surgery abroad
Hi Guys!
I need your help!!! I'm in the UK and prices for Gastric bypass are extortionate. The only way I can afford the surgery is overseas. I was researching India as a possible destination. In the UK a RNY is £12000 in India its £5600. The Hospital I was looking at in Mumbai is brand new and really well equipped and the surgeons appear to have had good and comprehensive Western training under USA and UK trainers.
What I want to know is if any of you have had good bad or indifferent experiences with medical tourism and if so can you let me know? I was thinking of going with Dr. Muffazal Lakdawalla in Saifee Hospital. Read good things about his work and he has a multi-disciplinary team working for him with very good qualifications.
Help help need the low down!
Cheers
Kirstin aka kirmy
I need your help!!! I'm in the UK and prices for Gastric bypass are extortionate. The only way I can afford the surgery is overseas. I was researching India as a possible destination. In the UK a RNY is £12000 in India its £5600. The Hospital I was looking at in Mumbai is brand new and really well equipped and the surgeons appear to have had good and comprehensive Western training under USA and UK trainers.
What I want to know is if any of you have had good bad or indifferent experiences with medical tourism and if so can you let me know? I was thinking of going with Dr. Muffazal Lakdawalla in Saifee Hospital. Read good things about his work and he has a multi-disciplinary team working for him with very good qualifications.
Help help need the low down!
Cheers
Kirstin aka kirmy
Hi Kirstin
Have you posted on the RNY and main boards? I seem to remember a few people on the DS board too who have seen an Indian doctor, and quite a lot that went to Brazil. Might be worth posting on the DS board because if someone does the DS they often do the RNY as well.
If its a revision you're after then you options are smaller - worldwide there arent that many surgeons able to do the more complex revisions.
sal
Have you posted on the RNY and main boards? I seem to remember a few people on the DS board too who have seen an Indian doctor, and quite a lot that went to Brazil. Might be worth posting on the DS board because if someone does the DS they often do the RNY as well.
If its a revision you're after then you options are smaller - worldwide there arent that many surgeons able to do the more complex revisions.
sal
DS revision from failed lapband
Kirstin, I went to India, southern India. I had a good surgeon, and everything went well. I had my mother with me and my younger daughter for part of the trip. I stayed a little over 3 weeks.
I paid $4000 US for everything except food, housing, and tickets, plus a car and driver every day.
I spent about $6000 total, and had an apartment for the whole time.
I think it's a great idea, as long as someone will be with you.
ETA: I did not have a revision, but a first time surgery. I have the pouch of a RNY with the short common channel of a DS. It's a very distal RNY, or what people with revisions to it call an extended RNY or ERNY.
I paid $4000 US for everything except food, housing, and tickets, plus a car and driver every day.
I spent about $6000 total, and had an apartment for the whole time.
I think it's a great idea, as long as someone will be with you.
ETA: I did not have a revision, but a first time surgery. I have the pouch of a RNY with the short common channel of a DS. It's a very distal RNY, or what people with revisions to it call an extended RNY or ERNY.
That is sooooo helpful thank you so much. Could you message me and let me know who your surgeon was and what the hospital was like..any pitfalls etc?
I'm now thinking about getting a DS rather than the RNY simply because it seems less troublesome with better long range results....but the jury is still out on that until I do more research!!!
Any info is good info.
Thanks again you've made my day!
xx
I'm now thinking about getting a DS rather than the RNY simply because it seems less troublesome with better long range results....but the jury is still out on that until I do more research!!!
Any info is good info.
Thanks again you've made my day!
xx
One of the best DS surgeons in the world is in Spain:
Dr. Aniceto Baltasar *
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +34 96 533 25 36 (winter) and +34 654 06 40 93 (summer)
Fax: +34 96 533 25 36 and +34 96 533 04 00
Seems like his total package price is around $12,000.00, but you should check with his office to see for sure.
Here's a link to a complete list of DS surgeons:
http://www.dsfacts.com/duodenal-switch-surgeons.html
As far as RNY v DS, I've had both; I had RNY for 28 years; you can read all about my experiences on my profile if you want the details. The long and short of it is that the DS is far superior to RNY in any measurable way. ANd after living RNY for 28 years and knowing what I know now, there is no way I would let any surgeon turn my stomach into a pouch again, no way in hell.
