Kayleigh Lewis is now warning other mums not to be tempted by the Instagram promises of ‘mummy makeovers’ as she was left ‘wanting to jump out of her own body’
A woman worried about her belly and ‘saggy’ boobs flew to Turkey for a £7,300 “mummy makeover” but almost died after developing sepsis.
Kayleigh Lewis, 30, was left self conscious about her body after having sons Mason, 10, and Keaton, eight. So when she saw an advert on Instagram for a Turkish surgeon offering ‘mummy makeovers’ – one surgery to do a BBL, tummy tuck, liposuction and breast implants – she felt it would ‘take away all her insecurities’ in one fell swoop.
Kayleigh pooled her savings and money from her parents to book the surgery, jetting off in April with a pal – just four months after booking the seven-hour procedure.
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But her dream makeover turned into a living nightmare when she woke up in Erdem Hospital in Istanbul, unable to move and in agony.
The mum claims she was told she was ‘fit to fly’ but ended up back in the UK, and later developed deadly sepsis. She spent the next two months in hospital fearing she would never walk again.
The mum now regrets getting the procedure and is warning other women to reconsider. Kayleigh said: “Don’t do it. It’s not what it’s made out to be. From the moment I woke from the surgery, I wished I hadn’t done it.
“I’ve had two kids and I can’t explain this pain. The first day after surgery, I couldn’t move. I couldn’t even sit up.”
Despite feeling extremely unwell, unable to walk and with unhealed wounds, Kayleigh claims she was given a ‘fit to fly’ note to return to the UK.
Kayleigh called 111 on arrival and was rushed straight to A&E where tests revealed she had sepsis – a life-threatening condition where the body starts attacking its own organs and tissues in response to an infection.
She needed an operation to ‘suck out’ all the infected matter – and ended up spending two months in Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth, Hampshire.
She had to learn how to walk again after and says she still suffers with back and leg pain 17 months on.
Kayleigh says if she could “go back in time” she would never have booked the procedure, and encourages mums tempted by ‘mummy makeovers’ to think twice.
Kayleigh, a forensic psychology student, from Southampton, Hampshire, said: “I knew there were risks but I thought if I went somewhere certified, nothing bad would happen.
“But as soon as I got out of the surgery I knew something was wrong. I was in so much pain, I wanted to jump out of my own body. After two or three days in recovery, I was still in too much pain to move.
“I went straight to hospital when I got off the plane in the UK – and they found abscesses in my bum which had caused the sepsis, which NHS doctors suspected was from the tools used during the BBL.
“I ended up needing surgery because the infection wasn’t getting better and the infected fat and blood were pressing on nerves and causing me agony.
“The whole thing has been so traumatic. I realise now what you see on social media isn’t always reality.”
Kayleigh saw the surgeon, Dr Ayse Kalay, advertising her plastic surgeries on Instagram and was immediately enticed. On April 22 2024, she excitedly boarded the plane with pal Kimberley Rowland, 30, for moral support, confident because of the good reviews for Dr Kalay and Erdem Hospital she’d read.
But she ended up needing three blood transfusions as her haemoglobin levels were so low and feared she may never walk again. She began having physiotherapy and over time could walk with a frame, followed by crutches as she regained strength.
After being discharged on June 10, she still went through several more months of recovery. But to this day, Kayleigh still suffers with pain when she sits, and needs daily nerve pain tablets.
Dr. Ayşe’s medical company claims that poor communication was due to Erdem Hospital’s actions, as Erdem operated as “an agency” when booking Kayleigh in for surgery.
A representative said: “Because of that, neither our team nor Dr. Ayşe’s medical staff were ever fully informed about your case details. The agency never maintained proper communication with us at any stage.”
It claims Kayleigh was never issued a ‘fit to fly’ notice and said Kayleigh was not medically advised to fly. It claims the ‘fit to fly’ document Kayleigh was issued was “simply intended to explain the post-surgical corset” she wore at the airport, if x-ray security staff asked about it. Kayleigh claims that she was never advised not to fly.
The medical company claimed all the required pre-and post-operative tests were performed — “including blood cultures, which are the most critical diagnostic test for detecting sepsis” and that “the results were negative, showing no sign of infection” at the time Kayleigh was in the care of Erdem Hospital.
It claimed Kayleigh’s problems with walking after the surgery were due to “a condition that already existed” prior to the surgery. Kayleigh says she has no history of any mobility issues and claims this is therefore entirely fabricated.
A spokesperson for Erdem Hospital said: “We are aware of Ms. Kayleigh Lewis’s case and have carefully reviewed both her medical file and all postoperative communication records.
“Erdem Hospital is a fully licensed and internationally accredited healthcare institution that provides medical services under strict ethical and clinical standards. All surgical procedures are performed by qualified specialists and supported by a multidisciplinary aftercare team to ensure patient safety and comfort.
“Following Ms. Lewis’s surgery in April 2024, her postoperative recovery and vital signs were closely monitored. During her stay at our hospital, there were no clinical signs of infection or sepsis, and her condition remained stable. The patient was provided with continuous nursing care, regular medical checks, and support from our aftercare coordination team. All records confirm that she was discharged in a medically appropriate condition and deemed fit to travel based on objective health indicators.
“After returning to the UK, we were informed of her later hospitalisation. We have since reviewed the NHS medical report shared by her family, which does not indicate any confirmed surgical error or malpractice related to the procedure. The report’s notation of “no complication” aligns with our internal findings.
“While we understand that postoperative recovery can be physically and emotionally challenging, our team acted with professionalism, compassion, and in full compliance with medical ethics at all times. Any suggestion of negligence or falsification of records is categorically untrue.
“Family members have been in direct contact with our hospital and have expressed appreciation for the professionalism and support shown by our team during and after Ms. Lewis’s treatment.”
Kayleigh says the only contact her friends and family have had with the hospital has been to complain about her treatment, and that this point is therefore entirely false.
The reply continues: “We remain open to cooperating with relevant authorities if required, and we stand firmly committed to transparency, patient safety, and the highest standards of medical care.”
