Hi All

My Surgeon was Dr Ertegrul Durmush who is based at Bigge St Liverpool NSW
A really great guy - extremely caring & considerate of his patients. Can't praise him highly enough.

See his web site : www.lifeweightloss.com.au[/u]

Dr Durmush is committed to excellence, ongoing patient care, professional development, research and education.

After following patients carefully over the years, it became clear to him that they could achieve permanent results and could even lose all their excess weight if guided properly, involved in exercise programs and followed by a team of health professionals.

Qualifications

Completed his initial surgical training and obtained his first endoscopic surgical experience (more than 600 operations) in Germany, where he also obtained the Arzt fuer Chirurgie degree

Retrained in General Surgery in Australia and New Zealand between 1990-1994 and qualified with F.R.A.C.S
Became a Fellow of the Australian College of Cosmetic Surgery in 2003
Immense experience in laparoscopic surgery having performed over 6000 laparoscopic operations
Trained in obesity surgery at Monash University in Melbourne in 2000 and Mercy Bariatric Centre in Perth.
Member of International Federation for Surgery of Obesity (IFSO)
Member of Obesity Surgery Society of Australia and New Zealand (OSSANZ)

Currently operates at
Fairfield Public Hospital
Sydney South West Private Hospital
Holroyd Private Hospital

Cheers

Kathy

I have to agree with Kayelldee2008.Dr Durmush is excellent! Sydney South west Private Hospital in Liverpool is equally so.No complaints at all! Thank you Dr Durmush and the team.

Hi guys
Im also new to this forum. Have to say its been a wonderful source of information and its helped with all the questions I had.
I would like to know if anybody else has had Dr Durmush and what did they think of him?

HI i also had Dr Durmush and he is a very professional and caring doctor and person.
He was in everyday to see me and his other patients. I just got home today and I am
slowly recovering. I would like to thank Dr Durmush .
he is so dedicated to his patients.

Hi All,

I was also sleeved by Dr Durmush Agust 2008 and have not once regretted doing so, his information seminar prior to my deciding to go ahead with the surgery was so full of answers, I would recommend him to others that was interested in having this type of surgery. Lovely caring person.

I'm looking at getting sleeved by Dr Durmush next year February - it's a relief to read the rave reviews about him. :) I have my first appointment with them on the 18th of August.

I to was done by Dr Durmush and found both before and after surgery when I got home and was having my up and down days that he or his reception staff to be a great comfort... I had checked out a few Doctors around my area but his web site answered every question I had and on my visits with him he has never rushed me out the door but taken the time to listen to my fears and also help me thru my blue periods.. and the best is that he actually cares!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jane

I am starting to get really nervous about having the surgery and I'm starting to change my mind. I have started to look at different web sites and I am concerned if there are many long term negative affects of having the sleeve operation.

I had my first meeting with Dr Durmush last week and my surgery was booked 7 weeks from then. He is very understanding, caring and knowledgeable. I didn't feel like just a number ... I was with him for 1.5 hours discussing the in and outs of everything from my weight loss history, lifestyle, desired outcomes, surgery options etc etc Will definitely be back to let everyone know how things are after surgery but I highly recommend Dr Durmush thus far :)

Hi My name is Emma and i am scheduled to have surgery with Dr Durmush mid Jan 2010. I am hovering around the 110kg. I will start my VLCD on 1st Jan. I am actually getting really nervous....Can anyone tell me what i should expect....

Hi Emma and welcome to the forum.

Best advise I can give is go read the diaries, lots and lots of information and journeys in there, re surgery as well.

