Start here
Where are you in your journey?
Choose the path that fits today. We’ll take you to the most useful discussions.
- GLP-1 medication Zepbound, Wegovy, access, side effects, progress, and support.
- Before surgery Compare procedures, plan ahead, and get honest pre-op answers.
- Post-op Recovery, food stages, symptoms, and support.
- Long-term Regain, labs, habits, and life after the honeymoon.
- Revision Explore revision options, complications, and next steps.
Cost- Uk Banding Versus Brussels/europe Banding
- Replies 3
- Views 601
- Created
- Last Reply
Top Posters In This Topic
-
Sazparella 2 posts
-
lifebegins2012 1 post
For those of us who are UK based and self funding our gastric bands, cost is a HUGE consideration. The adverts for travelling to Europe for cheaper surgery can sometimes almost seem an ideal option but what about 'unexpected costs'?
With all surgery comes the concerns of potential problems and for me, that was the one of my major deciding factors. A recent reduction in UK banding surgery was enough to keep me here. A finance tip is given at the bottom of this write up:)
The comparisons-
TRAVEL TO EUROPE FOR BANDING
If you want your initial consultation in the UK there is a charge of £100 or more-plus travel costs. Quite often the surgeon will say it is fine to have the consultation on the night before your surgery when you are in Europe (a long way to travel and possibly find out that for whatever reason, you are not suitable for surgery).
You will need to factor the cost of travel for you and a friend to the country and the taxis to and from your accomodation. You will need 2 nights stay at a hotel- sometimes this is in with the cost of surgery but not always.
The cost of surgery can be from £4,000
Once back in the UK you have to pay for your consultation/band fills- each one is around £150. As a guide I have been told it is normal to have 6-8 adjustments over 2 years
The doctors insist on a yearly xray or scan- cost unknown.
Travel to the follow up appointments quite often mean a trip to London which can take a number of hours each way for some of us and therefore significant fuel cost.
UK BANDING
Initial consultation can be free (mine was) or up to £150
Cost of surgery is from £5,000 (Feb/March 2012offer at The Hospital Group-£1,000 off normal starting price) which INCLUDES an overnight stay following surgery, blood tests/band fills/adjustments etc for 2YEARS.
Hospitals throughout the UK so you can be seen local therefore shorter commute time and fuel costs.
Knowing I will have no further outlay for the next 24months by having my surgery in the UK gives me peace of mind as I am the sort of person who thinks if something can go wrong, it's likely to happen to me.
I hope this helps some people when considering where to have the surgery but continue to do your research until you are satisfied with your descision. You can always go for a consutation with a UK surgeon which is often FREE and you are under no obligation to proceed with them so could still go further afield for surgery.
Finance Tip.
With limited savings and being someone who hates to pay interest, I searched the internet for credit card offers.
The best deal for me was to open a Nationwide current account which gave me a nice interest free overdraft for 3 months but also enabled me to have a Nationwide credit card with a significant amount of credit and, get this, it's 18 MONTHS INTEREST FREE.
There was an offer where you just had the credit card without having to have a current account but the interest free period was only 6 months. I found a number of other good credit card deals including Sainsburys and Tesco but the Nationwide one was best for me. There are new deals all the time so get surfing the Net!
If you've found this page useful, please drop me a line to say 'Hi'.