AIBU to consider weight loss surgery abroad

[BallandBoe]

Please could you give me your success stories and horror stories.

I need to lose weight. I hate myself but just can't seem to shift any weight. I can't afford private surgery here in the UK.

I had it done on NHS here and have zero regrets. It has changed my life completely and made me a functioning member of society. I am happier, healthier and my only regret is that I (sadly) needed it. I feel normal now. I fit in chairs and can walk wherever I want to.
My only negative points are that I will have to take omeprazole for life but hey ho. I have some loose skin but it’s cosmetic and tbh not a big deal at all.

Put yourself on the NHS waiting list, while you are waiting they will refer you for medical (ie drug) treatment which may be enough for you.

Please don’t go somewhere cheap and under regulated like Turkey. I know it can work out OK but it too often doesn’t - I had to order some research on this for work, and in 2021 100% of the botch fixes the BAAPS (one of the big UK plastic surgeon’s associations) was from Turkey. Just wait for an NHS slot to come through.

This is wonderful to read! So glad it's been good for you.

How long did you have to wait on the NHS, out of curiosity?

I appreciate you taking the time to post this. I am going to have a conversation with my GP.

My friends wife went to Turkey 3 weeks ago for that surgery. They are now in intensive care in a UK hospital awaiting a repair surgery. I don't know the ins and outs but honestly don't do it.

Its not as simple as getting weightloss on the NHS, you have to meet certain criterias and then there are many hoops to jump through. You have to be able to successfully lose weight on your own, to prove you can keep it up & the surgery part is just a helpful weightloss tool to help aid weightloss.

I haven't personally had the surgery but I am on the NHS weight loss programme to get it. I won't be having the surgery but I am using their resources.

NHS could be up to 4 years waiting. You could go via Vitality by buying an insurance policy with them, a very common route in the UK. You can request surgery after a year if your BMI is 40 or above or 34 with co-morbidities. They pay 75%, so a gastric sleeve is £2400 ish. Join this group for more info: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1523401171294285/?hoisted_section_header_type=recently_seen&multi_permalinks=3152359365065116

I had it done in Turkey. No issues and lost all the weight in a year. Skin is fine…little bit wrinkly but I am middle aged! Feel better mentally and physically and I feel I have my life back. I paid a bit extra for the deluxe hospital. The ladies who had it done at the same time have all had significant weight loss.

I had it done several years ago and waited about 2 years. Only 6 months or so once I was actually on the surgeons waiting list. However, lots of hoops to go through to get onto the list. I spent ages researching the specific criteria and made sure I had evidence to meet them. Different trusts have different criteria.

Please do not go abroad. Too dangerous.

How much to you weigh? Do you have weight related medical conditions?
I have had a sleeve done privately in the UK. Zero regrets. I’m a healthy weight and have no side affects. My life has changed. I attend dance classes, I go paddle boarding, I can walk for hours. My only issue now is a mild clothes addiction. I can finally wear all the clothes I’ve wanted to for years!

Complete bollocks

I had mine in Poland in 2016 with 11 other uk peeps. We are all still in a WhatsApp group. With the exception of one that replaced food with alcohol we ha e all gone from obese bmi 40+ to bmi 23-28 .. and maintaining.

Do not ha e a band, they are proven not to work. I had a sleeve , my cohort has bypasses. (Too much abdominal scarring for a byPass for me)

Cost 5k. Before I was on
Blood pressure meds
Sleep apnea machine
Knee injections for arthritis
diabetic type 2 meds

Now I'm on nothing and can walk miles. Best 5k I ever spent. I had been on the NHS bariatric pathway for 2 years and was just getting fatter with a year to wait..