Good luck with your surgery.

really definitley want to get the sleeve done. Probably going to be best for me to go to Dr. Durmush, at Liverpool! Can any one tell me what this doctor is like, what are the good things about this doctor? I read all the rave reviews that he is so so caring. And is strickt to how the nurses treat you after the op. I have inquired about a seminar, and to make a booking with him. My normal GP returns on the 18th, so I will get the referal then! I am so excited but my husband is saying that it would be a huge waste of money as I am always eating chocolate and drinking softdrink like there is no tomorrow! My excuse to that is it has to be all gone b4 the operation, but it isn't even booked. I don't even know if it would be suitable for me. I am just thinking that I won't feel like having these after the op if I have it anyway! Does anyone know how busy Dr Durmush is??? I am 77klg, 157cm, have osteoporosis and a brain injury which I think has had a big effect on this eating problem that I have, I just don't say NO to food!!!

Has anyone ever had the operation at Holroyd hospital? What was it like? Would you recommend that hospital or the one at Liverpool? I am open to all suggestions... Please help me girls?

Thanks

Never mind about it, my SIL told me that it was only a very small hospital and I checked the website and it didn't mention anything about these types of surgeries.

Hi Smiley,

Dr Durmush is quite busy at the moment. My mum booked an appointment with him towards the end of December and couldn't get in until mid Feb. Although if there is a cancelation you might get in sooner (like what happened with me, I seen him within a week).

Wow you're only 77kgs! I'm not sure what your BMI is or what other obesity related conditions you have to warrant the surgery only the doctor will be able to tell you what your options are. You should call now and book a time to see him anyhow. As long as you have a referral by the time you have your appointment then it will be fine. They are open Saturdays so give them a buzz tomorrow :)

Regarding the hospital he does the surgery at ... well they are all private hospitals so always smaller and hopefully better for the money ya pay. Dr Durmush doesn't perform the op at Holroyd anymore ... only at South West Private at Liverpool, even though the surgery isn't listed on their website that's where he operates. The receptionist (his wife) mentioned the other day he's operating at another hospital too now, but I still think it's more Liverpool way anyhow. You can ask her when you call.

I will be getting my sleeve done in under 2 weeks now (I have a diary also) so you might wanna read my progress that way. Also Jane1975 has a diary and had her surgery with the same doctor and she's been sleeved for months now so you might wanna follow her diary too :)

Hope that helps!

Just wondering if and when you rang Dr d, did u make an appointment and a surgery day as well? I tried to but the lady who answered said I must see dr d first. Just wondering if this is what you did?


I went to Dr D's seminar today, and found it very interesting. Did any one else go??? He also operates at Norwest Private, so guess I will be going thier!!! Considering its the closest for me.

Took a little while to get an appointment and it was on a Saturday which was fantastic as it is not in work hours. I spent a good hour or so the first time going through everything. I was really nervous about sleeve being irreversable but then I don't ever want to get fat again. Bravely booked my surgery then and there for 2 weeks hence, right before Christmas Dec 2. Anxious about that too. Dr Durmush is not judgemental or off hand, really listened and explained and even showed me a video of the surgery.

Admit I binged a little that weekend before starting my VLCD, lost about 4 kg before the op. The shakes just were not enough sometimes. So hungry. Dr D was so nice and caring and so were his staff. I went to sydney south west at liverpool. The hosp was ok, a number of agency staff and yes Dr D is strict with them, he has our interests at heart. The nurses made my iv blow up twice, injecting too hard and fast.

He was right the first few days is like ' what the hell have I done'. Had to walk around to get the food to go down. It really does take a while for your brain to catch up. I got home after 4 days and tolererating some liquds, no vomiting exept on those horse nexium tablets. Got home weighing as much as before I went in. All those fluids, lost about 5 kg in that week, 7 weeks on I've lost about 14 kg and never regret it.

My tastes have changed, sweet stuff can taste sickly and acidic stuff can give me indigestion, no bubble drinks as it hurts. However the freedom from being so hungry is fantastic and I really do realise now that no diet was ever going to work for me long term as my stomach was stretched and it took somuch food to make me feel satisfied. Being satisfied after one piece of toast and smoked salmon is fabulous.

