Attention ! Australian Sleevers

[Dons2.0 39]

I'm in Sydney so a different doctor - I think I had some blood tests but that was all. I think it depends on your overall health and info passed to your surgeon by your GP in the referral letter.

US practices seem quite different to ours; v pedantic in some ways and then chucking patients out of hospital far earlier than I've ever heard happening here. Just between us Aussies' date=' I'm glad I'm here![/quote']

Thank you for your reply! I feel much better about it now I did see a psych and dietician (but then decided on a different surgeon and weight loss centre to go through).

Also, I found a great dietician here to continue to go to after surgery to make sure I'm heading in the right direction.

Thanks again

Donna

[Dons2.0 39]

I didn't have any tests done. Just saw dietitian and psych. It is very weird hearing about all the hoops USA people have to jump thru. Makes me so happy to b Aussie

I agree it's much easier here! I did see a psych and dietician as well. Also, found a new dietician now that I've moved and can see her going forward and after surgery.

[Dons2.0 39]

I didn't even have to see a psych because I had been in a diet program before within the same hospital system. No blood tests or GI tests. No waiting list. I think the medical establishment is much more proactive about obesity here. Also most of the US hoops are so the insurance companies can find a reason to deny you.

That having been said' date=' I don't know anyone here who used the public system for this kind of surgery. And private hospitals snd doctors almost always have less stringent requirements.

Good luck today, Aussie!

As for me, I have an appointment today with my GP to get back a bunch of test results for two different issues. One, I'm still having bad diarrhea several times a day. Two, apparently my estrogen is way too low (I'm post-hysterectomy and on HRT). They are also checking my Iron, folate, Calcium, and B12, and maybe other things that I forgot. I've been feeling pretty tired and "off" but just marked it up to the gastro.[/quote']

Yes I guess the insurance companies would rather not fork out for surgery.

My situation I guess is different from most with being a private patient in a public hospital - my surgeons private and I pay to stay in the hospital just nothing near private hospital costs.

I hope you find out what's going on with you! It sounds hard to deal with - fingers crossed its something easily fixed! Xo

[kelliv 659]

I didn't even have to see a psych because I had been in a diet program before within the same hospital system. No blood tests or GI tests. No waiting list. I think the medical establishment is much more proactive about obesity here. Also most of the US hoops are so the insurance companies can find a reason to deny you.

That having been said' date=' I don't know anyone here who used the public system for this kind of surgery. And private hospitals snd doctors almost always have less stringent requirements.

Good luck today, Aussie!

As for me, I have an appointment today with my GP to get back a bunch of test results for two different issues. One, I'm still having bad diarrhea several times a day. Two, apparently my estrogen is way too low (I'm post-hysterectomy and on HRT). They are also checking my Iron, folate, Calcium, and B12, and maybe other things that I forgot. I've been feeling pretty tired and "off" but just marked it up to the gastro.[/quote']

Hope your tests show what's happening Misty. In the past couple of weeks I've had a colonoscopy, endoscopy & capsule endoscopy all to try and find out why my Iron is low and I am anaemic. Waiting for balance of test results too, but hopefully it won't be anything too serious. Good luck today.

[kelliv 659]

I agree it's much easier here! I did see a psych and dietician as well. Also' date=' found a new dietician now that I've moved and can see her going forward and after surgery.[/quote']

I think the insurance companies here are quite supportive compared to the US. Also I don't think you can have this surgery through the free public health system in Australia??? I haven't heard of it anyway.

[Sydney Susan 333]

I think the insurance companies here are quite supportive compared to the US. Also I don't think you can have this surgery through the free public health system in Australia??? I haven't heard of it anyway.

It's bizarre how the US insurance companies get between dr and patient - imagine if HCF said "we disagree with your specialist and although we cover that procedure, you're insurance is fully paid and a qualified, registered specialist says you need it, we won't pay for it". There would be an uproar.... by both doctors and insurees.

I wonder if insurance is cheaper in the US because of this "get out" ability insurance companies have. Should be because its not a heap of use a lot of the time. And hardly makes insurance the reassurance it should be.

Re public hospitals, I believe they do perform this surgery - I recently read a paper about bariatric surgery in WA that claimed about 20% of all bariatric procedures were done in the public system, and that included VSG but didn't separate out the types. There's some evidence that BS is cost effective over the medium to long term but it's still debated hotly. If/when the (financial) arguments for it are firmly grounded in evidence I'm sure it will rise steeply... With some stats saying 60% of adults are obese or overweight, something drastic has to happen to stop the public health system collapsing under the "weight" of obesity comorbidities.

Aren't we the clever, responsible ones...

[Camella 209]

Hi everyone

I haven't been on for a while as I'm on holiday (in Australia), but just wanted to post an update - almost eight weeks post op and down 18kg - amazing what a difference two months makes!

[Camella 209]

Just a quick question....is there anyone that had to have their gallbladder removed post surgery and if so, how soon after? (I had no gallstones pre-op)

[kelliv 659]

Hi everyone

I haven't been on for a while as I'm on holiday (in Australia)' date=' but just wanted to post an update - almost eight weeks post op and down 18kg - amazing what a difference two months makes! [/quote']

You look great Camella, almost like a different person. Well done in a short space of time.

[kelliv 659]

If they do BS through the public hospital system in Australia, I can just imagine the waiting time as no doubt it would be considered elective surgery. I am glad we live in Australia with good health insurance options and a highly qualified and reliable private medical system.

[Bec101 227]

A friend of mine is looking at the public free system. It is a 12 month waiting period. But she'll have to see a dietition and pysic a few times over that 12 months. She is 5ft and weights at 150kg. So she is a person who qaulifies for it

[lessismore67 158]

Hurray! A NSV at last! My usual work pants started sliding down - too big even with the granny elasticised waist lol- and I now actually fit into a size 18 pair of slacks at a 'regular' shop.

More importantly I ran...yes RAN ... up a small flight of stairs to catch my little boy AND I could still walk without limping too much afterwards or needing codeine for the arthritis pain.Huge achievement for me even tho it sounds small.

Love my sleeve.

[mistysj 1,939]

Congratulations, that's an awesome NSV!

Aussie, I hope you're resting and have lots of nice drugs to keep you feeling good!

As for me, all of my tests came back NORMAL. Even the estrogen. So where that leaves me still having chronic gastro issues, 3.5 months after my surgery. So my GP told me to call my surgeon. The surgeon first tried to pass the buck and told me to speak to my dietitian, but I said I'd already been through that. So then he told me to take Lomotil for 2-3 days, take some Fiber (his dietitian told me not to start taking Fiber until the diarrhea stopped, so I have not been), and call him back in 3 weeks. It's a little depressing but I guess I may be stuck with diarrhea 2-3 times a day for the foreseeable future.

I completed Couch to 5K week 5 day 3 today though, so that was good. Hubby and I are going for tapas (at Peasant at Petrie Terrace) and then to a play this evening. Looking forward to that!

[mistysj 1,939]

Just had tapas for dinner and had ice cream for dessert and didn't blow my calories for the day. Love my sleeve!

[Helmc2 108]

Ausiegirl - hope everything went smoothly for u and ur not in too much pain xx