Has anyone been to turkey for a gastric band?

[atravelnovice]

Hi all,

I know this isn't a AIBU but the traffic here is good and I was wondering if anyone could share their experience here. I'd like the know the good the bad and the ugly and what it's like afterwards.

I'm 27, 5'7 and 17st - I'm pregnant and would like to have this surgery once the babies born (when it's okay to) so just wanted to ask for some experiences please

Thank you

@Itsallaboutthebenjamins

Your attitude is weird for someone with kids/about to have their first kid. You think your choices are go and get dodgy surgery done and highly risk death or stay obese and die of that. What about all the other million options? If youve got savings get a personal trainer/dietician etc etc.

My attitude is tongue in cheek as mentioned in the op I only wanted to know peoples experiences - I'm not at the point of making any decision someone I knew at uni got it done in January which inspired this post.

Of course I want to be around for my kids which is why I'm looking into my options.

I had a different procedure here in the UK, and I had post-op infection that required about 20 hospital appointments over the course of maybe 6-8 weeks.

Because it was private that was all covered in the cost; I'd be concerned about what you'd do if you needed a high level of post-op care. You'd be unlikely to get it on the NHS until your situation was fairly acute.

I’ve had WLS privately in the uk and it is the best thing I have ever done for my health and my confidence. You will likely has a gastric sleeve or bypass. If your budget is lower look into the balloon - I’ve seen people have great success. The main thing to do is research research research.

Good luck

If you have the WLS and it is sucessful then you'll have the added surgery to remove excess skin after.

I haven't had WLS but I did have emergency surgery in Turkey and the hospitals ( I was in 2 ) were fantastic.

XRay / CT scan done early morning, the surgeon visits at 10am with results .
Same with blood tests etc,

Have you been refused on the NHS?

How much is a gastric band in turkey?

Could you spend the same amount on a personal trainer?

OP,
No experience of what you're thinking of but just wanted to say, the first year after having a baby is full of so much change that requires a lot of you. It's absolutely the last time I would choose for someone to go ahead with what you're planning, even if it all goes well. Planning to do it as soon as allowed post-birth, just seems so rushed, you'll have been through so much and you'll have a little tiny person at home.
I would most definitely get on an even keel, wait for the intensity of the first year to fade and look again when baby is a bit older. Might give you longer to save for too if you choose that path.
Just my thoughts. Good luck.

@AmericanStickInsect makes an excellent point.

I waited until my kids were 8 and 10 to have my procedure and even then it was hard to recover with them needing lifts and lunches made and generally looked after, and my DH was AMAZING in taking over everything.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/weight_loss_chat/4409464-bariatric-surgery-thread-3?msgid=116627459

Lots of info and experience on this thread.

Human rights in Turkey are absolutely appalling at the moment. Why would you support that?

I met someone recently who’d had some kind of weight loss surgery (in the UK), due to complications it left her in hospital for 6 months, over 10 operations and she is still in immense pain and is looking at being fed through a tube for the rest of her life. Put me off ever having it here let alone in Turkey.

Fast800 achieves the same results with minimal financial outlay (the book and the recipe book is about £15).

I had gastric sleeve surgery in Dec 21. In Turkey.
I am delighted with my surgery. I've lost 4stone so far and I have a new lease of life.
There are some good threads on the weight loss forums here about WLS and also I'm in a Facebook page called The friendliest gastric surgery Facebook page.
The surgery was keyhole. Very little pain or discomfort and I recovered really easily and well. The only follow up treatment I've needed since getting home were some blood tests.

I'd say go for it.

Research the band it’s an obsolete surgery. I had a sleeve in Leeds with tonic. From what I have seen threw groups on Facebook I wish I went to turkey there care seems better then the U.K. More checks etc. reserch vsg tho that’s what I had and would highly recommend. X

I am also on the friendliest gastric surgery group and can highly recommend.

i'm trying weightless drugs before i'd consider going down the Turkey Trot

having success on a private prescription for an injectable drug.

<a class="break-all" href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=news.sky.com/video/primary-school-teacher-left-in-vegetative-state-after-rhinoplasty-in-turkey-went-wrong-12590188&ved=2ahUKEwjsufy9lpn3AhW4hP0HHSfaBegQtwJ6BAgEEAI&usg=AOvVaw2bIUQ1VBOWEL1a9Xq1Su4T" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=news.sky.com/video/primary-school-teacher-left-in-vegetative-state-after-rhinoplasty-in-turkey-went-wrong-12590188&ved=2ahUKEwjsufy9lpn3AhW4hP0HHSfaBegQtwJ6BAgEEAI&usg=AOvVaw2bIUQ1VBOWEL1a9Xq1Su4T

Surely there's non survival routes for you to explore? Maybe I've just watched too many episodes of my 400 pound life but 17 stone doesn't seem big enough to warrant that type of thing.

My friend was it wasn't pleasant, there was little communication and when the surgery went hours over no-one spoke English to help her DH who was going out of his mind.

They gave her botox as soon as she was conscious, she had paid for botox but expected it later when slightly recovered.

Friend 2 went to luithina she paid €2000 more close to 7000 her experience and recovery was far superior.

Tbf honest anyone expected good service for a qtr of the price will be mostly disappointed.

The restricted diet afterwards would make you lose the weight without the surgery, it's tough going.

I'd look into other options than a band. I've looked after a few patients who have had nasty gastric band complications years down the line. Think gastric sleeves are more common now.

Go easy on yourself btw OP, your body is literally growing another human right now!

Your 4 years younger than me. Your taller than me too! What size are you in clothes?

Have you struggled with weight a long time?
I wouldn't risk it OP in UK or Turkey.

Can you not try a personal trainer before taking other drastic routes?

The band isn't done by many places any more as it's proven to be troublesome.

I've had sleeve surgery done in Turkey and am over the moon with the results! I've lost almost 9 stone and have very little excess skin. I've gone from a size 24 to a 10/12 and feel and look so much happier and healthier. Dont get me wrong, I was scared to go do it as I've heard the horror stories but was amazed at the care team and surgical team and then the aftercare team at the hospital I chose.

The only downside for me is that I've developed gallstones which are now a weekly occurance for me and the NHS waiting list is 4+ years for urgent cases, mine's has been classed as routine so god knows when I'll be able to have them removed. Now I'm looking at travelling back to Turkey to have them removed but again I'm scared, simply because it's not an easy choice but when you are at your wits end, either with your weight, loose skin or gallstones, you do what you need to and that's why I went to Turkey in the first place. I really wish people would understand this and not just scream how utterly stupid we are to even consider it and share horror stories. Not many people react the same if you said you were going into an NHS hospital to have something done and lord knows how often they fuck up!

Gastric bands aren’t really recommended these days due to the high failure rate.
I had a gastric sleeve done in Turkey last November, on the back of a AMA thread on here! Very positive experience, at less than a third of the cost in the UK. From what I’ve heard the care I received was probably better than I’d have got had I gone private in the UK. I paid just under £4k including flights.

I’ve still a way to go, but I’ve lost a third of my original body weight, and feel amazing. It’s not an easy way out by any means, there are still “head issues” you have to deal with, but for me it was the right thing to do.

OP feel free to PM me if you want to ask anything specific.

For those asking (in an arsy fashion) about follow up care on the nhs, my GP is very happy to carry it out (3 monthly blood tests) due to the amount of money I’m saving the nhs having had this surgery privately. I was off my nhs prescribed blood pressure meds within a fortnight of the surgery, and I’ve also managed to get off the nhs prescribed antidepressants I’ve been on for 19 years. There’s also the future saving to the nhs as I won’t suffer from obesity related illnesses.