Another newbie needing help please ....

[mumsie74]

Evening everyone, Im looking for help and guidance on the start of this long road ahead...I live in North West Scotland and im 36 years old. Having been obese since a child, I know that now my family is complete is the best time to decide about wl surgery. My GP is great and has had me on Orlistat for the last few months with little loss. I wonder if anyone here can tell me if I will qualify for NHS funded surgery...

My BMI is 49.4, I have epilepsy and have taken sodium valproate for over 18 years(which is know to cause weight gain and listed in the NICE guidelines), I suffer sleep apnoea, always tired, knees have been crunching and giving me grief for years. High blood pressure and stroke and heart attacks in my close family. Have been on all diets know and lost some weight but never kept it off. Having young children is starting to worry me that i wont be here for long as the weight is still going on slowly.

My GP wrote to the local NHS and as they are still finalising a new weight management project he felt it would be unfair to refer me until it is all in place, who knows how long that will be. My GP is happy to refer me to Glasgow once I have been under the dietician for a wee while, which i have done in the past with little success. I know what to eat! I need something which will physically stop me eating so much!

Can anyone give me some tips on how to push things along, things i can do to help get my case across?

Thankyou for reading my ramble......

 

[sicknote]

Hi & welcome

I can not give you advice on your local pct, but was wondering if you could contact your local nhs to find out what is going on? I feel a bit unsure when you say that the doctor won't refer you untill weight managment programme has been established......do you fit the criteria now???? would you still fit the criteria once their done amending the programme? wouldn't want to think that you were being "duped" out of a referal x all pct are very very different but i'm sure someone will be along with some helpful advice for you x i wish you all the best xx

 

[mumsie74]

Thanks for replying. Sorry I didn't word it well, my gp wrote to the medical
Director about my referal. And its was the director that said to wait until new
Managment project was in place. As far as I'm aware I do meet the criteria its just
That they are not Accepting anyone right now. But my gp is happy to refer me
To glasgow so I assume I would need to apply for funding through them instead of
My local nhs. Its all so confusing!

 

[sicknote]

Hi,

I see, okay,
I was worried in case you where going to be out of the criteria guidlines come weight managent implament time x it sounds to me that you can calm down, and relax seeing as you have meet the criteria already, one thing i would advise though (again this is different for every pct so might not count) in the time it takes to get your funding approved may be go to slimming world or weight watchers for your self (i know you prob been before) but i expect that they will want to see recent commitment from you, and as i said your in a waiting game so make good use of this time by doing everything that can help the process along xx not only that but doing your surgical reserch now will mean that you are fully aware and prepared for the choice you want or the one that the surgeons see fit for you xx my funding was approved recently but it said "if the patient was to increase his/her weight they will automatically have to go through the funding approvel again" in other words they were telling me watch what you stick in your mouth from here on in because that cake your eyeing up could cost you your surgery.......I have taken heed lol xxx

 

[penelope1008]

Welcome I think you have had some great advice. However could you GP refer you our of catchment to see if they could help
you?

 

[mumsie74]

Thanks everyone, i appreciate all your comments. im going back to my gp on tuesday to discuss things.

 

[sicknote]

good good at least youl'l know where you stand x all the best xx

 

[christine1957]

like me i dont have a clue but hang on in there x