Mum left 'splitting in two' after near-fatal Turkey tummy tuck

A mum who flew to Turkey to get rid of her post-baby 'pouch' ended up feeling like her body was splitting in two as she developed a flesh-eating disease and her organs began to shut down.

Carrie from Slough, Berkshire, flew to Turkey for £4,500 cosmetic surgery but hours after the operation her skin began to stretch and turn black. Doctors rushed her back into the operating theatre where they performed more surgery on her - while she was awake.

Carie was flown back to the UK and was rushed to hospital where she had to have five life-saving operations in 12 days and spent a week in intensive care. Carrie, 36, is now sharing her story in a bid to warn others not to fly to Turkey for cosmetic surgery. Carrie had booked herself in for liposuction in Istanbul after her nan left her enough money for the £4,500 surgery and £800 flights.

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But a three-hour standard surgery turned into six hours as doctors noticed the mum’s stomach turning “black”. Once she was awake, the surgeon told Carrie that she had developed necrotising fasciitis.

"When I woke up, everything was painful – I knew something wasn’t right,” Carrie said. “It was a really tight feeling to the point I felt like my body was going to split in two. I wanted to take the pain away. My stomach started turning black and they said I had necrotising fasciitis.

"I had to go back to surgery to wash everything out. They cut me open and did it while I was awake while putting a screen up in front of me. That went on for around 45 minutes. It was hell.”

According to the NHS website, necrotising fasciitis, also known as the flesh-eating disease, is a rare and life-threatening infection that can happen if a wound gets infected.

After the second surgery, Carrie claims doctors told her everything was fine and she could fly back to the UK. Four days later, once in Britain again, the mum collapsed in agony and was rushed to hospital where she was diagnosed with sepsis and organ failure.

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She had five surgeries in 12 days where medics cut out the dead flesh in a bid to save her life. Carrie said: "When I got home, it all started going downhill.

“The day after I got back, I went to change my dressing and I noticed a massive hole. I went to hospital and they told me to pack it every day. I had a temperature, I was shivering.

“It was so sore, it was like I was being burned. The hole ended up fully from right to left across my stomach and I could see the inside stitches. About four days after surgery, I stood up to go to the loo and collapsed in agony.

“I went back to hospital and they said I had sepsis and needed emergency surgery. They had to cut out the flesh and ended up just taking half of my stomach away. There’s no flesh left on my stomach.

"While I was in intensive care, I was screaming in agony. I was totally out of it all the time.”

Carrie had a skin graft from her right leg attached to her stomach and spent one week in intensive care. The specialist support assistant was allowed to leave hospital three months later but had to take a year off work.

She believes she did all the research she could before choosing her surgeon. Carrie said: "I struggled with my stomach since having children. “I'm not skinny but I'm not massive, but there’s a pouch and stretch marks that I hated. I wanted it gone.

"I got some inheritance money from my nan and I wanted to use it to get something to make me happy. I was talking to the company who performed my surgery for two years – I researched them, they had good reviews and I trusted them massively. I thought I'd gone with the right doctor."

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Carrie alleges that her first 'red flag' was when she arrived at a public hospital rather than a private clinic. Carrie said: "They put me on a chair and drew the markings on me, then they said I had to pay in cash there and then. They gave me lots of forms to read and sign.

"I kept reminding myself that I'd done the research and I was doing the right thing. When they gave me the anaesthetic I could hear a baby crying because a woman in the next room had just given birth. It was bizarre."

Carrie had her tummy tuck in 2022 but is now sharing her story to encourage women to get surgery in the UK rather than fly to Turkey. She added: "I regret it one million percent. If I could turn back time, I would never have got it.

“If you want to change your stomach, just diet and hit the gym. It still affects my mental health and I have to position my clothes so you can't see my stomach because I look deformed. I've had to get on with it. I can't change it and if I keep dwelling on it my mental health will suffer.

“I try to stay positive and think that I'm lucky to be alive and see my kids grow up.”