Preparing for surgery in Türkiye: what to do in the weeks before you fly

You have chosen your surgeon, the date is in the diary and the flights are booked. What you do in the next six to eight weeks has a real effect on how safe the operation is and how smoothly you recover. This guide answers the questions UK patients most often ask about the weeks before surgery in Türkiye. It is general information: your surgeon and anaesthetist decide what applies to you.

What should I do and when?

Start roughly six to eight weeks before your surgery date, and work through the steps below. The exact timing depends on your operation and your health, so treat this as a starting framework and follow the clinic’s own instructions where they differ.

When	What to do
6–8 weeks before	Stop smoking and vaping. Book a GP appointment if you need a blood pressure check, blood tests or a medicines review. Send the clinic your full medical history and medication list. Check your travel insurance covers planned surgery abroad.
4 weeks before	Get the surgeon’s written answers on any medicine or supplement changes. Arrange time off work, childcare and help at home. Confirm transfers, accommodation and how long you need to stay.
2 weeks before	Follow any instructions to pause supplements or medicines – only as agreed with your doctors. Keep alcohol low. Buy or confirm what you need for recovery (see the packing list).
1 week before	Re-confirm the surgery time, pre-op tests on arrival and who meets you at the airport. Prepare your home for your return. Tell the clinic about any cold, infection, new medicine or change in health.
Day before	Arrive rested if you can. No alcohol. Follow the fasting instructions you are given. Remove nail varnish, gel nails and jewellery if asked.
Day of surgery	Fast exactly as instructed. Take only the medicines the anaesthetist has approved. Bring your medication list and documents.

Tip: Write the dates into your phone calendar with reminders the day you book. Most preparation problems come from leaving things until the final week.

Which checks should I have at home before I fly?

Some basic checks at home help you avoid a surprise on arrival, but the surgeon and anaesthetist decide which tests are really needed. Most clinics in Türkiye do their own blood tests and a pre-operative assessment once you arrive. Problems found at that stage can delay or cancel your operation, so it is worth finding them early.

Things you might sort out with your GP or a private GP in advance:

• Blood pressure. The Royal College of Anaesthetists’ Fitter Better Sooner leaflet advises getting it checked well ahead, because high readings may delay surgery.
• Blood tests. For example to check for anaemia, especially if you have a chronic condition or heavy periods. Ask the clinic which results they want to see.
• ECG. Often requested depending on your age and heart history. The anaesthetist decides – do not assume you do or do not need one.
• Long-term conditions. Diabetes, asthma, thyroid problems, sleep apnoea or heart conditions should be stable and documented before you travel.
• Teeth. The same leaflet mentions that loose teeth or crowns may need attention before an anaesthetic.

Bring copies of any results with you.

When should I stop smoking and vaping?

As early as possible, and ideally at least eight weeks before surgery. That is the advice in an NHS plastic surgery leaflet from University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire, which also warns that nicotine replacement such as patches or vapes can delay wound healing.

Smoking reduces blood flow to the skin, which matters a great deal in operations where skin is lifted or moved – tummy tucks, breast lifts, facelifts and body lifts. BAPRAS also lists smoking among the factors that increase the risk of blood clots. Some surgeons will not operate on active smokers for certain procedures, and many will ask you directly.

Be honest with the clinic: if you cannot stop in time, it is safer to move the date than to hide it.

What about alcohol?

Keep within the recommended limits, or lower, in the weeks before surgery – that is the general advice in Fitter Better Sooner. Alcohol can affect how well your body heals. Avoid it completely on the day before surgery, on the flights and during recovery. BAPRAS advises patients to avoid alcohol while healing and on the flight home.

Which medicines and supplements may need to stop?

Possibly several, but only on the advice of your surgeon, anaesthetist or GP – never stop a prescribed medicine on your own. Some medicines are dangerous to stop suddenly, and some are swapped rather than stopped.

