Before surgery, please check the following:

1. Confirm with the health fund to ensure that you are covered for the surgery, for instance:

*Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy: 31575

*Laparoscopic gastric bypass: 31572

*Laparoscopic removal gastric band: 31585

*Laparoscopic revision bariatric surgery: 31584

2. Fill in the online admission forms for the relevant hospital.

*Gold Coast Private Hospital (https://healthscope.eadmissions.com.au)

*John Flynn Private Hospital (www.johnflynnprivate.com.au)

3. Please make sure you have an up to date referral letter. The GP referral letter only last for 12 months.

4. Please make sure you ask for a GP referral to the allied health services. This may be part of your health care plan to see other members of the bariatric surgery team, which may include:

*Dietician

*Exercise physiologist

*Psychologist (if necessary)

5. Please make sure you have a plan in place for the pre-op preparation (for a minimum of 2 or 3 weeks before surgery):

Purchase the appropriate VLCD meals from a chemist or a health food store:

*Have the meals 3 times a day (as a meal replacement)

*You may also have 2 serves of non starchy vegetables (no potato, corn, peas or pumpkins)

*You may have a slice of fruit or two for lunch and dinner

*Please avoid soft drinks and alcohol (no diet or calorie free carbonated drinks or alcohol)

*Have more than 2 litres water a day to prevent dehydration 

Please seek advice from your GP or specialists regarding specific medical conditions:

*The doses of diabetic medications may have to be reduced to prevent hypoglycemia during the pre-op VLCD phase.

*The doses of anti-hypertensive medications may have to be reduced to prevent hypotension during the pre-op VLCD phase.

Extra information:

Allied health care:

Pre and post-operative consults with a dietician is necessary.

Post-operative consults with an exercise physiologist is recommended.

Please ask your GP to refer you to both the dietician and exercise physiologist in your local area.

*This may be part of your health care plan and you may be entitled to this.

Patients with a psychiatric condition must discuss the bariatric surgery with their psychiatrist first to ensure that your specialist will support you having weight loss surgery.

*Some of the psychiatric medications may have to be altered after surgery if the tablets are not well absorbed, especially after a gastric bypass if there are any post op issues with diarrhoea or malabsoprtion.

Patients with anxiety or depression should see a psychologist before weight loss surgery, please ask the psychologist to send us a letter to say that they support you having weight loss surgery.