Dr. Valsamidis, Athens, Greece

bilka · February 14, 2011

First of all: they were simply great.

Dr. Valsamidis is super professional and has got great experience. He studied and worked in Danemark and Scandivia.

The nurses speak English and are ready to help you whenever you need them.

The clinic is in Glyfada, it's an area in the south of Athens, next to the sea. If you take a taxi it takes you like 20 minutes to the city centre and costs about 11-14 Euros.

The hospital is clean, you have a 2-bed room with your own bathroom. The shower has a hairdryer but no Shampoo, so take you own with you (I felt so good when I took a shower the day after surgery). There was another (sleeved) girl in the room with me the first day but then I was alone.

All the taxi drivers had great things to say about Mediterraneo Hospital and everyone at the hospital loves Dr. Valsamidis.

He made me go there on an empty stomach the day before, made me meet the cardiologist, took blood samples and did other tests. Then we spent a long time talking about the surgery he explained to me many things about it and answered all my questions.

The next day you are required to be there very early. The surgery lasts about 1 hour, but you stay down there much longer, because they want to make sure that everything is alright. During surgery the anesthesiologist already does the leakage test with the blue liquid (so, do not worry if your pee is green when you wake up).

When I woke up I had no catheters, no tubes coming out of my body except for the drip and a drainerthat empties your stomach from blood and gas, which will be removed the next day.

The price was 6500 Euros (8800$). You pay extra for the gastroscopy, but it should be 100/200 Euros.

Dr. Valsamidis wants you to stay 2 nights after the surgery. I stayed and extra night and that costed me 355 Euros.

He also asks you to stay a couple of extra nights in Glyfada, so that you make sure you are alright.

My BMI was 34.4 before surgery. The surgeon and I exchanged emails at the begininning and he listened to me explaining why I wanted the surgery so badly. He makes you call him before he decides anything. He also made sure that my diabetes (type 1) was under control the whole time before during and after surgery.

I couldn't expect so much. I don't think I am ever going to meet such a friendly and professional staff again.

I am really happy with my experience.

(I know I must sound like his PR, but you know..? I am only telling the truth)

It is not an organised trip so you don't have anyone waiting for you at the airport, I took a friend with me, we visited the city the first few days, then I went to the hospital and she visited me everyday. There are nice hotels in Glyfada.

When I left he told me I should call him at any time if I needed anything and asked me to keep him updated.

In case anyone wants more info feel free to ask me.

This is his website: http://www.valsamidis-surgery.com/index.html

(That's him on the pic... He loves his orange tie )