Australia - Melbourne

[bookishfred 2]

Oh wow! I hope she is well, 90% is great!

Good luck with the job search, it's not easy but keep at it and you'll eventually get something!

Yes she is doing wonderfully now. Looks and acts just like any other 16 years old girl

[Mick Molloy 9]

Hi all just reading the post, looking into sleeve after years of battling my weight... I was advised after seeing a specialist dietician that the time has come to look at other options and vgs would suit me best given age and weight... She has supplied a referral and I have started on the vled for now....

I am not in a health fund ( never get sick ) so will be interested to see the costs

Cheers Mick

Edited May 22, 2014 by Mick Molloy

[Chez 91]

Hi Bella,

My dr referred me to him. You could speak to your dr and ask him to refer you specifically. All up I was about $5000 out of pocket but that includes medical appointments, psych, X-rays, bloods and my hotel the night before surgery. I hope that helps.

Leanne, how are you feeling?? Any better?

[AussieLady 521]

Hi all just reading the post, looking into sleeve after years of battling my weight... I was advised after seeing a specialist dietician that the time has come to look at other options and vgs would suit me best given age and weight... She has supplied a referral and I have started on the vled for now.... I am not in a health fund ( never get sick ) so will be interested to see the costs Cheers Mick

Hi Mick, I am 18 months out from surgery and have surpassed my surgeons goal. Have lost over 40kgs. And now have a normal BMI and my cholesterol and blood sugar are under control.

The early days were a little tough but now I can eat anything I want, but limited quantities.

My surgeon was Patrick Moore at Epworth Private and I would highly recommend him.

I was out of pocket about $3,500 but I do have private health ins. Though bariatric surgery isn't covered. Good luck. Any more questions don't hesitate to contact me.

[steveelea 61]

HI Mick Molloy and Welcome......big decision hey!!

Ok I went through Lap Surgery Australia and as I have been with them for 4 years (had a lap band done 4 years ago) all my future surgery I didn't have to pay for so I can't tell you the current price, but my mum has been thinking about getting it done as she has diabetes and it should help her, although her BMI is only about 32-35 it's worth it for her health.

I did some ringing around and there is a group that does both the sleeve and lap band at Knox Hospital and at the moment it's $3,500 for the sleeve and $1,900 for the band.

Might be worth having a chat with them (link below) although I don't know what they are like as I have had no experience with them.

Lap Surgery Australia is I think about 6 to 7,000 out of pocket but thats for the entire process and I found them fantastic!

What area are you in??

Here is the link for you for the cheaper one: http://www.geobesity.com.au

Here is the link for Lap Surgery Australia: http://www.lapsurgeryaustralia.com.au/

Hope this helps and let us know how you go

[steveelea 61]

Bookishfred....so glad your daughter is well now.

That would have been so scary!!!!

[steveelea 61]

Hi Bella,

My dr referred me to him. You could speak to your dr and ask him to refer you specifically. All up I was about $5000 out of pocket but that includes medical appointments, psych, X-rays, bloods and my hotel the night before surgery. I hope that helps.

Leanne, how are you feeling?? Any better?

Hey Chez, thanks for asking....yeah getting there....thanks for thinking of me!

Will feel better when the scales start moving again!

How are you going with the pre op diet

Edited May 22, 2014 by steveelea

[Chez 91]

Hey Leanne,

I'm doing ok except my ears are blocked hopefully they are better soon.

Glad you are feeling a better. Take care and be kind to yourself. Xx

Bee how are you travelling??

Welcome all other new peoples!!

[Mick Molloy 9]

Hi all just reading the post, looking into sleeve after years of battling my weight... I was advised after seeing a specialist dietician that the time has come to look at other options and vgs would suit me best given age and weight... She has supplied a referral and I have started on the vled for now.... I am not in a health fund ( never get sick ) so will be interested to see the costs Cheers Mick

Hi Mick, I am 18 months out from surgery and have surpassed my surgeons goal. Have lost over 40kgs. And now have a normal BMI and my cholesterol and blood sugar are under control.

The early days were a little tough but now I can eat anything I want, but limited quantities.

My surgeon was Patrick Moore at Epworth Private and I would highly recommend him.

I was out of pocket about $3,500 but I do have private health ins. Though bariatric surgery isn't covered. Good luck. Any more questions don't hesitate to contact me.

Thanks Aussielady, a lot of info,to take in

Mick

[QueenBeeBee 94]

Hi everyone!

Welcome new comers ????

Firstly Bookishfred wow ur journey is amazing and I'm so glad ur daughter is doing much better that's great!

Mick I too went through lap surgery looking at the other prices yes they seen to be more but that's ALL the appointments and consultations and dietician visits... And just so u know u can withdraw from ur superannuation for the procedure really easy.

Leanne how are u going with the stall? Has it budged yet?

Chez how's the preopp? How r u feeling?

Ok so today I had another meltdown dude these mood swings are nuts!!! No wonder the shrink at LSA was like call me a month after!!!! Def need to speak with her lol but apparently it's the body regulating hormones I swear it must look like I'm comming down off drugs or something my vaccum copped it today lol needed a new one anyway now hubby can't say it's fine lol ok so WARNING TMI.... So I've had my period for the second time this month I had it like a week and a half ago no idea why that's happened very annoying!!!!

