Gastric Bypass in Turkey: Costs and Reviews

Read more about our guide on gastric bypass

Chapter 5

What makes gastric bypass in Turkey so unique? The biggest interest comes when you hear about its competitive prices yet serves as good quality as other countries. Healthcare-wise gastric bypass in Turkey holds many advantages that you may find tempting.

This chapter will guide you to getting a gastric bypass in Turkey and help with giving a conclusion for your decision to travel abroad for weight-loss surgery. Let’s check and learn all the pros and cons and the details!

What makes Turkey stand out as a medical travel destination?

Turkey is a popular medical travel destination. There are many reasons for it including the healthcare system, tempting prices, and the country itself. Here is what makes Turkey attractive in people’s eyes:

High-quality healthcare: Turkey is high for its advanced and specialized equipment that is available in both clinics and hospitals. Bariatric surgeries have high demand therefore, there are many experienced surgeons with high success rates.

Personalized support: If you have struggled with the language barrier, transportation, etc. the package deals come with guidance from the day you step out from the airport.

Prices: Satisfying quality of medical service and outcomes of surgery but with way more cost-effective and wallet-friendly prices than other countries.

Easy to travel: Turkey is a strategic area that does not require many requirements and most counties can visit visa-free. Also, the flights are not highly-priced.

Cultural attractions: Turkey is full of beautiful historical ruins and landmarks full of rich stories. Visiting Turkey for medical tourism is an automatic two-birds-with-one-stone situation because your eyes can’t miss its wonder.

Benefits and drawbacks of getting gastric bypass in Turkey

Gastric bypass in Turkey has medical advantages for its affordability, expertise in the field, and quality of care. However, it might be a struggle to travel in the first place and face language barriers. Here is how it is a win-win situation for you.

Benefits of getting gastric bypass in Turkey:

Compared to other countries like the US, UK, etc., Turkey has the affordability perk. You can travel back and forth and still, you will save hundreds if not thousands of dollars undergoing bariatric surgery without health insurance.
Healthcare quality in Turkey is highly developed with medical equipment for bariatric surgeries such as gastric bypass. The success rate is high because Turkey incorporates experienced bariatric surgeons.
You can go back to your home country right after recovery time (1-4) days at most. However, follow-up visits do not require traveling back, you can directly contact them online.

Drawbacks of gastric bypass surgery in Turkey:

Commitment to travel to a foreign country and putting a specific time for it. That can be stressful for some people and dealing with flight time responsibilities
The language barrier causes a lack of communication and expressing yourself and having to have a third party with you through your journey.
Contacting your doctor online for follow-up examinations and check-ups can be very limited. You will still need to visit local hospitals for blood tests.

Other than the dualities of language and traveling procedures, Turkey does not fail to serve you from a commuting standpoint. Furthermore, the main goal is to satisfy you with stress-free quality service with positive outcomes that comes with a great price deal. The surgery team will take care of you pre and post-op with professional guidance to achieve excess weight loss goals.

Are gastric bypass surgeries in Turkey considered safe?

Yes, it is safe. Gastric bypass in Turkey like any other surgery comes with potential risks but with an experienced surgeon, your overall health illegibility will defy if it is a safe option for you. You can either ask or search for your surgeon’s board certificate and check their backgrounds. The more experience the surgeon has, the better the outcomes will be.

Also, one of the safest techniques is considered to be laparoscopic. Gastric bypass in Turkey is laparoscopically done and it shows remarkably safe results for most obese patients that underwent that type of treatment.

How much does gastric bypass surgery cost in Turkey: Explore Turkey's complete package deal!

Gastric bypass surgery cost in Turkey is between 4.5K–12K dollars. The package includes:

Consultation
Surgical procedure
Meds
Pre-and post-op care and tests
Follow-up checks online
Airport transfers
Hospital Accommodation

These are the general package deals that may be included in the cost of gastric bypass in Turkey. However, the overall price differs regionally and the type of surgery. There is Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, mini gastric bypass, and biliopancreatic diversion gastric bypass. Each one differs in techniques and tools.

For further

information you can reach us either by clicking the WhatsApp icon left down below or by filling out a quick form here. Our healthcare team can contact you in your native language.

