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Cancelled my op with The Hospital Group

cah-ching

cah-ching

Moderator
Hi Guys,

I guess the question is in the title - what is the significance of aftercare after about one year or so?

I guess with the by-pass or sleeve there are greater implications; however really is there much after care needed post op from a gastric band after say a period of 12 months?

I thought once the band had been fitted and the obligatory x-rays and dietetic appointments have been exhausted that was it...? Within 12 months the band should have been adjusted sufficiently for weightloss and then weight management.

Am I wrong? May be I am .... I would appreciate information from you learned people.

Thanks

CC
 
I think the after care for a bander is a bit more involved that a bypass, certainly now other than my yearly bloods and vitimin review i dont have any sort of after care as i just dont need it. With a band i believe ( and do correct me peeps if i'm wrong) that you need to maintain constant fills and reviews of the band, i've read that they all leak fluid very slowly, so the need for constant top ups is always going to be there, bands fail and have to be changed or repaired etc etc - there are a few here that have had revisions and some give up and go for the bypass.
There is very little data available regarding longer term success rates with the sleeve, i've read that a lot of sleevers go on to have a full DS at a later stage, for this reason and the lack of statistical data some surgeons dont like sleeving, though its fast becoming popular as its considered slightly less evasive than a bypass, and less restrictive on the paitents ability to eat a variety of different foods post op.

Dont get the wrong idea, the bypass has a lot of negatives as well as positives to offer, some people do have post op issues in the first year and a small number have to undergo revisions to correct hernias etc. So really all have there ups and downs and none is perfect.

Although my contract with my provider has expired my consultant has asked to see me again just to follow up on my progress, as i'm part of his study group he has an interest in ensuring i'm doing well, i've been told i have access to my dietician and the support groups for life, though there's not that much my dietician can tell me now at my stage i dont already know, though sometimes its nice to bounce ideas of him just to confirm in my mind that i'm right or doing the right thing.
 
cah-ching said:
I however really is there much after care needed post op from a gastric band after say a period of 12 months?

Hi CC the need for after care with a band after 12 months is much needed im nearly 5 years in to this now and i need after care now just as much as i did when i was a new patient.

I thought once the band had been fitted and the obligatory x-rays and dietetic appointments have been exhausted that was it...? Within 12 months the band should have been adjusted sufficiently for weightloss and then weight management.

some bands naturally lose part of the fill and sometimes can need re topped up im feeling that im needing a top up right now as im finding im eating more at the moment, after care is a on going thing with banding and with out good aftercare a band is pretty useless & it can be expensive tho if your private patient.

Am I wrong? May be I am .... I would appreciate information from you learned people.

Thanks

CC
Click to expand...

i hope that helps, are you looking into banding then CC ?
 
Silversurfer said:
I think the after care for a bander is a bit more involved that a bypass, certainly now other than my yearly bloods and vitimin review i dont have any sort of after care as i just dont need it. With a band i believe ( and do correct me peeps if i'm wrong) that you need to maintain constant fills and reviews of the band, i've read that they all leak fluid very slowly, so the need for constant top ups is always going to be there, bands fail and have to be changed or repaired etc etc - there are a few here that have had revisions and some give up and go for the bypass.
There is very little data available regarding longer term success rates with the sleeve, i've read that a lot of sleevers go on to have a full DS at a later stage, for this reason and the lack of statistical data some surgeons dont like sleeving, though its fast becoming popular as its considered slightly less evasive than a bypass, and less restrictive on the paitents ability to eat a variety of different foods post op.

Dont get the wrong idea, the bypass has a lot of negatives as well as positives to offer, some people do have post op issues in the first year and a small number have to undergo revisions to correct hernias etc. So really all have there ups and downs and none is perfect.

Although my contract with my provider has expired my consultant has asked to see me again just to follow up on my progress, as i'm part of his study group he has an interest in ensuring i'm doing well, i've been told i have access to my dietician and the support groups for life, though there's not that much my dietician can tell me now at my stage i dont already know, though sometimes its nice to bounce ideas of him just to confirm in my mind that i'm right or doing the right thing.
Click to expand...

2.b.a.n.d.s.l.i.z said:

I however really is there much after care needed post op from a gastric band after say a period of 12 months?

Hi CC the need for after care with a band after 12 months is much needed im nearly 5 years in to this now and i need after care now just as much as i did when i was a new patient.

