Weight-loss surgery abroad

Weight-loss surgery, also called bariatric surgery, makes the stomach smaller. In a gastric sleeve (sleeve gastrectomy), part of the stomach is removed, so that it becomes much smaller and sleeve-shaped. In a gastric bypass, the stomach is divided with staples to create a small pouch in its upper part, which is then attached to the lower part of the small intestine. A gastric band is a silicone band placed around the upper part of the stomach; it is tightened through a port that stays just under the skin. For a gastric balloon, you swallow an empty balloon, which is then filled with salt water once it is in place in the stomach.

Endoscopic weight-loss treatment is a separate procedure on Medbook's list. If you are not sure which procedure to ask about, choose "Not sure yet" under weight-loss surgery when you describe your case. Which procedure suits you is a question for your doctors, and the clinic looks at the details of your case before it makes you an offer.

Turkey offers every weight-loss procedure on Medbook's list, in Istanbul, Ankara, İzmir, Adana, Bodrum, Bursa, Eskişehir and Kayseri. You do not have to choose a city first. Each offer shows where your treatment takes place, so you can compare places as well as dates.

Every service on Medbook's list is arranged in Turkey: airport and clinic transfers, accommodation, an interpreter, a personal coordinator, visa support, an online consultation before you travel and aftercare. Once you confirm an offer, your roadmap lets you book flights and transfers yourself or ask Medbook to arrange them.

How long you stay depends on the procedure, and your clinic confirms the dates in its offer. When the assistant asks how many days you can spend abroad, choose the option that really fits your plans.

Follow-up is part of planning this trip. After weight-loss surgery, there is a diet plan to follow, and regular follow-up appointments, including blood tests to check vitamin and mineral levels, continue for years. Before you travel, talk to your doctor at home about how your follow-up will work once you are back.

Gather letters from your doctor, recent blood test results and notes on any conditions you are treated for. Write down the medications you take and any allergies. The assistant asks about chronic conditions, allergies and medications when you describe your case.

An online consultation before you travel is among the services arranged in Turkey. Questions worth asking during the consultation:

• Which tests do you need before the procedure, and can I have them at home?
• How long should I plan to stay, and when can I fly home?
• Which diet plan follows the procedure, and how do I manage it on the journey home?
• Which follow-up does the clinic plan, and which part can my doctor at home take over?

When you compare offers, look at the dates and at whether follow-up is included.