Kerry
Dr. Aniceto Baltasar *
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +34 96 533 25 36 (winter) and +34 654 06 40 93 (summer)
Fax: +34 96 533 25 36 and +34 96 533 04 00
Seems like his total package price is around $12,000.00, but you should check with his office to see for sure.
Here's a link to a complete list of DS surgeons:
http://www.dsfacts.com/duodenal-switch-surgeons.html
As far as RNY v DS, I've had both; I had RNY for 28 years; you can read all about my experiences on my profile if you want the details. The long and short of it is that the DS is far superior to RNY in any measurable way. ANd after living RNY for 28 years and knowing what I know now, there is no way I would let any surgeon turn my stomach into a pouch again, no way in hell.
Kerry
Amy Farrah Fowler
on 7/7/09 8:15 pm
on 7/7/09 8:15 pm
I used Dr Muffazal Lakdawalla at Saifee hospital. I went through Forerunners Health care (set up via Dr Deeraj Bajwani), and have mixed feelings about them.
I'm very happy with my DS, but also have some mixed reviews of the hospital, nursing care and surgeon. So much I could tell you, that I don't even know where to start.
I will tell you the things I was not happy with, as that would be the information you are probably looking for. You probably already know the accommodations are very nice, and the nurse to patient ratio is high, and Dr Lakdawala is a great surgeon.
Let me start with Dr Lakdawala. He seemed like a good surgeon, but I did have some complications afterward. I had a bowel obstruction several days after the initial surgery, which can and does happen with weight loss surgeries. They couldn't identify the problem on an xray or scan, so I suffered with increasing pain for 3 days until they opened me back up as an emergency surgery to find the problem. Some intestines had poked up into and incision (like a hernia) which strangled the intestines. As someone who has suffered with kidney stones for years, trust me when I say the pain from the obstruction was unspeakable. I know people can die from that, so I'm not sure if I'm pissed he took 3 days to figure it out (he was traveling, so I think we may have been waiting for him to return), or grateful they found something that was hard to see on an xray. He is busy, and I'm not sure I was a top priority.
I also have asthma, which acted up after surgery, which sometimes happens after anesthesia and breathing oxygen (many get pneumonia from the fluid accumulating in the lungs, which is probably what was going on). I started having severe breathing difficulties and needed specific medicine to open my lungs back up, but the current nurses (who supposedly all know English) didn't understand why I was so stressed, and just wanted me to lie back and sleep, which would have been my last sleep had I done that. I kept pushing the nurse button to call them in to ask for a breathing treatment (which they couldn't seem to produce) and after several calls over several hours, the nurse on duty turned off my buzzer. The next time one of them finally came in, my lips were blue from lack of oxygen and I was losing consciousness. The head surgeon was yelling at her outside my door a few hours later, which was fine with me, because if I'd felt better I would have strangled her myself.
The thing that seriously annoyed me, was that I made it clear I wanted the DS. After I got there, it turned out the surgeons schedule was too tight, and he suggested I get the RNY (he can do several RNYs in the same amount of time he can do one DS, so he made much less doing my DS that day, then several RNYs). His schedule is the LAST of my considerations for a surgery I will have to live with the rest of my life. He tried to change my mind by telling me lies about the DS, which I fortunately knew were inaccurate, as I actually had all the medical studies on my laptop, which was with me. I knew the real statistics, and said I would just fly back home rather than have a RNY, so he relented. I'm still pissed.
Because of the emergency surgery, my stay went from 9 days, to 15, so my flight back had to be changed. While there was a phone in my room, it was a pain in the butt to use it, and I was having problems rescheduling my flight home. Deeraj Bojwani took my info and took care of dealing with the airline for me, which was helpful. I thought he was one of the brighter spots in the whole ordeal, until this past year he posted a phony testimonial with my name and picture, written in horrible English. Most of the testimonials there are bogus. They seem to have a stockpile of "testimonials" that they mix and match, which are authored by "health crazy" or something like that. I'm sure it's Deeraj.
Yikes, looking back over this, I was going to be as unbiased and positive as possible, and it sounds awful, but if I were doing it again, these are things I'd want to know.
Overall, I'm thrilled with my surgery. I'd have the DS again, but no other type of WLS. I'd also go abroad for the the surgery, but to a surgeon that I'm more familiar with that has great success, that have as good or even better rates. There are many in places like Mexico and Brazil and even Russia. I may look at Asia as well.
I hope I didn't scare you out of a life saving surgery, as I'd do it again in a heartbeat, just with a few differences. If you have any other questions, feel free to pm me.