I thought once the band had been fitted and the obligatory x-rays and dietetic appointments have been exhausted that was it...? Within 12 months the band should have been adjusted sufficiently for weightloss and then weight management.

some bands naturally lose part of the fill and sometimes can need re topped up im feeling that im needing a top up right now as im finding im eating more at the moment, after care is a on going thing with banding and with out good aftercare a band is pretty useless & it can be expensive tho if your private patient.

Am I wrong? May be I am .... I would appreciate information from you learned people.

Thanks

CC

i hope that helps, are you looking into banding then CC ?
Click to expand...

If the truth be known, yes I am. I'm going to go private because although my local hospital is a centre of excellence for bariatric surgery, my PCT doesn't have any funding (the hospital take quite a few people from surrounding areas :mad:). Whilst my BMI is high, I don't have obesity related illnesses as far as I know (apart from depression) so the likelihood of funding is nigh on zilch ... my PCT have no money :(.

I have tried:
Weight Watchers
Cambridge (those of you who know me from Minimins)
Rosemary Conley
Xenical tablets
Calorie counting
Formulating my own diet plan
Slimming World
Atkins
Cabbage Soup diet

I've struggled with weight for 32 years. My recent bout of depression has been the tipping point for me.

I can have the op with THG in the next few weeks. My surgeon was supposed to be Mr. Paul Super, but now it's Mr Audin Sigursson (who, I found out, happens to live around the corner from me). THG's aftercare sounds comperhensive - 2 years unlimited fills. I've already paid the deposit, for a consultation, but I'm wondering whether I should go with Surgicare - who have life long aftercare, but again only offers 2 year unlimited fills. Surgicare don't have Mr. Sig, they use Mr. Amir Khan and are mariginally more expensive.

Decisions decisions..... that said ... fills only cost £75, but I don't want to be forking out £300 a year for upkeep for instance.

Help and advice is always appreciated :)
 
CC i wish you luck with who you decide to go with privatley but becarefull with THG as the after care is not good even after its been paid for as some of the banders here will tell you, good luck xx

Liz x
 
2.b.a.n.d.s.l.i.z said:
CC i wish you luck with who you decide to go with privatley but becarefull with THG as the after care is not good even after its been paid for as some of the banders here will tell you, good luck xx

Liz x
Click to expand...


Hi Liz,

I've read some stuff on here both good and bad, particularly from one person - who specified the aftercare isn't so good (they did pay for the basic package).

What exactly does after care entail?

Cheers,

GP.
 
depends on what you pay for, good aftercare should be check ups on a regular basis fills when needed and also direct contact with a good wls dietician either by appointment or by phone, a good providor will give these things and also get back to you asap if they miss your call be carefull who you choose as some providors do not keep there promises after they have taken your cash x
 
2.b.a.n.d.s.l.i.z said:
depends on what you pay for, good aftercare should be check ups on a regular basis fills when needed and also direct contact with a good wls dietician either by appointment or by phone, a good providor will give these things and also get back to you asap if they miss your call be carefull who you choose as some providors do not keep there promises after they have taken your cash x
Click to expand...

Yeah I know. Thats what makes the decision so scary and frustrating. If Mr. Sigursson worked for Surgicare I'd have gone with them no problems although I don't really fancy travelling to Droitwich Spa. I think I've my heart set on him because I've already done lots of research on him (and Mr. Super initially).

I'm so confused ........ :(

The only way I can guarantee good aftercare is with the NHS. :sigh:

How will I know how good aftercare is until I have my surgery ....?!

I've been half tempted to go down south and go with Shaw Somers, but he's too far me thinks. :sigh:
 
cah-ching said:
Yeah I know. Thats what makes the decision so scary and frustrating. If Mr. Sigursson worked for Surgicare I'd have gone with them no problems although I don't really fancy travelling to Droitwich Spa. I think I've my heart set on him because I've already done lots of research on him (and Mr. Super initially).

i dont know alot about this surgeon only what other patients on here have said about him, he does his job well and seems to be a good surgeon.

I'm so confused ........ :(

The only way I can guarantee good aftercare is with the NHS. :sigh:

you dont have to be nhs to get good aftercare as it is out there privatley.
How will I know how good aftercare is until I have my surgery ....?!

I suggest maybe you put a thread out asking the private banders who they went with and has there after care been as promised as in what they paid for have they recieved.
I've been half tempted to go down south and go with Shaw Somers, but he's too far me thinks. :sigh:
Click to expand...

i wish you luck with what ever you decide sweetheart ok x
 
Hi CC,

Both Mr Sigurdsson and Mr Khan have excellent reputations so I am sure you would be in safe hands whichever surgeon you go with. As you know, Mr Khan did my surgery but he does seem to prefer doing the bypass. That is probably because he is used to dealing with super morbidly obese patients that he treats on the NHS, and we all know that bypass patients tend to reach their goals sooner, although the long term results are similar.

