Just thought I would add my surgeons name to the surgeons list as there are still not very many of them doing the Sleeve in Melbourne....

Mr Ian Michell
173 Lennox Street, Richmond 3121, Victoria
Tel: 94287556
www.ianmichell.com

He is truly a lovely man and is very caring and also very thorough .

Hi Lisa

Would you mind telling me how much you were out of pocket with your surgery?
Cheers

Hi Peazles,
I was out of pocket $3000, and that was for everything to do with the actual surgery but Mr Michell backdated the price (18 mths)
to when I first saw him about the sleeve (I think its $700 more now). The pre-op visits to Mr Michell and the Dietitian, Phsych and
Respitory specialist were paid seperately and I claimed back about 80% of these from medicare so it didnt cost much at all.

Lisab

Oh and I forgot, I also had a Hiatus Hernia repair done and alot of adhesions removed (caused by 6 years with the lap band)
which was included in the price.

Lisab

I'll add my vote of confidence for Ian Michell. No complications, no issues, just all good really. Not a bad thing to say about the process.

I've made an appointment to see Dr. Mitchell as well as a surgeon in Geelong. I'll take along my questions to both, do a bit of my own research with both, and then make up my mind.

I have to say, Dr. Mitchell has been the cheapest so far (not the most important criteria, I know!) and he even goes as far as not charging for his first consult., which is excellent!

Hi Peazle' as
I am sure you will like Mr Michell, he really is a lovely guy, I chose him because he has done many surgeries and he is on staff
at both the Epworth Hospital and at the Austin Hospital in Heidelberg.
He is also the only surgeon that I have heard of that does a liver biopsy during the surgery, as obesity can cause a non alcohlic form of scirrohsis (pls excuse spelling) of the liver. This is included in the cost and if when he is operating he sees something else that needs repairing he does it at no extra cost (I had a Hiatus Hernia repair that my band Dr didnt repair or even mention to me). He also does liver transplants so he really does know what he is doing.
Good Luck with who ever you choose,
Lisab

The gap payment now is $3400, which includes anesthetist, surgeon and surgical assistant according to Dr Michell's nurse Gail.

Had my appointment with Dr Michell today... I like him, he's quite personable.

He said he's not yet convinced about the sleeve, due to the lack of longterm data. He also said that given that there are similar leak/complication rates between the sleeve and bypass, you might be better getting the bypass which has longer data and greater weight loss.

I thought I was definitely anti-bypass, but he's made me think for sure.... he said you need vitamin etc replacement with both, so the lack of absorbing those is not really a big con for the bypass compared to the sleeve.

Also first consult not free - $98.30

Well, I went and saw Ian Michell today - what a lovely, patient and helpful man! His reception staff bent over backwards to try and fit in my future appointments, too. Couldn't have been happier with any of them.

Mr. Michell said he would do the sleeve but recommended bypass over the sleeve. He stated there was no long term data (which we knew) but that one study in Germany indicated that, after a period of weightloss, the subjects weights had started to rise again. He further said that, during the bypass, they make you a long, tubed tum (like the sleeve) but the other piece of stomach isn't removed, just detached, so if for any reason you need it later, it can be reversed.
Lots of food for thought.

He does make you think, doesn't he?
I remembering thinking when I saw him first that there's no reason they can't leave that stomach attached with the sleeve either, if they're really so concerned about it being removed completely.

Anyway, I'm glad you liked him - I do too :)

Well don't have any results yet, but having been operated on I can say I am very happy with Ian and the team at Epworth. Have had fantastic nursing care, have seen Ian and his physician Dr Lanteri every day as well as his registrar, and things have just gone really well. Day 2 was the worst just not being comfortable but things have been getting better each day and I'm excited to get home.

Would thoroughly recommend Ian.