I have a BMI of 47.1 and I can not seem to loose any weight regardless of dieting and exercising is a struggle.
After thinking about it for a few months, I am now seriously interested in weight loss surgery and have even found a Surgeon (Dr Bruno Dillemans) and I am wanting to find out if anyone had surgery abroad in Belgium, Bruges, and what your experiences were like with regards to travelling after surgery etc.
A quick Google search found that Dr. Dillemans is, in fact, in Belgium so I assume the OP is too. I love these boards and all of the nations that we come from!
I don't have any experience with surgery in Belgium, but you might be able to find a forum online Welcome to 3FC CarlaDe!
Last edited by jiffypop; 01-13-2015 at 10:45 AM.
Reason: please don't send people to competitor forums
While I am not an expert on the subject, a few members in here have traveled out of country to have surgery. While there is no problem with that, you need to think about the care after surgery, many doctors usually do not want to touch another doc's patients. So first find a local and knowledgable doctor that is willing to work with you after you get surgery in case of any issues.
Jiffypop, a longtime member here knows more about that stuff than I do. Hopefully she will pop in and help ya out with that. Good luck!
Well, Amandie, I couldn't have said it any better than you did!! Unless a person has local followup after surgery, there can be problems. Many surgeon's don't want to touch another surgeon's work.
Even in the US, there are people traveling 6 hours or more [insurance companies generally require that surgeries be performed at centers of excellence - a whole other debate we can have]. Local care is really important for these folks, even though they're still in-country.
Carla - if you're in Europe but not in Belgium, is there a special reason that you've chosen this doc? Is the waiting list shorter? Around here, most people who've gone overseas have gone to either Mexico or India - with good results [assuming that whole followup thing...]
I dont live far from Belgium (apporx an hour flight) and the reason why I chose Dr Bruno Dillemans is because he has the lowest post op complication rate and post op secondary infection rate associated with Bariatric surgery, in the world in the world. . IFSO congress in 2013 in Turkey he was nominated as one of the top 5 Bariatric Surgeons in the world and performed live surgery to over 150 (cant remember how many he said exactly) countries in the world.
I wanted to make sure I was going with someone I knew I could trust. However I am still very nervous about this operation. It has taken me a couple of years to come to a concrete decision really. I understand that I would have to follow the post op diet religiously but everyone else seems to manage it generally speaking. It's a life changing operation and I know I just want to start living again. Do the things my weight has restricted me from doing.
I dont think there is any follow up after care required other than 6 months blood test unless it is a band. I am wanting a Gastric Bypass personally but I am open to the Sleeve. Both have excellent results so I am still trying to decide which is the best option for me.
You may want to double check on the after care. I've never heard of anyone not having to NOT have any follow-ups. I have 1 month, 3 month, 6, 12, 18, and yearly checkups with both my surgeon and my nutritionist.
It''s not just about the nutritionist and other support. What if something happens with the surgery a few weeks after you're home and you need a surgeon? Believe me, I'm not questioning Dr D's skills or standing. But occasionally, things go wrong.
If they do, is it practical for you to get on a plane and fly to Belgium? Or is there someone closer who can handle it? Dr D may be able to provide you with some guidance.
This isn't a small issue. My surgeon tells everyone the story of the woman who flew from New Jersey to Las Vegas two weeks after her surgery [he told her not to]. She didn't feel well on the flight, and when she landed, she turned around and came back to NJ. Unfortunately, the reason she didn't feel well was that her intestines had twisted and perforated, and by the time she'd flown the 6 hours back, it was too late to save her. If she'd gone straight from the airport in Las Vegas to UNLV's hospital, she would have gotten the care she needed.
Also, have you checked into local support for yourself? We're always here and happy to help, of course, but the first few months are difficult and it sometimes helps to have some face-to-face time scheduled.
These are just things to think about and discuss with Dr D. you were right to take your time making this decision. NOW it's time to figure out how to make it all work FOR YOU
Looking for Surgery - Belgium
