Gastric Botox in Turkey
Gastric botox in Turkey: a 20-minute endoscopic injection under sedation, no incisions, 1 hotel night. Who it helps, how much weight to expect, and why it is not a substitute for surgery.
Anaesthesia
Intravenous sedation (no general anaesthetic)
Operation time
15–25 minutes
Hotel
1 night per visit
Stay in Turkey
2 nights; fit to fly the next day
Back to work
The next day
Package price
€960
What Gastric Botox involves
Gastric botox is an endoscopic procedure, not an operation. While you are sedated, a thin flexible camera is passed through the mouth into the stomach and botulinum toxin is injected into the muscle wall at several points, mostly around the lower stomach and the outlet. The toxin partially relaxes those muscles, so the stomach empties more slowly and you feel full sooner and for longer. There are no cuts, no stitches and nothing is removed.
It is a temporary measure. The effect fades over four to six months as the toxin wears off, and the stomach returns to normal. During that window, appetite is reduced and it is easier to follow a structured eating plan — which is why every gastric botox in Kuşadası comes with a dietitian programme. Patients who use the window to change habits keep more of the weight off; patients who expect the injection to do the work regain.
What it is not: gastric botox is not bariatric surgery and does not produce surgical-scale weight loss. Published studies show modest average losses, with wide variation between individuals and some patients seeing little change. It is a reasonable option for someone with a BMI in the high 20s to mid 30s who wants help breaking a plateau, and a poor option for someone with a BMI over 40 who needs a sleeve or bypass.
Who it suits — and who it does not
Good candidates
- ✓BMI roughly 27–35 with 8–20 kg to lose and no success with diet alone
- ✓People who do not want, or are not yet ready for, surgery
- ✓A structured plateau-breaker before or between other treatments, under dietitian supervision
- ✓Willing to commit to the eating plan during the 4–6 months the effect lasts
- ✓Fit for a short sedation: no severe heart or lung disease
Usually advised against
- –BMI over 40, or over 35 with diabetes or sleep apnoea — surgery is the evidence-based treatment
- –Known allergy to botulinum toxin, or a neuromuscular disease such as myasthenia gravis or Lambert–Eaton syndrome
- –Active stomach ulcer, severe gastritis or a swallowing disorder
- –Pregnancy, breastfeeding, or planning pregnancy within 6 months
- –Anyone expecting a permanent result or unwilling to change eating habits
Techniques and options
Endoscopic injection under sedation
A standard diagnostic gastroscope with an injection needle passed down its working channel. The stomach is inspected first — any ulcer, severe inflammation or unexpected finding stops the procedure. Then 300–500 units of botulinum toxin, diluted in saline, are injected into the muscle layer at 20–30 points, concentrated in the antrum (the lower stomach) and around the pylorus (the outlet), with some in the body of the stomach.
Injection pattern and dose
Studies suggest that a wider distribution of injections across the antrum and body works better than a few large injections, and that higher total doses within the safe range give more effect. The dose is chosen by the endoscopist according to your weight and stomach size. Botulinum toxin does not spread beyond the injected muscle in any meaningful amount at these doses.
Combined with a dietitian programme
The injection reduces hunger; the programme decides what happens with that reduced hunger. A written meal plan focused on protein, fibre and small portions, with weekly remote check-ins for the first three months, is part of the package. Without it, results are poor.
Repeat treatment
The procedure can be repeated after the effect wears off, typically no sooner than six months later. Repeat injections are not a long-term strategy: if two rounds have not produced a lasting change in weight, the conversation moves to whether a surgical option is appropriate.
What happens on surgery day
- 1
Assessment before travel: height, weight, medical history, current medication and previous stomach problems. Contraindications are checked at this stage so that you do not travel unnecessarily.
- 2
Fasting from midnight. On the morning of the procedure a brief check by the anaesthetist and a cannula in the hand for sedation.
- 3
Sedation is given; most people have no memory of the procedure. A mouthguard protects the teeth and the endoscope is passed.
- 4
The stomach is inspected; if it is healthy, the injections are made over about 15 minutes. The endoscope is withdrawn.
- 5
Recovery for 1–2 hours until fully awake. A mild sore throat and bloating are common. Discharge to the hotel the same day with written diet instructions.
- 6
Dietitian consultation the same or next day, then the fit-to-fly confirmation. You can fly home the following day.
Recovery timeline
Day 0
Drowsy from sedation for a few hours; no driving or alcohol. Sore throat, bloating and mild nausea are common and settle within a day. Liquids and soft food only.
Days 1–3
Back to normal activity and work. Soft diet, small portions. The reduced-appetite effect begins to be noticeable towards the end of the first week.
Weeks 2–4
Full effect: early fullness, less snacking, smaller meals feel satisfying. Weekly dietitian check-ins start. This is the window in which habits are built.
