Barium Xray - hospital group - possible slippage

Hi guys,

I was banded in Nov 2013. I am not about half a stone heavier than when I was banded.

Things haven't been right since last year. I did lose a couple of stone in weight last summer, however it was despite the band not thanks to it. I was being sick and getting acid quite alot, so in October I had a large defill down to 3ml in my 10 ml band.

Since then I have been hovering around 4 mls with small fills / defills as I have been suffering with acid. Some days I'm fine and don't have much restriction at all but will still suffer with night acid and coughs. Other days I'll feel like I have quite a bit of restriction and can't keep anything down!

It's been driving me crazy and I think partly to blame for my weight gain - its just easier to eat things that will go down, plus I'm frustrated!

I had my band with the hospital group and this morning the dietician finally suggested that I had a barium swallow x-ray as she feared my band may have slipped. I guess I'd been worrying about this since last year, but I just kept being told I was over restricted - even though that made no sense to me as I'm still hungry quite soon after eating.

Anyway apparently this X-ray is £450, money in all honesty I don't have. Has anyone been able to get referred on the NHS for this? I'm even more scared about if I need the band removed as I definitely can't afford to pay for it privately.

I assumed this was included in the aftercare package from THG... but I guess this isn't the case?

I feel like I've done my part, I pay my taxes, 've paid out money for the Op in good faith it would help control my weight and not relied on the NHS for this, is it too much to ask that the NHS would now help me out?

Sorry for the rant. Has anyone else been in this situation? What happened?

:cry::cry::cry:

So sorry to hear of your troubles, I cant help other than to say I hope things improve very soon for you

Hi

You may find a barium swallow xray cheaper by cutting out the middle man THG. Check with the surgeon or hospital for s price. I had one a couple of months ago but luckily I was covered by insurance. Thing is my band was fine but I had band induced silent reflux. If you are suffering from acid ask your GP for something like Omeprazole to protect your tum. Mine was willing to refer me for an investigation but my needs were too urgent as I had problems breathing. I had my band totally emptied and avoided trigger foods. Like tomato, spicy stuff mint etc.

Since then I have had band removed and had a mini bypass

Reflux is unbearable, don't let it go on too long. Good luck. X

So I managed to get an appointment with my GP this morning and he agreed to refer me on the NHS but needed THG to send him a letter explaining why I needed to be referred etc.

Came away feeling relieved, got home and called THG and oh no, they couldn't possibly send a letter out unless I pay £50 and I'll have to go back to my GP and get him to fax them asking for details.


G'ahhhhhhh I'm very hormonal today and this has seriously pissed me off. Would it really be too much to ask to expect that "sending a letter" would be under my aftercare package?

It feels like THG are out to profit all they can from me having complications!!

fbscpa said:

So I managed to get an appointment with my GP this morning and he agreed to refer me on the NHS but needed THG to send him a letter explaining why I needed to be referred etc. Came away feeling relieved, got home and called THG and oh no, they couldn't possibly send a letter out unless I pay £50 and I'll have to go back to my GP and get him to fax them asking for details. G'ahhhhhhh I'm very hormonal today and this has seriously pissed me off. Would it really be too much to ask to expect that "sending a letter" would be under my aftercare package? It feels like THG are out to profit all they can from me having complications!!

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£50 for a letter in the circumstances is outrageous. I get better service from my provider in Belgium and have not paid for aftercare.

Good luck with an early appointment for your xray. X

fbscpa said:

So I managed to get an appointment with my GP this morning and he agreed to refer me on the NHS but needed THG to send him a letter explaining why I needed to be referred etc. Came away feeling relieved, got home and called THG and oh no, they couldn't possibly send a letter out unless I pay £50 and I'll have to go back to my GP and get him to fax them asking for details. G'ahhhhhhh I'm very hormonal today and this has seriously pissed me off. Would it really be too much to ask to expect that "sending a letter" would be under my aftercare package? It feels like THG are out to profit all they can from me having complications!!

Click to expand...

Omg that's just despicable Hun.

Talk about profiteering - fifty bloody quid for a letter!!

I would ring them again and ask to speak to a manager.

Hope you get sorted soon.

Xx

Sent from my iPhone using WLSurgery

Thanks guys

I'm going to call my doctors tomorrow to see if they can fax THG without me making another appointment, if not I guess I'll just have to suck it up and pay the outrageous charge for the letter. I don't really want to piss the GP off by wasting another appointment after he was so reasonable. I need him one side in case it turns out I need the band removing. I definitely can't afford to pay for that privately and will need him on my side to refer me on the NHS.

I'm feeling so stressed at the moment. It's heart breaking enough that I've paid £5k to end up heavier than I was in the first place, plus in a worse place as the hunger pangs when the band is completley emptied are petty bad! So I could really do without the hospital groups so called "aftercare" turning out to be useless.

I wouldn't have a problem if they'd said they charged like £15 to send out a letter. They're a company, I get that - but £50 is really taking the p*ss.

Does anyone know if it is a slip would I be OK to just empty the band or would I still have symptoms? I currently have 3.9ml in a 10 ml band, the dietician suggested that if it was a slip I would still have problems even if I had the band completely emptied.

I hope you got this sorted.... and feeling better.
Just to say that if you have symptoms or uncomfortable you dont need to pay, you can just turn up at A&E of your local hospital with bariatric unit..
The "trade off" is that although they do the x ray they have to empty the band completely! Which might lead to weight gain as i noticed

Thanks Julsci,

I had the band emptied and I have an appointment for am xray at the end of the month. Unfortunately the referal time meant I had to have a complete defill in the meantime. I am still having problems with the band even though it has been emptied now for over 6 weeks.

So after what feels like MONTHS (well not just feels, it has been a 4 month process), it has been confirmed that my band has slipped and needs removing. I feel completely gutted that I have wasted £5k but equally just want the thing out now. It's been causing me so many problems for so long. I haven't lost any weight with it so I guess I'm in no worse situation (i.e. if I'd have lost lots of weight and would be expected to gain it back).

B'ahhh, not the nicest xmas present but I guess there's not a whole lot I can do about it. I feel bad for relying on the NHS to remove it but equally the don't seem willing to do anything else to help me with my weight so I feel somewhat at a loss of what to do next. I'm on a waiting list for some cognitive behaviour therapy counselling with the NHS but the waiting list is so long I am doubtful that will ever happen.

Anyway, just thought I would finish off this thread by saying if you are in any doubt go back to the provider. The surgeon said there was signs the band had been over tightened for too long. I feel THG did not provide adequate support or monitoring. For a start face-to-face appointments with a dietitian would have helped. Along with actually seeing my surgeon ever again after the initial operation. I guess if things go OK then you are going to be happy the THG cheap price but I feel they don't provide any continuity of care and once anything goes wrong they just want to get more money out of you.