Hi All, Not sure if i'm in the right place here sorry if not!!,

I am considering having mini gastric bypass surgery with Dr Chris De Bruyne at Belgium surgery services.

I am quite nervous about having to travel to Belgium for the surgery and wanted to know if I would be in safe hands with the surgery and after care.
Can anyone please tell your experience with the Surgeon? and also your personal experience with the surgery

- if there was anything that you weren't aware of pre-surgery.
I do have my heart set on having this surgery and I have done quite a lot of research into this,
I would love to hear peoples own experiences to help nudge me in the right direction.
I'm based in N.Ireland and I'm aware that there are no surgeons here that carry out this procedure so I will have to travel regardless I'm just wondering if England would be a better option?
Any Advice on this would be much appreciated as I am sure you all know how I am feeling at this moment information melt down!!!

Hi,

It would be more prudent to stay close to home.

I had mine done by https://www.streamline-surgical.com/ they give you regular support over the following 2 years and ensure that you are well looked after. They also make sure that you are completely aware of what is being done and how it will change your life.

I hope this helps.

Yes, they do.

That is the operation I had.

thank you for replies

I have gave them a call and waiting on one of there surgery people calling me back!! I read the reviews on trust pilot also on them which puts me at ease at least you can see other peoples experinces. i will have look in to them was it Mr Sommers that carried out your surgery? could i ask when you had yours and how your doing now that you had it, anything you wished you hadve known presurgery?

I have a consultation booked for the 1st April with the Belguim people. to have a chat and get a feel for them and their aftercare i do know that they run clinics in Belfast where i live so that was a positive.

i think i am just nervous and have no idea why as previously said i really know its the right path for me, suppose its just the unknown really. i am trying to fight through the information and get the answers that i really need i think im drowning at this point lol

again thank you so much for replies as it definitly helps

3 hours ago, mcholls said:

thank you for replies

I have gave them a call and waiting on one of there surgery people calling me back!! I read the reviews on trust pilot also on them which puts me at ease at least you can see other peoples experinces. i will have look in to them was it Mr Sommers that carried out your surgery? could i ask when you had yours and how your doing now that you had it, anything you wished you hadve known presurgery?

I have a consultation booked for the 1st April with the Belguim people. to have a chat and get a feel for them and their aftercare i do know that they run clinics in Belfast where i live so that was a positive.

i think i am just nervous and have no idea why as previously said i really know its the right path for me, suppose its just the unknown really. i am trying to fight through the information and get the answers that i really need i think im drowning at this point lol

again thank you so much for replies as it definitly helps

My consultant surgeon was Ali Alhamdani (one of the partners on the Streamline team) he is one of his colleagues and he specialises in MGB and has been doing it for years. The whole team, nurses, dietitian and surgeon have been very supportive and I get regular calls to see how I am doing and to offer advice. It was undertaken on the 12th Jan this year.

The weight dropped of super quick the following 3 weeks and then stalled for a bit (this happens to most people apparently) and then got going again.

The exercise I get is just walking and that seems to be enough to make sure the weight keeps dropping.

One thing I didn't realise is that my tummy would not be able to metabolise milk for the first 5 weeks. Apparently it does happen to some people. The good news is I can now drink it again.

I haven't had any major issues at all.

I did have dumping syndrome a few weeks back, but it was my fault for not checking the carb content on something I ate.

I have been keeping an eye on my calorie consumption via Fitness Pal. I also use Google Fit to track my steps. All is going well and I do not regret having it done at all.

Good Afternoon,

I had surgery with Dr Chris at Belgium surgery services and can honestly say the quality of service the cleanliness of hospital the location of hotel exceptional. Nothing was too much effort, Bart and Frederik are always available to put your mind at ease, every detail was taken care of and there was no hard sell.

The hotel is walking distance from the hospital and my husband accompanied me. I felt fine after surgery and was ready to leave after just one nights stay, but they insist on a minimum of 2 nights and a couple of days at the hotel following surgery.

I had my surgery back in September 2018 weighing in at a hefty 17stone 11lb and a UK size 22, I am now 8stone 10lb and a UK size 6

Feel free to ask any questions

Hiya!

Thanks so much for reply I have a consultation booked for this Thursday with Fredrik. I'm so excited for it.

Your journey is incredible, I'm similar to your start weight if I achieved your loss I'd be over the moon!

I now feel really confident I have made the right decision I'm just looking forward to my journey starting and getting over to Berlin now for it!

Thank you so much for sharing as it really helps me hearing all your stories

Xx

Edited March 30, 20215 yr by mcholls

Hi, have you had your MGB done yet? I’m booked in for 8th June with Dr Chris in Belgium, and as you can tell with me being up, looking at forums at 1am, i’m a little nervous! I had a gastric band with Dr Chris about 10 years ago and lost about 4 and a half stone, then developed terrible gastric reflux, i had to have my band emptied and have gained all my weight back, and an extra stone. I feel horrendous. I’m having a band to MGB conversion.
i think i’m more worried that i’ll be travelling with all the extra covid restrictions. And because of that i’ll be going alone.

