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FAQ – Weight Loss Surgery..
- Do I need a
referral from my doctor?
No, a doctor's referral is not necessary, however, it is
very helpful to have their support. We prefer where possible,
to work with your doctor. This can only benefit you in the
long run. Should your doctor wish to know more about our
organization we would welcome a contact from them.
Your Body Mass Idex determins
your suitability for surgery and which type of surgery you
should have. It is an indication of how obese you are. This
measurement can vary and be one of the following categories:
- Normal
body weight
- Danger
of some health risks
- Obese
- Morbidly
Obese
- Am I suitable
for obesity surgery?
Check your BMI below. This will normally indicate
whether you are suitable for obesity surgery. If you are
in any doubt please complete the online "call
me" form one of our advisors will call you back
as soon as possible.
BMI Categories:
- Normal weight - BMI of 18-25
- Overweight - BMI of 25 - 30
- Obese - BMI of 30 or greater
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- Are there health
risks with weight loss surgery?
It is possible to suffer from gallstones
after weight loss surgery. If you have concerns about this
or have experienced gall bladder problems in the past, it
is possible to remove the gallbladder during your surgery.
- Can I have my
consultation in the UK?
All consultations take place in Belgium prior
to your surgery taking place. This enables the consultant
surgeon to undertake a full clinical assessment prior to
your surgery.
- Will smoking
affect my surgery?
You are encouraged to stop smoking at least
one month before surgery.
- Will I have the
opportunity to ask questions?
Yes of course. You will meet with the surgeon
and a nutritionist the day before surgery. You will find
that the surgeon is quite open to answering all of your
questions.
- Can my partner
attend the consultation?
Yes, they are welcome to attend.
- Can I have my
surgery even though I’m on medication?
Please ensure that we are informed of any
medical conditions associated with excess weight, such as
Diabetes II or heart problems. You will need to stop taking
any medication for thinning the blood such as Coumadin,
Aspirin or Warfarin, 10 days before travelling. If you take
any of these medications are unsure or unclear about this,
please contact us.
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- How will it affect
contraception?
Following gastric bypass surgery the body
may absorb fewer hormones thus making the contraceptive
less effective. Weight loss surgery will make you both more
attractive and fertile.
- Will I be able
to have IVF treatment afterwards?
Yes there is no reason why not but keep in
contact with the aftercare program. Please be aware that
after treatment you will become more fertile in any case
and pregnancy may occur without the need for IVF.
- Should I inform
the surgeon if there is anything unusual in my medical
history?
Yes - also ensure you have completed the pre-surgery
questionnaire see our Download Page.
- I am thinking
of having Adjustable Lap- Band surgery, what kind of band
is placed?
The adjustable lap-band is a French band.
- What sort of
fluid is inserted into an Adjustable Laparoscopic Band?
What sort of fluid is inserted into an Adjustable
Laparoscopic Band?
The band is filled with Water. Normally your weight should
start to reduce immediately, you will need to have the band
adjusted. Please see our postoperative aftercare program.
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- What type of
anaesthesia is used?
General anaesthesia. When you are undergoing
general anaesthesia, you will be put asleep by IV-medication.
The anaesthetist will discuss the type of anaesthesia used
prior to surgery.
- Can I fly after
having my surgery?
You can fly home after your surgery. Low weight
heparin 'B' may be administered to reduce the possibility
of thrombosis. Ask the surgeon about this.
- What is the risk
of infection?
Our partner hospital has successfully treated
hundreds of our patients with no cases of cross infection.
Should a patient be found to have an infection on arrival,
they are isolated and treated accordingly. If a secondary
infection did occur, it would manifest itself during the
stay in hospital. Belgium has one of the lowest secondary
infection rate is in Europe. So far, all our clients have
remained free of secondary infections.
- Could you tell
me a little more about the intensive care facilities?