The good thing is that as your local hospital is a centre of excellence, in the event of an emergency following your WLS you could just present at A&E and know that they have a fantastic bariatric team on hand to advise. I do believe though that the NHS would only treat you in an emergency situation and "aftercare" would have to be paid for privately.

If you have a strong preference for one surgeon over the other, but are not satisfied with the aftercare being offered, you could just pay for surgery only and no aftercare? You would then need to pay for fills as you go. Another question to ask of the experienced banders might be how many fills they needed to reach the "sweet spot"

Liz really knows her stuff regarding banding so if you have any queries she is very well placed to answer them for you. Hopefully some of the private banders will also be along soon to tell you about their aftercare. I think Mazza was a private bander, but she has just had a bereavement so may not be online much. There are others here but I cant think who they are at the mo (sorry!)
 
Hi CC

I hope that you can get this sorted out, aftercare is very important. Shaw Somers is great, he was my surgeon but the aftercare is a bit hit and miss. You would have to go to London for follow ups which is the closest point to us where he consults.

I hope that everything goes Ok for you and you sound to be doing miles of resesarch which is great.

M
 
Hiya I had my band with Mr Sigurdsson, he was excellent and I've had no problems in the 9 months since my band. However I only paid for the basic package with the Hospital Group so only had 2 follow up phone calls in the weeks after my op and nothing else. I have my fills with them locally and tend to get dietary advice off the nurse then, but other than that I go it alone apart from advice from the lovely peeps on here..
 
Hi,

Getting to Shaw Somers in Middlesex wouldn't really be a problem for me as I'm in Middlesex very often.

However I've decided againt it as one can get bogged down with worry.

I have an appointment with Mr. Sig tomorrow and Mr. Khan on Saturday.

They are both good .... I just need to make sure I've got a good handle on what to expect in regards to aftercare.

:)
 
hiya, i am with Surgicare and up to now, I have no complaints. they have been wonderful. i havent heard a lot of great stuff re. THG but everyone is different. good luck
 
wildthing said:
Hiya I had my band with Mr Sigurdsson, he was excellent and I've had no problems in the 9 months since my band. However I only paid for the basic package with the Hospital Group so only had 2 follow up phone calls in the weeks after my op and nothing else. I have my fills with them locally and tend to get dietary advice off the nurse then, but other than that I go it alone apart from advice from the lovely peeps on here..
Click to expand...
Thank you! x

You get dietary advice from the nurse who does your fill?

I'm under the Health Trainer (dietician) system of my local PCT - they'd be able to help also wouldn't they?
 
They may do CC but from experience people here have found that finding a dietician who is trained in bariatric needs and food requirements is rare outside of a bariatric team and your needs post op are different over time and from 'normal' dieters. Also although it is also advisable to always follow your team's advice the dietary recommendations here in the UK differ widely from those in the US where bypasses and bands have been used for much longer in a much larger population and therefore have more evidence to draw on.

Wishing you good luck with your appointments and hoping they will help you make the right decision for you. May I ask what drew you to the band over bypass? Its always a difficult choice.

Best wishes

M
 
I think the aftercare with Shaw Somers has been brilliant so maybe you have been unlucky. He rescued me after a botched band abroad arranged by a company here who are meant to offer brilliant aftercare but whose expert nurse completely messed up my band and failed to spot an obvious problem blaming it on my eating habits. Guy Slater is lovely too.
 
encore said:
I think the aftercare with Shaw Somers has been brilliant so maybe you have been unlucky. He rescued me after a botched band abroad arranged by a company here who are meant to offer brilliant aftercare but whose expert nurse completely messed up my band and failed to spot an obvious problem blaming it on my eating habits. Guy Slater is lovely too.
Click to expand...


Hiya,

Funny you should say that; Ann Diamond said exactly the same thing on a You Tube interview I saw.

She got completely slated (unfairly) on Fit Club when in actual fact the band hadn't worked anyway!

She too went to Shaw Summers after a botched op in Belgium. Belgium I ask you ... it's not as if she went to Uganda to have the op! You'd think standards in Belgium wuld be comparable to the UK. it's just goes to show that first and foremost ... operation aftercare is most important and therefore ops should be done in the UK if you are resident here.

How are you getting on Encore?

Ann Diamond looks fab now ... have you seen her on the CashMyGold ads?
 
