U First Health & Rejuvenation
Reviews and Complaints

Dr Tomas suggested I submit a review of my experiences with Desarda and Shouldice methods since I’m the only one, to the best of his knowledge. I’m well pleased with the end results of both methods, and this is likely the last of my dramas with inguinal hernias.

1968: My first hernia was on the left side suffered when I was 10 years old. I wasn’t bothered much by it through my school years so didn’t seek any rectifications.

1978: When I started working it began to cause some discomfort, so I had it repaired in my hometown at a local hospital. Far as I can tell it was done by incision and simply stitching the wound shut. It was a real hack job with two failed stiches almost immediately and a permanent 5/8” high ridge below the skin.

1998: Twenty years later the discomfort was getting too much to bear. I decided on getting that repaired at Shouldice Hospital in Toronto, Canada. The surgery was done under a local anesthetic. Something wasn’t right and I felt every knife cut and stitch. No one else in the group had any such complaints so I have no idea why things went awry for me in that respect. The recovery itself was relatively slow and painful. A friend who visited joked about the mash of hunched over zombies shuffling up and down the hallways of the hospital. 20+ years later and I have no issues with the Shouldice repair. The scar is barely visible and there is no ridge or protrusion below the skin.

2024: Middle of last year I developed an inguinal hernia, on my right side this time. My experience with Desarda was nothing short of astounding. Immediately following surgery, I was up and walking out of the clinic on my own. I’d say a level four on the pain scale. At my recovery hotel I was meant to walk up and down the hallways. No problems whatsoever. I was marching like a young army cadet on parade! Full steps with no shuffling whatsoever. I followed the post-op instructions to the letter. Icing, walking and meds. I have a lot riding on a successful outcome, so I wasn’t leaving anything to chance.

As I said I’m well pleased with the end results of both methods (Desarda and Shouldice) but would tend to lean more towards recommending Desarda over any other at this point. I paid for this out of pocket despite having Medicare cover in Canada. The wait times in Canada are too long and being off work for months on end waiting for a spot wasn’t viable. U-First Health had an opening for me in two days’ time during my call! I booked an opening for the following week so I could prepare for my trip.

Mesh was never an option for me. My wife had a mesh repair done a few years ago and it failed in two spots within a month of surgery. One of our neighbors ended up with a perforated gut due to a problem with her mesh implant. She nearly died and was in an induced coma for two weeks. I keep hearing of too many nightmare stories like this with mesh repairs. I would never take a chance with using mesh to repair any hernia.

Dr Tomas and his staff are fantastic! After being injured in 2020, I felt an abdominal issue, but had several doctors and health care professionals give me mixed messages. Was it a hernia? Yes/No/Not sure? After 18 months, I contacted Nancy N. at UFirst, she quickly identified that I probably had a hernia, and explained why the CT and Ultrasound missed the diagnosis. She gave me warning signs of how things could get worse. A week before my scheduled surgery, the severe symptoms hit. A local surgeon's office did not return my calls. Nancy picked up my call, heard my symptoms, and arranged for a next day exam, followed by emergency surgery. I flew to Ft Myers that night. Turns out I had 2 hernias, a direct and an indirect. Every member of the team was knowledgable and friendly. The pre-op planning and prep was spot on. The surgery went well. Post op, the instructions and medication were very well organized to enhance recovery. Estoban has provided good post-op coaching to make sure I don't do too much too soon. Overall, a spectacular team that enhances the patient's health and well being!

I'm almost 4 weeks post-op for a direct inguinal hernia that I developed from coughing my guts out from Covid. This was new to me, but scary how fast it was growing so I had to act fast. I'm lucky to have found Dr.T. and the U First Health Center, I was able to get the surgery done the very next week! I'm totally satisfied with every aspect of the journey. The initial consult and office visit was a pleasure, everyone there made me feel very comfortable. We had a nice stay at their recommended hotel that evening and was in early the next day for surgery. The whole procedure was run like clockwork, I'm impressed with the teamwork and friendliness of the staff. I don't recall anything about the actual surgery other than it seemed like it was "fun", going to sleep and waking again feeling dreamy. Recovery was less painful than I was expecting, remember that ice is your friend and you won't have much trouble. I took all the meds as directed, after that ran out I only needed ibuprofen for a few days occasionally. I feel good, pain is gone for the most part, I just find it difficult not to go hit the gym before the 6 week mark. I just started back on the bike, that will have to suffice for a few more weeks. Thank you U First! Well done.

