Bariatric Surgery Abroad

Round up, bariatric or weight loss surgery is the type of procedure in which surgical changes are made to the patient’s digestive system. They are done to help a person lose weight when exercise and diets have failed and/or the person has a weight-related health condition, such as arthritis, Type II diabetes, risk of stroke, etc. Long-term weight loss after this type of surgery relies on altering the gut hormone levels accountable for hunger and satiety, leading to the body developing a brand-new hormonal weight set point.

Proven results of bariatric surgery? First, there is long-term weight loss, which also means that a lot of health risks and weight-induced medical conditions will either be completely removed or at least, one's health will improve a lot. You will live healthier and longer.

Although generic hospitals often also perform bariatric surgeries, there are many weight loss surgery clinics in almost every country - institutions that have professional staff and are doing these procedures daily.

So, you have tried, and tried, and tried, until it seems you have tried it all. But the weight either does not drop sufficiently or it keeps crawling back. And you are not happy about it, if it is something that causes your health problems, hinders you from the life you would see for yourself. The diets do not do enough, you are not fit enough for proper work-out and you are feeling trapped.

To get out and regain control of your own body and life, you may want to consider weight loss surgery. But how to recognize if it really is the one for you?

Ask yourself: Is my weight damaging my health?

There is nothing wrong with being fat or skinny. We live in a world where body positivity is, fortunately, gaining increased ground, and beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. So, if you are satisfied with your weight and your weight is satisfied with you, no worries. But what if it does make you worry, and is causing your health issues? Cardiac problems, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnoea, and high blood pressure - are just some examples.

While bariatric weight loss surgery is not the solution for everyone and hence the qualifications also vary person by person, there is a general criterion that suggests a person is a candidate for this type of procedure and may benefit from it:

* If their BMI (body mass index) is 30 or over

* If they have tried several other means to lose weight (diets, exercise) but have had no long-term success

* If they suffer from any weight-related diseases, such as Type II diabetes, arthritis, heart conditions, fatty liver etc. 

* If they are a teenager and have a BMI of 30 or over.

If any of this runs true for you or any of your loved ones, then we firmly suggest contacting your GP or the professional staff of a weight loss surgery clinic first, before deciding. Every surgical procedure comes with a number of health risks and a good doctor will help you value these risks and suggest the best path to take.

We are not going to confuse you and go into minute details here over every type of bariatric surgery, especially as that is something to be decided after thorough tests and conversations with the doctors. While you may think that this or that type may suit you best, it will be your surgeon who has the final say and they will be considering both the risks and the benefits. 

So instead, let us simply give you some idea about generic preparations and aftercare, and generally speaking – what will happen to your body.

PREPARATIONS

The first thing to do, to actually learn what you need to do, is to consult your own GP and listen to their suggestions, or if that should not be possible, then, frankly, just ask friends or google around and look for options, making sure you read the recommendations and permits. 

Once you have found your clinic, talk to their professionals, this is also the stage when you might first learn which type of surgery is recommended to you. You will also learn about pre-surgery dietary requirements etc. If you are doing weight loss surgery abroad, prepare for that, book your tickets, get a companion, prepare for aftercare at home, etc.

AFTERCARE

Aftercare for the surgeries will not differ much – some 2-3 days in the hospital, recovery period of 2-4 weeks on clean liquids, after which you can slowly return to more solid foods. You will need extra supplements and vitamins (there are some differences here, but your hospital will keep you well informed) and will need to keep a strict new diet to make sure you fill up your tiny new tummy with the best nutrition. Proteins will be your best friends.

RISKS & BENEFITS

With surgeries and complex procedures, there are always risks – proper analysis before the surgery helps to keep them to a minimum. This also means it is adamant to be crystal honest with your surgeon. Some illnesses can add to the risk, such as diabetes, and heart or kidney problems. 

There are also complications which may occur post-surgery, starting with nausea and reflux to more serious ones such as leakage of the gastric balloon, severe acid reflux and infections (the latter is a risk for every operation not just bariatric). 

There will also be vitamin and mineral deficiency so taking prescribed extra supplements is a must. 

It is also obvious that these surgeries serve as tools to help you achieve and maintain a long-term weight loss, which will really improve your health and highly likely help you get rid of some weight-related health conditions, be it type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure/cholesterol, sleep apnoea etc.

Whenever you are considering a surgical approach, it is relevant to first do quite a bit of homework about it, so you would know what you could gain, but also the demands of the surgery, both before and after. There will be a significant loss of weight in a brief time, you will highly likely get rid of a list of obesity-induced health issues, but will also have to be continually active in taking care of your changed stomach - follow a healthy diet, exercise, take any extra vitamins and supplements needed, regularly have your health checked etc. 

