Dr Costa Karihaloo - newcastle area!

First topic message reminder :

Just had sleeve surgery with Dr Costa Karihaloo at lake macquarie private hospital and he and his staff have been fantastic!

any questions ask away.......

Hi correva, welcome to the forums.

Dr Costa does bands, sleeves and bypass, Dr Gani does bands and bypass so it's Dr Costa you're after. I'm pretty sure he doesn't accept self funded patients either but wouldn't hurt to ask. Dr Costa's seminar is much better than Dr Gani, I went to both and Dr Gani skims over the sleeve whereas Dr Costa discusses it more. You could ask him at the seminar about being self funding.

I think they don't allow self funded patients because if there are any problems at $800 per day you could be in hospital for months with a worst case scenario and would cost a fortune. There are a lot of people on the forums that got basic hospital cover (around $40 per month) and waited out the year and did all the other stuff (psych, bloods etc) while they waited or you could try a Sydney surgeon. Sorry, probably not the answer you wanted to hear.

Hi all,

I tried to make an appointment to see Dr Gani yesterday after going to one of his seminars and when I contacted his office, they said that Dr Gani does not accept self funded people and that I had to be in a health fund or go on the public list.

I am after a sleeve, so Dr Costa K is the choice, but seeing as he works out of the same office, would he be the same, and not accept self funding people?

Thanks heaps.

Thanks heaps :)
My next plan was to call Dr Costa's rooms but they are always so busy!

snap!

jinx!

I don't see her but I have her card. Macquarie Centre, 1 Skyline Way, Gateshead. Ph 49421322. Good luck at your appointment!

Eternlslady wrote:

Sorry people - quick question.

Can anybody who sees Nicole West give me the address?
I have an appointment with her tomorrow and my kids seem to have gotten into my purse and now I have lost the card so I can't find the address or the number to ring them.
(Mental note, kill kids when they get home from school).

Thanks.

Hi Elady, I don't see Nicole, but have her card, must have picked it up at the seminar.

Macquarie Centre
1 Skyline Way
Gateshead 2290

49421322

Sorry people - quick question.

Can anybody who sees Nicole West give me the address?
I have an appointment with her tomorrow and my kids seem to have gotten into my purse and now I have lost the card so I can't find the address or the number to ring them.
(Mental note, kill kids when they get home from school).

Thanks.

Hi flo and Eternlslady, so glad you can join us on Dr costa's section,

my op was 17/03/2010 which was a breeze - no problems what so ever,
he did say that he had done a tight sleeve for me, which is noticable when you think you can eat that extra spoonfull, you learn very quickly not to overeat as it feels like you have football stuck in you tummy,
I also had a small sliding hernia fixed which does tend to slow up you eating recovery - i am still on mushy type food with a little solid added every now and then - last night i had 1 slice of toast with peanut butter ( it has protein i am sure) but it was yummy.
Struggled a little as dietician was on maternity leave, so had to source some additional info from my roomy, who was done at the same time as me, she is 62 and is going great.
If you want any info let me know, will try to help

Talk again soon
Hugs

Hi thanks for steering me to the right page .I had my appointment with Dietitian today. She said she was glad I was not going for the band as it wouldnt work for me with the way I eat .I see Costa on the 7th may tried to get in earlier but he is booked out. The sec said he is trying to get as many done as he can before he goes away so fingers crossed I will be lucky ,if I have to wait till half way through July I will go mad. The Dietitian said she sees you 3weeks before op and talks you through what you eat .Does she give you a print out so I dont have to try and remember everthing ? Everthing I read is positive with you lovely people I hope when my turn comes it will be just as positive. I was told you cut your food to the size of a rubber on a pencil to eat is that the size you cut your food for ever ?

Eternlslady LOL, that's a good point! You never know, I was the first written on the page for 31st May, I'm sure he does a few per day. Fingers crossed it's earlier for you.

Thanks guys, very helpful for my friend. When's your appointment Georgie?

Hi Girls - I just got off the phone to Costa's rooms (making follow up appt.).
They said he's away from the middle of June to the middle of July.

I was told that Dr Costa was going to be away at the end of June - beginning of July.
I guess I won't be sleeved until July. My appointment to book the date isn't until the 11th because I couldn't get in to see a dietician in time.
On the up side... he will have had more practice!

I got my date, 31st May. Did anyone hear if Costa was off all of June? My friend has an appointment on the 7th to book her surgery and was worried that she won't get done until July if he's away. Anyone know?

How's everyone going?

Sorry, Katie, I didn't see your post. Did you book in your op yet? How was your appointment on the 21st?

Not me Katie... my next appointment with Costa isn't until the 11th May (2 days after my oldest son turns 10... awwww double digits!)

Luckily, with the kids being on holidays, a trip to the zoo, my appointments with Steve and Nicole, and then my birthday on the 26th, organising Mothers Day/DS's birthday/Dad's 50th birthday party all combined on one day!!!... I have lot to fill in the next few weeks.