July 20, 2022

I am a five year employee of UFirst Health, so when I discovered I had a ventral hernia, there was no doubt in my mind that I wanted one of our two Dr.s to perform my surgery. Since both Dr.'s are very qualified to do the surgery (and I did not want to show favorites) I flipped a coin as to who would do mine. I have personally seen what mesh can do to people and there was no way I was going to even entertain that disaster. Friday, July 15, 2022 Dr. Robert T. performed my surgery. Since I am a surgery scheduler here, I put myself on the calendar. The Surgical Team is AMAZING. I was treated with the same love and care as given to all our patients. I woke up to find out that I actually had two tears, and Dr. Robert T. fixed them both. The medication was spelled out very clear to my husband, who was my caregiver. I was back to work Tuesday, July 19, 2022. I still have a drain but feel remarkably well already. If i can do this, anyone can. If you are reading this because you are questioning if this is for you, please don't even hesitate to call and hear us out. You will be doing your body and mind a favor! The sooner you call, the sooner you will feel better! I personally will be happy to speak with you and schedule your surgery myself!

For several months I had intense pain on and off in my lower right abdomen area. Because of the on-going Covid fiasco I refuse to go to a hospital for any reason. Finally one night I typed my symptoms into my search engine and found out I had an inguinal hernia. Then I typed in "inguinal hernia no mesh." Dr. T. website came up. The rest is history. I called them on Monday and 5 days later on Friday my surgery was done. I had three requirements: no mesh, no mask, no "vaccine." (I would have waived the mask requirement but I didn't have to). Everyone was great from my first phone call with Debra, to Esteban, to the anesthesiologist, to Dr. T. and Dr. B. and all the nurses and support staff. The post-op meds were all pre-packaged and labeled. I stopped taking the pain meds on day two after the surgery. Dr. T. and Dr. B. both sat with me and my wife and explained exactly what they were going to do before the surgery and again what they did do afterward. The fact that they don't take insurance is a plus. With no third party to deal with, they can keep prices reasonable and services timely. They are honest and have the utmost integrity. The total cost of everything was less than my deductible. I can't say enough good things about the entire experience. I highly recommend Dr. T. to anyone.

For a year I spent time, effort & $$$ researching & interviewing doctors to fix my inguinal hernia without Mesh. I felt defeated and frustrated and then I found Dr. Robert T. @ U-First Health®. Being a medical professional myself, the Desarda, Tension free method combined with incredible experience & success rates made my YES, easy. I made my first call to BJ who solidified my choice. She was available & attentive to my questions & needs. I didn't care about travel because their system made it seamless including transport, hotel, and flying after surgery. Oh & the pricing was 50-75% less than any other doctors quoting surgery expenses with Mesh! However, when I arrived and met the whole Team, I was elated. Often a patient will be pleased with the doctor and not the supportive staff, or visa-versa. This was NOT the case here. They are one of the best Team's I have encountered in my 25 years medical service. Thanks to each one of you, Dr. T., Dr. E., Terry in finance, Pam my Caregiver, the surgical squad, and the front office staff! All of you are truly a delight. Dr. T. shared he found a direct & indirect hernia and repaired both; no extra cost or issue, just did what I needed. I am 7 days post operative and doing well! Thank you, Thank you, for being authentic, caring, and GOOD! When I am back in Fort Myers, I'll most definitely come by to visit! Blessings on you!

Finding UFirst for my hernia surgery was truly a blessing. I had my surgery [protected]. As of writing this review today, [protected], I'm in no pain or discomfort whatsoever. It's to the point now that when I wake up in the mornings or from napping, I totally forget that I even had the surgery. I was willing to travel out of the country to India to get the Desarda technique. However, when I found Dr. T., off to Ft. Meyers, FL from East Texas I went. It was only 2 weeks after speaking with BJ that I was able to get the procedure done.

There's way too many lawsuits with surgical mesh for hernia repairs, and the danger is real. Mesh has an expiration date on the shelf, and when the doctors implant it in patients, it continues to have an expiration date insIde the patient. It degrades and causes caustic damage to the body. Surgical mesh basically becomes a vegetable grater on your internal organs as it press through them over time. Such a crazy way of doing things that the medical field has adopted as "standard of care".

Getting the Desarda technique performed avoids all the dangers of mesh. If you need hernia surgery, you'll serve yourself well by heading to Ft. Meyers to get the no mesh surgery performed by Dr. T. at UFirst Health. He's the only surgeon in the US who does it. The peace of mind of not worrying about if polypropylene mesh will migrate somewhere in your abdomen is worth it.