Weight loss surgery will not make magic on its own, it will help you make the magic.

CONCLUSION

No weight loss surgery will fix everything for you. There will always be a lot of work for you to do. But make no mistake - it will help. You will be losing weight, and a lot of it, if you keep up a new, improved and professionally advised diet, if you do a fair amount of suitable physical exercises, take any vitamins prescribed and keep a steady eye on your health with the help of your GP and other professionals. It will help you to achieve the results you have so far but dreamed of and have the life you deserve. It will help!

As with any surgical procedure, there are some risks and complications, but with decades of research and experience, they do not come any higher than those of any regular, medium-sized surgery. You will be made aware of them, and the professional staff will help you deal with any of them post-surgery.

So, what we can suggest in conclusion is – to consider your pros and cons; talk to your own doctor; talk to the consultants at the clinic where you mean to have the surgery. And remember – all bariatric weight loss surgeries have the same main result, it varies which one fits them better and this is something professionals will help you decide.

It can happen. But also – one would have to put considerable effort into it, in neglecting all self-care and exercise, eating increased food until they can stomach more food, because, you know, the stomach can stretch and the human body is terribly accommodating, even if it is not beneficial to its owner. 

However, even under such dire circumstances, it is still highly unlikely that the person would assume their previous weight. The body chemistry will have changed. Weight loss surgery will never be like a random diet where you stop it, and all the lost weight just bounces back. The changes made to your body will hold. They will stretch if you stretch them, but they are there and will hold.

Why does it happen? Because such an enormous change in lifestyle – the change in diet, the exercise, the entire process of bariatric surgery – is not for everybody. This is also the main reason there is so much talk before the surgery between the patient and the doctors – because the surgery is not a miracle by itself. It helps you, no doubt, it helps a lot, but the one making the true change is not the surgeon, it is you.

The surgeons and the staff know that weight loss surgery is not for everybody, since there may be both personal and medical reasons why a person is advised to seek other means – and why sometimes, even with the best expectations, the patient lapses back. It is no one’s fault.

You might be wondering, why have your weight loss surgery abroad, are there not enough NHS hospitals and private weight loss surgery clinics in the UK? Honest answer: no, there really are not. While the NHS can have you listed or at least partially pay for the operation, they are sadly very, very full and the waiting lines go on for miles and years. For people considering bariatric surgery, there usually is not that much time to spend. If you need surgery to, basically, save your life, having to wait 3-4-5 years can be critical. As to the private options, then while they do exist, they are expensive. No gastric sleeve surgery is cheap but compared to the prices in Europe and even in the world, the UK is one of the priciest. For most, this means they are not affordable and hence one must consider other options. 

While there are also good options available in India, the Emirates and, say, South America, the journey there tends to cut off the benefits. Spending 6-8 hours on a plane is no fun when perfectly healthy and could be a nightmare when nervous before the surgery and with a tender stomach after. And therefore, for people in the UK and Europe, it is much advised to also have weight loss surgery in Europe. It will make the coordination easier, travel cheaper and save you from any unwanted cultural shocks. Adventures are a wonderful thing, but there is a time and place for them, and it is not around a critical operation.

Speaking of bariatric surgery in Europe, there are several countries with high standard weight loss surgeries available in private clinics, many of them with a decade of experience. So here you should really look into the expenses and what comes in the "package" aka what is included in the price. A decent surgery package ought to cover all pre-surgery consultations and care, stay at a clinic (with the possible added hotel before the surgery), all necessary procedures, the surgery, after-care on the spot and consultations via digital means later.

Looking from the shores of Great Britain, France is of course the most tempting country, and true, there are many excellent clinics there which provide bariatric surgery. However, the prices, just as in Switzerland, with their long traditions and wonderful locations, are equal if not more expensive than in your local private clinics.

And this is what gets us to speaking of weight loss surgery in Latvia - and not because our own clinic is seated comfortably in its capital, Riga. What makes Latvia so charming for so many people are the top quality of bariatric surgeries with outstandingly short waiting lists - compared to years of NHS it can be as little as 3-4 months and affordability. Cheap, in this case, does not mean a lower standard of procedures, but simply - the economy of the country and the money exchange rates makes Latvia a much cheaper place for people from the UK, Germany, Switzerland, etc. There is also the simplicity of coordination, with Riga having both a well-working international airport for direct and connected flights and a cross-Europe bus station. A maximum 2-hour flight to get you there and back again. Isn't that just luverly?

Let us add to that a comfortable European culture, with no sudden surprises in either tradition, food, or accommodation, and it is obvious why so many people in need are heading towards Latvia for their weight-loss operations.