Our son is contracted to the Casey Scorpions, feeder club for the Melbourne Demons AFL club. Am so glad we made the trip, as he was voted second best on ground! (wouldn't have mattered, though, if he'd sat on the bench the whole match...still would have been so proud of him!).

I'm seeing Dr Costa for my first follow up appointment next Wednesday, 21st - do any of you have an appointment that day?

Nice post, Katie, that's fantastic you are feeling so great! How was your son's game?

5 days Cos, yay!

Hi KatieJ - was wondering how your trip went, & also how you're recovering, sounds like your doing really well!

Also very encouraging to hear you say "no regrets", gives you a whole new outlook on life doesnt it?

Only 5 sleeps for me now, eeek...!

Hi, everyone - just back from the trip to Melbourne. I had my first follow up appointment with Cathy, the dietician, this morning.....all went well, I'm quite thrilled at what I'm allowed to eat in the next stage. I remember being so excited about eating Campbells soup two weeks ago, but I could almost go without ever tasting it again.

My recovery thus far has been way better than I could have hoped for.....nausea is my biggest fear in life, because I hate vomiting, but except for the first night in hospital, I haven't felt ill even once.

Still have to get over the tiredness factor, but, boy oh boy, I can already shower without puffing at all, and am walking and doing things that a month ago I wouldn't even have thought of.

Maybe it's just my mindset, but after my appointment, we went to Charlestown Square, and I felt that no-one even looked twice at me (meaning that in the past, I always felt that people were staring at this ugly, obese lady trying to get around), so at this stage, I have not one single regret about any part of this journey!

Hi, my appointment is at 1pm. Gee it's a small world, isn't it? I love it! Can't wait to have a big meet up later in the year.

What time Sandy?
Mine's at 11.

Have no idea what will happen specifically, but it's not the first time I've seen a psych. so I am guessing he'll ask a few questions, try and get you talking about the reasons you became overweight, why you want surgery, etc... Pretty basic type stuff.

sandy_lou wrote:

I have my psych appointment on Friday, can anyone tell me what happens there? Just curious what he will ask.

Sorry can't help you here Sandy. Costa didn't mention a psych., so I didn't either!

Curious to know what they ask though, be sure to let us know!

I have my psych appointment on Friday, can anyone tell me what happens there? Just curious what he will ask.

13kg, that's fantastic! Congratulations! I think you answered everything that I asked in my PM, sorry to make you double write everything ;)

Thanks for the update, it all sounds great! All the best at work, take it easy.

Alter - Fantastic to hear from you! 13kgs WOW thats great! My eldest daughter was married last year, & I had failed dismally to lose weight. It really took the shine off the whole thing, couldn't find anything to wear that I was happy with etc etc. I ended up with 4 different outfits & was still trying on & changing my mind at 2:30 for a 3pm wedding! Anyway my daughter just looked SO gorgeous & stunning (def. hasn't inherited her Mum's fat genes) that I'm sure no-one gave ME a second glance lol! You will enjoy the whole lead-up to your daughter's wedding, because you will be in an entirely different headspace & feeling wonderful.

Thanks so much for your detailed experience with the op. It really, really helps with the mental preparation, I dont feel anywhere near as nervous as I expected to. Might be a different story next Sunday night though!

How long will you be on puree? I am a little concerned about this stage, I know I definitely wont enjoy the taste or the texture either. However I will do my best, tell myself, that like the Optifast, its not forever!

Good luck with your return to work, let us know how you go?
PS; will PM you re hosp. visit now.

Op on the 17/03 and 1st week fairly quite, then up and running, not back at work till Monday 12th, but my daughter got engaged before Easter and she has been on holidays as well, so we have been doing the wedding looking thing.

I am really so glad I have had this done, I now know I will be a thinner me in November the?? Wedding date.

When op was done there was no drain or catheter for me, there was pain pump, IV Panadol, IV Nexium, and Saline IV, TED stockings and leg pumps, stayed in Hospital gowns with my PJ bottoms for about 2 days until IV’s came out and then yay into my own gear – which was also pretty stunning.

Puree stage is not that good, so far everything I have pureed looks or smells like dogs food or other end, and texture in mouth is not that good, I cant handle the taste or texture.
Nicole my dietician is off on maternity leave but she did say I could contact her, which I did on her mobile but she has not got back to me!! Oh well lots of info on the site for what if’s
So at the end of my dilemma, I have found Lattina and Leggo’s fresh Bolognaise sauce, with a sprinkle of parmesan on it at least 2 meals a day is going great.
Have a Optifast with added protein powder, equal sweetener and have only started Benefibre, for breakfast, Try to get in 2 glasses of V8/fruit juice as well as all the water.

Feel really good, a little muscle fatigue from not enough protein, had to go and buy whey isolate protein powder to help me thru.
PS: weight loss since Opitfast – 5 weeks , 13kg.
PPS: Constipation was never an issue, I had the reverse problem, back at work on Monday soooooooo hoping the diarrhoea does not come back with a vengeance.
Luv