Dr Craig Taylor

First topic message reminder :

wahroonga sydney..
Anyone experienced him??? My gp wants me to go to this one? ...
thx

Thanks to Mel and Shaz for your well wishes, it seems like so far away but I can't wait to be at my goal weight and looking back and saying WOW what an amazing experience now no looking back to my former "fat" self!!!!

I do have a question though.

With Dr Taylor I have booked my surgery for the 1st July, on the same day as I saw Dr Taylor he took bloods and I booked in to see the dietitian and Shrink (sorry you know who I mean... I'm a terrible speller!!! LOL), so does that mean my date is only tentative until all blood tests come back and the other 2 appointments are confirmed all ok???

I guess I should have asked this question at the Oclinic but I was just so excited to me booking my surgery and see Dr Taylor and all the excitement Friday bought.

Im with you mel, not putting that weight back on will be wonderfull, i dont think in my 19ears of being overweight, (since i had my first son) I havent been on some kind of a diet! this is heaven..

smileykylie you will be smiling!!! congrats it will go fine!!!

shaz

Thanks Kylie and Mum05 for offering all that extra information! Its really interesting to hear about everyones journey. With my visit to Dr Taylor he wasn't favouring any one procedure so my story is a little different.

At the end of the day I was thrilled with Dr Taylor and my sleeve and I found the surgery and recovery to be easier than expected. But that is just me.

Its such a big decision, life changing, and I agonised over the sleeve vs band for months. Its such a personal thing and has to suit YOUR lifestyle. So research, research, research and try and work out whats best for you and your family.

I haven't looked back, but know that what I've done is permanent and will be with me for life. But that is exactly what I wanted from surgery. To get to goal weight, stay there, and NEVER EVER put it back on. I've been up and down my whole life and I only wanted to loose the weight one last time and never worry about my weight again........

Best of luck to everyone and your decisions. Either way you go, i'm sure you'll be really happy with chosing Dr Taylor. I certainly was.

Mel

thanks huggy, good luck with ur surgery.

Good on you Kylie!

He is so nice isn't he? So understanding and sweet. I know we all seem to love our own surgeons on this forum but to me, he really is wonderful.

I'll be getting done a month before you so I'll keep you updated!

xxHuggy

Well I had my appointment today.... having my sleeve surgery on 1st July.

Craig Taylor is a really really nice man. Talked about both options, very extensively, then allowed me to book my sleeve op and if I want to change it to a lap band he is happy with that too.

Its been a great day!!!

Thank you for all your feedback everyone. I guess I just have to wait and see how tomorrow goes. I really don't want the band but I am willing to hear all the good the bad and the ugly of all procedures and go from there.

Hi Everyone,

Dr Taylor did a band on me last September '09 - he definately prefers doing bands but even he said he is doing more and more sleeves every week now.

My body hated the band and I only had it for a total of 6 months. I was constantly vomiting and having to drive back over to the OClinic the day or so after a fill, usually vomiting into a towel on my lap, to have the same fill removed. Eventually, Dr Taylor said he wanted to see what the heck was going on because at onlhy 4-5ml fill, I certainly shouldn't have been having all these issues. I just wanted it gone by that stage and wanted to book in for a sleeve instead.

Even in the anesthetic bay Dr Taylor said how about I try and really stitch the band into place and we give it one more go? I pretty much said no and that I wanted it out and he was fine with that. He saw me the next day and showed me all the pretty internal pictures - yuck - which showed a perfect band in it's perfect place. So I was a bit of a mystery. We just came to the conclusion that my body just didn't like the band.

I know the sleeve is a big step but I need it. Dr Taylor has NO HISTORY OF A SINGLE LEAK. He does give you the stats because he wants you to be aware but even 3% chance of a leak cannot turn me off the sleeve. I pray of course that I don't get one.

The band can be a hell of a lot of work, take this from someone who went thru it. Everyday was a battle of what would stay down and what wouldn't. It became pretty mentally exhausting.

But only you can make the right decision about what's right for you - so very best of luck,

xxHuggy

oh defiantly he prefers the band its HIS thing..

I really cant say too much on the risks, it totally up to you, but ....he told me risks for a leak are 3% with sleeve ,what did he tell you?

Hi Red, Kylie and Angels,
I went in there wanting the sleeve and he didn't understand why I would pass on the band. Said there were far less risks etc. Then with the recovery time being far less and the weight loss apparently being similar I agreed to the band. They I called the office the following day and said "No still want the sleeve". Well with a few bad news stories of late, I am having second thoughts about the sleeve and am thinking to give the band a go. Can't really risk being the one with the leak and having the kids at home with me in hospital etc.
Any opinions on this would be welcome.
Kylie, he was fine with me wanting the sleeve but I did feel he prefers to do the band.
Hope this helps at all.
Liz.

Youll love him, he did my sleeve just last month, not a problem.
I rekon if i was closer to the clinic I would have really gotten the "band" I would have loved go in there all the time getting weighed and going to meets with other banders there..(at clinic)(well still could have done that with the sleeve)
But I do love my sleeve, I went in there knowing what i wanted, and knowing the finer details of the sleeve, so he was cool, of course we are paying him!

okay ill stop rambling now

Hi Mum05,
I guess i've got a similar question to smileykylie. Why did Dr Taylor prefer you go with the band? I remember my first meeting with Dr Taylor and he spoke to me about both options in a very general way and didn't seem to point me in the direction of either one. If anything because I hadn't heard about the sleeve before meeting with him we probably focused more on the sleeve....So i'm curious. Would be great to understand a little more. Thanks for your time!

