Hi everyone, I'm new to the group. I live on the gold coast in Australia. A few of my friends have been sleeved and my sisters dad all with massive success. So I took my hubby along to an information night here and we decided that sleeving is probably my best and only option for permanent weightloss. We don't have insurance being that the Aussie health system in general is fantastic but this surgery is around $15,000- $19,000 aud. Anyway I am going to Egypt next Friday for 2 months with my children and my hubby suggested that I do it there (he's Egyptian) as I'd have a lot of post op support there from his family. I'm freaking out a bit as Egypt has both its current political and certainly 3rd world health problems. We are getting a surgeon my husband is good friends with but I can't get a straight answer whether he has done this surgery before. I know I need the surgery... Doing it here in australia is very difficult because of the high cost and no support (I have a 4 and 6 year old). In Egypt the surgery will be between $4,000-$8,000 which is the highest if I have major complications si much cheaper plus family round the clock support. But my Arabic is limited and their English is limited too. Do u think its something a general surgeon should be able to do?

Hi welcome to the forum. It is something a general surgeon can do, however having said that they need to have been trained in the surgery and research has shown that as a surgeon increases his number of sleeve surgerys the lower the complication rate. I'm Australian and I understand how difficult it is without private health. However I would only use someone with a proven track record. This surgery has potentially life threatening complications if it is not executed properly and I would NEVER have a surgeon do his first sleeve without the supervision of an extremely skilled bariatric surgeon. I now live in Dubai and my surgeon is a general surgeon, however he has done hundres of these procedures. Maybe Dubai could be an option for you (not too far from egypt and you can travel a week after surgery). It costs approximately 10 to 12,000 aussie dollars and there are several skilled bariactric surgeons here and world class hospitals. Good luck - but PLEASE make sure that you are 150% comfortable with your decision

Edited November 5, 201312 yr by Camella

Egypt has a sophisticated and modern medical system. Just ensure that your surgeon and the practice specializes in bariatric surgery ...

Beware! A long ago friend just had surgery from a dr Ihad gone to a seminar for. He has only been doing this 1 yr. do not know how many he has done. On the table he cut her main artery to her pancreas. Almost bleed out. Had to cut her open from her breast to her navel to find the bleed. Was in ICU for 5 days. On top of that he did not do the sleeve. So she woke up all cut up and did not even get the surgery. Just research whoever you choose. This is so important.

I would not go to a Surgeon who has not had specialized training in Bariatric Surgery, Like the previous poster stated there are many other highly qualified Bariatric surgeons in or near Egypt. I would NOT want to be the first person a surgeon has sleeve especially if he has to training or supervision!

Thanks everyone. I think I feel nervous because I haven't met him yet. Once I meet him then I think I'll know if that's what I want to do.