Surely not just me? :biggrin2: I didn't know until about two weeks ago that I can actually be banded here in NI. I knew all along I'd have to pay and was making a consultation with Dr Shaw Somers in Chichester. After a few calls by my Dad he discovered there's a Dr Andrew Kennedy who consults at the Ulster Independent Clinic and does the op in the Royal Victoria. My first thought was 'how come I didn't know about this?' lol.

I have a consultation tomorrow evening with Dr Kennedy and I'll be bringing the list of questions to ask him from this site. I then a couple days after got appt with Dr Somers but I cancelled it today. It's too much hassle to have to travel back and forth to Chichester.

I am excited that things are becoming more of a reality now.:scared2:

Welcome! I'm in the states but LOVE Ireland and plan on coming back for another visit soon. Making a list of questions for the surgeon is an excellent idea. I hope all goes well.

Surely not just me? :biggrin2: I didn't know until about two weeks ago that I can actually be banded here in NI. I knew all along I'd have to pay and was making a consultation with Dr Shaw Somers in Chichester. After a few calls by my Dad he discovered there's a Dr Andrew Kennedy who consults at the Ulster Independent Clinic and does the op in the Royal Victoria. My first thought was 'how come I didn't know about this?' lol.

I have a consultation tomorrow evening with Dr Kennedy and I'll be bringing the list of questions to ask him from this site. I then a couple days after got appt with Dr Somers but I cancelled it today. It's too much hassle to have to travel back and forth to Chichester.

I am excited that things are becoming more of a reality now.:cursing:

Hi Lyn2481

I'm not from Northen Ireland I'm from Dublin down South. Delighted to hear you can have the band done in NI. I assume it's been done privately, can you tell me how much they charge up there? Here in Dublin it 11,500. Euro and in Galway it 15,500. Euro. Would be interested to hear how much they charge up there and what kind of aftercare they provide. By the way, there are quite a few of us from several parts of Ireland on the 'Hi from Ireland' thread. You're welcome to join us there if you like.

Surely not just me? :biggrin2: I didn't know until about two weeks ago that I can actually be banded here in NI. I knew all along I'd have to pay and was making a consultation with Dr Shaw Somers in Chichester. After a few calls by my Dad he discovered there's a Dr Andrew Kennedy who consults at the Ulster Independent Clinic and does the op in the Royal Victoria. My first thought was 'how come I didn't know about this?' lol.

I have a consultation tomorrow evening with Dr Kennedy and I'll be bringing the list of questions to ask him from this site. I then a couple days after got appt with Dr Somers but I cancelled it today. It's too much hassle to have to travel back and forth to Chichester.

I am excited that things are becoming more of a reality now.:biggrin:

Hi Lyn

I had a consultation yesterday (18 Mar 2008) with Mr Kennedy's registrar Mr Clements for lap band surgery done on NHS and he told me that funding had stopped for this around Nov 07. I was so disappointed and wondered why I got the appt in the first place but I think it was so I would kick up a fuss and write letters and get it started again. Unfortunately I do not intend to wait 2 or 3 yrs for this to be put back in place if ever, so I may have to re-think this. He told me Mr Kennedy does not do this privately. Do you have any more information on this?

Thanks

Edited March 25, 200818 yr by WRIGGLE

Hi Glenda. Your post confused me a bit which isn't difficult.:biggrin2: Have you already had a band put in that slipped or something or no band and that's what your consultation was for?

Were you going in believing it was NHS funded and then suddenly found out it's not anymore? See, I didn't even know there was funding here and dr K told me it'd stopped 6 months ago and I thought 'how convenient it was only 6 months ago' but I am prepared to pay for the op as I beleieve there's no point in trying to do anything, it's like flogging a dead horse. :crying:

I wish we had a choice of surgeon.

Hi Lyn

Thanks for replying.

I went to the Royal Hosp to see Dr Kennedy about having lap band surgery done on the NHS and that was when I was told the list had stopped cos of no funding. I know of someone who got it done in Nov 07 on NHS but had it done in Liverpool which was organised by Dr Kennedy. She went there because it is not done in N Ireland. It is done in some parts of England on NHS and thats why the doctor said it wasn't fair that it had stopped in N Ireland.

