Refusal for funding

[2nd timer]

No ones told me either but because I now have sleep apnoea, I fitted criteria for funding but have to jump throu their hoops as Luton. I'm on the 5% weight loss diet which I've achieved n hoping for my 3rd feb appt to be brought forward so I can bring the surgeon n date forward if possible. No nothing really. Just follow instructions n question as necessary. Had my triple appt to see psych dietician and nurse 19th dec. lost my 5% on this lush milk diet, so toddling along to losers side I hope!!!

previous bander, now awaiting by pass or sleeve this year.

 

[HelenAngelfish]

No ones told me either but because I now have sleep apnoea, I fitted criteria for funding but have to jump throu their hoops as Luton. I'm on the 5% weight loss diet which I've achieved n hoping for my 3rd feb appt to be brought forward so I can bring the surgeon n date forward if possible. No nothing really. Just follow instructions n question as necessary. Had my triple appt to see psych dietician and nurse 19th dec. lost my 5% on this lush milk diet, so toddling along to losers side I hope!!!

previous bander, now awaiting by pass or sleeve this year.

I would have been under Luton & Beds hospital if I had staying in Buckinghamshire, you’re right the hoops they want people to jump through are amazing – If an obese person could maintain weight loss though diet and exercise alone, we wouldn’t need medical help, I’ll never understand the demands they set out.

Hope things move along quickly for you! xx

 

[femfrankie]

I would have been under Luton & Beds hospital if I had staying in Buckinghamshire, you’re right the hoops they want people to jump through are amazing – If an obese person could maintain weight loss though diet and exercise alone, we wouldn’t need medical help, I’ll never understand the demands they set out.

Hope things move along quickly for you! xx

Its simple really & Im truely sorry if I sound blunt here.. They need to ensure you are committed enough to go ahead with what is a very drastic procedure that at the end of the day isn't an easy card out of obesity. When faced with the reality of this its surprising what you can acheive I lost 4 stone under my own steam & in under 2 months before i went on to have my balloon then six months later my bypass by which time i was nearly 9st down.. my motivation was the getting the bypass and knowing that there was light at the end of a lifelong tunnel as long as i played by the rules. In my area of Forth Valley Scotland only 10 people a year are lucky enough to get WLS on the NHS & from a recent meeting I attended I heard that in Glasgow area its nigh on impossible! So yes when they asked me to jump i asked how high?

 

[Yvessa]

I'm not sure how the process works; I've found it so far to be really confusing!! I was originally under Buckinghamshire PCT, they refused me - BMI was when 53, as I had not got diabetes and they said I couldn't prove I have tried to lose weight, REALLY?! My medical records from the age of 8 should show my weight battle is well documented!! They also had no contact with myself, they wrote totally through my GP at the time... I gave up and hoped one-day I'd be able to save enough to get it done privately (bad credit, so can't get loans etc). Too much going on in my personal life to fight the rejection. I have now moved into London and fall under the Imperial PCT and St Mary's Hospital, who have a dedicated Bariatric Team. My GP referred me on 6th November 2013, I had my group information session on 23rd December, bloods and heart tracing done at the same time. I now have an appointment to meet the Surgeon and an endocrinologist on 4th February 2014, but to be honest I have had minimal contact other than appointment letters, the process is still unclear and different people advise different things. A nurse advised me that the whole process can take 10-12 weeks, due to new centre self-funding, or something. I haven't actually been told if I have been approved, but I presume - and hope, that all these appointments mean I have been! I'm not sure if different PCT's have different rules/guidelines, if the funding across the country has changed or if it depends on if your PCT has a dedicated Bariatric Team. Good Luck!! xx

bucks refused me too initially. My gp managed to appeal it thankfully.

 

[HelenAngelfish]

Its simple really & Im truely sorry if I sound blunt here.. They need to ensure you are committed enough to go ahead with what is a very drastic procedure that at the end of the day isn't an easy card out of obesity. When faced with the reality of this its surprising what you can acheive I lost 4 stone under my own steam & in under 2 months before i went on to have my balloon then six months later my bypass by which time i was nearly 9st down.. my motivation was the getting the bypass and knowing that there was light at the end of a lifelong tunnel as long as i played by the rules. In my area of Forth Valley Scotland only 10 people a year are lucky enough to get WLS on the NHS & from a recent meeting I attended I heard that in Glasgow area its nigh on impossible! So yes when they asked me to jump i asked how high?

Hey!


I completely understand it's to prove how committed you are and you should prove you’re committed as if you aren’t, you can have complications etc.