Tell the clinic about everything you take, including:

• Blood thinners such as warfarin, clopidogrel or newer anticoagulants. NHS fasting guidance notes that some may need to be stopped or swapped before surgery. This must be planned with the doctor who prescribed them.
• Aspirin and anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen. Ask whether to pause them and what to use instead.
• The combined contraceptive pill and HRT. BAPRAS lists both as blood-clot risk factors. Your surgeon decides whether any change is needed and when; if a change is advised, plan other contraception.
• Supplements and herbal remedies such as omega-3 or fish oil, vitamin E, garlic, ginkgo, ginseng or St John’s wort. Some may affect bleeding or interact with anaesthetic drugs. Ask your surgeon which to pause and when.
• Weight-loss injections, diabetes medicines and mental health medication. These need specific advice. Fitter Better Sooner notes that doctors usually do not want you to stop mental health medication.

Take your usual medicines with you in their original packaging, plus a written list with doses, and ask which ones to take on the morning of surgery.

Should I lose weight before surgery?

Aim for a stable weight rather than a last-minute diet. Large weight changes just before or after an operation can affect the result, and crash dieting can leave you less fit for recovery. If you are overweight, gradual weight loss well in advance can reduce strain on your heart and lungs, according to Fitter Better Sooner. If your surgeon set a BMI or weight limit, check where you stand early – not when you arrive.

Gentle regular exercise also helps. The same leaflet suggests activity that makes you slightly out of breath at least three times a week, after checking with your doctor.

How does fasting before anaesthesia work?

You will be told exactly when to stop eating and drinking, and those instructions come first. As a typical example, NHS guidance from Northern Lincolnshire and Goole hospitals says to stop eating six hours before anaesthesia, with clear fluids such as water allowed up to two hours before. Chewing gum, sweets and smoking are avoided on the day of surgery.

Because operation times can move, ask the clinic the evening before: “What time should I stop eating, and until when can I drink water?” Get the answer in writing if you can.

How do I organise work, childcare and home?

Plan for longer than you think you need. Recovery does not end when you fly home.

• Work. Book enough leave for the stay in Antalya and the first weeks back. Desk work and physical work need very different recovery times – ask your surgeon.
• Stay length. BAPRAS advises waiting 5–7 days before flying home after breast surgery or liposuction and 7–10 days after facial procedures or a tummy tuck. Larger or combined operations may need longer.
• Childcare. You may not be able to lift small children for some time. Arrange help in advance.
• Home. Put everyday items at waist height, prepare simple meals, and arrange someone to drive you if needed.

Travelling with someone helps. See our guide on travelling with a companion.

How do I prepare mentally and keep my expectations realistic?

Expect some anxiety – most people feel it – and expect recovery to have ups and downs. Swelling, bruising and low mood in the first days or weeks are common. Results take months to settle.

Before you travel, go back over your consultation: what the surgeon said is achievable, what is not, and what the main risks are. If anything is unclear, ask now. If anxiety is severe, Fitter Better Sooner notes that GPs can refer you for support in some areas. Breathing exercises and relaxation techniques also help some people.

Tip: Write down three things you want from the operation and check them against what the surgeon has promised in writing. If they do not match, raise it before you fly.

What should I send the clinic beforehand?

Everything the surgeon and anaesthetist need to decide whether the operation is safe for you. Send it before you pay for travel, and ask the clinic to confirm the surgeon has reviewed it.

• Medical conditions and previous operations, including any problems with anaesthesia
• Current medicines, supplements and allergies
• Height, weight and smoking or vaping status
• History of blood clots in you or close family
• Recent test results you already have
• Photos if requested, taken in good light from the angles they ask for
• Your expectations and any previous cosmetic treatment in the same area

Keep copies of what you sent. It helps if anything is disputed later – see our guide to the treatment contract.

Pre-surgery checklist

• Stopped smoking and vaping (ideally 8+ weeks before)
• Blood pressure checked; any requested tests done
• Full medical history and medication list sent and reviewed by the surgeon
• Written advice on which medicines and supplements to pause, and when
• Plan for the pill or HRT agreed with your doctor, if relevant
• Travel insurance that covers planned surgery abroad
• Time off work and childcare arranged
• Home prepared for recovery
• Fasting instructions confirmed for the day of surgery
• Packing list done and package inclusions checked
• Return date agreed with the surgeon

For the trip home, see flying after cosmetic surgery and blood clots after surgery and flying.

Read more

• Checking your surgeon in Türkiye
• Choosing a reputable clinic in Türkiye
• Warning signs after surgery