I understood Dr Kennedy himself performs this surgery but no he doesn't - not even privately but may do in a year or so. I would be prepared to pay and to go England but dont know of the cost. Do you have any prices on it? I think it ranges possibly from £7000 upwards. Dr Clements tried to tell me also that I would be more suitable for Gastric Bypass but I would never consider that route at all.

I'm interested to hear how your consultation went with Dr Kennedy. I hope I haven't been fed wrong info by his Registrar!

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Edited March 25, 200818 yr by WRIGGLE

Hi again Glenda. As far as I am aware from what Dr Kennedy said it's him performing my operation and he recommended bypass over lapband. He said bypass costs £8,000 and lapband costs about £6,000. He told me the band would be too easy to cheat with plus you have better losses with bypass.

I have another appt on 28th April and I will be asking him about dr clements and all that. Can I ask why you would travel to England and pay to have op when you can have it here and pay?

I was hoping to be able to speak to other patients of his and was told he has noone's contact numbers. :tongue_smilie: Hmm, it's interesting you were also recommended the bypass, I wonder are they pushing people to have the more expensive op? I more or less asked him that and he said he would rather fit a band cos it's quicker. Also I don't think he does the bypass through keyhole surgery which I would prefer because wounds heal quicker though the op can take about 5 hours as opposed to 90 mins.

Edited March 27, 200818 yr by Lyn2481

Hi Lynn this is shaz from Ireland I have been trying to get onto the hi from Ireland and can't seem to get into it could you please help me as I would love to talk to others who have had banding done

Hi Shazer,

They moved the Hi from Ireland thread on us. If you go back out to the home page, go down to Lap Band Support Groups, then Local Lap band support groups and finally 'Elsewhere Local Support". You'll find a load of Ireland Bandsters in there.

Welcome to Lapbandtalk!!

Elsie (Dublin)

Hi Lyn

Well I am gobsmacked that you have actually had a consultation with Mr Kennedy and that he really does perform the op here in N Ireland. You even have the prices too!! I am really upset that I have been fed the wrong information by Dr Clements!!!

I will certainly be enquiring further about this and would definitely be so pleased if it was done here as opposed to England.

Thank you so much for this info Lyn it has been very helpful. If you find out anything else I'd be interested to hear.

Well I got quite a shock when I went along to my second appointment. It seems not only will I not get my op done on the NHS (which was a non-starter from the off) I may not even have the 'priveledge' of paying for it. The comissioners may not let my surgeon do any further operations in the hospital (I think the Royal). There was a big meeting and presentation on Mon to try and convince them to let him continue operating and if they say no he can refer me to another surgeon in Liverpool.

I dunno what to think now, if I'd gone to my consultation with Shaw Somers before I knew about this, I'd probably be recovering from surgery by now. As usual it's all about money. :party:

Well I got quite a shock when I went along to my second appointment. It seems not only will I not get my op done on the NHS (which was a non-starter from the off) I may not even have the 'priveledge' of paying for it. The comissioners may not let my surgeon do any further operations in the hospital (I think the Royal). There was a big meeting and presentation on Mon to try and convince them to let him continue operating and if they say no he can refer me to another surgeon in Liverpool.

I dunno what to think now, if I'd gone to my consultation with Shaw Somers before I knew about this, I'd probably be recovering from surgery by now. As usual it's all about money. :wink2:

Hi Lyn

Sorry your appointment didn't work out. I heard that the cost of getting the band done in Liverpool is £8500 done by Dr Kerrigan. Thats where a girl from Belfast had it done in November last year. This may be of help. I am thinking of going there to have it done. I think its ridiculous that it is not done here in N Ireland but there's no point at this stage in fighting for that. I will just get it done in England and pay the price. Dr Kerrigan is apparently a very good surgeon. So he has been recommended and thats good enough for me.

