Review Detail
9.5 48 10 0.5
Complete Success
Overall rating
9.9
Ease of Correspondence with Doctor
9.5
Doctor's Friendliness and Courtesy
10.0
Clarity of Doctor's Explanations
10.0
Accuracy of Doctor's Predictions
10.0
Doctor's Apparent Knowledge of Procedure
10.0
Doctor's Availability During Recovery
9.5
Rate Your Cosmetic Outcome
10.0
Would Recommend to Others
10.0
I'm 32 and have been struggling with moderate PE for most of my adult life. I've been seeing doctors in the UK about it since I was 18 and always been told the same thing by everyone; it's just cosmetic, it's all in your head, the surgery is very dangerous and you definitely don't want to do it etc. I KNEW they were wrong; my heart used to beat irregularly all the time, I struggled to breathe during intense physical exercise and my endurance was crap, my posture was bad and it hurt to stand for too long, and psychologically I was very self-conscious. Eventually I decided to contact a real professional so visited Dr. Schaarschmidt in Berlin so he could examine me.
Within a minute of sitting down it's very obvious why Dr. Schaar is one of the most notorious PE surgeons in the world. The depth of his knowledge immediately makes you feel like you're talking to someone who has absolutely mastered their craft. He understood everything I was trying to explain and had precise, informative answers for all of my questions. Compared to all the doctors I'd seen over the years in the UK...well, there is no comparison. I booked my surgery for the following month.
I'm now 11 days post op. The result was better than I'd allowed myself to hope for. It's just...perfect. Completely normal. No PE, no rib flare. It was difficult to get my head around at first because my body's been like this forever, and then poof! In the space of a single day it all changed.
Everyone told me not to do it. My family, friends, doctors in the UK. I listened to them for years and years, but deep down I knew that *I* wasn't happy no matter what anyone said, and I never really would be until I got this sorted out. People mean well (mostly) when they tell you not to do it; but they don't understand. Now that it's done, I can honestly say it was one of the best decisions I ever made. This thing that was such a big obstacle in my life has just...disappeared, and I couldn't be happier about it. Recovery is uncomfortable and painful at times but it's only once - and I was never in agony or unbearable pain. I was discharged after only 9 days because my recovery went so smoothly.
Dr. Schaarschmidt is not only a world-class surgeon but a great human being as well. He really cares about his patients. He visited me the night before the operation when I was starting to get anxious and put my mind at ease. He kept an eye on me after the surgery and gave me support when I needed it (and a kick out of bed when I needed it too :) I honestly cannot imagine a better surgeon.
Please, please remember that there are a LOT of inexperienced doctors out there posing as experts. You'll look to them to be a source of knowledge and expertise and they'll misinform you; I had this experience for years and years. The quality and longevity of your results and the difficulty of your recovery are a DIRECT result of the skill of your surgeon. If you're not happy with your chest, even if you have a minor or moderate case, and you know inside you need to do something about it, then DO IT no matter what anyone is telling you. But pick the best man for the job. Pick Dr. Schaarschmidt.
Within a minute of sitting down it's very obvious why Dr. Schaar is one of the most notorious PE surgeons in the world. The depth of his knowledge immediately makes you feel like you're talking to someone who has absolutely mastered their craft. He understood everything I was trying to explain and had precise, informative answers for all of my questions. Compared to all the doctors I'd seen over the years in the UK...well, there is no comparison. I booked my surgery for the following month.
I'm now 11 days post op. The result was better than I'd allowed myself to hope for. It's just...perfect. Completely normal. No PE, no rib flare. It was difficult to get my head around at first because my body's been like this forever, and then poof! In the space of a single day it all changed.
Everyone told me not to do it. My family, friends, doctors in the UK. I listened to them for years and years, but deep down I knew that *I* wasn't happy no matter what anyone said, and I never really would be until I got this sorted out. People mean well (mostly) when they tell you not to do it; but they don't understand. Now that it's done, I can honestly say it was one of the best decisions I ever made. This thing that was such a big obstacle in my life has just...disappeared, and I couldn't be happier about it. Recovery is uncomfortable and painful at times but it's only once - and I was never in agony or unbearable pain. I was discharged after only 9 days because my recovery went so smoothly.
Dr. Schaarschmidt is not only a world-class surgeon but a great human being as well. He really cares about his patients. He visited me the night before the operation when I was starting to get anxious and put my mind at ease. He kept an eye on me after the surgery and gave me support when I needed it (and a kick out of bed when I needed it too :) I honestly cannot imagine a better surgeon.
Please, please remember that there are a LOT of inexperienced doctors out there posing as experts. You'll look to them to be a source of knowledge and expertise and they'll misinform you; I had this experience for years and years. The quality and longevity of your results and the difficulty of your recovery are a DIRECT result of the skill of your surgeon. If you're not happy with your chest, even if you have a minor or moderate case, and you know inside you need to do something about it, then DO IT no matter what anyone is telling you. But pick the best man for the job. Pick Dr. Schaarschmidt.
Your Pectus Information
Condition
Pectus Excavatum
Pre-Surgery Haller Index
Unknown
D