Dr Costa Karihaloo - newcastle area!

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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.......

They rang me back as I cracked it politely that I can't change my date blah blah so they have kept my date for the 9th and moved someone else. Did they definitely book u in for the 9th

What date has he changed you to??? That means the 18th might be looking like the date for us then(fill me in). Gee this getting a bloody date is taking so long.I feel for you bubblybear you have waited for so long.xxxx

Hi again well im pissed off now just got off the phone to Costas receptionist they want to change the date of my surgery!!!!!!!!!!!!! I said Noooooooooooo u cant I have rearranged my world to suit this surgery all my daycare families my hubby once again has changed his holidays etc etc

Wooooooooooooohooooooooooooooo Jacqualine a partner in crime hehehe

Hi and thank you Josie2. Well it looks like i am with you bubblybear the 9.1.2012 but i do have to go into warners bay hospital on the 1.12.11 to have a camera down just so Dr Costa can see what me stomach is like because i am on nexum tables .so depending on that he said the 9.1.12 or the18.1.12. OH and i have lost 5kgs also in two weeks being on opitfast for breakfast&lunch& normal tea.

Woohoo Jacqualine, only 2 sleeps til you get your date!!!!! Best of luck!! Please let us know how it goes.

Ok cool goodluck with ur visit hope you get the date you want

bubblybear!!!
I see Dr Costa this Wednesday the 16.11.
I am from Swansea Heads.

When did you say you were seeing him? Do you live in the newcastle area or out of there im up in muswellbrook

it would be great!!!!! I will let you know soon.

Thanks ladies and Josie my appointments have been pretty much the same and with the waiting time yes take a book my first appointment was at 12.30 I got in at 3.45 my 2nd one wasnt too bad this week I asked when I got there at 4.30 for my 4.30 app if he was very late they said not real late maybe half an hour I got in at 6 lol. My girlfriend had it done 2 years ago and was told she was to lose 15 kilos before surgery or he wouldnt do it I havent been told anything like that just that i have to use optifast not the diabetic shake. Jacqualine how exciting would it be if we were to be done on the same day....

Great news about your heart and having a surgery date bubbly bear! What a great way to start the new year.

I have been stretching my memory envious about my first appointment. Like you I was a bit stressed out as I had no idea what it would entail. What I do remember was it was not nearly as bad as I expected. Dr Costa was really nice and he just asked a bunch of questions about general health history and how long I had a weight problem and what things I had tried already. He had me lie down and had a feel of my upper stomach area. I had to see the psychologist (prob cos I cried during the consultation lol), the dietician and I had to have some blood tests and the barium swallow. I then came back to see him for a surgery date. I had an issue with my private health insurance so I actually had to switch funds and wait a year (which was devastating at the time) so I booked mine well into the future. I think if you flag with him at your first appointment you want to have the surgery whilst you are still on maternity leave he may let you tentativaly book in for surgery at the first appointment and then just confirm at your second appt when he is happy with all the tests. I have found him to be pretty understanding. He did give me a weight to be at for surgery and I know he cancelled someones surgery the day I had mine as they did not make weight. It was only about 5 kg he wanted me to lose (and I was similar weight to you the first time I saw him). The reason is so that he knows you stick to the opti stage so that he knows your liver is smaller for the operation.

It is so worth it in the end and believe me it feels great not to be a prisoner in your own body any more. Even though I have about 30kg yet to lose I already feel amazingly different. I can do anything I want. Exercise is easy! Everything is easier!

One last tip, expect a long wait to see him. I would even call up and see if he is on time before your appointment if you can. Otherwise take a good book. I have had to wait 2 hours for some appointments but may just have been unlucky. Let us know how your appointments go envious and jacqualine,

I basically told him when I wanted it done on wed I asked him for the 18th jan he said how about the 9th jan so if you have a date you want ask him and if he can he will if not he will sit and work out what he can do etc.

Barrium swallow they get you to drink this chalky stuff it wasnt as bad as I thought I also had to drink this gassy stuff but wasnt allowed to burp they stand you up on a machine and take photos and they also take photos of you swallowing the chalky drink they lay you down as well turn you on ur side etc

Bubblybear, what does a barium swallow entail? And does everyone need to have one?

Jacqualine, at this weight it feels like you're a prisioner in your own body doesn't it? :( Were you told you had to lose "x" amoutn of weight before he would do it? Or that you had to do opti for a longer period of time beforehand?

And girls, or guys if there's any around, once you met with him the first time what was the timeframe till surgery? I'm curious as I'm currently on maternity leave and was hoping I could get it done before I was due to go back to work so I wouldn't have to just go back only to have to take time off again but I can't see it happening!

