Hi - I would like to hear from any teenagers in Melbourne that have had lap band surgery privately...please :biggrin:

Many Thanks

Hi i'm just past the teens (21) but im from melbourne

havent been banded yet though

going to see Dr Peter Nottle in march :cursing:

My son is 14 and well overweight, we're from Melbourne too. I'm really just waiting for him to hit puberty well and truly, which he hasnt yet, and then we're going to speak to our surgeon - both DH and I are banded. We were both lower BMI bandsters, never getting past a BMI of 35, 36, but our son is shaping up to be much heavier. We want to nip it in the bud and save him the pain of real obesity, he's about - at a guess, he wont tell us - 90 to 95 kgs at about 5ft 8. He eats healthy but he eats an awful lot. Interestingly though, its way less than his skinny mates, he would NEVER order a large meal at Mcdonalds, we dont buy any softdrinks, juice, or crap at home, and he's still fat. He plays basketball and I take him to circuit class once a week, but he's just less "active" than teenage boys tend to be, he doesnt do any of that running around that they like to do. He's also very unsporty and not good at anything which doesnt help, he's almost given up basketball many times.

Its such a hard thing to approach though, he's very sensitive and wont talk about it, it ends in fights every time. Both of our other kids are skinny beanpoles, life can be so cruel.

I'm just wary of pushing our desires onto him, he needs to want it, but I think he thinks its an easy way out and will say he wants it anyway, without true understanding.

Hi i'm just past the teens (21) but im from melbourne

havent been banded yet though

going to see Dr Peter Nottle in march

Hi Alycejo - thank you for your reply

We are trying to have my 15 year old son banded through the public system - actually I have been trying for two years, only because it will be organised by our amazing specialist at royal childrens. We keep getting delays and disappointments - and I am thinking if it doesn't happen soon I will go privately.

Peter Nottle has an excellent reputation, I did some research and he's at the top of my list :eek:

I hope it goes well for you, will look forward to reading all about it

xx

My son is 14 and well overweight, we're from Melbourne too. I'm really just waiting for him to hit puberty well and truly, which he hasnt yet, and then we're going to speak to our surgeon - both DH and I are banded. We were both lower BMI bandsters, never getting past a BMI of 35, 36, but our son is shaping up to be much heavier. We want to nip it in the bud and save him the pain of real obesity, he's about - at a guess, he wont tell us - 90 to 95 kgs at about 5ft 8. He eats healthy but he eats an awful lot. Interestingly though, its way less than his skinny mates, he would NEVER order a large meal at Mcdonalds, we dont buy any softdrinks, juice, or crap at home, and he's still fat. He plays basketball and I take him to circuit class once a week, but he's just less "active" than teenage boys tend to be, he doesnt do any of that running around that they like to do. He's also very unsporty and not good at anything which doesnt help, he's almost given up basketball many times.

Its such a hard thing to approach though, he's very sensitive and wont talk about it, it ends in fights every time. Both of our other kids are skinny beanpoles, life can be so cruel.

I'm just wary of pushing our desires onto him, he needs to want it, but I think he thinks its an easy way out and will say he wants it anyway, without true understanding.

Hi Jachut ~ Thank you for your reply.

I understand how you feel.

We are actually in Tasmania - there are a few surgeons here but if I'm having it done I want him to have the best possible surgeon due to his age and health.

My son caught glandular fever almost 4 years ago and hasn't recovered, he now has chronic fatigue and fatty liver and has a bmi of around 40.

It's a catch 22 - he can't exercise at the moment without knocking himself out for a few days.

He has been unable to attend regular school for 3 1/2 years.

He also has selective eating disorder and can't eat many, many things - he has had this from the age of 2 - unfortunately none of the doctors I took him to recognised it or we may have been able to fix/improve it.

He also had early onset puberty at age 8 which threw everything out.

He wants the lap band, desperately.

It may not fix his fatigue but I do believe it will help, not to mention his self esteem.

It sounds as if your son eats an excellent diet and gets some activity.

Have you had blood work done to check his thyroid/hormone levels etc?

Is he self conscious about his weight?

I agree it would have to be something he wants, it's tricky.

xx

Edited January 25, 201016 yr by Mum2BandTeen
missed something

Hi Mum2

I work at a medical centre and all the doctors have highly recommended Mr Nottle

I also have two work friends who have had it done through him and they speak highly of him

It does take a long time on the public waiting list so i didnt even consider waiting 3+ years

I went straight to iselect and found that AHM was the best insurance for me

I will still have to wait the one year but at least i know that once i see Peter Nottle then it should be guaranteed once my insurance passes the yearly mark

Thanks Alycejo

The only reason we are going through the public system is because our doctor works with Prof John Dixon, John had a group of teenagers doing a trial of lapbanding.

We met with John 18 months ago and he agreed my son would be a candidate, we are just waiting on red tape and the results of the trial to come out.

If it takes too long I want to go privately, I can't keep making him wait, he has missed out on so much over the last few years.

Our doctor has been so good, I would like to go with his choice first...but if it is going to take months...well....

My private health will cover it thankfully

Hi All ~ we are so pleased to be now on a waiting list with Peter Nottle

Look forward to sharing our results with you :thumbup: