Prof Patel

[Sarahmaria]

Ive booked my initial consultation with Mr Patel. Just wondering if anyones been done by him and know what the initial consultation consists of?

Thanks,


Sm


Xx

 

[Bear]

Is this Ameet Patel in London.

He was my surgeon for my sleeve and is a really lovely man. The initial consultation is basically a chat where he'll go through everything that could go wrong etc and find out more about you.

Good Luck.

 

[Sarahmaria]

Yea thats the one Bear.

Thanks, i was so busy booking the initial appointment that I didn't even think to ask what it involved!!


Xx

 

[Bear]

As my BMi was below the recommended for sleeve surgery, I prepared a written history of my weight over the past 30 odd years. It made for interesting reading.

He'll be looking for your committment to your post op care.

But I would recommend him as a surgeon and as a person to anyone. Such a sensitive nature. I chose him over two other companies that I met with.

 

[Lilacglittergirl]

Ameet Patel did my best friend's bypass about eight years ago ... I can thoroughly recommend Mr Fiennes. Tho i see you are in Ireland SarahMaria so given the exceptionally high level of support provided by him and his team, he would 'expect' you to attend regularly and attend monthly support group when you can ... Is there not someone in Ireland who is more accessible than Mr Patel or Mr Fiennes (or any of the big mainland UK guys and gals). Reviews and support are key to success - many are discharged back to 'normality' to flounder ... Thank goodness for this forum. Good luck with your journey, whatever you choose. I am genuinely excited for you - you will not regret it xxxxx

 

[Sarahmaria]

Thanks lilac!Yeah i would ideally like someone based in ireland but i dont think theyre as experienced as the UK guys. There are some in northern ireland who are fairly experienced with bypasses but not so much the sleeve which is what i think i mighg be better suited to. Gona have a chat with mr patel n take it from there. If follow up is too big an issue then I may have to rethink things. Suppose if im gona do something as big as this then i may s well do it right!!


Xx

 

[Bear]

I'm a 4 hour drive away from London and it was quite a deal. That 4 hr journey as a passenger was particularly uncomfortable, so you might want to think about staying a night or two extra in a hotel near the hospital.

 

[Sarahmaria]

Thanks bear. Yeah i was thinking if i was goinb to go to london then id spend maybe 4 nights there

 

[Lilacglittergirl]

You'd probably be at least 3-4 nights in hospital anyway. The first 24hrs you would be in HDU with a catheter in and on a drip, having constant nursing and monitoring. Late on day two they start to take you off things and the drains eventually come out on about day 3. The central line in your neck which runs into your heart will be the last thing removed usually on the day of discharge. This is major surgery and should not be underestimated. You will be under GA for the best part of 3hrs prob which will take its toll in how quickly you pick up after. Prior to surgery you will shrink your liver for several weeks on a bland minimal diet - mine was a month of four cans of weight watchers soup, four mullerlight yogs and 500 ml of semi milk ONLY a day. You will be in ketosis before you hit the table.

I am defo not trying to put you off - this is the reality. There are folks on here who travelled to other countries, and hopefully they may pickup on your thread and share their 'remote' experience. My op was at a hospital 1.5hrs drive from home and it is a faff going back and forward but I do it as Mr Fiennes is one of the best and most experienced in the world. I owe him so much as he changed my life. He is passionate about what he does and he only wants me to achieve the best I can, and his most recent comment in a referral letter was "... Achieved a remarkable result ". He is sparing with compliments and so it meant a lot.

Good luck with whatever you decide xxxxxx

 

[Lilacglittergirl]

Btw - we seem to be a similar start weight. I now weigh dead on 140 lbs which in real terms is size 10/12. I lost that in 9months. Thrilled. I have a thread under bypass inspirational photos ... Take a look. Xx

 

[Bear]

Gosh, my experience with my sleeve was completely different to that Lilac.

I had my op around midday, after waking I was moved back to my room where I only had a drip. No drains at all or a line in my neck. The next morning I was drinking and out of bed and my drip was taken out around 36 hrs after the op. I was allowed home after just over 48 hrs.

It's amazing how different hospitals and surgeons differ as I also had no pre-op diet. But I think that is rare.

However, I did have an incredible amount of pain in my lower right incision - which gave me pain for some weeks. I think it was the interval stitches.

 

[Lilacglittergirl]

Bear, you have direct experience of Mr Patel and a sleeve. I bow to that. My friend had a bypass with him, some years ago admittedly - no LSD either, 24hrs in HDU, then two weeks in Kings, drains in for well over a month. No shrink support to help him with his eating issues, and virtually no dietry advice. Went from over 26stone to under 12 - he is over six feet tall. He has now gained considerable weight. He reciprocated and supported me through my bypass 18 months ago, and was so amazed with the level of support my team provided he is seeking revision . I am therefore delighted to hear that you had such a positive experience with him - lessons must have been learnt! This makes me exhale with relief xxxxxxxx

 

[Bear]

Crikey, 2 weeks in hospital - that's not good at all. The poor thing.

I must admit, Prof Patel is a great surgeon, but he is very much a one man band. You see the dietician at Kings, but after that it is pretty much a lonesome existence. He was good to me though with regard to the tumour (benign) that he found on my liver.

So you're right Lilac, other teams/companies do seem to provide more after care with regard to psychological and dietary support.

It's such a minefield choosing where to go. For me Prof Patel was the mid range for expense, but he was the one I gelled with the most. If I had to choose again - I'd like the Prof but with more aftercare.

 

[Lilacglittergirl]

In retrospect, I can now see no justification for that length of time lying about in a hospital bed. I was up after 24 hrs and told to get walking up and down. I did - well, initially I shuffled along with my drip in tow and all my neck stuff dangling and clanking about on my shoulder ...

My friend's weight was dangerously low but there was no one to monitor that ... As I say, time has very much moved on and things have changed a great deal. xxxx