Tag: <span>Hospital Appointments</span>

One year check-up with the Bariatric consultant
Published Fri, 20th Aug 2021

One year check-up with the Bariatric consultant

It’s almost a whole year since my Gastric Bypass surgery, and so this week I met with the Bariatric physician for a check-up.

We talked about my progress in losing weight over the last year (around 41 kg or 6 and a half stones), but mainly the conversation was about the physical, medical, mental, emotional, and psychological benefits that the weight loss has brought.

The consultant was keen to re-state that bariatric surgery is not a tool to make someone thin – it’s a tool to help make someone more healthy.

Losing all this weight has dramatically decreased my chances of getting diabetes, heart disease, fatty liver disease, and cancer. It has also helped address my hormone imbalance, and is meant to help improve men’s sexual health.

But in addition to all the great health benefits, there’s all the quality-of-life benefits. I can now exercise pain-free, and simple thinks like getting dressed on a morning are easier. It’s easier to get up off the sofa, and to walk up a flight of stairs. It’s little things like these examples that make life better when you’re a healthier weight.

Of course, one year on, I’m still an obese man. My BMI is around 35, and I still wear 2XL shirts, but I’m considerably more healthy than I used to be.

The consultant said that a good outcome of the surgery would be to have lost around 40% of excess body weight after one year. That’s lower than the 70% that I had read about on other sites. And my excess body weight loss at this point is 48%, which I’m pretty happy about. I’ve not managed to get to my goal weight – I would need to lose another 20 kg for that – but that’s fine.

He did say that I need to watch out for a couple of things in the coming year:

  1. Potential to become alcohol dependent – which I don’t think will be much of a problem for me, as I’ve all but given up drinking. I’m not completely teetotal, but I only have maybe one glass of wine about once a month.
  2. Potential to gain weight – he said to watch out for any weight gains over about 3 kg (half a stone), and to get in contact with my Bariatric team if was gaining, as they would be able to help with other forms of treatment (I’m assuming that means diet plans or drug treatments).

And unless I have any problems, then I don’t need to see the consultant again for another year.

My Story Surgery

Consultants Health Hospital Appointments Weight

Leave a Comment

I had my 6 week follow-up with my surgeonStethoscope 1584223 1920
Published Thu, 8th Oct 2020

I had my 6 week follow-up with my surgeon

It’s six weeks since my gastric bypass surgery, and I was back in hospital today as an out-patient to have a follow-up consultation with my surgeon.

I was delighted to report that I had lost nearly 14 kg since surgery – just over 2 stones. The surgeon said that at the 6-week mark they would ideally be looking for about an 8% loss in weight, and I was more or less bang on target.

We talked about the medications and supplements I was on, and about the fact that my bloods would be checked in a few weeks before my next hospital appointment with the dietician in December. And we also talked about the vitamin B12 injection that I have to get soon.

I asked about my low levels of energy, and also about feeling cold, and she said that both of these were perfectly normal side effects of losing weight, and would rectify themselves over time.

Generally she seemed delighted by my progress, and that I could start to progress onto a more normal diet. I don’t need to restrict myself to soft foods any more, and can start to introduce new things into my diet and see how I can tollerate them.

My Story Surgery

Blood Tests Diet Hospital Appointments Supplements Surgeon Vitamins

Leave a Comment

How much does bariatric surgery cost in Ireland?Bills 496229 1920
Published Mon, 5th Oct 2020

How much does bariatric surgery cost in Ireland?

If you have private health insurance, then the price of your bariatric surgery is most likely covered by your insurer.

In recent years health insurers have recognised that an investment in weight loss surgery now can save them a lot of money in long run, as they are less likely to pay for other weight-related chronic conditions down the track. As such most health insurance companies will cover the cost of the surgery itself. To confirm cover with your insurer, quote the codes 181 and 183.

However that doesn’t mean that your weight loss surgery is entirely free. You will still have to pay for some things:

  • Your health insurance policy will most likely have an excess for being admitted to hospital as an in-patient. My charge was €75, but this varies by insurer and policy.
  • Appointments with your surgeon, dietician and other doctors before and after surgery are chargeable because you’re seeing them privately. If you have day-to-day benefits, your health insurance may also cover part of the cost of these as well. My health insurance covers 50% of the cost of visits to all hospital consultants, which I am able to claim back afterwards.

I got my gastric bypass with the St Vincent’s Private Hospital Bariatric Team in Dublin, and as of 2019 the costs to see them were:

  • Pre-assessment appointments with the physician, psychologist, dietician and surgeon – €600
  • Post-surgical care with a follow-up appointment with the surgeon, and three appointments with the dietician and/or physician, and 12 months phone and email support – €1,800

You may also need to pay for getting blood tests, and for drugs and supplements that you’ll need to take after surgery.

However these costs are certainly a lot cheaper than the €15,000 price tag of paying for the surgery yourself if you don’t have insurance!

Surgery

Consultants Cost Hospital Appointments Money

2 Comments

Five weeks since surgerySlate 3323693 1920
Published Thu, 1st Oct 2020

Five weeks since surgery

It’s now five weeks since I had my gastric bypass surgery, and I’m back for another update.

My progress so far is that I’ve lost a total of 12.2 kg in the last 5 weeks – which is 1 st 13 lbs or 27 lbs in imperial measurements. I pretty-much use metric all the time to record my weight now, because that’s the scale that all the medical staff in my hospital use.

I’m pleased with my results so far. The weight loss of 12 kg is equivalent to the weight of six 2-litre water bottles – which would feel pretty heavy if you were carrying them all home from the supermarket! But I guess it’s more the non-scale victories (NSV) that I’m more pleased with.

I can now fit into shirts that I had to abandon about 9 months ago because they were too small. My wife also says she can tell I’m shrinking when we hug. But as well as that, I feel a lot better. Simple things like putting shoes and socks on, or getting up off the sofa are so much easier now. The pain that I used to get in my legs and feet when walking has also diminished a lot.

But it’s not all good news. I find now that I feel cold a lot more often, especially in my extremities like my hands and nose. I guess that’s just to do with eating a lot less than normal. And it just means that I have to put on an extra layer to keep warm.

In a week I’ll have my first follow-up with my surgeon, and hopefully she’ll confirm that I’m doing well.

My Story Surgery

Clothes Feeling Cold Hospital Appointments Progress Update Weight Loss

One Comment