I'm very happy with my DS, but also have some mixed reviews of the hospital, nursing care and surgeon. So much I could tell you, that I don't even know where to start.
I will tell you the things I was not happy with, as that would be the information you are probably looking for. You probably already know the accommodations are very nice, and the nurse to patient ratio is high, and Dr Lakdawala is a great surgeon.
Let me start with Dr Lakdawala. He seemed like a good surgeon, but I did have some complications afterward. I had a bowel obstruction several days after the initial surgery, which can and does happen with weight loss surgeries. They couldn't identify the problem on an xray or scan, so I suffered with increasing pain for 3 days until they opened me back up as an emergency surgery to find the problem. Some intestines had poked up into and incision (like a hernia) which strangled the intestines. As someone who has suffered with kidney stones for years, trust me when I say the pain from the obstruction was unspeakable. I know people can die from that, so I'm not sure if I'm pissed he took 3 days to figure it out (he was traveling, so I think we may have been waiting for him to return), or grateful they found something that was hard to see on an xray. He is busy, and I'm not sure I was a top priority.
I also have asthma, which acted up after surgery, which sometimes happens after anesthesia and breathing oxygen (many get pneumonia from the fluid accumulating in the lungs, which is probably what was going on). I started having severe breathing difficulties and needed specific medicine to open my lungs back up, but the current nurses (who supposedly all know English) didn't understand why I was so stressed, and just wanted me to lie back and sleep, which would have been my last sleep had I done that. I kept pushing the nurse button to call them in to ask for a breathing treatment (which they couldn't seem to produce) and after several calls over several hours, the nurse on duty turned off my buzzer. The next time one of them finally came in, my lips were blue from lack of oxygen and I was losing consciousness. The head surgeon was yelling at her outside my door a few hours later, which was fine with me, because if I'd felt better I would have strangled her myself.
The thing that seriously annoyed me, was that I made it clear I wanted the DS. After I got there, it turned out the surgeons schedule was too tight, and he suggested I get the RNY (he can do several RNYs in the same amount of time he can do one DS, so he made much less doing my DS that day, then several RNYs). His schedule is the LAST of my considerations for a surgery I will have to live with the rest of my life. He tried to change my mind by telling me lies about the DS, which I fortunately knew were inaccurate, as I actually had all the medical studies on my laptop, which was with me. I knew the real statistics, and said I would just fly back home rather than have a RNY, so he relented. I'm still pissed.
Because of the emergency surgery, my stay went from 9 days, to 15, so my flight back had to be changed. While there was a phone in my room, it was a pain in the butt to use it, and I was having problems rescheduling my flight home. Deeraj Bojwani took my info and took care of dealing with the airline for me, which was helpful. I thought he was one of the brighter spots in the whole ordeal, until this past year he posted a phony testimonial with my name and picture, written in horrible English. Most of the testimonials there are bogus. They seem to have a stockpile of "testimonials" that they mix and match, which are authored by "health crazy" or something like that. I'm sure it's Deeraj.
Yikes, looking back over this, I was going to be as unbiased and positive as possible, and it sounds awful, but if I were doing it again, these are things I'd want to know.
Overall, I'm thrilled with my surgery. I'd have the DS again, but no other type of WLS. I'd also go abroad for the the surgery, but to a surgeon that I'm more familiar with that has great success, that have as good or even better rates. There are many in places like Mexico and Brazil and even Russia. I may look at Asia as well.
I hope I didn't scare you out of a life saving surgery, as I'd do it again in a heartbeat, just with a few differences. If you have any other questions, feel free to pm me.
Hi! I think you just answered all of the questions I just bombarded you with in a private message!! Actually they sound fairly crap! I have heard before that Forerunners are pants and to avoid them but the hospital and surgeon are good...however your care was POOR and based on your experience of being peri arrest and no one doing anything about it I would think they could go take a long walk off a short Pier.
There are a few things that make me cold with sweat:
1. your multiple attempts to communicate your problems were ignored
2. no nurses made any attempts to get someone to translate what you were saying
3. the surgeon was not contactable
4. there was no locum called in to cover him
5. you have obvious symptoms of respiratory distress and they couldn't see that despite the language barrier. Basic life support assessment and the first thing you are taught in nursing..AIRWAY, BREATHING, CIRCULATION!!!!!
Honey I think you just saved me a potential disaster
Thanks!