My experience with Dr. T. and his entire staff was exceptional! When I realized I had a hernia I started looking for alternatives to hernia repairs that use mesh. I had heard and read enough horror stories about mesh repairs gone wrong and I thought that there must be an alternative to mesh. Well, it turns out that there is and Dr. T. is the only U.S. surgeon certified in this no mesh hernia repair surgery. I called their office and spoke with a patient coordinator, BJ, who took her time with me and answered all my questions. I was going to have to travel from AZ to Florida to have the surgery, so I wanted to be sure that I knew what to expect. The office reviews were great, the doctor's reviews were great and the patients who had gone there seemed to be very happy, so I made arrangements to go to FL for the surgery. The staff there were some of the most caring people I dealt with. They don't treat hernias, they treat people with hernias and believe me that is a huge distinction. Esteban, who did all my pre-op prep was fantastic, Sabrina the anesthetist was fantastic, Donna who was one of the nurses was so sweet and caring, again fantastic. If you're reading this far I would guess that you have a hernia and are trying to decide if this office/team at U First is the right place to go... it is! They will take you by the hand and walk you through the entire process and you will feel cared for and you will be wishing that every doctor's office was like this one.

I put off doing my hernia surgery for over a year because I didn't want a foreign substance (mesh) in my body, I've heard a lot of horror stories in regards to mesh. It got to a point where it was bothering me more often than not, so I did a bit of Internet searching and found U First Health. I checked them out and read the reviews and then in there made decision to get it done. When I called to make the appointment they were very polite on the phone and answer any questions I had. They help me with booking the hotel and the special things I would need for postop care. However Hurricane [name of hurricane] got in the way of my scheduled surgery. I had to put things off for another week or so. They were very accommodating and flexible getting me work back into their system working around my flight and times that work for me. I'm very grateful to the doctors and the staff of U First Health. They were very professional courteous and work very well as a team. They made sure I understood the procedure and the cost of doing so. There was no hidden surprises or costs. From the preop to the postop care it was top shelf care! I walked out of the office after surgery feeling better than I did when I entered. The next few days I had a little bit of pain and and very little bruising. but on my scale of 1 to 10 I would consider it a one or two. To me it felt more like a sore muscle after a very hard work out. Doctor said I was tough but I believe he's just excellent at his craft. Not that I ever want another hernia, but there is no doubt this is where I go no matter where I was on the planet if I have to do it again. I'm 7 days post op and feeling great. I have chosen not to use any pain medication so I will have a little discomfort to remind me that I need to be careful and not over stress myself. Thanks to the whole team for your excellent service!

I've had two inguinal hernias repaired by Dr. T. at UFirstHealth: first in Sept. 2019, then in July . My wife accompanied me to Ft. Myers for the first one, but knowing the ropes, I was solo for the second, but engaged the clinic's excellent post-op nursing services. After the initial examination the first time, Dr. T. told me that there was a 25% chance for a second hernia on the other side of my groin and this is precisely what happened. Both times, there were no complications. Dr. T. was professional, knowledgeable, experienced and aware. His staff was very helpful, friendly and talented, even, many performing multiple tasks, medical, administrative and other. The second time I recalled having seen several of the same staff the first time, so there is definite continuity of experienced personnel. Since my first surgery at UFirstHealth, the practice started accepting credit cards, greatly easing the payment problem. If you've investigated procedure cost, you should be appropriately appalled at the insane cost of the deservedly maligned mesh surgery everywhere else. The experienced post-op nurse who, for a paltry additional fee, assisted me, was absolutely superb alert, experienced, skillful and empathetic. Her availability obviated the need to drag my wife down to Ft. Myers again. I stayed at the Springhill Suites Marriott, which has a business arrangement with the UFirstHealth. They supply transportation to and from the clinic AND airport, as well as providing a bargain rate for an entire suite with a good breakfast buffet (despite covid restrictions) and is within easy walking distance of eateries. This is an unbeatable deal that UFirstHealth needs to publicize more prominently on their website.
I am completely healed now, thanks to Dr. T. and his team, There should be a UFirstHealth clinic for hernia sufferers in every major city in the union.