Months 2–4
Steady, modest weight loss if the plan is followed. Any bloating or reflux is managed with meal timing and, if needed, a short course of acid medication.
Months 4–6
Effect gradually fades. The habits formed decide what happens next. A repeat is possible from month 6; a review at this point looks at whether the approach is working for you.
Results — and their limits
Studies of gastric botox report average weight loss of a few kilograms to around 10 kg over six months in the patients who respond, with a wide spread and a proportion of patients who lose little. That is honest. It is meaningful for someone with 10–15 kg to lose, and inadequate for someone with 40 kg to lose.
The effect is temporary by design. Weight lost during the effect is kept only if eating patterns have changed; this is why the dietitian programme is not optional.
There is no change to the anatomy of the stomach, so if you later decide on a sleeve or bypass, nothing has been compromised.
Gastric botox does not improve diabetes or reflux in the way bariatric surgery does. If those conditions are the reason for treatment, surgery is the right conversation.
When it is final: Effect builds over 1–2 weeks and lasts about 4–6 months
Risks and how they are managed
Every operation carries risk. These are the ones that matter for this procedure, and what is done to reduce, spot or treat each.
Sedation reactions
Given by an anaesthetist with monitoring throughout. Tell us about previous reactions to sedation or anaesthesia and about sleep apnoea.
Sore throat, bloating, nausea
Common for a day or two and settle on their own. Anti-nausea tablets are provided.
Reflux or slower digestion than expected
The point of the injection is slower emptying; occasionally it causes heartburn or a feeling of food sitting. Managed with smaller meals, not lying down after eating, and a short course of acid medication if needed.
Allergic reaction to botulinum toxin
Rare. Known allergy is a contraindication; adrenaline and antihistamines are available in the endoscopy suite.
Perforation or bleeding from the endoscope or needle
Very rare with a diagnostic gastroscope and fine injection needle in a healthy stomach; the stomach is inspected before injecting and treatment stops if an ulcer is found.
No meaningful effect
A real possibility for a proportion of patients. The dietitian programme reduces the chance of a wasted window, and the review at 4–6 months addresses what to do next.
Package and cost
€960
One fixed price for the operation and a 1-night stay: 0 hospital nights and 1 hotel night. No deposit surprises, no add-ons for anaesthesia or medication.
Included
- ✓Consultation, medical screening and dietitian assessment
- ✓Endoscopic gastric botulinum-toxin injection under anaesthetist-supervised sedation, in a hospital endoscopy unit
- ✓The botulinum toxin (dose according to weight) and all consumables
- ✓Recovery care and anti-nausea medication
- ✓1 night in a 4- or 5-star hotel in Kuşadası
- ✓Private airport, hospital and hotel transfers
- ✓Written meal plan and 3 months of weekly remote dietitian check-ins, with a review at 6 months
Not included
- –Flights and travel insurance
- –Additional hotel nights if you wish to stay longer
- –A repeat procedure after 6 months, quoted separately
How to compare this with a quote at home
Ask any clinic for the same list: surgeon and anaesthetist fees, hospital nights, tests, medication, garments or splints, follow-up visits. A cheaper headline price usually excludes several of these. Then add your flights and insurance to our price for a like-for-like comparison.
How to prepare
- 1.Send your height, weight, medication list and any history of ulcers, reflux, swallowing problems or neuromuscular disease. Screening happens before you travel.
- 2.Stop blood thinners only if the clinic tells you to; most patients on aspirin do not need to stop for an injection procedure.
- 3.Nothing to eat from midnight before the procedure; clear water is allowed until 2 hours before.
- 4.Arrange for a companion or transfer after sedation; you cannot drive that day.
- 5.Read the meal plan before you travel and clear your kitchen of the foods it excludes — the first two weeks after the procedure are when the new pattern is set.
- 6.Plan to stay 2 nights; you can fly the day after the procedure.
Aftercare at home
- •Liquids and soft food for 48 hours, then the meal plan: protein first, vegetables second, small portions, no drinking 30 minutes either side of meals.
- •Eat slowly and stop at the first sign of fullness — the injection makes this signal arrive earlier; the habit is learning to obey it.
- •Avoid fizzy drinks, alcohol and large meals; they cause bloating while the stomach empties slowly.
- •Walk daily and add strength exercise from week two; muscle protects the metabolism during weight loss.
- •Attend the weekly dietitian check-ins for the first 3 months and the review at 6 months.
- •Contact the clinic for persistent vomiting, severe abdominal pain, black stools or difficulty swallowing.
Frequently asked questions
How much weight can I expect to lose with gastric botox?
Does it hurt?
How long does the effect last?
Is gastric botox safe?
Can I have it if I have reflux?
When can I fly home?
Can I have gastric botox and later a sleeve?
Why is a dietitian included?
What does the price include?
Often considered alongside
Free assessment
Send your details; a coordinator replies with a surgeon’s opinion and a written plan.