Highly recommend Dr Durmush, The hosp is ok, the food average (When you can eat you at least want something nice), the care good but not great, the bed was better than other hospitals.

No regrets and would do it all over again. It is all worth it.

Do they add blue dye to the food so they can observe it going down? That is how I had to do it with the speech pathologist 17yrs ago, when I had the accident.

I had a drain in my left side, which was kinda uncomfortable, for 3 days, it is a tube about a metre long with a collection bulb on the end. It is normally full of blood and fluid, a tad gross but necessay.

Need to carry it where ever you go until they take it out after the leak test on day 3. The leak test is where they give you a tasteless dink with blue dye in it. You drink it and then they see if any blue dye comes out the drain.

He told me that since he has been doing the titanium staples he's only had one leak test positive and that was the one he does during surgery and for someone that had had the band before. So if you have blue lips or mouth after surgery thats what it is.

With the staples he showed me that he then sews it back in so you don't have staples rubbing around against other organs.

After the surgery I was often sore like having a stitch. 7 weeks on I don't get it much. Assume it was the healing.

hope this answers.

I think when I went to the seminar, he stated that you will need to be on liquids for four weeks? That was stage one I think? Is this correct. I have a real bad memory sorry!!!

It is about that, depends on what you can cope with. I found I went for milky thigs like yogurht. But you are not that hungry. Sports drinks helped and the shakes, but you can only stomach half at a time. Jelly ice cream was good smoothies as wel. However you do not feel hungry so it can be an effort to drink. I felt parched a lot still do.

It was pretty tough over Christmas as I told family and friends I had a hernia operation. Only my husband knows. Want to avoid the negative, I know people will probably think I have cheated or something but I feel like I found the holy grail.

very good doctor but avoid sydney southwest private hospital.

why avoid this hospital? Although I would go to the Norwest one.

My condition is alot different. My mother is all 4 the operation, my husband does not think or beleive's that anything would work for me, and because he is soooo negative, I haven't really bothered to announce it to his family. My aunt who is stick thin and doesn't need to worry too much about her figure and uncle, who love living in fresh open areas don't believe that this will work, and my godfather's wife (mum's really close friend) doesnt really think that this is a real smart operation for me either!!!

But I have proved so many people wrong before. I just need to stay on track, keep motivated, know what is the right things to eat, and i will be fine!

I am so looking forward to the first appointment with Dr Durmush. I am not morbidly obese. I do have osteoporosis, found this out when I was only 49klg, I really think that being 55klgs is a really really good weight for me. Currently I weigh 81kgs, so I just wonder what Dr Durmush would do? In the seminar, he does say that he would only do the operations if a persons BMI is 45+ and mine is not far from 31 or 32, but I have a family history of heart attacks, strokes, overweight issues, so I am indeed alot different to others and someone said that the Dr would do it for the money! I just really want to have this sleeve operation done because I want to be comfortable dressing myself and doing every day things and duties! And I stress over anything!!!!!! And I want to be full after two pieces of chocolate, not to be tempted to eat 250gm in one sitting!!!!!!

At least I have told the people who I felt needed to know, and if anyone asks anything, I will tell them the truth and if they say or think negative, well its thier problem!!!!

smily my husband did an operation in that hospital recently,reminded me of 3rd world hospitals

Did you mean sydney southwest private hospital or the Norwest one? Was he in a private, singular room? Every hospital is practically the same though. It feels like the same, you are kept in these four walls and a trolley comes around to each room. It's quiet a scary situation to get in, but did you have a TV to distract yourself? That is pretty much why no one likes going to hospitals or to visit them!!! I have been a patient in many many hospitals for variious operations, I practically lived in Westmead hospital for a year!

also staff not friendly.