The hospital has a fully functioning 24 -
hour accident & emergency department; paramedics; and
a fully equipped intensive care unit. Response time for
a doctor to be at bedside day or night is under 2 minutes.
- What tests will
there be before surgery?
If you are older than 45, there will be a
chest X-ray, ECG and a lab investigation. If you are younger
than 45 there will only be a laboratory investigation. The
surgeon will judge whether other tests are necessary.
- Will my stay
in hospital be extended?
If you have any pre operational risk
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- What are pre
operational risk factors?
Preoperational risk factors are any risk
factors in determining a patient's eligibility for obesity
surgery.
Pre operational risk factors include:
Less serious risk factors:
- Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis
- Significant impairment in activities
of daily living
- Intertriginous soft tissue infections
- Stress urinary incontinence
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease
- Weight-related arthropathies
which impair physical activity
- Obesity-related psychosocial
stress
Having risk factors such as these does not
mean that you are not eligible for surgery, but we need
to be informed if you have any health problems.
- What should I bring
with me?
- Slippers, trainers or walking
shoes; loose comfortable clothing; dressing gown or bath
robe; personal toiletries; eye glasses; dentures; reading
materials or anything to help you relax such as a personal
walkman and music.
- Phone numbers of people you
may want to call.
- Money for telephone calls and
items such as a magazine.
- Form E111 (obtainable from your
local post office)
- Because you will be on a soft
food diet for a while its useful to bring protein shake
mix, broth, soups, and tea. These can all be found in
dry forms and mixed with hot water.
- Bring any medication and a list
of any medicines that you have been taking.
- If you have a heart condition
bring along any medical reports that may be relevant.
- It is not necessary to have
a medical referral and if you are unable to get hold of
your medical records we can manage without them.
- 5 days before travelling, an
antiseptic cleansing shower gel such as "Hibiscrub"
may be used to reduce any germs that may be present on
your skin. This is obtainable from a chemist.
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- Can I eat whatever
I wish after obesity surgery?
You will need to change your eating habits.
You must not take fluid with you meals. You will need to
emulsify solid food for a while and eat 4-5 small meals
a day. It is important for you to get a good intake of proteins
and so a good healthy balanced diet is recommended. For
the rest of your life, you will need to take multivitamins
with B12 and Iron. You may not take gassy drinks such as
colas or lemonade.
For more nutrition information, check out our post-operation
Nutrition
Guide.
- Can I relax my
eating regime for a few days before having surgery?
This is a bad idea! The surgeon finds that
those that relax their eating habits for a few days or weeks
before surgery often find that their BMI has increased and
that the surgery has less chances of long term success.
It is far better to start right away in reducing your food
intact and see if you can loose a little weight before surgery.
This will make the surgeons job and your progress much easier.
- What is “dumping
syndrome”?
This term refers to the emptying of concentrated
food directly into the small intestine. Gastric bypass surgery
empties food from the small stomach pouch directly into
the small intestine without first being diluted with fluids
in the rest of the stomach. Therefore, whatever you eat
empties directly into the small intestine. Sweets and fatty
foods irritate the small intestine and causes discomfort.
Eating and drinking fluids simultaneously will also cause
this dumping syndrome. This is why we recommend waiting
half an hour between eating and drinking.
- When can I return
to normal daily activity?
This depends on what your normal activity
involved. Providing your vocation is not too physical, you
may return to work shortly after returning home. Any pain
related to the surgery should go away after 10 days or so.
General fatigue can last from 3 to 4 weeks after surgery.
4 to 6 weeks after your operation, you should be completely
back to normal.
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For your own safety, you should not drive
until you have stopped taking medications and can move quickly
and alertly to stop your car, especially in an emergency.
After major surgery you should wait 8 weeks before driving
unless you have seen your doctor.
- Should I exercise
after obesity surgery?
You are recommended to exercise daily. Whether
you have surgery or not, exercise is important to overall
health. The more you exercise, the healthier you will be
and the more weight you will lose. Walking greatly accelerates
weight loss, specifically fat loss. It is suggested that
you walk a little every day - gradually increasing the length
of your walks.