I'm checking out Spain...been there many a time and the facilities are grand...and they speak English as a second language very well God love them!
Boy I'm glad you are doing well now....so fill me in on the DS!
There are a few things that make me cold with sweat:
1. your multiple attempts to communicate your problems were ignored
2. no nurses made any attempts to get someone to translate what you were saying
3. the surgeon was not contactable
4. there was no locum called in to cover him
5. you have obvious symptoms of respiratory distress and they couldn't see that despite the language barrier. Basic life support assessment and the first thing you are taught in nursing..AIRWAY, BREATHING, CIRCULATION!!!!!
Honey I think you just saved me a potential disaster
Thanks!
I'm checking out Spain...been there many a time and the facilities are grand...and they speak English as a second language very well God love them!
Boy I'm glad you are doing well now....so fill me in on the DS!
Amy Farrah Fowler
on 7/8/09 8:00 am
on 7/8/09 8:00 am
For those very reasons, I wouldn't go to India again, and it's a shame as I think Dr Lakdawala is talented, but if he's not available then that's a problem.
It would have helped if I took someone with me, as there were pull out beds and a mini kitchen in my room, and they could have rattled some cages when I needed more help. Deeraj Bojwani said all staff at the hospital spoke English, but many nurses didn't speak it well enough to actually communicate.
If you're thinking of Spain, I'd like to suggest Balthasar(sp?). I'd go to him in a second, and wish I had.
OK, the DS. Best thing I've ever done.
I was scheduled to get RNY which would have been paid for by insurance, and only then found out about the DS. I'd been dragging my feet for years about getting a band or RNY, because I knew I didn't want dumping, strictures, stuck foods, stretched stoma, marginal ulcers, fill/unfills or any or the other possible things that come with those. Studies showed the DS had the best results for weight loss, and maintenance of that loss. I decided to self pay for the DS.
I had my surgery on 1-29-08, and have lost around 150 lbs, and am still losing, but more slowly since I'm adding more complex carbs back. My labs are great except for slightly low iron, which was a problem for me prior to surgery as well. My blood pressure and cholesterol are great, despite finally being able to eat fat. A few of my favorites are avocado and flavored olive oil, which I'd avoided my whole life, to avoid the fat calories despite being healthy fats. I have to eat higher protein now, but it's pretty easy when I don't have to worry about the fat count. I have a new relationship with cheese.
I needed to be able to take NSAIDs for PMS and others things. I read the DS had the best resolution of type 2 diabetes (and that was a cure, not just remission from the weight loss) and I already had insulin resistance, with parents and grandparents with diabetes, so knew I'd have it too. I also read that the DS may help with metabolic disorder, and I had several problems relating to that (and those things are resolved now).
We eat with friends frequently, and I wanted to be able to blend in when dining out. I didn't want to have to order or bring special things, or ever have to leave the table due to dumping, stuck food, needing to puke or anything else.
I eat small normalish meals now, and no one would know I'd had WLS based on what I eat if I hadn't told them. I actually probably eat healthier now, just because I eat a balanced diet with protein. I was so fixated on eating low / fat / calorie / carb before surgery, that my diet was so limited, I was deficient in many things.
The biggest drawback with the DS (or the RNY) is the need to take daily vitamins. Since I've resolved all of my weight related illnesses since surgery, I don't take any medications any more, so despite the vitamins, I take fewer pills than I did before. The supplements and protein are "must do's" if you go ahead with the surgery.
The only other possible drawback is that many DSers have to limit white carbs like flour or eat it late in the day, so if it causes gas it won't be till late. I don't have real issues with any food, but one thing I can NOT eat, is sugar Alcohol. It's in a fair amount of sugar free products, and causes me problems. I've heard it causes regular people problems too, but I don't recall trying it before.
A lot of people talk about the gas / bathroom issues, but I think it's a lot of hype, and some is just old info from the earlier BPD surgery that the DS evolved from. The old Scopinaro bpd-ds did have issues, but isn't really done any more. Actually I had IBS prior to surgery, and had diarrhea more often than not. That seems to have been resolved since surgery, and the only diarrhea I've had since surgery was immediately after, while I was still on the liquid diet. Now, I only go in the morning, and that's usually it. It makes planning my day easier, since I'm not a fan of going in public restrooms.