hi all

just fair warning to say that sydney southwest private is severely understaffed. they are lovely people, but unless you have family around to look after you, then it can get pretty hairy. i got admitted late on a monday arvo to get induced. they put the gel up there, told that it almost never brings on labour and that i would go into labour the next day after they gave me the other stuff to get things moving. i got sent to my ward room. my partner went home as he had to pack for his trip. not too long after, i started getting very regular pains that came more and more often. i thought i had gone into labour, but every time i got up to see the night staff, they just kept telling me to go back to bed as i needed my rest for the next day. they flatly refused to believe that i could be in labour. the next morning they came around, put me into the labour room, went to give me the stuff to bring on labour, only to find out i was between 2 and 3cm dilated. on more than one occasion, it took the nurses over 20mins to respond to the help button. one of those times my boy screamed himself to sleep because i couldn't move him from the position he was in as my canula had come out of my hand, and my iv was still attached even though it had been empty for about half an hour (it was hooked to the bed, not one of the wheelie things so i was immobile at the time). and it's not like i actually pushed the stupid button that often (not more than twice a day). i had a pretty icky labour (four lots of whole blood, i was unconcious for about two hours afterwards), but instead of the nurses taking my boy for the first night, i got kept up all night and most of the next day, and none of them even offered to pick him up for me so that i could breast feed. it also took five days before someone came to go through the bath routine with me, until then i was wiping him down with wet wipes and even took him in the shower with me once. i was on my own, as none of my family could make it over from interstate, and my partner had been sent to melbourne the day after our son was born. not only that, but every time i took my son somewhere (down to the cafteria or outside for some fresh air), i got the third degree about why i had decide to leave the floor. i can't reccommend this hospital at all. not to anyone, for any reason.

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Sabby28-04-2006, 08:55 AM
Oh my god!! That's scary.. is this Liverpool private????

This is where I am going... Oh my god!!! I've heard that it's not that good there but that was a few years ago and apparently they have improved...

Oh no.. that's not good news at all.. This is our first child and I really don't want to have a bad experience in labour because of the hospital...

BTW - Congratulations with your Baby BOY!

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cjb/jbvd28-04-2006, 09:11 AM
yep, same place if yours is the yellow building just up from the public hospital. and no, the staffing hasn't changed at all. they are still on roster that changes all the time. there are three staff changeovers a day, and you'd be lucky to get the same staff two days in a row. if you've got plenty of family around, then you should be okay because your folks will make sure you get looked after. i think i just got forgotten about. but if you can find a different hospital, maybe the private rooms in the public ward would be a better option.

congratulations of your newest family member :

I thought I would put my two cents in. I found the time that I was in south west to have no problems. I have also had friends who have been in for maternity ward.and most hospitals now (and this is the way that most hospitals work) is that in days gone by the baby would go to the nursery however now the baby stays with you and you need to look after the child. I dont know if this is your first child but prenatal classes is where you learn how to bath feed and care for the baby. and this is the first i have heard of Yes they do have alot agency staff but im yet to find a hospital in sydney that is struggling with staff. I found no problems in response to the emergencybutton. i stopped breathing the nite of my operation and had the nurse beside my bed the moment the alaem sounded. i think that everybody has different response to hospitals and we need to make the most of it. I was up and walking around early the next morning (as well as being lucky to have a private room) and the nurses were fine for me to walk around the floor however most private hospitals do not like patients to wander around on other floors or outside the building. I agree with them as they then become liable if anything happens. people also need to remember that the nurses are there to care for you but at the same time you cant be dependant on them because they have quite a few patients that also need attention. If you can do it for yourself then you need to.. otherwise if you become depentant on someone to help you then there is going to be a major problem afterwards. AS for the comments smiley has made. I doubt Dr D will do the op just for the money side. Having seen what he has built and why he has built it and the purpose I think whoever has told you that then I think they have some serious issues that they need to deal with. I believe your appointment you said is on Tuesday so I suggest that maybe you wait and see what he has to say. It is true that you need a BMI of 35 plus to be considered for the surgery. Even if there is a family history he has to make the decsion. I am yet to come across a doctor that will operate on a BMI of under 30 unless you are the one suffering not your family members. I really believe that you are reading to much into this proir to seeing the Dr, AS everyone has said this operation is not a quick fix solution but a tool and you need to prove that you have jumped thru all the hoops. I believe that you should also listen to what your family is saying and what the dr says.