CCPM said:
They may do CC but from experience people here have found that finding a dietician who is trained in bariatric needs and food requirements is rare outside of a bariatric team and your needs post op are different over time and from 'normal' dieters. Also although it is also advisable to always follow your team's advice the dietary recommendations here in the UK differ widely from those in the US where bypasses and bands have been used for much longer in a much larger population and therefore have more evidence to draw on.

Wishing you good luck with your appointments and hoping they will help you make the right decision for you. May I ask what drew you to the band over bypass? Its always a difficult choice.

Best wishes

M
Click to expand...

Hi CCPM.

Call me a wuss, but the thing that swayed me with the band is that 1. it's less intrusive than a by-pass i.e. I'm not replumbed 2. it's reversible should I wish it 3. the whole life long vitamin supplement thing - i'm too ditzy brained to remember to take them.

The by-pass just doesn't appeal on the aforementioned grounds. The weightloss albeit it initially slower with a band, is, in the comparable to bypass.

Cheers CC x
 
Hi Guys n Gals,

I had my consultation with Mr. Sigursson today. I initially thought it was tomorrow (Wednesday) but something in the back of my mid told me to go check. When I did I was surprised to find it was today. lol

So how did it go?

Well Mr. Sig is much taller than I imagined and quite good looking in a older guy kinda way (not that this has anything to do with surgery lol). I mentioned I had done my background reading up on him although he was genuinely surprised by the fact he's been mentioned so much on forums and the comments I relayed back to him. He also foudn it funny and surprising that I found him on accidentally Facebook lol ... I must have sounded like a mad stalker ... especially when I told him I live around the corner from him :D (which I do). He explained why he uses Facebook lol.

He's a little quirky and a little scatterbrain ... although I guess that may have been due to the fact they were running hopelessly late - I didn't see him until about 6:30pm and there were lots of people behind me to go in with him. I felt quite bad for him as he looked a bit tired.

I compiled a series of questions that I had meant to post on here earlier today but ran out of time. Most of my questions were answered in the discussion others were answered upon my questioning him (poor bloke must be used to it and a biit bored!). He answered all my questions. I get the feeling the man could do these ops in his sleep.

I asked him about scarring and he then asked me to hop on the bed (ooeerrr) so he could feel my flesh (at which point I joked and said that he had probably been gagging to touch my flesh as soon as I got in there :D he giggles a lot and is quite funny! - not at all pretentious). So he prodded me a little and pointed out where I'd have scars, he also said that due to my concerns (as I'm a prime candidate for scarring) and the fact that (according to him) I hardly have much fat on my tummy area he'd be able to use some special technique and I was to remind him on the day of surgery.

He also explained that I would benefit on losing around 5kg's before surgery to shrink the my liver, however it wasn't overly important and he'd operate anyway - I think he thought I was in good shape - so no specified pre-op diet for me. However I will continue with my exercise regime and make a conscious decision to cut down on carbs etc. to get the ol glycogen out of my system.

Also had a chat with an advisor - she too seemed a little rushed and a little curt. Not sure I enjoyed the chat with her as much, but I didn't really care - she's not doing the op! I did express my concerns about their standard of aftercare which have been played out on these boards. I think their take is that one has to be proactive in booking appointments with dieticians. In addition I won't have my dietetic appointment until after my first fill, which will be 4 weeks after my op when i'm on solids again. (As an aside; interestingly Mr. Sigusson or Audun as he prefers me call him ;) said the key to success on the diet is to consume solid food not live on slim fast - so no more Cambridge Diet for me!). He also didn't have any concerns about fizzy drinks! I also mentioned the lack of wound care instructions etc. but again I was led to believe that they are just tiny patches and not mummifying bandages lol. That said, the girl whom i had the second chat with did say that those who complained the loudest were the ones who didn't opt for the aftercare package! (is this true?!!!) I certainly will be getting my monies worth I will try.

It was also reassuring to know that Audun ;) (Mr. Sig) is also getting a lot of referral work due to the workload at Walsall on Mr. Khan's patch. So his workload is increasing.

I'll be seeing Mr. Khan on Saturday ... it'll be interesting to compare approaches and whether Surgicare are intent on taking my money. Overall THG seemed a little pre-occupied. The consultation with the advisor (who herself had banding) seemed a little insincere which I didn't like - but as I said she's not doing the op Audun is :D and I have every faith in him.

So on Saturday I shall be seeing Mr. Khan on Saturday. i'll report back on the outcome on Sat evening.

I shall also post the list of questions I asked to help those who are not sure what they can/can't ask at consultation.
 
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