Hi there

No I'm scheduled for 1st July. I'm so excited for it but nervous as you.

Are you traveling alone? my mum is coming with me you can still have a guest with you as it's classed as career/support. I recently had Fredrik confirm this. I would do it on my own but my family won't let me lol

I think it's just the thought but I had a relative have the surgery with Chris and she's over the moon says best thing happened to her.

You don't have long to go now please keep in touch and let me know how you get on. ??

35 minutes ago, mcholls said:

Hi there

No I'm scheduled for 1st July. I'm so excited for it but nervous as you.

Are you traveling alone? my mum is coming with me you can still have a guest with you as it's classed as career/support. I recently had Fredrik confirm this. I would do it on my own but my family won't let me lol

I think it's just the thought but I had a relative have the surgery with Chris and she's over the moon says best thing happened to her.

You don't have long to go now please keep in touch and let me know how you get on. ??

I am travelling alone, Frederik told me that any people accompanying have to stay at the hotel, so I’d feel too bad about someone being stuck in and then having to isolate on their return. I’m nervous about the op but also about travelling. My original flights got cancelled and I’ve rebooked new ones, but I now have to fly Edinburgh- Amsterdam - Brussels and then the same in reverse on the way home. I’m stressed about what COVID tests I need for where. My low fat diet starts on Tuesday, I can’t wait to fit into all my old clothes, but I’m hoping they’ll all end up too big!

I know I tried to tell my mum that but you know what mothers are likely they worry lol.

Oh wow that's a journey so you have to do the same on return poor you!

Yea so my understanding is a PCR test before you travel and another on arrival same on the way back I believe.

I'll be the same come my time to leave making sure I've gotten the right ones lol it's stressful but soon it will all be worth it.

I know I'm looking forward to see how far I go on the weightloss. This time next year we won't know ourselves lol

Well I’m now 3 days post op. The travelling was ok but long. I arrived in Belgium on Monday evening and was visited in the hotel by Bart that evening and was given instructions and directions to the hospital, it’s so close to the hotel, but because of COVID restrictions you could only use the front entrance of the hospital so was about a 15 minute walk. I didn’t need another COVID test as my one for “fit to fly” was still valid. Remember to take your passport to hospital.
I had blood tests etc done on arrival and had my surgery about 11am, I was very sleepy all that day, but everything was fine, they removed my band that had been emptied a few years ago due to terrible acid reflux and performed the mini gastric bypass.
The staff at the hospital were lovely, and most spoke sufficient English, a couple of them were fluent and they seemed to deal with me often, probably because of that, I heard often “the English patient” from the corridor (even though I’m Scottish) and someone would appear ?

you get no fluid at all that first day, just a cup of water with a little sponge to wet your mouth, I found this part the hardest, I could have killed for a drink, but until you’ve had your X-ray the following day and Dr Chris has checked it, it’s nil by mouth, only iv fluids. After the X-ray you can drink sips of water that day, then on day 2 you move to tea, crispbreads, smooth yoghurt and clear soup, not all at once obviously.

I was discharged back to the hotel after 2 days, they did a COVID test that morning and gave me a copy for the airport tomorrow morning. I’m managing fine on my own, although it’s advisable to bring stuff with you to eat after you return to the hotel as the hotel only does breakfasts.

my suggestion is bring crisp breads, I’ll try to post a photo here, low fat margarine, low fat spreading cheese or low sugar jam, and low fat smooth yoghurt. This is what you’re given at the hospital so completely safe. There’s a fridge in the room, but no kettle, so I’d advise bringing a travel kettle to make clear soup too.

so I’m up early tomorrow for my journey home, I feel good, managing my pain with just paracetamol, although I’ve been told that the majority of my pain is from where they removed the port from my band. I hope this helps anyone who’s due their op soon, I’ve probably missed out loads, so please ask any questions.
i can’t wait to be home and step on the scales and start my new life!
I was 17stone before starting all this, but was 16 stone the day I traveled here.

Edited June 11, 20215 yr by SS50
Personal data on original photo

Hi I was thinking how you were getting on. Glad you wrote back!

Glad your surgery went well and your looking forward to the new beginning.

Can you tell me what the name of the hotel is and also the hospital lol my simple brain has forgotten.

I'm glad your pain is low and your managing with just paracetamol I hope your journey back tomorrow will be smooth for you.

I will prob have a million questions you will be sorry to have offered haha

Ha ha, ask away. I’m home in my own house and had a nap as the journey was so tiring.

The hotel was The Lodge Hotel Vilvoorde

The hospital was AZ Jan Portaels