Qualifying for Surgery
The criteria for weight loss surgery have recently been widened to reflect the high level of safety & effectiveness. Current eligibility criteria are:
bmi
more than35
bmi
The criteria for weight loss surgery have recently been widened to reflect the high level of safety & effectiveness. Current eligibility criteria are:
At Auckland Bariatric Surgery we use a flat, fixed price model. These surgeries represent a significant financial investment. We endeavour to have transparent costings and to minimise these where possible. All prices are GST inclusive.
Preoperative Costs
Initial Surgeon Consultation: $275 Preoperative Assessment: $950
Pre-surgery Very Low-Calorie Diet (VLCD): $200 - $500 dependent on time frame required.
Operative/Postoperative Costs
Mini (One Anastomosis) Gastric Bypass: $22,300 Sleeve Gastrectomy: $22,800 Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass: $23,850
Revisional Bariatric Surgery
Price estimates are for uncomplicated surgery. Special circumstances and additional procedures may result in additional charges. These prices may be subject to change.
There are other costs associated with having bariatric surgery to be considered.
The core criteria are:
Please note that these criteria have been been extended, as reflection of the high level of both safety and efficacy that are achieved with modern keyhole techniques.
At Auckland Bariatric Surgery we use a flat, fixed price model. These surgeries represent a significant financial investment. We endeavour to have transparent costings and to minimise these where possible. All prices are GST inclusive. Please download our Information pack for more information or contact us directly on reception@bariatricsurgery.co.nz.
For patients who have had revisional surgery the process is slightly different and as such there may be additional procedural fees above the fixed price laid out in the patient information pack. Please contact us directly on reception@bariatricsurgery.co.nz for more detailed information.
It usually takes a minimum of 4-8 weeks to get surgery, from the time of the first appointment with me. Bariatric surgery is very safe but it is important to get prepared properly.
The actual kilogram amount will vary depending on what weight you started at. Generally at 1 year out from the surgery, you will have lost 70-80% of the weight above your "ideal" weight, which is set at a BMI of 25.
For example, a 170cm (5' 7") tall woman who weighs 130 kg has a BMI of 45. I would expect her to lose around 40-46 kg by 12 months.
There is no one, "best" operation. That is why I offer three options! The operations have different risk and benefit profiles; the choice of operation needs to be tailored with each patient individually. Generally speaking, I prefer the gastric bypasses (one anastomosis, or "mini" and the Roux-en-Y) but some patients can't have a bypass and so for them the sleeve gastrectomy is the best option.
The most important decision is actually realising that surgery is needed in the first place.
Some insurers may contribute to the cost of surgery and consultations. Please check this with your insurance company. We are happy to write to your insurer on your behalf.
Dr Benjamin Wheeler, Bariatric Surgeon
BHB MBChB FRACS
Anna McPhail, Registered Nurse
BNursing PGCertTM
Juliet Herlihy, Practice Manager
B.Com (Marketing & Management), B. Ph.Ed, Grad.Dip Teaching (Secondary)
Deirdre Nielson, Dietitian
NZRD, MHSC (Nutrition & Dietetics)
Sarah Mavor, Dietitian
Shona Collins, Dietitian
Kalpana Govind, Clinical Psychologist
Waheeda Goga, Clinical Psychologist
MA Soc Sci Clinical Psychology
If you have previously had weight loss surgery, or have further questions, please use the webform at the bottom of the page.
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Published on Friday, 28th February 2025
I told myself that the first post of the new year would be about goals. As a goal, I guess I am achieving it but posting at the end of February and the last week of summer isn't quite what I had in mind...
This is usually the time of year when the New Year's resolutions are falling apart though. Everything starts off with a hiss and a roar and then reality eventually kicks in.
One fairly simplistic way to think about how to be successful in weight maintenance after surgery is that all you need to do is work out which habits you need to form, and then form and stick to them. Easy to say, a bit harder to do but the first part is adequately setting goals.
A good goal is a SMART one. Our registration forms ask people to write down three goals for themselves; these are best if they are things that you can't do at the moment, that you will be able to achieve afterwards, as a tangible reminder of what you have gained.
So a SMART goal is like this: Specific Measurable Achievable Relevant Time-bound
The S, M and T are the important ones...the other two are really just there to pad out the acronym.
So instead of having a goal like "I want to go running" you would convert this to "run 2km without stopping by the end of 2025".
The other feature to think about is having a goal, and a stretch goal. One of the mindsets we want people to break out of is the all-or-nothing, black and white perfectionist thinking. If I haven't achieved a goal, therefore I am a failure. There are two ways to achieve this - one is to allow yourself partial success by measuring a percentage of sucess, rather than a yes/no outcome.
The other is to set two bars - one lower and more achievable (e.g. 2km) and another higher target (e.g. 5km).
Another avenue to consider, specifically for setting preoperative goals, is also that you make them about yourself. One of the kaupapa of surgery is to make yourself more of a priority, often because putting others ahead of yourself has been part of the issue in the first place. So goals like "I want to be able to keep up with my kids", which I see frequently, is a worthwhile aim, I would refocus this. Make the goal about what you can achieve and are going to do for yourself, and then your ability to participate in activities with the rest of the whānau will naturally occur.
Next post much sooner than this one.
Nāku noa, na Ben
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