Chapter 7
The gastric balloon procedure is one great option to reduce body mass without having to undergo a surgical procedure, but what makes gastric balloon turkey so special? It is very easy to find economical prices in the package size that gives additional services outside the concept of the surgery.
The comforting part about it is that you can find different facilities like a private hospital or a clinic care center. Alongside it, you assure pros more than cons and many options for gastric balloon weight loss based on the percentage of weight you aim to lose.
Why do people go for gastric balloon Turkey?
What is better than having high-quality service for medical care by an experienced team? Having high-quality service for medical care by an experienced team for more than reasonably affordable prices compared to others.
Gastric balloon turkey options vary in many regions, and most regions, especially the tourist sites have the most experienced bariatric surgeons. However, why do people go for gastric balloon turkey? It’s mainly because of the all-inclusive packages. Then comes the extras that help you enjoy your stay such as culture, history, and more.
Turkey offers you cost-effective package prices
The gastric balloon Turkey price range starts from 2K up to 4K dollars. Location, facility type, surgeon’s experience, and gastric balloon application play the main role in the price. Consultation with your healthcare provider is the best idea to learn the details they offer you. You can also request the best Turkish clinics, and gastric balloon surgeons for various options.
Other than the gastric balloon prices in Turkey, you have a variety of options for payment options. In case you have currencies like the dollar, euro, etc. you won’t have to convert to Turkish lira to make transactions. Also, you also have different options for transactions, and you can ask for the options available in the hospital or clinic.
What's included in these packages?
Going for gastric balloon abroad, you have to expect great deals to pass the marketing satisfaction and put a smile on the patients. Typically, the package would include as many services possible to serve the basics such as:
Transportation: As a visitor to a new country it will ease up significantly to reach your destination directly and easily. You won’t have to worry about the roots of the roads, might as well just enjoy the ride.
Accommodation: The choice of the facilities whether clinics or hospitals and hotels will have few recommendations left for you. If you lack any sort of information about trusted cities, facilities, or even tourism-related manner, the team will help you stay where you will feel satisfied most.
Assistance: When you contact your healthcare provider for medical tourism, you will be assisted locally and abroad with the approach from the other end. It includes travel, airport transfer, translation service, and pre & post-hospital care.
Feel free to consult your healthcare provider about gastric balloon costs and what the package includes and limits in terms of service in general. You could ask for a 4- or 5-star hotel or anything that helps you to have a better experience abroad.
For further assistance, contact us. You can either fill out the contact form an our team will get in touch with you shortly, or you can directly click the WhatsApp icon left down below and contact us in your native language.
What are the available payment choices?
Almost all sorts of transactions are available for you to feel comfortable to be able to pay the other party. It could be in cash, deposits, or with a credit card, and it’s not necessary to be the Turkish currency, dollars, pounds euros, etc. are also open options for you.
If by chance you’re a visitor who’s been local around Turkey’s borders for a while, there is a chance of being able to have extra options such as monthly payments. That is if you match the requirements such as having a local income. You could also get loans from banks for financial support, but keep in mind there are interests of fees for such an option. Read the terms and policy before accepting it to be safe and sound.
For exceptional situations or further questions in matters of payment options, reach out to your healthcare provider for more support and acknowledgment.
Is having gastric balloon surgery in Turkey safe?
Gastric balloon surgery is a minimally invasive surgery that aims to lose a small percentage of body weight in a few months. Yet you can push it up to 20kg/50lbs of weight loss goals based on the balloon type. Turkey has a huge voice in medical tourism, that being said there are many bariatric surgeries that are far more major and invasive that has a high percentage success rate.
So, is having balloon surgery in Turkey safe? In a nutshell, yes, and it is way less complex compared to the bariatric surgical approach for the procedures. The surgery itself isn’t surgical but endoscopic, or simply swallowable pill, at the end of the day, your doctor will have the safest approach to reduce potential complication risks.
Upsides and downsides of coming to Turkey for your gastric balloon operation
Averagely, the upsides of coming to Turkey for a gastric balloon operation beats the downsides. Your agent or guide will have already set plans for you to have a good experience overall. Besides, it is certain you won’t have to remain in the hospital stay for more than a few hours. Other than that the recovery is gradual and can be monitored based on the post-op guideline. So you will have more time for yourself and enjoy your time.
| Upsides | Downsides |
| No waiting list | Language barrier |
| Experienced facilities and doctors | Follow-up visits |
| High-quality service and friendly staff | Out-of-pocket expenses |
| Fascinating places to visit | Spending time traveling |
How the language barrier problem is solved?
