I have recently joined some of the Aussie FB support groups. I have noticed that there are a lot of people having their surgery done in Bangkok because they don't have Private Health Ins and therefore it is cheaper.

The thing that amazes me though is the difference in postop diets. These people are having sleeves and bypasses and are eating solid food in hospital 3 or 4 days later. I keep hearing that Asian countries are way ahead of Aus in terms of this surgery and that this kind of postop diet is more beneficial as it leads to less intolerances. Personally I find that hard to believe and I would be very wary but I am wondering if anyone has read any info on this kind of regime. Dr Google isn't throwing up much for me atm!

If one has it done where there is literally zero liability about what happens after surgery, that might be why there is so much more freedom. Thank goodness there is liability in the US. Most US surgeons agree and warn all their patients the difference between the sleeve and the band is this: that if you eat the wrong food with a lap-band, you vomit. If you ignore the stages and instructions you receive with the sleeve after surgery and eat the wrong foods, you die. Rupturing the staple line can be fatal, and it makes sense because it really needs that time to heal completely after such a life altering surgery. There is a reason that if someone decides to eat chicken during stage 2 that they cannot tolerate it. Maybe their methods are different as to where the solid foods would not pose as much of a threat that I am not aware of, but as for us here, in the US, for the most part, I think the post op regimen is mostly the same. Just my thoughts.

And I think I read in Germany and the Netherlands, they don't stop or restrict your bread intake, big bread- eating populations there!??

2 hours ago, Frustr8 said:

And I think I read in Germany and the Netherlands, they don't stop or restrict your bread intake, big bread- eating populations there!??

Hehe, we're allowed to eat bread. I have to look if I can find that sheet with the peri-operative eating instructions. After four weeks people we're allowed to try the first (albeit soft) bread. IIRC it was something like untoasted toast bread (*yuck*).

Of course there are patients who have dietary restrictions because they simply can't stomach something. A lot of people seem to be able to eat crisp bread but have problems with rolls or sour dough bread etc..

We are also allowed to eat potatoes etc. (mashed potatoes or potato soup are part of the soft food stage).

7 hours ago, Byefat said:

but as for us here, in the US, for the most part, I think the post op regimen is mostly the same.

That other countries have different standards doesn't mean that these standards are worse than the US ones or that they're harming the patients with their protocols.

I know there are lots of differences with regards to carbs proteins etc but I was under the impression that the phased liquid, mushy, soft diet progression was a universal thing.

Im pretty shocked at the eating solids a couple of days after surgery thing

8 hours ago, summerset said:

That other countries have different standards doesn't mean that these standards are worse than the US ones or that they're harming the patients with their protocols.

Which is why I said in my post "Maybe their methods are different as to where the solid foods would not pose as much of a threat that I am not aware of, but as for us here, in the US, for the most part, I think the post op regimen is mostly the same."

On 11/3/2018 at 6:16 PM, Byefat said:

If one has it done where there is literally zero liability about what happens after surgery, that might be why there is so much more freedom. Thank goodness there is liability in the US.

I think it is false to assume that different means better or safer.

US liability laws are a mixed bag, do they sometimes make us safer, sure. But they certainly make our medical care more expensive.

1 hour ago, sillykitty said:

I think it is false to assume that different means better or safer.

US liability laws are a mixed bag, do they sometimes make us safer, sure. But they certainly make our medical care more expensive.

The comment was about liability, not if it ours was better. As far as safer, follow up care in the US is what you get vs having things done in Mexico, or overseas, which I believe makes it safer, in many instances. Of course there may be some follow up care with some non-US surgeons, though I know firsthand how detrimental and dangerous zero follow-up care can be after such a surgery.