I honestly think the DS was a miracle for me, and not a day goes by that we don't get in some time for a swim, roller blade, tennis, bike ride ( or skiing in the winter). I couldn't do any of those things barely over a year ago, and all co-morbidity's and health problems I had due to the fat are gone. ALL of them! My fiance is quite a bit younger than I am, and very athletic, and it's so nice to be able to finally join him, instead of watching from the sidelines.
The only thing I'd have done differently (aside from going to India) would have been to have the surgery 10 years earlier. I kept waiting, thinking RNY or band were my only options and didn't like either one, and kept thinking I'd find the diet that works, and believing that my metabolism was salvageable.
It would have helped if I took someone with me, as there were pull out beds and a mini kitchen in my room, and they could have rattled some cages when I needed more help. Deeraj Bojwani said all staff at the hospital spoke English, but many nurses didn't speak it well enough to actually communicate.
If you're thinking of Spain, I'd like to suggest Balthasar(sp?). I'd go to him in a second, and wish I had.
OK, the DS. Best thing I've ever done.
I was scheduled to get RNY which would have been paid for by insurance, and only then found out about the DS. I'd been dragging my feet for years about getting a band or RNY, because I knew I didn't want dumping, strictures, stuck foods, stretched stoma, marginal ulcers, fill/unfills or any or the other possible things that come with those. Studies showed the DS had the best results for weight loss, and maintenance of that loss. I decided to self pay for the DS.
I had my surgery on 1-29-08, and have lost around 150 lbs, and am still losing, but more slowly since I'm adding more complex carbs back. My labs are great except for slightly low iron, which was a problem for me prior to surgery as well. My blood pressure and cholesterol are great, despite finally being able to eat fat. A few of my favorites are avocado and flavored olive oil, which I'd avoided my whole life, to avoid the fat calories despite being healthy fats. I have to eat higher protein now, but it's pretty easy when I don't have to worry about the fat count. I have a new relationship with cheese.
I needed to be able to take NSAIDs for PMS and others things. I read the DS had the best resolution of type 2 diabetes (and that was a cure, not just remission from the weight loss) and I already had insulin resistance, with parents and grandparents with diabetes, so knew I'd have it too. I also read that the DS may help with metabolic disorder, and I had several problems relating to that (and those things are resolved now).
We eat with friends frequently, and I wanted to be able to blend in when dining out. I didn't want to have to order or bring special things, or ever have to leave the table due to dumping, stuck food, needing to puke or anything else.
I eat small normalish meals now, and no one would know I'd had WLS based on what I eat if I hadn't told them. I actually probably eat healthier now, just because I eat a balanced diet with protein. I was so fixated on eating low / fat / calorie / carb before surgery, that my diet was so limited, I was deficient in many things.
The biggest drawback with the DS (or the RNY) is the need to take daily vitamins. Since I've resolved all of my weight related illnesses since surgery, I don't take any medications any more, so despite the vitamins, I take fewer pills than I did before. The supplements and protein are "must do's" if you go ahead with the surgery.
The only other possible drawback is that many DSers have to limit white carbs like flour or eat it late in the day, so if it causes gas it won't be till late. I don't have real issues with any food, but one thing I can NOT eat, is sugar Alcohol. It's in a fair amount of sugar free products, and causes me problems. I've heard it causes regular people problems too, but I don't recall trying it before.
A lot of people talk about the gas / bathroom issues, but I think it's a lot of hype, and some is just old info from the earlier BPD surgery that the DS evolved from. The old Scopinaro bpd-ds did have issues, but isn't really done any more. Actually I had IBS prior to surgery, and had diarrhea more often than not. That seems to have been resolved since surgery, and the only diarrhea I've had since surgery was immediately after, while I was still on the liquid diet. Now, I only go in the morning, and that's usually it. It makes planning my day easier, since I'm not a fan of going in public restrooms.
I honestly think the DS was a miracle for me, and not a day goes by that we don't get in some time for a swim, roller blade, tennis, bike ride ( or skiing in the winter). I couldn't do any of those things barely over a year ago, and all co-morbidity's and health problems I had due to the fat are gone. ALL of them! My fiance is quite a bit younger than I am, and very athletic, and it's so nice to be able to finally join him, instead of watching from the sidelines.
The only thing I'd have done differently (aside from going to India) would have been to have the surgery 10 years earlier. I kept waiting, thinking RNY or band were my only options and didn't like either one, and kept thinking I'd find the diet that works, and believing that my metabolism was salvageable.
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