I'll ring the Fitzwilliam clinic next week like I said I was going to and see what news they have for me. I hope and pray it is good news. The people of NI are not aware they can have WLS here and that's because noone wants them to be aware. I think people's GP's should be able to refer them to England for WLS, it would save the NHS thousands in the long run. I am on about 6 different tablets a day due to my excess weight and this will probably double in the next ten years as I develop God-knows-what else.:wink2:

I feel I have no real support from my GP. He doesn't seem to care whether I have the op or not.

I'll ring the Fitzwilliam clinic next week like I said I was going to and see what news they have for me. I hope and pray it is good news. The people of NI are not aware they can have WLS here and that's because noone wants them to be aware. I think people's GP's should be able to refer them to England for WLS, it would save the NHS thousands in the long run. I am on about 6 different tablets a day due to my excess weight and this will probably double in the next ten years as I develop God-knows-what else.

I feel I have no real support from my GP. He doesn't seem to care whether I have the op or not.

hi Lynn and Wriggle!! i am new to this site! i too live in N. Ireland, and am desperate to have the gastric band surgery. I was wondering if either of you have progressed any further? any luck with a consultation? £8000 for the op in Liverpool is a lot of money for me, just wondering if either of you know if a payment plan is available? My doctor is fully supportive and has referred me for a consultation in Belfast which she says can take upto 6 months!! but if as you say the op is no longer available here ??? i am now wondering if there is any point to this consultation?? please help?

angiexx

Hi Angie

Since I last left a message on lap Band Forum, I have progressed a bit further. Since there is no available funding here in N Ireland, I wasn't prepared to wait for a couple of years till it might start again so I went ahead and paid to have the gastric band done in Leeds with The Hospital Group. Prof McMahon performed the op in mid July for £8000. I do happen to know you can get it done in Liverpool for £5000 but the difference is you have to pay for all your fills and don't have 'aftercare' as such. Whereas the more expensive way you have aftercare for 12 months after and this includes all your fills. I'm not sure about a payment plan but its worth asking about it. I will get my fills done in Hollywood, N Ireland as they have bought over a clinic there and may in the future perform ops there too. But thats away down the line.

I highly recommend The Hospital Group as they are very efficient and professional. Their hospital is spotless and the staff easy to deal with. I felt completely safe with them and Prof McMahon is very experienced in bariatric surgery and has performed quite a few of these. They set up a consultation in Belfast every so often where you meet him and ask any questions - get weighed and speak to your administrator. My administrator was Judy Eastwood and if you want the Hospital Group number its

0800 1383055 and ask for Judy. My consultation was on 30 June 2008 and my op was on 17 July 2008 as quick as that!

So far I have lost 20 lbs without a fill but thats down to the pre-op diet to shrink your liver and soft diet for a couple of weeks after. I managed this OK but was very hungry at times! I should get my first fill at end of Aug or start of Sept. I have not had any complications at all since my surgery but you really must be careful and do what they ask.

I hope this has been of help to you and I look forward to hearing your progress if you decide to go private.

Regards

Wriggle

PS I did have a consultation with Dr Clements (Mr Kennedy's registrar) in the Royal Hosp in March 2008 and he said there was no funding now for this and I then enquired about going to Mr Kennedy privately but he said he didn't do private patients.

08001383055

08001383055

Thanks so much wriggle for replying so quickly!! :wink2: wow!! you have actually had it done! i'm soooooo jealous!!

Your advice and information is priceless and much appreciated!. i was concerned that if i had to go to england it would mean costly flights to get the band fills. You really must have done your homework! How many times did you actually have to fly over to leeds in the end? and did you go on your own or would you advise that i bring a friend along? I think i should probably go back to my GP and inform her that it seems pointless waiting for the consultation in Belfast! All i need to do now then is try and find a way of funding it! My husband is great and after problems with breast cancer, blood-pressure and all the other ailments that go along with them, he understands why i want this surgery done! My doctor thinks it is a good option for me due to my health issues, but i must admit that i am disappointed that it's not available in Ireland:frown: would love to hear how you get on and it would be nice to have a link with someone who has recently undergone surgery.

You are now on the journey to your new life!! it must feel wonderful!! welldone for being so brave!:frown: