of the above complaints.
I truly hope that this does not deter anyone from having their surgery done by Dr Reiche. I cannot believe that anyone would have the heartlessness to bad mouth such a wonderful surgeon and human being.
I truly hope that the option for us to go have surgery with him at an affordable price is not taken away because of "a bad one in the bunch."
If anyone has any questions, feel free to send me a PM. I have pics to back up my story and I am going to contact the owner of this board about this matter.
Most people here know me as being a respectable, helpful and contributing member since 2008. They are also aware that my experience in CR was nothing but top-notch. I posted pics of the whole experience so I have been open and honest about it from day 1.
Look at my pics, before and after and you will see that Dr Reiche performed nothing short of a miracle on me. My care over there was better than anything I ever had in the USA.
For someone who was unable to get health insurance due to a pre-existing condition, the CR option w/Dr Reiche was a wonderful option. Yes, I was slightly concerned about traveling for my surgery but after doing my research, my fears were calmed. I was treated like gold over there. The costs were lower but I still had to take out a personal loan in order to do it(and I'm still paying it off but it was so worth it).
As for the costs, once you agree to the estimated cost given to you...what does it matter who gets what percentage of what? Seriously, you agree to pay for what you receive...it includes the surgeon's fees for surgery, consultations and post-op appts, operating room, anesthesia, hospital care with a private room overnight, medication, transportation to and from all medical appts, food, housing, aftercare, etc...Not to mention the fact that they called me several times when I got back home to check on me. As long as you receive those things....does it matter who gets how much of what? You got your surgery and care and that is what matters. Of course Caroline has to make something from this because it is her business and her heart is truly in it. She still emails me to see how I am doing after a year and a half. If you tried to do all of the above on your own it would truly be difficult so she made everything easy for me. I got what I was told I was going to get so that is all that matters.
I find it to be very suspect that the person who started this thread had sent me a private message after surgery saying that everything was fine.
There was no mention of any of the above complaints.
I truly hope that this does not deter anyone from having their surgery done by Dr Reiche. I cannot believe that anyone would have the heartlessness to bad mouth such a wonderful surgeon and human being.
I truly hope that the option for us to go have surgery with him at an affordable price is not taken away because of "a bad one in the bunch."
If anyone has any questions, feel free to send me a PM. I have pics to back up my story and I am going to contact the owner of this board about this matter.
October 8, 2008 Lefort1(6mm impaction), BSSO, Genioplasty, Turbinectomies, Partial septoplasty, gum recontoring
