surgery date with dr de bruyne

flirtylass · September 22, 2008

Hi katie

I had to wait about 4wks for my op u email dr chris urself tell him how soon u want op and he'l give u closest date possible his email addy is chris.debruyne@advalvas.be and u know cost of op is €4000 well that is package including taxis and hotel saves a lot of hassle if u need anymore info feel free to ask

Maincat · September 22, 2008

Hi everyone!
Also, is his waiting list long? If I have to wait a long time then I may aswell try for the NHS, long waiting lists is the reason I have decided to go private.

I hear that the waiting list at the hospital I had my band fitted at are now three months. Not such a long time really.

katieo · September 22, 2008

flirtylass , thanks for your help, will contact Dr Bruyne today, thats such a good deal! I am sure I will come up with some more questions!!lol

Maincat, did you have yours done on the NHS or private? I know of people who had to wait 2 years for a band on the NHS waiting list and getting on that list in the first place wasn't easy. WOW you have lost ALOT, about the same as I wanna lose, Last time I checked I was 294 lbs.

Katie x

Edited September 22, 2008 by katieo

Maincat · September 23, 2008

Maincat, did you have yours done on the NHS or private? I know of people who had to wait 2 years for a band on the NHS waiting list and getting on that list in the first place wasn't easy. WOW you have lost ALOT, about the same as I wanna lose, Last time I checked I was 294 lbs.

Hi Katie,

I had mine on the NHS. When I had mine done, the waiting list was six months, which I know has now come down. My BMI was 41.2 with co-morbidies. I went through the diets, pills etc and had wonderful support from my GP. I didn't find that getting on the list was an issue.

Losing a lot of weight can sound very daunting at the beginning. Give yourself a reasonable time scale to lose it - I gave myself a year. Eat smart, lower the portion size, don't eat the obvious - bread, fizzy drinks, sweets, deep fried foods, takeaways etc. I also exercise - Mr Motivator is great - and cycle. It wasn't easy at the beginning, but now is a natural part of my life.

katieo · September 23, 2008

I had no idea you could get it done that quickly on the NHS, the stories I have heard about are a couple of years old in all honesty but one in particular that stands out in my mind was about a lady from my home town who was over 25 stone and could hardly walk, she was refused weightloss surgery and then put her story in the local newspaper, eventually they gave her a bypass and she went on to lose 12 stone but it was one hell of a battle for her. I figured I had a big enough battle on my hands as it was so I kinda ruled out the NHS.

So it looks like the government are finally taking the obesity problem in this country seriously!!! I am gonna book an appointment with my GP, she was the one who first suggested it 2 years ago, but she did say,"but then it depends on your finances" back then the idea of having surgery scared the hell out of me so I didn't pursue it.

You are right, it is incredibly overwhelming when you have alot to lose and I feel totally on my own with this problem, people cannot lose weight for us can they? All they can do is to try and support us in our efforts which is nice but not enough for me to get some life-changing results, having a band will make me feel that for once I will have someone/thing in my corner, a neat little weapon to help me fight this battle. I know it's no miracle cure and that I will have to make changes but I am prepared to turn my life around for the better, I have come to the point in my life now where I am thinking "Come on Katie, you have to grow up and take responsibility for your actions, no more excuses, if you are to live the life you know you deserve to live you need to make some BIG changes"

So here I am :smile:

Thanks so much for the info maincat, very useful indeed!

Maincat · September 23, 2008

Katie,

I'm really pleased that you are going back to your GP. I don't know where you are in the country, as I'm sorry to say, the post code lottery does operate. However, obesity is getting a higher profile and the band is a cost effective treatment. If you are nearish to Derby then you are lucky in my opinion, as their services are expanding to take on gastric bypass as well as the band.

It does sound like you are ready to make those necessary changes in your life to tackle your weight. I had to get really scared about my own mortality in order to make the changes.

Keep in touch and let us know how you get on.

katieo · September 23, 2008

I'm in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, hope I am in with a chance!!

Well they can only say no and if they do I am lucky enough to have the funds to go over to Belgium, the main thing that worries me about going private is if there are any complications and I have to have another op, I won't have the money to pay for it!! Another thing I am not sure on is the whole travelling thing, I don't even have anyone to take with me! My hubby is having problems with his visa here(from kenya)so he not in a position to travel and I don't know how long it will take to be sorted out, my sis has just had a baby so she's out of the question and my mum is such a worrier I couldn't possibly take her along with me. I really don't mind going on my own but my family would worry like mad!

chel82 · October 14, 2008

im being banded by dr chris a month today yeah 14th nov. i begged my gp for over a yr my bmi is 47 im 26 and i have sciatica and my feet hurt so much. iv got asthma and can generally feel my health going down hill at this young age and i was refused. it is a postcode lottery defo the criteria in my area (york) is bmi of 50 or 45 if you have a set list of other issues sciatica wasnt one of them. and she said my pct and a few others now only do bypass i was willing to have bypass but prefer band as i havnt ruled out another sprogling yet lol if it would have been band id have fought them all the way

i think its so unfair the differences. my freind is having bypass on nhs and the current waiting time in my area is about 9 months. shes just had all her tests and should be getting surgery mid summer

sndeall · November 10, 2008

im being banded by dr chris a month today yeah 14th nov. i begged my gp for over a yr my bmi is 47 im 26 and i have sciatica and my feet hurt so much. iv got asthma and can generally feel my health going down hill at this young age and i was refused. it is a postcode lottery defo the criteria in my area (york) is bmi of 50 or 45 if you have a set list of other issues sciatica wasnt one of them. and she said my pct and a few others now only do bypass i was willing to have bypass but prefer band as i havnt ruled out another sprogling yet lol if it would have been band id have fought them all the way
i think its so unfair the differences. my freind is having bypass on nhs and the current waiting time in my area is about 9 months. shes just had all her tests and should be getting surgery mid summer

Hi there,

yes, i know what you mean, i tried my GP and he wouldnt hear none of it.. I booked to go to Belgium to Dr. Dillemans in Brugges on the 19th! keep me posted on progress.. and we will compare notes

good luck

ivesy2 · July 22, 2009

hi im being banded with dr de bruyne on 11 aug, i read loads about him, all been good so im so cant wait for the op, im on nhs waiting list but given up been on list for 2 years they told have to wait anougher 2, so i decided to go private, so everthing booked hotel erou star, roll on the 11th

alfie858 · July 27, 2009

im being banded by dr chris a month today yeah 14th nov. i begged my gp for over a yr my bmi is 47 im 26 and i have sciatica and my feet hurt so much. iv got asthma and can generally feel my health going down hill at this young age and i was refused. it is a postcode lottery defo the criteria in my area (york) is bmi of 50 or 45 if you have a set list of other issues sciatica wasnt one of them. and she said my pct and a few others now only do bypass i was willing to have bypass but prefer band as i havnt ruled out another sprogling yet lol if it would have been band id have fought them all the way
i think its so unfair the differences. my freind is having bypass on nhs and the current waiting time in my area is about 9 months. shes just had all her tests and should be getting surgery mid summer

Hey hun nice to know its all going well. I was lucky enough to have you and your mum there when I was in hospital otherwise I would have been alone too :thumbup:

I would do it again in an instant it is changing my life and every month I feel fitter and happier.:crying:

I can only recommend not putting it off for any reason the sooner the journey starts the better. I waited 3 months on NHS then went it alone, was the best decision I ever made and I wish I had done it sooner.