First appointment next Friday.

Hi,

Just wondering how your appointment went yesterday? 

Bonnie

Hi,

Just wondering how your appointment went yesterday? 

Bonnie

Hey Mamacita,

Brenda also booked me a tentative date in before I'd been there to see Dr G.  That was partly because they book out a bit in advance, but also because I'm a teacher so needed it to be in the school holidays so I wanted as close to a particular date as possible.  I think it's great that they do that :)  Mine was also the day after my PHC kicked in - that was not by design but just happened to be maturing then, phew!  With the HCF I think I just gave Brenda my card and she just rang them whilst I was there to check my eligibility for the procedure number and the maturity date - easy!

What did I say - I said I'd done a lot of research and felt really confident that it was the procedure for me.  Dr G then went through what I'm assuming is his usual spiel explaining his procedures etc. and he was quite thorough - I did ask a question about the bougie size and he agrees that how tight different doctors pull it makes a difference so you can't just judge it on that and he said there's only about 100mls difference between smallest and biggest (to me that is a big difference considering the size of our tummies now, lol) but I'm pretty happy with the current size of my food intake at 6 months out so I feel his sizing was just right for me (I probably wouldn't mind if it was 50mls less or 50mls more so that seems like a good balance point).  I also raised the super funding thing and I think he did a letter up but I didn't end up going with super as my mum loaned me the gap - best mum ever!  I didn't actually ask him about his complication rates but I had read a lot of feedback from other patients in this forum and other places (I trolled the internet for info on any surgeon I was considering - he and Dr Hatzifotis were on the top of my list but because his dates worked for me I just went with Dr G) so I had pretty much decided on him based on his reputation.

Happy to answer any questions but don't have the BEST memory, lol.  I'll try though.

Cheers,

QuirkyQuaintrelle wrote:

Hi mamacita 

I don't have anything to add to Nini's comprehensive list, I just wanted to wish you luck next Friday!

Thank you xxx

Thanks for your reply Wendy :) 

Firstly congratulations on your 30kgs of weight loss!!! You go girl!



What kind of things did you have to say at your first appontment and did you by any chance go through the paying for your surgery with your super its okay if not I just thought if you have you might be able to give me some tips. I'm also with HCF do I just have to give them my card at the appointment for my health fund details.  Brenda booked my surgery for 9th of September the day after my 12 month period is over is that normal before you've even had an appointment?  


I will keep that dietician in mind. I live like outer northern suburbs of Brisbane past Caboolture so Southside isn't really convienent for me especially when I currently only have my learners (terrible at 26 years old I know just super anxious about driving haha) 

A 37F seems okay I've looked at few comparisons and it isn't that big one of my close friends got sleeved by dr padovan in Perth and she lost 66kgs in a year. And he uses a 40 bougie so I guess what really matters is how tight they pull it hey?

Hey Mumacita and Bonnie,

I was sleeved by Dr Greenslade in September and am doing really well. I'm 300g off having lost 30kg - YAY!!!  He will give you plenty of information in your consultation and doesn't (as far as I know) require you to attend a psych appointment (at least I didn't).  Pre-op was a very simple process and as I don't have any complicating health conditions I was not required to do any pre-op bloods or anything and basically had my initial consult and then didn't see him again until the day of surgery when I was wheeled into theatre. Afterwards, he came to see me every day in hospital - no swallow test for me (I know from my pre-op consult that he uses some sort of reinforcement stuff along the staple line). Then I had a 1 month follow-up and another 3 months after that.  I will be going again for a 6 month follow up shortly.  The follow-ups are pretty quick and include a chat about how I'm travelling and my blood results - he gives you a slip in advance and you just get that done a few days before the appointment. 

I asked him about bougie size and I think he told me it was a 37F but he also said that the difference in size is only around 100mls from smallest to biggest (at the time I still felt that was an important difference but I was happy that he used a mid range rather than the smallest or biggest sizes).

I would also recommend the dietitian Andrew McNeill if you live on the South/East side of town (you will see his name, among others, on Dr G's information handouts.)  He specialises in bariatric patients and is very knowledgeable - when I rang him he told me that he does a 5 consult package, which is 2 pre-op and 3 post op appointments that basically guides you through the whole process but I'm not sure if he does single consults besides that.  He suggested that I approach my doctor to see if I was eligible for a Medicare health care plan and my GP was very supportive of that so my consultations ended up being about $27 each after my rebate rather than the $70 or $80 of a normal consult (this was more back than I would have gotten from my HCF too).  I had 1 over the phone consult and 4 in person ones at my house.  He's pretty conservative in his approach but that's probably a good thing.  I didn't agree with everything he said (he is an advocate for sugar substitutes and I think they are evil for example, lol.  He also used a lot of food examples that included meat even though he knew that I was a vegetarian/seafood only eater and I did find that a little annoying at times) However, I would still say that he did a really good job and I would use him again.

Anyway, I tend to rattle on so will stop now.  Best wishes with the whole shebang!

Hi Mamacita!

I have an appt with Dr Greenslade this Friday but I won't be having surgery until November,  waiting on my health fund.

Thanks ladies I appreciate you replying

Hi mamacita 

I don't have anything to add to Nini's comprehensive list, I just wanted to wish you luck next Friday!

Hi Mamacita,

Welcome to the forum. Here are some questions I wanted to know. Most of them were covered by my surgeon in our consultation. 


1. How many Gastric Sleeves have you done?


2. What's the complication rate and what were the complications??


3. What are the Pre op referrals etc?
Blood & Urine tests, GP, Dietician, Hospital Admin Nurse, Pre-Op Surgeon Appointment, Anaesthetist, ECG, chest x-ray, Psychologist.


4. Do I have to go on an Optifast regime pre-op and for how long?


5. How much weight can I expect to lose? What’s the percentage that keep it off?


6. How much is this going to cost me?


7. What hospital will I have to go to?


8. How long does the operation take and how long will I have to stay in hospital? How long do I have to stay near the hospital post op.

9. Do you do a leak test?

10. What is the post-op regime??


11. How long will I need to be off work?


12. Will I have to take vitamins supplements?



13 Will I have a drain?

14. What tube size French Bougie do you use.


cheers Nini

I have my first appointment next Friday with dr Justin Greenslade in Brisbane I am just wondering what I should be asking?