- How much should
I exercise after surgery?
Following weight loss surgery, your weight
reduces because you eat less food energy (calories) than
your body uses. The body makes up the difference by burning
reserves of fat. Your body will want to burn unused muscle
first before it burns fat. Daily aerobic exercise for 20
minutes will tell your body to burn the fat instead of your
muscles.
- When do I have
my stitches removed?
After surgery, the incisions on your abdomen
are closed with internal stitches which dissolve in 4 to
6 weeks.
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- How many times
do I have to get my Lap band refilled?
Lap band refills vary from person to person.
The band will need adjusting 3 - 4 times in the first year
and normally yearly thereafter.
- Can I get this
done in the UK?
For refills in the UK, please see our aftercare
section.
- What if something
goes wrong after I return home?
There are a number of aftercare and emergency
systems in place should they be needed. Please remember
that these should only be used in the event of urgent need.
Patient seeking urgent assistance should follow the steps
laid out below. If the patient ‘s condition appears
serious your local doctor, GP or Accident and Emergency
Centre should be contacted in the first instance otherwise:
- Contact
us Direct Healthcare International Limited (preferably
during office hours) if necessary use the 24hr response
emergency phone number.
- The treating surgeon will be
contacted and asked take direct contact with the patient
or their doctor.
- The patient may be asked to
see their doctor or GP if this is more practicable or
attend their local hospital.
- A doctor can be called to attend
at the patients home (UK only) in the event of any significant
problems. The doctor can take a wound swab which will
be tested in our labs, report and if necessary medicate.
- If the problem appears significant
but not an emergency the patient may need to return to
the operating facility for further examination and treatment.
Direct Healthcare International Limited have
successfully sent hundreds of people for treatment at their
partner hospitals and clinics. No significant medical problems
have occurred.
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- How Many Operations
has the Surgeon Done?
The surgeon has performed approximately 6,000
successful obesity surgeries.
- Can I talk to
Someone Who has Already had the Surgery?
Yes, we have previous clients who are willing
to talk to you and answer any questions you may have. Please
write to us for contact details.
- Can the Surgeon
Refuse Surgery?
The surgeon would only refuse to operate where
medical conditions prevent surgery. Please contact us if
you feel that you may have any medical conditions that may
prevent surgery.
- How big are the
hospital rooms? Are they en-suite and do they have TV
Each hospital room normally contains 2 beds.
If a 2-bed room is not available, you may be placed in a
4-bed room. Rooms have a TV, telephone and en-suite toilet.
Telephones function with a call card system that requires
a 10 Euro returnable deposit. The deposit together with
any remaining credit is refunded when you leave the hospital.
- Why do I Have
to Stay Extra Days in Belgium After I am Released from
the Hospital?
Patients are asked to stay a few days extra
after surgery is for their safety. If any post operative
complications should occur, this will happen within 2-3
days of surgery. We therefore like the patient to be near
the surgeon during this period so that he may monitor the
recovery progress. There is a final examination before departure
as well as a post operative visit by our nurse at your hotel.
- Is there any
Additional Cost Associated with Obesity Surgery?
The DHI fully inclusive package includes DHI
overrun Medical Cover, however this doesn’t cover
the first two additional nights in intensive care. (Please
see our DHI overrun insurance for details.) Normally, our
surgery allows for patients occasionally staying an extra
day in hospital and in such cases no additional fee is charged.
However, if the duration of stay becomes longer, there may
be some extra charges involved.
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- Can DHI Organise
my Accommodation?
Yes, the DHI fully
inclusive package takes care of your travel, flights,
accommodation and all transfers. If you have booked the
Basic Package, we can direct you to a website featuring
the hotels of Bruges.
- Can I Bring Friends
or Family with Me?
Yes you can bring one friend or family. We
would prefer it if one person accompanies you for moral
support.
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