Are there any Australian Sleevers out there, Would Love to hear from you.

I paid about $2000 for the analysiologist (so can't spell).

Looks like I am headed back to hospital on Thursday for a bit of exploratory gastrectomy to look if there is any reason for my ongoing reflux, not normal this far out.

Sorry to hear you are heading back into hospital and I hope everything goes okay. If I plan for about a $2000 bill at least I might be pleasantly surprised when I get the quote Anyway I will keep my fingers crossed for you when you go back in to see what's up...

You guys pay so much more for medical services Why cant all doctors be consistent with their charges. Its not fair. I'm in SA and my entire out of pocket for my sleeve was 2900.

I think because I am paying the full costs it might be a bit different - you mightn't be as aware of all the little costs where I am painfully aware lol. Fingers crossed though that it won't be as bad as I thought but I am anticipating it to be around $2000...

I think because I am paying the full costs it might be a bit different - you mightn't be as aware of all the little costs where I am painfully aware lol. Fingers crossed though that it won't be as bad as I thought but I am anticipating it to be around 2000...

Hi Lila, I will be paying $500 to the anesthetist next Tuesday, as my Private cover Defense Health covers the other $1500.

My out of pocket after medibank private covered hospital costs;

$4500 surgeon (that's with discount for referring clients previously)

$2000 anaesthetist (500 refunded)

It would be great if all surgeons/costs were similar but I have read so many variances.

I will go and try the new Protein drink and see how that goes.

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Hi Lila' date=' I will be paying 500 to the anesthetist next Tuesday, as my Private cover Defense Health covers the other 1500.[/quote']

I am also with defense health I didn't Realise they covered this fee, I paid $1000 maybe I should call them tomorrow.

I think because I am paying the full costs it might be a bit different - you mightn't be as aware of all the little costs where I am painfully aware lol. Fingers crossed though that it won't be as bad as I thought but I am anticipating it to be around 2000...

Hi Lila, I am paying $500 for my sleep guy next Tuesday. All up it was $2000, but most covered by private medical Insurance. I hope yours is no more than $2000. Let us know how you get on. Cheers Kelli

I am also with defense health I didn't Realise they covered this fee' date=' I paid 1000 maybe I should call them tomorrow.[/quote']

Lilly, I am just paying the gap, as they said Defense Health will cover the rest. I don't have to send a claim. They will also fully cover my hospital fees and I will get back $1000 of the $5,900 I have paid to surgeon. Medicare pays about $750 apparently and DHS will pay the balance. Is yours similar?

Hi everyone. I too returned back to work today. 12 days post op. I'm a bit tired now' date=' so it will be an early night for me. I still have not lost any weight since day 4 post op Dietician said this is a normal plateau that can occur straight after surgery as body in shock. Still disappointed though...I've also changed my Protein shake to ProteinFX which is 20g Protein, 5g carbs and 3g fat per 250ml pre made shake.[/quote']

Hi Michelle, glad to hear your first day back at work wasn't too trying for you and thanks for the tip re the shake. I was going to go with Musashi, but now I am not so sure. I will be talking to my dietician on Thursday or Friday so will check with him. I am sure your weight will continue to come off, as it sounds like you are doing all the right things. Stay positive and keep us posted on your success. Baby steps are fine!!

I would of never ever been able to get my sleeve done if I had to pay as much as you guys all did. I am very thankful.

Lilly' date=' I am just paying the gap, as they said Defense Health will cover the rest. I don't have to send a claim. They will also fully cover my hospital fees and I will get back 1000 of the 5,900 I have paid to surgeon. Medicare pays about 750 apparently and DHS will pay the balance. Is yours similar?[/quote']

Hi Kelli

I paid 4,500 to the surgeon and 1,000 to the anesthesiologist, I had 100% cover in a private hospital but I am yet to claim anything back from DHS I didn't do the gap cover but I should be able to claim the portions back.

Hi guys

Well returned back to work today 17 days post op. felt great and got through the day fine just getting used to the comments all day about how great I look already.

Shepherds pie sounds delish. I think that will be dinner tomorrow night.

Count down Kelliv - glad you are getting through the pre op diet. I agree that is the most difficult time of the whole experience.

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Hi Shelley, does everyone at work know what you have had done or do they all think you've been on a diet? Great that they are noticing the changes already. One week down and o e to go. This time next week I will probably be getting nervous, but I am not so far. I am getting a bit sick of vege & salad and shakes already. I need to look at some creative ways to serve them. I do like the vanilla Opti shakes with a short black espresso cofffee, crushed ice and Water and Choc or vanilla with frozen berries. Any suggestions? Maybe I should make a thick cauliflower and leek Soup?

