Bupa/Spire in Edinburgh

[Lyn2481 0]

Hi folks. I am seriously considering a gastric band op but am unsure where as yet. I spoke to a Tracey who told me the 2 surgeons in Edinburgh are Mr Tulloh and Mr De Beaux.

Has anyone had their band fitted by either doctor and what were your experiences?

Look forward to hearing from you.

[Sadie 0]

Hi Lyn

I've known both surgeons personally for a number of years now (I work in the same NHS Dept as them).

I have also decided to have a lap band fitted. Due to funding problems at the moment with the NHS in Lothian, and although I work for them, I'm paying for mine at the Murrayfield Hospital.

I've had my initial consultation, pre-op assessment and my psychological assessment which I passed :clap2:

I have now been given my op date in 8 weeks time - my choice, I wanted to enjoy Xmas first!

Would personally recommend them, maybe I'm biased as I have a good working/personal relationship with them, but I think this helped me make my mind up to have the surgery here in Edinburgh rather than Glasgow.

If you want to know anything else, please ask.

Sadie

[Lyn2481 0]

Hi Sadie, thanks very much for your reply. Will one of the 2 docs be doing your op? I have been trying to eat less and even joined WW but knew by the second day I'd wasted both time and money. :cry

[LEW 0]

Hi Lyn

Due to funding problems at the moment with the NHS in Lothian,

If you want to know anything else, please ask.

Sadie

hi Sadie am i not right in thinking that the lothian nhs trust has released an amount of money for nhs patients, as a trial run and these doctors are treating nhs patients??????

cheers

[Sadie 0]

Lyn, both surgeons will be doing my op which is cool. As for WW been there done it. I've found the only thing that works for me is calorie counting.

Lew, currently there is at least 120-150 referrals waiting on initial appointments in Edinburgh on the NHS, but because there is no bariatric service as such, they are not given the same status as other referrals ie you are guaranteed an appointment with a specialist within 18 weeks.

After discussions with people involved in securing NHS funding for bariatric surgery, I chose to go private as I would wait at least a year to even see Mr Tulloh/Mr de Beaux on the NHS and another two years for the op itself. The last I heard is that funding should be in place in April 08, the new financial year for around 50 operations a year. So far less than 5 patients were seen at a one off clinic. No NHS bariatric clinic is running at the moment in Edinburgh unfortunately.

Hope this helps a bit! Sadie

[Sadie 0]

Attached is a link to an article that appeared in todays Edinburgh Evening News. Looks like funding has been given the go ahead for NHS patients in the East of Scotland. Good news!:clap2:

Obese patients in Lothian to be offered stomach surgery - Edinburgh Evening News

Sadie:biggrin1:

[Sadie 0]

Forgot to put this in the last post, the orthopaedic surgeon mentioned in the article has his own blog spot charting his ongoing success with his band - Chris Oliver Blogspot

Sadie

[chrisoliver 1]

I had a adjustable laparoscopic gastric band performed in Glasgow at the Nuffield in February 07, I am a surgeon myself (trauma Orthopaedic) but I live in Edinburgh. At 118Kg the Edinburgh New Years Day Triathlon was my first Triathlon, I had not been this weight for 25 Years! The event consists of a 400-metre swim, 11-mile cycle ride and a 3.5-mile run. I finished slowly in just about two and a half hours. I completely run out of energy on the run and hit;the wall, an experience I've never had before. From my pulse rate I think I swam, cycled and run the whole event anaerobically! My heart rate monitor watch said my peak pulse rate was 178/min and that during the triathlon I used just about 5,000 calories (hard to believe?). I'm not sure anyone has any experience with adjustable laparoscopic gastric banding and triathlon? IF there is anyone out there please contact me. I guess being catabolic for most of the year my liver has little capacity to store glycogen, its said you run out of energy at about 90 minutes which is exactly what happened. I did take on isotonic Fluid and a banana at the end of the cycle but I guess not enough carbohydrates (I've ironically avoided carbs all year!). I would like to do another triathlon at some point, I would be better being less than 100Kg I guess. Today luckily no joint pains and just a bit stiff. Thanks for all those who came out to support me. The finish was a fair bit emotional.

I have run a blog at Chris Oliver Blogspot this was intended to relay my experiences, I hope it will be useful to other bariatric surgery patients and help the development of bariatric service in Edinburgh and Lothian both at the Murrayfield and on the NHS.

[LEW 0]

well done chris you are an insperation to us all and a walking advert for the surgery, i keep up to date reading your blog and was most interested in nov when u stated that Edin is now taking referrals, i went along to my doctors and she has written to them i am just now waiting to here back soon hopefully.

once again well done!!!

[chrisoliver 1]

Another press story in Sunday Mail. I do not mind contributing to these stories, I would hope stories like this help to inspire sufferers from obesity to initiate weight loss, get help and loose weight. On page 7 I was sandwiched between a "love child" and "brothel story" in the Sunday Mail. The picture in the hard copy edition at my current weight was quite flattering! Weight loss has now significantly slowed, I still want to get to 100Kg sometime this year...

[Sadie 0]

I was finally banded at Spire Edinburgh just over 2 weeks ago and I couldn't be happier.

Everything has been perfect (so far!) from the initial consultation to the weekly phone calls to see how I am doing. I cannot recommend the whole team highly enough.

See below for stats so far. The highest weight was at New Year. I had decided to have surgery last October and was told I could have it before the New Year but I was in New York in November and wanted my "last normal" xmas! I kinda wish I had gone ahead with it when I came back from New York now! I would have been further ahead with the weightloss but nevermind, its coming off now, thank god!!

Sadie:biggrin:

[chrisoliver 1]

Chris Oliver, Edinburgh Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon is cycling from Lands End to John O’Groats this August 2009. The ride will be almost 1000 miles. In the last two years he’s lost 55Kg after weight loss surgery and wrote about this on his blog 

Chris was one of the trauma surgeons who looked after Olivia Giles who lost all four limbs after meningitis. Chris is going to raise money for Olivia’s charity, 500 miles for amputees. Chris supports 5oo MilesFlySpec a service which takes orthopaedic, plastic and reconstructive surgery, principally by air, to amputees and disabled people in towns and rural communities in Zambia where such surgery is not otherwise available.

I would be grateful if you would support me, I'm trying to raise £10,000, donations can be made via Justgiving - Chris Oliver's 500 Miles FlySpec Cycle

Edited March 16, 2009 by chrisoliver
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