I chose Dr. McDonald largely because of her very positive reviews, and I now wish I had trusted my usual instinct to research more thoroughly before agreeing to surgery. This has been, without question, the worst medical procedure I have ever undergone. I left the experience feeling like the focus was more on moving quickly to surgery than on my long-term well-being. I later learned that Dr. McDonald has part ownership in the surgery center where the procedure was performed, which made me uncomfortable.
Looking back, I feel sinus surgery was recommended too quickly and the seriousness of it was downplayed. We did not fully explore other medical treatment options first, and I was not adequately prepared for the possibility that surgery could make my symptoms worse rather than better.
Unfortunately, that is exactly what happened. Since the surgery, my sinus issues have significantly worsened. I've had a sinus infection on and off for the past two months and have gone through three rounds of steroids and three different antibiotics with little to no relief. I am far worse now than I was before the procedure. On top of that, I have completely lost my sense of smell and taste and have been unable to smell or taste anything for over two months, which has had a significant impact on my quality of life.
Follow-up care was also disappointing. Communication from the office, especially from the nursing staff, was inconsistent at best. Getting help or answers beyond routine matters often required repeated effort, and important concerns seemed to fall through the cracks.
Eventually, I sought a second opinion from another doctor. He offered several treatment options that had never been discussed with me previously, many of which did not involve surgery or repeated oral steroids. It made me realize how limited my original care plan had been.
I take some responsibility for trusting the positive reviews and moving forward when I should have slowed down and asked more questions. Still, patients depend on their physicians to clearly explain risks, take concerns seriously, and exhaust reasonable non-surgical treatments before recommending invasive procedures.
I strongly encourage anyone considering sinus surgery to get more than one opinion, ask detailed questions, and make sure you fully understand all available options. read more