Hi guy's.

I have just spoken to my clinic and they've said that the quote they gave me didn't include the anaestheologist (sorry can't spell) fee. For those who had to pay this' date=' can you give me an indication of how much this costs? I hadn't anticipated this as an expense and am worried it will run into the thousands

Cheers,

Lila[/quote']

hi lila i have to pay $300 for my anaesthesist

Thank you so much to everyone who responded - there seems to be some consistency around the $2000 full cost with some of you paying the gap . I am paying for the whole shot myself so I will have to find out in the morning what they are going to charge me but I will let you know once I do what the costs are Though I have hospital cover my benefit didn't cover this surgery and I made the decision not to wait until May when I am eligible...so it was a choice and I have to live with the consequences. It just makes it hard when you don't get clear and accurate information from the clinic...

Your support and advice is awesome and greatly appreciated!

Cheers, Lila

Hi Shelley' date=' does everyone at work know what you have had done or do they all think you've been on a diet? Great that they are noticing the changes already. One week down and o e to go. This time next week I will probably be getting nervous, but I am not so far. I am getting a bit sick of vege & salad and shakes already. I need to look at some creative ways to serve them. I do like the vanilla Opti shakes with a short black espresso cofffee, crushed ice and Water and Choc or vanilla with frozen berries. Any suggestions? Maybe I should make a thick cauliflower and leek soup?[/quote']

Hi Kelli

I originally told only a special few at my work at the beginning but by the last week before my op most of my floor at work knows. I have had 150% support from everyone at work, family and friends oh except my father but he will come around when he sees the changes. I gathered that I will let everyone know as I am so proud of my decision to do something permanent to improve my life and I really didn't care what anyone thought.

In regards to the opti - I was very boring. I had strawberry, banana & choc ones just plain in my little shaker. At night I ate some steamed greens and either grilled chic or fish for two long weeks. I actually didn't mind the opti and am going to start having one a day again. Honestly though, there was a couple of times in the 1st week that I strayed then I was so worried that doc would not go through with op as he said if liver not shrunk he would not continue so when I woke up and he was in my ear saying it is over and all went well, it was such a relief .

Anyway, have a great day ladies - have to drag myself out of bed to head to work

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I'd said a few days ago that I'd decided to stick with Dr Stephen Blamey to do my surgery, but I'm scheduled to go into surgery to remove lap band on 14 Aug and they STILL haven't sent me the paperwork! Which makes me rather mad because I saw him back on 19 July. I'm sorry, that is FAR more than enough time to get it out to me.

So I'm glad I didn't cancel my second opinion appointment with Dr Adam Skidmore. I see him today at 12.

I wanted to stay with Dr Blamey, even though I wasn't terribly happy about his protocol, because I wanted the option of DS if the sleeve wasn't enough. He's apparently the only one still doing DS in Victoria, and I can't go out of state. But I've called his secretary 4 times about the paperwork and I STILL don't have it so I'm going to see Dr Skidmore. He may do the lap band removal and sleeve at the same time rather than me have to wait 10 weeks between like with Dr Blamey. If I have to give up the DS option, then I'd like to not miss a moments sleeve time! It's not guaranteed, he might make me wait too, but it's worth asking. I haven't had any complications with the band, so hopefully it's all straightforward. Anyway, I'll know today (hopefully).

And besides some of the people who've gone to Dr Skidmore said he's got a nice bedside manner. Dr Blamey was nice enough.......but kind of talked down to me, in that patronizing condescending way. You know, says things but in that way that has you-ignorant-stupid-fat-person-that-won't-be-able-to-follow-a-simple-concept written all over it?

Anyway, that's where I'm at in my sleeve journey. Getting one step at a time. I'm glad I have had some time to read through this site and absorb information and first person accounts of life with the sleeve. To be honest before I started researching the sleeve I thought it was a procedure that was created mostly for failed lapbanders! The only people I knew with a a sleeve were those who'd had a band and had not been able to make it work for them. Now I realize it's much better as a first option. I'm prepared to do the work required with the sleeve. Most of it I already do - daily supps, Protein first, exercise daily. The things I'm working on now are not drinking with my meals and working soft drinks out of my life. I'm doing better on both, but still working on them. I also have some emotional eating and compulsive eating issues I'm working on but I now understand that I cannot get these under control on my own. If I could I probably would not be so big right now! So seeking a therapist with eating disorder expertise BEFORE surgery. I don't want to have to go crawling back to Blamey begging for a DS if I don't have to!

:-)