Be prepared for the Drs response when you see him and him being the proffessional is in a better position to say yes or no but either way he will give you ur reasons for it.
I actually had my appt today with him and believe that he is only doing the surgery at Southwest as his receptionist was booking in several patients and they where all SW Private admisions

Jane

I too was sleeved by Dr Durmush at Sydney South West.Had no issues with the hospital,the nurses were fantastic,I really dont know how they do the job they do.Still remember all their names! As for Dr D, very professional but also very caring and understanding.From my first visit with him I felt at ease and knew that I had made the right choice.I am now about 5 weeks post op and have to also say that the after care is great also.

I thoroughly agree with Jaydogirl and i am 12months post-op and have met many of Dr Durmush and SSW Private Hospital's patients.Haven't heard any complaints except for the cost of new clothes!!!Only met extremely happy people who would not have their op reversed.
It is a scary decision and the info nights can only tell you so much.If you are really hesitant phone Dr Durmush's surgery and ask when the next Support meeting is for post-op patients.On several occasions pre-op patients have come and discussed their concerns in a setting where everyone is relaxed and with nothing to gain for not being honest about their experiences .From my observations current post-op patients are more than happy to offer support-even outside group meetings.A bit like having someone hold your hand that really knows what you are about to/have been through.
I have had 4 caesers and a hysterectomy plus various other ops.Having the sleeve is a walk in the park compared to those.I would do it again in a flash and do it at Sydney South West where the nursing staff really do care! And yes a year later I still remember with gratitude the names and faces of all the nursing staff and other staff who helped to turn my life around. Definately no complaints!!

I spent 4 days from the Tuesday 20th April in Bella Vista hospital, and the room that I was in was actually like a hotel room. All the rooms are private rooms. All the nurses were very very nice also, I do recommend this hospital also!!!

Hi all,

I just wanted to post on Dr. Durmesh....I had my sleeve surgery on 19/05/2010 at Liverpool Southwest Private.
I expected a smooth surgery however when operating DR found a large hernia in which he repaired....I didnt even know I had one....
He was excellent providing information, support and fully detailing what happened and how things ended up.... I really thank god that he had so much expertise inthe field of Hernia repairs aswell and sleeve surgery and now I am almost 2 weeks Post OP I am feeling great and adjusting to life with my sleeve.
He is a genuine Doctor who really cares and takes time to answer all of your questions.

Whilst in hospital he came to visit everyday.... And my stay was 4 nights/5 days....
I cant speak more highly of him.....Also I found the hospital overall to be great and had no major issues.......

Best of luck to all. Fingers corrsed to reach my goal weight within a year.....
Cheers......................Jen

Hi Honey Beez
I too had my op with Dr Durmush at Liverpool back in Januaryand also had a huge hernia repaired that I did not know about.Just remember you have basically had 2 surgeries done so as well as internal swelling and inflamation from the sleeve you also have it from the stitching of the hernia.When I had my first checkup Dr warned me that I may be about a week behind the norm as far as going from liquids to pureed and so on.I did choose to stay on each stage for about 3 weeks rather than 2, as I found that worked better for me.Just dont try to rush it and dont worry if you find your recovery a little behind others.
5 months on and I am feeling great and only 13 kg to my goal !!
Best of luck Honey Beez and congrats on your new life!!
Jodee

Hi Jodee,

Gr8 to hear you have had Gr8 results.... I had a bit of a stale mate in weight loss for a week or so but back on track.... Gues I have to update my ticker at some time lol.... I can't wait to see the exercise specialist to get a routine happening... Then hopefully the weight just peels off.... Best regards,
Jen