Ok so I'm nearly a month out so here's a pic of tonight's dinner I was stuffed

made the patties with onion eggplant capsicum corriander garlic parsley a bit of breadcrumbs and bicarbonate soda makes the meat fluffy and cheese... Hubby ate three burgers and I had this:

Oh and that's Danish feta with my watermelon that's my Achilles heel lol

[Chez 91]

Bee you dinner looks super delicious!! I'm doing ok, over drinking my meals and would like savoury stuff!! Up and down. But doing better then I thought I would.

Wow getting your period twice!! That's full on. Damn good luck with all that. Things for me to look forward too!!

10 days left to go!!

[QueenBeeBee 94]

Bee you dinner looks super delicious!! I'm doing ok, over drinking my meals and would like savoury stuff!! Up and down. But doing better then I thought I would. Wow getting your period twice!! That's full on. Damn good luck with all that. Things for me to look forward too!! 10 days left to go!!

Thanks lovely hubby ate my left overs lol in addition to his three burgers lol awww only 10 days to go!!!! Ur doing so good!!!! Are u allowed a lean meal or is it just liquids? Maybe even clear broth to give u that savoury sensation it will be over soon!!!!

Lol I know lucky me right!!! No wonder I'm cray cray lol

[Chez 91]

I've had some food, some chicken, mushrooms, celery etc. only 10 days so I'll get by. Awesome idea for the broth. I might check that out. Also might make some low joule jelly too.

Mick, it seems that most cost around the same. I have private health so I can't help much with the full cost. But all up I was out of pocket around $5000.

YAY IT'S FRIDAY!

[steveelea 61]

Hey Guys....I agree Chez YAY ITS FRIDAY...such a great meme I would love to put on her from Mr Chow, but I won't its might be too much for some haha....for those of you who love Mr Chow (from the hangover) you can imagine what it says

OK Bee.....about your TMI....here goes mine so turn away now peeps if you don't wanna know

When I got my lapband i then got my period soon after.....and it continued for 12 weeks

I had tabs to stop it and full check up etc and was told it was hormones.

After the sleeve same thing started happening again....within a week of surgery and it kept going so after 4 weeks I went to my Docs and they gave me tabs again and that stopped it.

Now apparently its because our hormones are all over the place from the surgery AND weight loss.

Excess of eostrogen (sorry spelling ) and it is bound to happen to those of us who are sensitive to it.

If it gets too much just go to your local GP and see what they say but it will probs sort itself out.

I had to make sure that I got on top of mine as I am extremely low on Iron and take sups already and can't afford for it to get any worse.

That dinner looks great Bee.....I too LOVE fetta but never tried it with watermellon???? Cool idea

Is that all you could eat??

Chez I hope your ears get better and its so good to eat some real food after drinking your meals isn't it

I couldn't do the shakes so went on the food equal and it was still hard but not so bad and its for such a short amount of time in the long run....way to go girl!!!!

Ok so I have helped my mood a little yesterday.....I went SHOPPING FOR CLOTHES

We all know retail therapy is sooooo much fun!!!

I had an excuse because it's my friends 21st tonight and she has hired out a bar in the city and all of my clothes are getting too big and look funny now.

Now this might not sound like such a big deal to some, but what happened to me last night was one of the most exciting things thats happened in a long time......

Normally when I go into a shop like Autograph (which I love) or any of the stores, I need the biggest size they have (26)

Most of the time in places like Target the 26 wouldn't even fit me and the stuff that did if any was usually daggy and old fashioned.

Well, last night....(drum roll please) not only was the sizes 26 too big for me, but I also found that the XL was too big for me.....What The???

Ok so I went a little crazy and spent way too much but how could I help myself right?????

I was almost crying in the fitting room that the xl top was too big and the 26 looked like a tent on me.

So I could actually CHOOSE....I had a CHOICE on what I wanted to buy because everything fit me!!!!

I didn't just have to grab something utterly daggy just because it was the only decent thing that fit me....I got to choose some really cool clothes

I know even a lot of people here wouldn't understand that but I have been restricted for so long with not being able to find anything to fit me, that this is massive for me (pardon the pun haha)

Hubby said, "see I told you you had lost heaps"

He is so sweet but you see I can't see it.

I don't look in the mirror and see anything that different.

To look at myself, I am just not noticing it but the clothes showed me that I have lost weight....bit of a breakthrough I had to share with everyone.

Small things I know but to me it was AMAZING....now I just wish I could see it when I looked in the mirror but I guess that will come.

Hope you all have an AMAZING FRIDAY.....Now I just have to decide what I will drink when I go out tonight?? Hmmmm decisions decisions

[bookishfred 2]

Mick if it is any help to you, when I was sleeved the hospital charged my PHI 16,500 for the 4 night stay. The $4400 was my doctor and his assistant and the anaesthesiologist. I have all my post-op appointments for free now too. However, pre-op it was $150 for dietitian ( 2 visits), $150 respiratory physician, $300 sleep study (I did mine at home), $150 psychologist. Like that figure don't they? If you are using your superannuation, you need to choose the amount you need PLUS TAX. Unless you are using funds that you put in yourself you will have to pay tax on anything that you take out of your super. Hope that helps some.