The ‘hoops’ confuse me as I was 32 stone and got down to 18 stone, would of thought that was commitment. Lol, just a shame it’s a postcode lottery sometimes. xx

 

[HelenAngelfish]

bucks refused me too initially. My gp managed to appeal it thankfully.

I think that's Bucks for you! lol, two others I know were only successful on appeal.

Just seen you're from High Wycombe - my old town, I'm originally from Wooburn. Small world!

You have done amazingly well! xx

 

[2nd timer]

I understand the hoops only too well. Of course they are important, but had had a band n was very committed to it and lost my weight and maintained for years. Sadly the NHS gave me meds that I told them would hurt my band but they denied it. They nearly killed me an I had to have emergency surgery as I was soooo poorly my wretched my stomach through my band n almost inside out under my lungs thru my diaphragm.
I was gutted to lose my privately paid for band. NHS would not replace it and sadly had so many steroids to keep me alive and I suffered so much I put all my pre band weight back on in a year.
I felt distraught as I was told I didn't qualify for more surgery even tho none of it was my fault. It wasn't until I developed sleep apnoea and stopped breathing 14 times an hour due to the fat on my windpipe did I just through their hoops to qualify. The ironic thing is I had my band fitted to help me be more mobile n my arthritis meds destroyed my band and made me fat again n unable to walk properly.
Their systems are so rigid, made me go thru 5% loss again even tho I had proved I could do it and maintained For years Why?
So being so rigid often deprives the needy n is unfair to postcode lottery. I had a friend who had her band slip n it was removed. She had a by pass offered her all on the NHS and didn't have to wait to put her weight back on. Sorted.
Moan over , I'm a week into milk diet n a bit touchy

previous bander, now awaiting by pass or sleeve this year.

 

[femfrankie]

Hey!


I completely understand it's to prove how committed you are and you should prove you’re committed as if you aren’t, you can have complications etc.


The ‘hoops’ confuse me as I was 32 stone and got down to 18 stone, would of thought that was commitment. Lol, just a shame it’s a postcode lottery sometimes. xx

Funding criteria here and in some other parts of the uk stipulate that you have to have been on an NHS weight management course. I've been on three, taken, Orlastat and Rimonbant have succsessfully lost stones and stones on many occasions only to pile it all back on and more. I thank god that docs put me under the NHS dietician on those three occasions because it was a huge help in getting me underway .. One less hoop xx

 

[Yvessa]

I think that's Bucks for you! lol, two others I know were only successful on appeal.

Just seen you're from High Wycombe - my old town, I'm originally from Wooburn. Small world!

You have done amazingly well! xx

wow not far at all! Thank you so much - I hope yours goes as well

 

[princess4d4]

my gp preempted the criteria i think as we had discussed surgery and he said before he would refer me i would have to meet said criteria so he sent me to weight management etc so when the time came and i met the surgeon i was all set and didnt have to jump through all the hoops a second time even though now i feel i wasted the 2 years to get this far as have now had my op put off for a while for other works to be done first but i still follow the diets etc so i am ready when they give me the go ahead

 

[HelenAngelfish]

my gp preempted the criteria i think as we had discussed surgery and he said before he would refer me i would have to meet said criteria so he sent me to weight management etc so when the time came and i met the surgeon i was all set and didnt have to jump through all the hoops a second time even though now i feel i wasted the 2 years to get this far as have now had my op put off for a while for other works to be done first but i still follow the diets etc so i am ready when they give me the go ahead

I’m trying to do the same as well! J

I want to lose as much as possible on my own; following to dietary advice the dietician has given me and weight watchers – to help me with portions etc for now.

I have no idea how long my wait will be (will hopefully find out more about the process on 4th February), but I’m gonna make sure I’m ready when the opportunity arises… I have suffered because of my weight for far too long. xx

 

[Tangled]

This seems to vary depending where you live hun

 

[sophiapink100]

Hi I just wondered if anyone is refused by the NHS , what type of reasons are given ? I'm now on the road to WLS but worried I will get my hopes up to be dashed , sorry for the negative thinking Sent from my iPhone using WLSurgery

Fingers crossed you will get it eventually. The guidelines have now changed to national so you should be ok.

Brace yourself for a long road though. Mine took 4 years from the referral of my GP and it took me about 18 months of begging to get my GP to refer me.

Good luck x

 

[jodie 79]

please dont lose faith...its bloody hard but worth it!!!....i have been trying now for 3 years and have been declinded from the nhs 3 times also...it was only at the last refusal for funding they put me forward for tier 3 weight management and am now awaiting my first hospital appointment in london....yes its a big blow when u get refused but use that anger etc to spur u on to keep trying ....good luck x