Replace all *(asterisks) with appropriate text in review about U First Health & Rejuvenation:
First of all I give thanks and praise to the LORD for leading me to this office and Dr. T... I'm not a big fan of writing reviews but when a doctor or business deserves it and it benefits others to know I will.. I visited my primary doctor and a surgeon who does hernia repair... After describing the type of procedure he would be doing which involved mesh, cutting the inguinal nerve, possible loss of a testicle, amongst other things, I was quick on searching for an alternative and found UFirst Medical with Dr. T. who specializes in the DeSarda no mesh hernia repair... I never heard of this method before and never thought I would need it, but I did and I am very happy with the results..4 weeks now... I've had a few surgeries in the past but this one had me nervous,,,,, probably due to the surgeons negative remarks,,,,, but It turned out to be one of the best surgical experiences I have ever had.. Dr. T., his staff and surgical team are top notch and I highly commend them for their knowledge & skills... everything that was described from my initial evaluation right to my post-op visit is exactly what transpired.. I followed their instructions which were spot-on and everything went as planned and described... Thank GOD... It really is wonderful to know that I am mesh free thanks to the skills of Dr. T. I started getting back to everyday activities after my post-op visit , which was 10 days after surgery and I am still improving with each day... I should mention I went in for an inguinal hernia but Dr. T. discovered I had a femoral one as well and took care of both for me.. If anyone reading this is in need of hernia repair I would advise them to seek this office... I highly recommend UFirst medical with Dr. T., his wonderful staff and surgical team and using the DeSarda no mesh hernia repair... Many thanks and praise to all of you... God Bless Dr. T. and the entire U First Health & Rejuvenation team.

Dr. T. and his staff at U First Health provided excellent communication / preparation, excellent surgical care, and results which exceeded my expectations!

In April I first noticed an apricot sized lump on my right lower groin. I neglected it until October , by then it had grown to the size and shape of a pear. From my on-line research I found two or three common surgical approaches for inguinal hernia repair (ex. minimally invasive Da Vinci robot, etc.), but all procedures I found used mesh. I further researched two commonly used mesh products and sadly discovered a host of problems associated with both these specific products (issues ranging from ongoing local irritation to pad movement and even rarely mesh pad shredding resulting in colon strangulation). I resolved that mesh is the biggest concern, the actual surgical procedure coming in second.

I felt my prayers were answered when I found Dr. T, the only doctor in the U.S. using the no mesh Desarda procedure. I was further encouraged after talking with his friendly staff who provided dependable information regarding surgery preparation, cost, post-op, and recovery. BJ was most helpful throughout the planning, surgery, and post-op stages.

I never felt 'rushed' during pre-op consultation with Dr. T, he clearly answered all my questions and provided a full explanation, including photos, of his actual procedure. During my examination, Dr. T. found a second smaller inguinal hernia on the left side and a third small lower hernia. He repaired all three during my surgery.

Post-op I had anticipated having pain on the order of 7 or 8 (10 was my benchmark from a previous broken collarbone). For the first three days, pain ranged only between 3 to 5 using ice packs, meds, and walking as much as possible. Now three weeks out (and with no meds), I'm feeling strong with hardly any pain at all.

I highly recommend Dr. T. and the U First Health Center. NO MESH is the only way to go!

2 weeks post-op from 3 hernia repairs done during 1 surgery. Rating could be anywhere from 4 up to just about 5 - perfection lies in one place and there's always room for improvement; however, UFirst Health is about as close as it comes, so with no fractional options I stuck with the 5 stars!

I came from out of town (3+ hour plane ride) and everything was about as straightforward as it could be. You come here for the competency and experience of the surgeon and staff and that's exactly what you get. Any hesitancy or anxiety on my part was remedied by the compassion and confidence of the clearly experienced and skilled team at UFirst.

So far so good on recovery. Only real surprise was post-surgery numbness (even now); I have since found out that this is normal but I don't recall reading about it in the material I was provided. It might have been in there but perhaps it could have been highlighted a bit more.

After-hours contact information and return calls could be a bit better spelled out as well. It seemed to me that the best I could do was leave a voicemail and hope for a return call. That concern could have just been caused a bit of jitters coming from someone who was having surgery for the 1st time and had lots of questions; nonetheless, it would have been a bit more comforting to be able to reach an on-call person in short-order.

In any case, as long as you are diligent with the recovery guidance given to you, things will go as smoothly as possible. From what I've read re: other organizations and surgical centers, it seems as though some patients are left with less than optimal post surgery guidance which leads to unnecessary pain, stiffness, etc.

I would absolutely recommend you consider having your hernia surgery done with UFirst Health. Your best outcome from a dedicated specialist is worth the travel and hotel stay if that's what it takes. The time and possible inconvenience is worth it in order to get things done right the first time. Ideally I will continue to heal and be back to 100% soon and can provide a follow-up review.