About the Team
Weight loss surgery is one part of your journey to better health. That’s why long term follow-up with a multidisciplinary team is important to ensure your ongoing success.
Dr Vladana O'Neill
Dr Vladana O’Neill sees our bariatric patients for routine reviews after surgery. She graduated from the Australian National University in 2012, and completed her General Practice training in Brisbane. Dr O’Neill has focused her areas of specialised interest in weight loss and metabolic health (obesity, diabetes, high cholestrol, high blood pressure, heart disease).
Dr O’Neill is currently working towards becoming a SCOPE Obesity Medicine certified practitioner and is an advocate of ketogenic/low carbohydrate diets. She can assist you with your weight loss journey and help improve your metabolic health.
Coupled with her empathic and holistic approach to illness, she is a caring and integrative physcian looking to optimise your overall health.
Dr O’Neill is affiliated with Low Carb Down Under and Defeat Diabetes.
Julie Albrecht
With over 30 years of experience, dietitian Julie Albrecht will guide you through your pre and post operative dietary requirements, and tailor a meal plan to suit your individual needs. With extensive experience in bariatrics, Julie will help you maintain healthy nutrition and weight loss.
Nurse Ali
Qualified as a Registered Nurse since 2007, Ali is an accomplished member of the multi-disciplinary team. Her diversity of previous roles range from being a Clinical Nurse Specialist within a leading paediatric hospital, to a treatment room coordinator in the GP setting, focusing on acute and chronic health issues.
More recently, she has dedicated herself to the field of bariatric and metabolic surgery as she is deeply passionate about this area, and the value it can bring to people’s lives. Alongside the clinical aspects of the surgical journey, Ali oversees Dr Puhalla’s research .
If you have any questions about the surgical journey, need help troubleshooting an issue, or simply want to celebrate your success, please speak with our nurse!
Breda Grimly
With over 10 years experience Breda completed her psychology degree at the Universty of Southern Queensland in 2011. Breda has extensive experience conducting psychological assessments as well as taking on therapeutic roles in supporting bariatric patients.
Using evidence-based psychotherapies to support my clients to adopt new thought processes towards life situations.
Post-Surgery Program
During the 6 to 8 weeks following surgery, you will have a progressive plan that increases the texture of your foods. This is to allow for healing of the surgical site and assist with increased gastrointestinal function. Phase 1 is the fluid phase which typically lasts 2 weeks followed by the puree phase also lasting 2 weeks.
The final two phases sloppy and minced/mashed slowly upgrade you onto normal textured foods again. These final 2 phases will vary between 1-2 weeks each depending on various factors (e.g. tolerance, bowels, weight progress etc.).
Long Term Follow-up
Once you have safely upgraded to full foods we then explore your relationship with food and ensure your long-term success. Weight loss will continue over the initial 9 to 18 months following surgery.
We will work alongside your goals to create new habits and rituals of eating, movement and exercise. You will build your nutritional knowledge using food to fuel yourself to long term success.
Pre-Surgery Program
At your initial consultation with Dr Puhalla there will be several questions asked, mainly about your lifestyle, medical and weight loss history, medications, bowel habits, as well as eating and exercise patterns. We also like to understand what your goals are in relation to bariatric surgery. These questions assist Dr Puhalla to determine which surgical option may be best suited to you. All surgical options will be discussed with you, and the pros and cons of each, so you can make an informed decision about your preference. You may be referred to undergo further medical investigations if indicated, to ensure you are ready for surgery with the best possible outcome.
Your dietician will create the ‘preparation phase’ nutrition plan which focuses on reducing fat accumulation around the liver (medically known as hepatic steatosis). The very low calorie diet (VLCD) typically lasts for 2 weeks, however is altered to suit targets. This assists with reducing the size of the liver, which allows for a safer surgery.