1. Who is Eligible for Weight Loss Surgery, Should I Have the Surgery?

Weight loss surgeries are serious operations that change the normal anatomy of the digestive system and should not be preferred as the primary option. Patients should first genuinely attempt non-surgical methods such as diet and exercise. Weight loss surgery is applied to patients who cannot lose weight on their own despite all good-faith efforts and whose excessive weight has reached certain limits. 

This limit is a body mass index (BMI) over $40\text{ kg/m}^2$. However, patients with a BMI between $35-40\text{ kg/m}^2$ are candidates for weight loss surgery if they have at least one co-morbidity related to obesity. For patients with a BMI between $30-35$, obesity surgery may be considered in very specific circumstances. Since every patient has their own unique characteristics, your situation will be finalized after consultation, examination, and tests with your doctor.

2. Who is Eligible for Diabetes Surgery, Should I Have the Surgery?

Diabetes surgery is a treatment method applied to patients diagnosed with type-2 diabetes. There is currently no surgical treatment option for type-1 diabetes. To benefit from this surgery, you must be a type-2 diabetic, have a certain degree of insulin resistance in your body, and, most importantly, have sufficient insulin reserve in your pancreas. 

To clarify your suitability for surgery, we perform a series of tests on patients for whom we plan diabetes surgery—such as pancreatic insulin reserve and viability, and insulin resistance status—that directly affect your surgical success, and we determine your eligibility based on the results of these tests.

3. Which Type of Surgery is Suitable for Me?

The detailed answer to this question can be given after evaluating many factors, such as your current excess weight status and the presence of co-morbidities that have arisen due to obesity (Type-2 diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, joint problems, etc.). 

As a general consensus, while we recommend a basic surgery like sleeve gastrectomy for patients who only have a weight problem, we recommend more complex operations with a greater metabolic effect, where both your stomach and small intestines are included in the surgical scenario, for patients with co-morbidities such as type-2 diabetes and hypertension. In summary, since every patient has their own specific characteristics, we shape the type of surgery and treatment plan after examining the patient.

4. I Want to Have Surgery with You, What Should I Do?

Your desire to have surgery with us and your trust in us are a source of honor and pride for us. You can reach us by filling out the forms on our website www.drtaneryigit.com and our social media accounts, and through the contact numbers on these addresses.

5. What are the Pre-operative Preparations?

Detailed information on this topic is provided in detail under the options on the “Our Surgeries” page of our website for each type of surgery. Before the operation, a set of evaluation tests should be performed to determine and prevent specific risks that we might encounter during and after the operation. 

After physicians from various branches, routinely including cardiology, anesthesia, and internal medicine specialists, and, depending on the need, gastroenterology, endocrinology, pulmonary diseases, and psychiatry, evaluate and examine you and provide their comments on your surgery, the surgery planning phase begins.

6. When Will I Be Hospitalized?

After your outpatient tests and preparations are completed, we hospitalize you either one day before the operation date or on the morning of the operation.

7. How Long Does the Surgery Take, What Will My Subsequent Course Be?

Although it varies depending on the type of operation to be performed, the average duration of the surgery ranges between 45 minutes and 3 hours. This is the time we spend performing the surgery. However, the time between your departure from your room to the operating room and your arrival from the operating room to your room is longer. 

The reason for this increase is due to the additional time spent in the surgical preparation area and the post-anesthesia recovery area. After waking up in the operating room, we routinely take you to your bed. Although rare, depending on your heart and lung reserve and your awakening status from anesthesia, you may need to stay in the intensive care unit for 1-2 days. You will stay in the hospital for approximately 2-4 days (average 3) in the post-operative period, and we discharge you on the day we deem you are free from all surgical risks.

8. When Can I Get Back on My Feet After the Surgery?

We ask you to stand up and walk approximately 6-8 hours after the end of your surgery. Walking and movements that start supported and for short distances continue with increasing frequency. Since you will be operated on using the laparoscopic method, you will be able to manage almost all your personal needs on your own the morning after the operation. 

Although very rare, if your operation needs to be converted to open surgery, you may need companion support for 1-2 days after the surgery. Afterward, gradually increasing your movement will contribute to your recovery.

9. When Will I Be Discharged After the Surgery?

Although your length of hospital stay varies depending on various medical and social factors, we discharge you at the earliest on the second day after the operation. This period is generally 2-4 days, with an average of 3 days.

10. Will I Need a Companion in the Hospital and Afterward?

Although the presence of a companion is not strictly necessary for operations that start and end with laparoscopic surgery, having a companion to support you after the surgery will be beneficial in terms of both physical and moral motivation. After leaving the hospital, you can do many of your tasks yourself, but it will be beneficial to have someone around to help you during the first week.

11. When Will I Start Oral Feeding?

Due to the changes made in your stomach and intestines, you will gradually transition to oral feeding and continue within the framework of a detailed program we will give you. In the early hours after the surgery, we first ask you to consume water, on the day after the surgery, liquid foods such as water and fruit juices, on the second day after the surgery, liquids and seedless soup, and on the third day, liquids, soup with pieces, and 1-2 biscuits. 

Upon discharge from the hospital, we will give you a detailed diet plan covering how and what to eat in the following months. Our specialist dietitians will always be ready to serve you in the post-operative period, both during your check-ups and in between check-ups.

12. When Can I Return to Work After the Surgery?

This depends on the job you do. You can start light desk jobs approximately one week after the surgery, and jobs that require physical labor 15-20 days after the operation.

13. When Should I Take a Bath?

Be sure to take your bath before the surgery. You may feel the need to shower in the hospital after the operation. In this case, it is possible to shower by covering the incision sites with special tapes. You can shower normally at home one day after discharge. The wound sites are air and waterproof. You can use shampoo, body lotion, and soap. We do not recommend bathing in a tub for 3 months.

14. Will I Need to Have Stitches Removed?

No, you will not need to have stitches removed. Since your skin sutures will be made in the style of aesthetic sutures using self-dissolving suture materials and these stitches will dissolve on their own, you will not need to have stitches removed.

15. Should I Take the Medications I Use Regularly?

If you are using medications for chronic diseases, please be sure to inform us about the manner of use. We can decide which of these to continue, which to temporarily stop, and which to adjust the dose of in this way. If you are using blood thinners, we kindly request you to inform us about this.