How do prices in Turkey compare to other countries?

The main things that control the prices in Turkey are the economy, currency exchange rates, governmental support, and lower labor costs. All those factors combined together to make an affordable price seem lower. Mainly average citizens’ income in countries with higher value currencies such as dollars, euros, and dinars would be above average if it was spent in Turkey because of its lower cost of living.

Here is a table of the average prices of gastric bypass in different countries in dollars.

Country	Gastric bypass average cost
US	23K-35K
Canada	20K-25K
Australia	18K-25K
UK	15K-20K
Thailand	10K-15K
Turkey	7K-12K

Remember, the prices are more economical even if the type of gastric bypass is different. However, due to all those factors, the quality is high and developed, but also, the cost of hiring medical staff, surgeons, etc. is way lower-priced than in most countries.

What are the accepted forms of payment for gastric bypass surgery in Turkey?

The main currency in Turkey is TL but if you don’t want to exchange your currency, you can pay with what you have easily. The most common foreign currencies used and acceptable are USD and Euro but others are also acceptable. Moreover, it could be both paid in cash or by credit card. There are other options for payments that most Turkish hospitals accept such as bank transfers, medical financing, or online payment.

It is a great idea to check in with the facility and chose a payment method available to save yourself time in the future.

Factors to consider when choosing a surgeon and a hospital in Turkey

To consider having bariatric surgery you need to know two main important things, a surgeon’s background, and the hospital’s reputation. Your healthcare consultant is also available to acknowledge you face-to-face or by contacting you whilst you’re in your homeland. Here is what you can consider to not worry about potential complications.

Surgeon credentials and experience are important to feel safe about the outcomes of this type of surgery.
Check the facility’s reputation and background through online ratings, customer service, online reviews, outcomes, and your healthcare provider’s word for it.
Check the quality of the medical tools by asking if they are FDA-approved and if they have ISO certification depending on the models of the equipment.
Compare costs between different facilities whether hospital or clinic, region, and type of facility play a role in payments, keep in mind, the lowest costs might not be the best fit for you.

You can seek the reviews you need online to find out each factor by yourself, or by a single call with your healthcare provider shall cover all the points you wish in a few minutes.

Top Turkish cities for gastric bypass surgery

Visitors hit two birds with one stone by visiting tourist cities to have both surgical treatment and vocational treatments such as Istanbul, Antalya, and Izmir. Ankara is also an excellent destination for the treatment nevertheless, it’s less-touristy than others.

The best option relies on the facility’s reputation, quality of medical tools, service, and surgeon’s background in the bariatric field. For further information, consulting with your healthcare provider shall help you choose what you desire in the end.

Traveling essentials: visa, companion, and your stay

The 3 essentials you need for traveling are a valid visa for at least 6 months from the day you travel, and a maximum of a week of stay from the day of surgery. Then comes your companion.

Traveling to Turkey from most countries is simple and doesn’t require a visa application, check your country’s policy before traveling to save time and money. However, it is required, and you need a validity of 6 months at least to have an acceptable application.
You need to stay in Turkey for a week starting from the day of surgery. Although the surgery takes roughly 4 to 5 hours, the recovery time is an essential part of post-op care to maintain recovery.
Consider traveling with a friend or loved one as a personal host on a daily basis because you will need someone to look after you before and after the surgery.

These essentials will help you with legal passing from borders and avoid time delays and health-wise, you need the recovery time in the hospital. Other than all that, your further stay in Turkey is up to you and you can have fresh air and beautiful touristic areas.

Do I need to apply for a visa before coming to Turkey?

The appliance for a visa depends on where you are flying from, it is needed in a few countries like Australia, USA, Canada, etc. However, you can check if it is needed by contacting your embassy or traveling agency for the requirements. There are also some countries that do not require visa documents such as Mexico, Italy, and many more.

However, the estimated time in general in any case is 90-180 days of stay within Turkey’s borders, so you have enough time for the time required for a surgical stay. Then you have the free will to visit anywhere around Turkey and enjoy your time

How long will I stay in Turkey?