Hey mum05, question for u? Did u go to ur meeting with only wanting the sleeve or were u undecided before ur appointment? What were Dr Taylor's reasons for band? Was that his general opinion or just suited u better? Sorry if i'm prying.

Hi Smileykylie,
Great to hear your also going to Craig Taylor at the OClinic. I am booked in for my surgery on the 21st June and am having second thought on the banding or sleeve. Booked in for sleeve but am thinking I will change my mind and go with the band. He wanted me to have the band but I insisted on the sleeve. Keep me updated on your meeting on Friday. Hope it goes well for you. Dr Taylor is really nice and you will feel confortable with him.
Cheers,
Liz.

I have my appointment with Dr Taylor on Friday.... Very excited.

Ok this is going to sound a little silly but I sent an email through the Oclinic website (because it was after hours and I just had to ask) sorry I digress, anyway within a few hours I got an email back .... from DR Craig Taylor himself... very chuffed it wasn't just a office chick sending the response back and now I feel extra special because I got an email from the Doc.

Can't wait to meet him on Friday, heres hoping all goes well.

Hi Bingo,
That is bloody fantastic news. I only hope I can be as successful as you. Today a friend at Netball told me about the new green coffee she is trying and when i said, No don't want to know, over it. She couldn't believe it. Then said "well wait and see if the weight falls of me". I thought to myself no you wait and see the weight fall of me my dear LOL. But I said nothing. I don't think I do want everyone to find out, there seem to be people out there who view this op as the easy or lazy way out. I think its just be responsible especially if you have tried everything else and don't want to settle for the health problems you have or will have if you dont' shed the weight.
Oh cant' wait to feel comfortable again !
Keep me updated Bingo, great news !!

Hi Guys

I was sleeved by Dr Taylor March 3rd at Concorde Hospital

I was up and about the same night (downstair having a ciggy) to the astonishment of everyone there including Dr Taylor and the team.

Got discharged on day 2 as I was doing so well. Absolutely no complications what-so-ever.

Scars have healed up nicely.

I was 125 kilos day of surgery currently at 105 kilos - 2 months and 1 day out today.

Hi Liz,
So funny you should mention the diet merry-go-round. I was listening to some new fad diet on the radio (something to do with tea blah blah blah) and saying to myself 'remember the url, remember the url' and then suddenly realising - hang on, I don't need to remember anything! I don't need to diet again!!! It was such a FANTASTIC feeling!!!! I used to take up so much head space on what ever diet was going around. And now i don't have to. So I absolutely understand what you are saying.
Mel

Quote :

not too bad to look at either (sorry shouldn't be mucking around)

Oh please muck around those eyes//.........drool......

Hi Marcia,
Thats great news. I am so happy for you. I think this journey is going to be very positive, and I don't know about you but I can't wait to never think about dieting again. I understand I have to make good food choices etc, but just the struggle and feeling of "what diet to try next" the hopelessness of all this. To be done with it. Bloody fantastic ! Hope you have a great afternoon. Cheers, Liz.

Hi guys
Just got back to work after seeing Dr Kuzinkovas. I was very impressed by his kind and caring yet professional attitude. He answered all my questions frankly without any gloss. I am very happy with his responses.
It seems that he was invited into Dr Talbot's practice as Dr Talbot worked with him previously in the public hospital.
He is a very experienced upper Gastro-intestinal surgeon and I am very comfortable going with him.
I have to do the Opti-style fast 2 weeks pre-op and see the dietician and psychologist prior to surgery.
Haven't got a firm date as they have to ring me back on that. Looks like 2nd week of May!! No long to go...
Marcia

Good luck bristle! Let us know how you go!

Hi Bristlenose 52,

Good luck today ! I can imagine you must be excited, I was for both of my appointments. My decision was based on the feeling I got from the surgeon and his staff.

Love to hear how you get on later today.

Liz

Hi Liz and Angel
I get what you're saying. I am going to keep my ears open and ask all the questions that are important to me, the most important of which is, how many sleeves has he done in the past and how many does he usually do. I also want to see
if I get that feeling of confidence in him. I don't care how much he does or doesn't charge, if I feel confident in his abilities,
I won't go with him. I would then make appointments with other surgeons.
Fingers crossed, 12.15pm appointment today.
Marcia

Hi,
I think Dr Talbots was a fair bit more expensive. You pay about $5000 to Dr Talbot then around about $1600-$1700 to the anesthetist seperately. Then claim part back with your health fund. I like that fact that with Dr Taylor I just pay $4950 and thats it. One payment, and don't have to worry about the rest. I also like that its a life time guarantee. So that if I have any problems at all I just call and come on in. They also follow you up every 3 months or if you have the band once a month. The clinic is set up for Bariatric surgery. He said he does between 10-15 per week. So it is his speciality and really his "thing". That also makes me feel more comfortable. It really is set up like a weight loss clinic. Even the pathology collection is in the same clinic. It was great. Staff at reception were even great. Loved it. Can't wait for my surgery. Good luck to you with what ever you choose. x Liz.

Hi Angels
Thanks for the info. The out of pockets are the same as Dr Talbot from the letter that they sent me. I'm going for my appointment to see Dr Kuzinkovas from Dr Talbot's team tomorrow. I should have my surgery date then.
thanks
Marcia