Hi to you all I have been put on the long waiting list to get the lap band done I need all the help you know I need can you help me please

how do i do this

hi daisy, glad you've been put on the public waiting list, can you tell me/us what kind of help you are looking for specifically?

I would like to find out what you have to go through before the operation and after.

should I get some kind of private health insurance for the operation I have a healthcare card.

what tests do they do before and after

how aften do you have to go in for a check up.

that might be a start.

thank you :party::hurray::cool2:

hi

im looking to get the lapband surgery myself. two weeks ago i went to see the surgeon and was told all i needed to do before the op is have blood test and go on optifast two weeks before the op. how easy, i was so suprised i thought there was much more to it.

thank you for that I am at the start of a very long wait i am glad that you only have two weeks to go good luck.:party:

hi Daisy,

did the doctor who put you on the waitlist give you any information or pre-surgery requirements? each surgeon is different, and I have no idea about the public system process. For me, my surgeon did a series of blood test, I had appointments with a dietician, exercise physiologist and a pychologist. Once I had a surgery date, I did a 3 week pre-surgery diet, that aims to shrink the liver. My surgeon also does a gastroposcoy as a standard pre-surgery procedure just to ensure there is no internal stomach issues (like hiatus hernia etc)

cheers,

kt

I just had a blood test so far

so what are the tests like any bad ones

hi Daisy, nope, no bad tests. only the blood tests for me. did your surgeon/doctor give you any outline of what will happen pre-surgery? do you have long to wait?

cheers, kt

I thing I have two years to wait unless I can find the money up front. so no the doctor has just put me on the long list and nothing else so far.

Yes health insurance does help if you have it. I have been shopping around for the last 2 months and have finally found a great surgeon and its not expensive. I started off being told I would be out of pocket by $7,000 (this is what I have to pay even though I have health insurance) but management to get it down to $4,500 and now I am in luck with a private hospital in Sydney and it is going to cost me $2,500.....not bad...I'm booked for 23rd March. I start my pre-operation Optifast diet until the surgery day....have an appointment with the dietician next week and have done a ultra sound & blood test....so all good (so far) cant wait....

hi tomjerry

how did you manage to get the price down so low. ive just started private health insurance and was told its going to cost around 6000.00 with a year on the waiting list. or i can pay 9000.00 and have the surgery in as little as three weeks time in a public hospital without the waiting list as a private health patient. whats your secret???

Hi there

If you have health insurance then why do you have to go on the waiting list, why not use your health insurance and book yourself through a private hospital which is what I am doing. I see your in Sydney....so am I....I can provide you the surgeons details and you can email them. I will know be able to confirm cost when I meet the surgeon prior to surgery which is next week..I was told it would cost $2,500 and I would claim the $2,000 so I would only be out of pocket by $500. On top of this is the additional ost of dietician visit and seeing your surgeon but you can claim the cost through medicare and get some back....If anyone want the details of the surgeon, happy to provide......

:thumbup:Hi all

Also for us (temporary) over weight people we are entitled to alot of benefits through medicare as we are classed as over weight.

Your GP can put you on a EPC Program, which entitles you to 5 visits to a dietician per year (which means you get $50 back for each visit to the dietician) plus you can fix your teeth through a dentist for the amount of $4,000 or $5,000 (cant recall the amount)....so anyone interested ask you GP...I just found this all out on the weekend when I went to my GP for the blood test results for my lap band surgery.....

:thumbup:Hi all

Also for us (temporary) over weight people we are entitled to alot of benefits through medicare as we are classed as over weight.

Your GP can put you on a EPC Program, which entitles you to 5 visits to a dietician per year (which means you get $50 back for each visit to the dietician) plus you can fix your teeth through a dentist for the amount of $4,000 or $5,000 (cant recall the amount)....so anyone interested ask you GP...I just found this all out on the weekend when I went to my GP for the blood test results for my lap band surgery.....

Don't understand the teeth bit????? what? has it got something to do with being overweight, or vomitting, or someone to adjust false teeth, please explain what u meant in regards to the teeth.

Hi there, sorry didnt explain it correctly.

Medicare has a service call Dental Services under Medicare. In the past this used to apply to people who were Diebetic or had depression. Now they have added to the list people who are over weight are also entitled to this. Lets face it fixing our teeth is very expensive. The form is call a Referral Form For Dental Services Under Medicare (your GP can provide and recommend you to a dentist in your area). The form says that "Eligible patients may access Medicare Benefits of up to $4,250 in total over 2 consecutive calendar years for dental services under items 850111-87777". Contact medicare on 132150 for more info. I thought I would add this to this database as seeing that we are all having lap band done then we are also classified as over weight, therefore entitled to this services.....this is all FYI if anyone is interested...Hope this helps...