And the final huge plus - you may be able to get the NHS to pick up the cost of bariatric surgery via the Article 56 Entitlement program!

When it comes to our weight loss clinic Riga in Latvia it easily holds up to the ambitious standards of private clinics elsewhere. The staff is professional and has had years of training, the surgeons are easily among the best in Europe, having thousands of successful operations.

The travel is made amazingly easy and straightforward thanks to Riga being the hub of several types of international travel. The airport links to countries across the world and any European country is not more than a few hours of easy flight away. When it comes to the UK, we are not just talking about London, but around a dozen different airports and a variety of airlines, from cheap (but still very good quality) flights to the all-pampering high-end business class.

There is also a hub of international bus travel, with many business class buses that are just as comfortable as any plane, so if you feel you are up to a longer journey, it is definitely something to investigate.

And once you get to the clinic Riga in Latvia, there will be a private comfortable room waiting for you, one which resembles more of a quality hotel than any hospital. There is even room for your companion, since we suggest taking a friend or a family member with you, to ease the stress of having weight loss surgery abroad and travelling to a foreign country.

Everyone in our Riga clinic speaks good English and will take diligent care of you. To us, you are not another patient waiting in line, you are our guest.

So, what are the basic things to look out for after a successful bariatric surgery?

Now, once again, these will not be any inflexible rules because as ever, each person is different and there will be plenty of accurate information available from your surgeon and other professionals. You will not be cast out and left alone. No worries.

Let us get it right from the beginning – going through any surgery is a massive thing, especially if it is something that alters how your body will work. And a slimming surgery is just that – a momentous change. In your body, in your life.

But in general, these are the key points:

Start moving, keep moving

However active you were before the surgery, now it will be time to take it further. A healthy amount of regular exercise is particularly important after the surgery. Just do not overdo it, especially at the beginning when your body is still recovering from the surgery. Take it slow but do it. Even a little bit of exercise will help with blood circulation and start to build more muscles. Plus, the big benefit – with these novel changes, all that exercise will show off in more rapid weight loss.

Take loving care of that incision

Until fully healed, make sure to take the best care of your incision – there will be plenty of information on how and when to change bandages, what to avoid and which symptoms to watch out for. Play it clean and safe.

And the most important - if you notice anything “off” either about the incision or your general health, contact your clinic. They will want to know, and it is always best to work on prevention than consequences.

Keep up the eating habits

If you did everything by the book before the surgery, the aftercare will not seem too extravagant. You will be on a liquid diet for a few weeks post-surgery and then get more into solids, step-by-step. Once again, you will not need to worry, there will be consultations and plenty of materials to follow so you do not get it wrong.

The much smaller amounts of food your body can manage now – we are not implying you ate massive amounts of food beforehand; the post-surgery capacity of your stomach will be a lot less than a regular person would eat – will take some getting used to.

Also, there will be foods and beverages you should avoid, many that really benefit you and, extra vitamins and supplicants to make up for the changes in your hormonal system.

Understand the changes in your body

The main key to coping with a change is understanding what is happening. With any slimming surgery, there will be alterations to your stomach and your digestion system. You will not need (nor, frankly, be able to) to eat as much as before, and how your body deals with nutrients will be different. There will be foods you are advised to skip and some that you will need more of. There will also be an extra need for some vitamins and other supplements. Ask your clinic about anything and everything, they will explain it all to you in minute detail.

Care for your physical well-being

Also very important. Follow your doctor’s instructions with the diet and exercises and take the supplements you have been prescribed. Stay connected with the clinic. After the surgery, give your body time to heal and adjust. Monitor yourself closely and seek help when necessary.

Mental well-being is just as important

Substantial changes are scary and stressful, let us face it.

• Do not stay alone. Go to the operation with a friend or someone close to you who can support you, especially if you are having a slimming surgery abroad. It is the same after the operation. There are also groups and forums for people who are either prepping for the surgery or recovering from one.
• Relax. Give yourself time to heal and embrace the changes.
• Accept that this is a huge change. 
• Do not hesitate to seek advice and help. There is no shame in reaching out.

There is no shame in reaching out and seeking help, whether it be from your doctors, support groups, or simply friends. Having issues dealing with a change as big as weight loss surgery and having an altered digestion system is a big thing and a brave choice. And you are not alone. Consult your PA, ask for support groups, and if you have had a slimming surgery abroad, do not hesitate to call or email them, either.

Conclusion

A slimming or weight loss surgery helps you get more results and healthier results while you maintain a strictly healthy diet, exercise regularly and monitor your health – including making sure your body gets all the nutrients and vitamins it needs. It cuts down on the endless (and often both physically and mentally very unhealthy) struggle and helps you actively reach your goals for a better life!