The negative-looking sides of coming to Turkey are thought by the agencies and they came up with marvelous solutions. You will be assisted by a friendly translator who will also help you during your post-op process. So, you won’t need to worry about miscommunication and they will help you as much as they can in every subject, including organizing a city sightseeing for you.
If you ever need emergency contact, you can call 112. With this number, you can report to:
- Ambulance
- Police
- Fire department
- Coast guard
- Forest fire report
- Natural disaster search and rescue
Facilitating the follow-ups for you
For those who don’t want to or be able to come to Turkey again only for follow-up visits, you will be able to talk to your doctor and your dietitian online. You don’t need to wait for a waiting list for follow-up visits too. It will hold an advantage to contact them from afar rather than another facility because they hold your personal examination and overall background that doesn’t need to be restudied.
That way you can share your experience based on how it felt, your determination in the guideline, weight loss from the day of installation, and current health status. Accordingly, your doctor or healthcare provider can give advice related to a diet list, exercise program, and solutions for side effects, if you’re dealing with discomfort.
Dealing with out-of-pocket expenses
Because you’re not getting treated in your country, you won’t be able to get help from the insurance company. However, you might even not need to. You will be paying less than half of what your homeland’s facilities offer you. Also, while they offer you solely the balloon surgery price, Turkey offers you an all-inclusive package with less cost. Here’s the price of gastric balloon difference between some countries:
| Country | Average price |
| United States | $6K-$12K |
| Canada | $6K-$11K |
| Australia | $4.5K-$6.5K |
| United Kingdom | $3K-$6K |
| Turkey | $1.6K-$2.8K |
How long will you spend time coming to Turkey?
The estimated time differs from one country to another as the distance, and type of flight differs. The flights might be direct or domestic flights and, appreciatively, it takes a role in time consumption. This table will show you the average time needed to arrive in Turkey and the transfer time to either Istanbul, Antalya, or Izmir.
| Country | Average flight duration |
| California/USA | 13h |
| New York/USA | 10h |
| Las Vegas/USA | 15h |
| Toronto/Canada | 12h |
| London/UK | 4h |
| Frankfurt/Germany | 3h |
| Madrid/Spain | 4h |
| Sydney/Austria | 22h |
Based on where you want to be destined, it might take an extra little time, on average 2 hours based on transferring type and location. Speaking of transferring, it will be taken care of based on the package with private vehicles.
Which gastric balloon types are mostly used in Turkey?
The gastric balloon in Turkey varies in terms of types: Elipse, Spatz3, and Orbera. Each kind is special in its own way in terms of how it’s used and martial-wise. However, Elipse might not be as common as the other two options but it may still be found if various medical facilities. Let’s see how each one differs that the other:
- Elipes: This is a swallowable capsule that is attached to a tube, once your doctor assures it’s in your stomach, it’s filled with saline. The duration of use is 4 months and you can lose 10-15% of your excess weight
- Orbera: Orbera is a saline solution-filled balloon that is performed endoscopically. It helps you to lose 20-30% of excess weight in half a year.
- Spatz3: This balloon device is put in the stomach endoscopically and filled with air, or saline solution with the newer version of it. Over time there have been improvements in the devices to extend weight loss goals by readjusting their size and installment time. You can lose up to 30-50% of your excess weight in a year.
Your doctor will diagnose which one is best based on your medical record, your weight loss goals, and your physical examination. The call is yours regarding which one you prefer whether a swallowable pill or an endoscopic procedure.
How to choose a good hospital and a good surgeon for balloon surgery
If you’re wondering which facility to choose whilst you’re in your homeland, you can surf around the Internet and look for reviews on hospital or clinic websites. That way you can check reviews, rates, and overall reputation for both facility and surgeons. If they have social media accounts that represent themselves, it is also a good sign that they are putting effort to satisfy their patients. Furthermore, you can contact them directly via email, voice calls, or even a video call if available for more depth of view of the quality of service.
Be in touch with your healthcare providers as well to see the options given in each city around Turkey. If you wish to be in a specific area, ask for the best doctors nearby accordingly, there should be a reputation for the hospitals and medical staff available. That also helps to have a general idea to be comfortable once you are there locally.
Consider these details before coming to Turkey
Generally, when you contact your agent for healthcare services abroad, all the arrangements are taken care of whether its location, type of facility, and a general idea of the period of time needed to spend in Turkey.
