how long in advance did you consult with surgeon?

[alycejo 0]

hi everyone

i still have until august before i am eligible to claim the surgery on my insurance

but i spoke to my dr today and he said i should go ahead and make an appointment with my surgeon ASAP so i can get in early for a surgery date

was everyone told the same thing?

how earlier did you start planning your surgery?

[Astrasmom 1]

hi everyone

i still have until august before i am eligible to claim the surgery on my insurance

but i spoke to my dr today and he said i should go ahead and make an appointment with my surgeon ASAP so i can get in early for a surgery date

was everyone told the same thing?

how earlier did you start planning your surgery?

My initial consultation with my surgeon was 6 months before my surgery date. They gave me a tentative date until I had all my tests done and my 6 nutrtional visits. After which they moved my surgery date up 1 week and I met with the surgeon 1 week before for my surgery for the final visit to go over the surgery. I had to wait the 6 months because of my insurance company requirements.

[Kygie 3]

I saw my surgeon in November '07 and had my band on the 5th of Feb '08. I guess it depends on the surgeons list, where they work from and weather they do private and publice patients. My doctor is Dr Ian Martin in Brissie he freaking rocks!!!! he has the best bed side manner and made me feel so at ease

[alycejo 0]

thanks for your replies!!

i made my appt today

im seeing Peter Nottle on March 12

that would make it 5 months before my insurance kicks in

im so excited :thumbup:

did anyone else see Peter Nottle?

how was the whole process with him?

[leftover_eidoes 0]

I saw my doctor in May

Had the consult in June

Had the appointment in July

and the surgery in December =)

Allowed me to prepare heaps for the operation mentally.

[Angela72 0]

I saw my Doctor for the first time 3 weeks before surgery...they just happened to have a free surgery spot so I took it! That way I couldnt chicken out! So glad I went thru with it, best decision ever!

[LouLouBell 0]

I waited about 9 weeks. I had an initial appointment, an appointment with the dietician and then a booking appointment. 3 weeks later I was banded!

[Majj 0]

Yep !! I think the surgeon that I am seeing will be quick ..he said last night at the seminar there is a one to two months waiting maybe less , so I have an appointment with my own doctor next Wednesday to get a referal , getting blood tests done Tuesday (The surgeon handed out forms and wants the tests done prior to the visit) ...and the 15th I have a hour consult with the dietician then an appontment with him , he will make a date at that appointment ...just need 2 weeks on Optifast prior to the op...I guess if he wants to do more health checks he might not make the booking then but he said last night we would have a date at the first appointment ..I am excited BUT SCARED too.......

[Angela72 0]

you will be fine! BEST THING I EVER DID...I NOW FEEL FREE!

[shortstuff 0]

Hey Guys,

Had my initial appt with Surgeon and Dietician on 7th January and with Pshychologist on 8th Jan. Was booked in straight away for 25th Feb surgery - could have had it earlier but as I already had the 26th Feb off work for a different appt which was postponed until May, I jumped at the chance to have the op then - so as not to have to hassle with extra days off work etc.

As it turns out I have arranged extra days off work and will most likely arrange some more for after the op. My hubby is off for the whole week after the op too to take the pressure off with out 3.5 year old daughter.

I am a firm beliver of thinking positve thoughts and it will be all be worth it in the end.

Thinking Thin Thoughts,

Tracey:thumbup:

[Sarah.R 2]

I think I'm probably the longest, it took basically a year for me to see surgeon then exactly a year later I got the band done however I was public so what do you expect? Lol

[pinktigerlili 0]

alycejo,i too had to wait the 12 months,i was so keen to get started,but when i rang the surgeons office to make an appointment the secretary told me to wait,as you have to pay docs consult fee,and with a years gap id have to see him again sooner to the date,hence pay again,so i ended up calling in march,appt may,banded september,it may not apply in your case,but they can usually fit your surgery around your eligibility date.

[pinktigerlili 0]

I think I'm probably the longest, it took basically a year for me to see surgeon then exactly a year later I got the band done however I was public so what do you expect? Lol

Hi Sarah,Can i ask you how you went about having your band in the public system?I was told no way,that they didnt do it.You dont have to answer if you dont want to.:puke:

[JanB23 23]

Had my first consult early July - given 2 weeks to think it over - next visit given instructions for pre op diet and a surgery date 5 weeks later. Now 7 weeks post op and feeling great.

My sister went public for weight loss surgery - waited 2 years and was talked into gastric bypass instead of the band - which she was leaning towards anyway. Wasn't advised to go on pre op diet and had an open procedure and took 7 weeks to recover. 2 years later she has lost 60 kilo but has low Iron levels.

[Sarah.R 2]

Hi Sarah,Can i ask you how you went about having your band in the public system?I was told no way,that they didnt do it.You dont have to answer if you dont want to.

No it's cool. Basically I got very very lucky. I have a lung condition and long story short my respiratrist basically said I may need a lung transplant if my breathing got worse, then he said maybe you should consider lapband, no way in hell I could ever afford it so didnt bother thinking about it. Then I saw a diabetes doctor who said they would talk to another doctor who would then talk to another doctor (basic run around)

I eventually saw the surgeon between january -may 08( it's hard to remember that far back) who gave me a referral to see his nurse (he wouldnt band me if i hadnt seen her, yet he does people now that havent seen her - go figure), so saw her, then it was basically been told one thing and doing another for a while. I saw her in may 08 and then was told it will happen in december 08, which it didnt, then i was told to do preop in feb 09 so i did, and they ended up getting someone else in for surgery so couldnt do it, then it was postponed to april 09 and still didnt happen then eventually did in may 09. Basically I got lucky with this because they had just started doing the band publicly at my hospital and i was one of the first 2 who had it done, that was only in may last year but I bet the waiting list is probably 5 years long now considering it takes longer and longer everytime i go and see him to get a fill. So now I go to another doc because i hate dealing with the hospital and there bullsh*t