Gastric Sleeve in Turkey for Irish Patients

Ireland has very few public bariatric surgery places, so waits are long, and not everyone referred qualifies. Privately, a gastric sleeve in Ireland costs about €10,700 or more. If you have private health insurance, check whether it covers surgery at home first.

Istanbul has experienced bariatric surgeons in hospitals licensed by the Turkish Ministry of Health for international patients. It is a short direct flight, and the full package costs well under half of Irish private prices.

&NewMe is a marketplace: compare surgeons and their Google reviews, and get written quotes before you decide.

€3,990 full package (the standard package). It includes:

• Surgery with Prof. Dr. Toygar Toydemir, anaesthesia and 3 nights at Istanbul Cerrahi Hospital
• 1 hotel night after discharge
• Pre-op tests in Istanbul
• Airport and hospital transfers
• Medication and protein for the first weeks
• Dietitian support and a coordinator from first message to home

Not included: flights and travel insurance. Return flights from Dublin are often €200-450 if you book a few weeks ahead.

Tax relief: you may be able to claim 20% tax relief on the treatment cost through Revenue (health expenses) - travel and hotel do not qualify. Keep your invoice; we give you one that shows the treatment and the amount.

Other surgeons on &NewMe quote their own packages - always compare what is included.

Irish private price: Irish private clinics rarely publish a full self-pay price; one Dublin clinic advertises its gastric sleeve plan from €297 a month over up to 36 months (Auralia, about €10,700 in total). Irish private health insurance may cover surgery at home if you meet the criteria (Blackrock WeightCare).

A fair question. Irish doctors do see complications after surgery abroad - usually after choosing an unlicensed clinic, skipping pre-op checks, or having no plan for follow-up at home.

Before you book with any provider through &NewMe, we check four things for you:

• The hospital is licensed by the Turkish Ministry of Health and authorised for international patients
• Complication insurance: required by Turkish law for international surgical patients and included by most providers - on the NewMe Comfort package it is Demir Sağlık cover you can extend before surgery (check your quote for limits and the first-days exclusion)
• You get the price and refund rules in writing before you pay
• The surgeon who operates on you is named in your quote

Your surgeon reviews your medical history before anything is confirmed, and will say no if surgery is not safe for you. After you are home, you can reach us any time and we coordinate with your surgeon.

Doing nothing has risks too: diabetes, heart disease and joint damage get worse with time.

Many of our patients so far have come from New Zealand and Australia - their stories are the same trip you would make, just a longer flight.

• Kristy: 66 kg down
• Sammie: 46 kg down, back on the flying fox
• Ngatiira: more than just surgery

Want to talk to someone who has done it? Ask your coordinator - past patients are happy to answer questions on WhatsApp.

Visa: Ireland ordinary passport holders do not need a visa or e-Visa for tourist visits of up to 90 days in any 180 days (Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Passport: it must be valid for at least 60 days beyond your stay (the Ministry advises 6 months from arrival to be safe). See also the Department of Foreign Affairs travel advice for Turkey.

Flight: about 4 hours direct from Dublin. Return fares are often €200-450 if you book a few weeks ahead.

How long you stay: Providers typically require at least 2 nights in hospital and at least 1 night in a hotel before you fly home. The exact length depends on the provider and package - your written quote shows it. You fly home once your surgeon confirms you are fit to fly.

• Medication: keep your regular medicines in your hand luggage, in their original packaging, with your prescription or a GP letter.
• Airport assistance: ask your airline for wheelchair or walking assistance when you book - useful on the way home.
• Phone: set up a travel eSIM before you leave so WhatsApp works as soon as you land - your driver and coordinator reach you there.

Bringing a partner or friend? On the NewMe Comfort package (and most full packages on &NewMe) one companion stays free - in your hospital room and at the hotel, with meals. They only pay for their own flight (and any extra nights you add). Check your quote.

The extras below are not part of the package price. Your coordinator confirms what is available and the price in writing - there is nothing to buy online.

• Extra hotel nights: if you want more time to rest, or your surgeon advises a longer stay.
• Tours: Istanbul tours, such as a full-day highlights tour or a Bosphorus cruise. Plan them before surgery or for your companion - after surgery, rest comes first.
• Çinili Hamam: a restored 16th-century Ottoman bath by Mimar Sinan - before your surgery, or for your companion only.

Tell your GP before and after your surgery - your GP stays your main doctor at home. We recommend a GP visit about 2 weeks after you are back, and blood tests at about 3, 6 and 12 months, then at least once a year (B12, iron, folate, vitamin D, calcium).

On the full package, a bariatric dietitian guides you from liquids to normal food, and our AI support assistant - trained by the dietitian - answers questions 24/7. Your surgeon gives you a discharge summary and follow-up plan in English, and we help your GP and your surgeon talk if needed.

Vitamins: a daily A-Z multivitamin and mineral for life, plus vitamin B12, calcium with vitamin D, and iron if needed - your dietitian sets the doses. Plan blood tests at about 3, 6 and 12 months, then at least once a year for life with your GP (BOMSS 2020).

Exercise: walk from day 1 and a little more each day; no heavy lifting or tummy exercises for about 6 weeks; swim once wounds have healed; gentle gym cardio often from about 4 weeks and weights from about 6 weeks, when your surgeon agrees. Long term: 150+ minutes of activity a week plus strength training. General guidance - your surgeon and dietitian give you your own plan.

How much does a gastric sleeve in Turkey cost from Ireland?

Our standard full package is €3,990, including surgery with Prof. Dr. Toygar Toydemir, 3 nights in hospital, 1 hotel night, transfers, medication, protein and dietitian support. Flights and travel insurance are extra. Private surgery in Ireland costs about €10,700 or more.

Can I claim tax relief?

Treatment abroad by a registered doctor can qualify for 20% health expenses relief through Revenue. Only the treatment counts - not flights or hotel. Keep your invoice.

Will the HSE refund surgery in Turkey?

No. HSE schemes for treatment abroad cover EU/EEA countries, and Turkey is not one of them.

How long do I need to stay in Turkey?

Providers typically require at least 2 nights in hospital and at least 1 night in a hotel before you fly home. The exact length depends on the provider and package - your written quote shows it. The full package has 3 nights in hospital and 1 in a hotel. Most people are back at a desk job within 1-2 weeks.

Is it safe?

Surgery always has some risk, wherever it is done. It is safest with an experienced bariatric surgeon in a licensed hospital, after proper pre-op checks and with follow-up at home - which is what we check before you book.

Is complication insurance included?

Yes, on most full packages - Turkish law requires it for international patients. On the NewMe Comfort package, for example, complication insurance from Demir Sağlık ve Hayat Sigorta is included: its Essential plan covers up to €2,500 for treating a complication in Turkey, for 6 months, but not in the first 7 days after surgery or discharge. You can extend it before surgery: Plus (+€99) raises cover to €5,000 and adds up to €500 for treatment at home, plus a return flight (up to €500) and hotel (up to €1,000) if you need to come back; Premium (+€129) is Plus with cover from day 1. Other providers' policies differ - check your quote.

No plan covers the original surgery, malpractice claims, rehabilitation, conditions unrelated to the surgery, or anything after 6 months; further treatment is normally at the same hospital unless the insurer agrees otherwise. Travel insurance is separate - tell your insurer about the surgery.