Other than that you can have an idea if the traveling procedure is on you or taken care of by them. Furthermore, questions about flights and revisiting are determined based on your personal case. Let’s go deeper and learn more about it.
Which documents do you need to travel to Turkey?
First things first, you need a valid password and visa if it is commanded from your country. You also need any sort of proof that covers your medical records, which helps your surgeon to avoid complications and have better conclusions for diagnoses.
Generally, you won’t have to put expenses on insurance for coverage, the package deal is already well-priced and manageable. Other than that, it is recommended to have medical travel insurance or international travel insurance for many reasons. It could be over any sort of incidents that may occur during your travel that is unrelated to your surgery.
Which city should you consider for a gastric balloon?
There are many considerations for it but gastric balloon Turkey in Istanbul and Antalya are the major cities, also most recommended. Turkey has a lot of experienced surgeons and they tend to localize in most tourist cities because it’s more attractive to visitors.
Accordingly, the stakes are high, and the competition between each facility grows by having higher attention and success rate by building the best bariatric teams. That goes to other teams in the medical field as well. However, if you have any doubts or questions, you can always keep in touch with your healthcare provider to clear your vision.
Do you need a companion with you?
Although the gastric balloon is not a major procedure and is minimally invasive, it is still best to have someone to accompany you during your journey. You may need someone in terms of feeling comfortable or generally helping with language barriers.
However, surgery-wise, it is not demanded to have someone nearby you, it is manageable and proceeds throughout by yourself. However, it wouldn’t hurt to have emotional support and keep you motivated all the way through and enjoy yourself in general.
How long do you need to stay in Turkey?
You can even fly back a day later after your operation. Generally, the procedure takes 20-40 minutes to be fully done. After that, you might stay for longer to have a further understanding of the post-op diet and guidelines. In very rare cases, you may have to stay in the hospital for a few more hours up to 48 hours at most due to severe side effects such as non-stop nausea, vomiting feeling, or allergies.
In case of recovery time is needed due to medical history or overall health situation post-op, any difficulties will be taken care of immediately. After checking on your well-being and feeling comfortable, you’re free to be discharged within 24 hours.
When can you fly back home?
Although you’re likely to be discharged from the hospital within the first 24 hours it is best to stay for 2 days to see if your early recovery is going smoothly. Otherwise, if you feel discomfort or cause any sort of complication, you can update your doctor with the news. You have the right to be assessed and treated well by follow-up examination and fix the problem from its roots.
Also, your healthcare provider or the facility will notify you that it needs a removal after a period of time. Therefore you will get a fit-to-fly card that explains you underwent surgery and you’re qualified to fly. This documentation allows the crew that you might need medical attention and help them know how to aid you.
Do you need to come back for removal?
The best approach for gastric balloon pill removal is by the same surgeon that handled your personal case. It may be possible to have it discharged by a local surgeon but it may be quite a bit of a cost difference and health potential risks along with it. It is best to consult your original healthcare provider to have the most suitable advice based on your case.
Although not all balloons are removed, some of them come out naturally when their period of service expires. If you have an Elipse balloon operation, you won’t need removal surgery and won’t need to come back.
Gastric balloon before afters
We talked about the excess weight you lose after gastric balloon, but let’s take a look at just a few of my patients who have undergone this procedure and managed well to keep their ideal weight.
Gastric balloon Turkey reviews
Hear it not from us, but from the people who underwent gastric balloon in Istanbul, Turkey.
- Matt, 43, London
- "Honestly, it was difficult for me to trust doctors in another country, one I've never been to. But my best friend did it, and I decided to go with it. I had Elipse balloon in my stomach for 4 months, and now it's 2 months of a no-balloon stomach. My appetite is not comparable to before. I lost 15 kg and I'm on the right path now. It's a long way to go, but gastric balloon made it way easier."
- Martha, 53, Manchester
- "I found Dr. Ceyhun when I was in my most depressing time. Tired of years of weight loss and regain, I finally made up my mind. I was afraid of bariatric surgery and was not even qualified for it as my BMI was 30. The balloon is still in my body, but I'm sure I'll never let my life be the same as before."
Silva LB, Neto MG. Intragastric balloon. Minim Invasive Ther Allied Technol. 2022;31(4):505-514. doi:10.1080/13645706.2021.1874420
Vantanasiri, K., Matar, R., Beran, A. et al. The Efficacy and Safety of a Procedureless Gastric Balloon for Weight Loss: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. OBES SURG 30, 3341–3346 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-020-04522-3