You mostly need 7 days in Turkey if not less for pre and post-op recovery time. The day before surgery you need to be fasting for a few hours to assure an empty stomach and it could be done during your flight or after arriving in Turkey. Then the surgery takes only a matter of hours, approximately 5 hours and the recovery time with hospital stay is 1-3 days. That is determined based on your health status post-op.

Even when you are discharged from the hospital afterward, it is recommended to stay for a day or two and you can enjoy your stay anywhere you. As long you’re not too far from the facility in case of complication that needs immediate medical attendance you could visit the facility for monitoring and fixing if needed.

Can I bring a family member or a friend with me?

Yes, you need a loved one or a close friend nearby you to accompany your journey due to many reasons other than watching after you and supporting you. You need someone, therefore, to take care of daily basic activities needed but also you should not be investing too much power because you need rest. That means you can’t lift heavy items or such effort in any sort of way.

It is also motivating and emotionally supporting to have one with you before and after the surgery. Therefore bring someone you can depend on in your life.

Do I need to inform my doctor before leaving for Turkey?

Your plans for coming to Turkey and departure dates are important to know about so your doctor will give you your plan before and after surgery in general. Therefore, your doctor will be able to track and when monitor your case and give you plans for follow-up visits for future cases.

Besides, if you don’t wish to stay long enough, consult with your healthcare provider for the number of days needed. That way you can have two-way flights on the dates you wish, that is if you are not planning to stay for a longer period of time.

How soon after gastric bypass can I fly?

Most patients stay in the hospital for 2-3 days for recovery. The point of it is to maintain balanced health, medication, etc. If there was a health condition that needs monitoring and nursery, then it won’t be more than 7 days. After being discharged from the hospital you have the free will to go back to your homeland. You can provide yourself with a fit-to-fly card from your doctor. This card is for the aircrew to know that you had surgery and, if necessary, to know what to do in a medical condition.

What do I need to do if I face a side effect or a complication?

You are most likely given instructions to follow but if the issue is constant then you need to contact your doctor or the facility itself for assistance. Notify them of what you’re experiencing from the beginning and if it was constant your doctor shall ask you to visit the facility.

However, if you are far from the location, you can always go to the nearest emergency that could be of help. Bringing your documents about your surgery results (epicrisis reports) is important to be with you so they can act and help you accordingly.

What if I run out of medications and need more?

There are many medications that bariatric patients are prescribed after the operation but you will get the medication based on the results. There is no specific time for medications to be taken for a specific time, the aim of it is to assist you to overcome the recovery with no complications such as acid reflux or constipation related.

The list goes on for reasons to keep on going medications but once you run out of medications, it is best to consult your doctor if it is essential to take more. They differ from supplements which are also essential for a lifetime after the surgery to maintain the vitamins balanced day by day. There is no need for more medications if you’re fully healed and recovered and facing discomfort of any kind that relates to the surgery itself.

Will I be in touch with my bariatric surgeon?

Yes, the reasons for keeping in touch with your bariatric surgeon are all for your own good and it all aims for your health and support. Here are a few reasons why you need to keep in touch with your team:

Follow-up visits
Prescriptions for medications
Diet and supplemental support
Body and health improvement check-up

These factors will not only keep you motivated but also dedicated to the continuation of the next step to change routine-wise or simply modification. There could be changes in diet, exercise programs, meds, or supplemental descriptions. That will also prevent potential risks of complication and keep your body harmless and surgically not feeling any sort of ache.

Gastric bypass before&afters

Gastric bypass Turkey reviews

Yuval Kadosh, Israel

“I came from Israel to undergo mini-bypass surgery. I want to thank surgeon Ceyhun Aydogan for his amazing work and his lovely attitude. And of course also to his team and his assistants for excellent service. Thank you so much!!”

Kelsch Max, Germany

“I’m just in awe. As a professional, he is top-notch. he is so competent, knowledgeable, and amazing. He’s doing his job perfectly and inadvertently (not because he has to but because he does it passionately which is very important for me as a patient). During my hospital stay, I’ve heard many good things about him. I recommend him with NO DOUBTS!”

References:

Taskin M, Zengin K, Apaydin BB, Unal E. Laparoscopy in Turkish bariatric surgery: initial experience. Obes Surg. 2000;10(3):263-265. doi:10.1381/096089200321643575