Hi envious when I had my first app with costa he asked me what I wanted etc but I did see the nurse and the dietician first who does most of the work he examined me as I have a hernia I'm also a diabetic so we discussed all about the benefits etc because of my scarring he would prefer to do the bypass but I don't want that. I didn't have to see a physiologist I had to have a barim meal and a barim swallow Also a bone density test for his personal studies then my diabetic doc ordered a stress test and a cardio echiogram which these showed I had a blockage in my heart so my surgery was cancelled as I was meant to be done on the 19th sep then I had to see a cardiologist who put me in for an angiogram and it showed there was no blockage at all so here I am now I saw costa on we'd and am now booked in or 9th Jan

Bubblybear that is great! I mite be with you yet I have to see costa next week yay!
A big welcome to you envious. I weigh 165.1kgs so i know how you feel mate,it all takes time.xxx

Hi everyone I had my last appointment with Dr Costa yesterday and have booked my surgery date for the 2nd time as my first one was cancelled so Im now finally getting done on the 9th January 2012

Hi girls, thought I would join in here as I'm meeting with Dr K on the 22nd of this month.

I weigh 166kgs and I'm terrified! What does Dr K actually do in the first appointment?

I'm hoping my waiting time for the procedure doesn't drag out too long because I'm a huge worrier and I don't want to have all that time sitting around worrying about the op, I just want to have it and get on with my road to a healthier life!

How are all our local people going???
Who has been sleeved since the last time we where all on here? I hope everyone is doing very well.
I am going to see costa on the 16.11.11 to see if he can do my op now because Dr gani will be away now. Got a phone call and it looks like i will be getting done in Jan 12 now or have both drs on the 9.2.12. I can not wait.
I have started opit already for two meals as i have so much weight to loss(my choice,backed up by Cathy).

oh well i have to wait till I see Dr costa now on the 16.11.11 to see if he can do my sleeve as Dr Gani will be away over christmas and he dose not want to do it and be away if something goes wrong! so i am off to see Costa and if he can not do it before Christmas then both of them will do it next year on the 9.02.12.GEE I HOPE COSTA CAN DO IT THIS YEAR.

Congratulations Jacqualine!!!!!

It seems like a lot of money when you start out but you end up seriously saving money from all the food you are not eating after.

I hope you get your date very soon!

Thanks heaps Josie.xxx
I just got my money though from my super and its waiting in my Acc
Now i just have to wait till the 20.10 this thursday to see Dr Gani to see what day and time.Yayyyyy

Hi Jacqualine,

Good on you for bravely putting your weight out there. I know how hard that is cos I am just like you and have not told any family or friends my exact starting weight but I started a little heavier than you at about 170kg. I am now down to about 115kg and I feel great. I am trying to lose 5kg a month for the next 3 months so I can be in double digits for 2012!

My ultimate goal is to get down to about 84kg which will take me from the 'obese' range to the 'over-weight' range. I think that will likely be a good weight for me to stabailise at but if I get there and I still lose some more I will take it! I am not sure if you have seen the 'weekly weigh-in' page at all but there is a woman called 'Nic-if' who hit 100kg lost this week which is amazing and inspirational. She had her sleeve in August 2010 and is still losing so it can be done.

I saw Costa yesterday for my 6 month follow-up and he seems really happy with how I am going which is great.

I would try and make it for a cuppa if it was set up but I have told only 5 family members and no friends about my sleeve so it would be great if we could committ to keeping it all really confidential (Newy can be a really small place sometimes!). I would not like it to get out there that I had it as I am really glad I didn't tell anyone as it has allowed me to focus on me without too much interference from anyone else. It was the right decision for me not to tell anyone but I know everyone is different.

I think a get together of pre & post sleevers would be really great though.

Trying to make a get together coffee group!!! Any of you LAKE MACQUARIE people interested????
I think its great that other groups have got together and do so once a month for a chat,swap clothes,support.

Thanks for that joise2,you have done sooooo well. MY weight ''WAIT FOR IT'' at my first dr's app was 162.9KG . This is the first time i have even told any one,not even my family knows how much i am. Thanks to this site I am so looking forward now and can not wait 4 my op .

You will both be so glad you had the sleeve, I am just sorry I did not have it sooner. Don't get me wrong you still have to work for it. That is you need to follow the recommendations and make good choices about what you eat (protein always first). I still get hungry but it now does not take very much to fill me up. I can now eat anything I like but I still avoid carbs by choice, especially rice, pasta and bread. When I do have them it is just a little.

My weight loss has been really consistent. I had one gain of 0.5 but it was TTOTM and I lost 3kg the following week so I don't think it was a real gain. My weight loss has slowed a little now but I still average about 1.2kg a week compared to an average of 1.7kg a week in the first 3 months. My goal is to continue to lose 5kg a month for the next 6 months to get to goal. I have started exercising more the past couple of weeks which I did not do at all when I started. I just physically couldn't where as now it is really easy. It is amazing how much better you feel when you are 50kg lighter.

I can't wait to hear all about both your journeys,