Can anyone give me a little advise

[janie71]

I am going to the doctors tomorrow to ask if i can be refered for a gastric bypass/band. I am 5"1 and 18 stone 9. I dont have any medical conditions(YET)my parents do(heart problems, high blood pressure and diabetes). I have been on diets for years and had 3 different weight loss pills prescribed from the doctor over the past 2-3 years. Can anyone tell me if I would be considered for surgery on NHS.:wave_cry:

 

[hopelesscase]

hi janie depends on where you live. where are you from? have a look at the bospa web site. welcome to minis though and good luck at the drs

 

[janie71]

Hi hopelesscase, i live near newcastle upon tyne, and ive had alook on the nice criteria. Im still no further forward.

 

[callysplace]

Hi Janie, I went privately for mine, do you know the criteria your health authority demands before they perform surgery? My bmi was in the 40's but my doctor told me that you had to have a bmi of over 50 for the area I live in (Barnsley) or over 40 with health problems.
Theres a lady on here called shell that can tell you the best way to check if you are within the guidelines for surgery!
Good luck and welcome xx

p.s just quickly checked for you, your bmi is 49.2 so there may be a good chance that you should be able to make a good case for the op!

 

[janie71]

Thanks callysplace, i will try and find shell and ask her. thank you.

 

[e.green69]

hi janie
just like to say welcome and hope you have good news when you see your doc..
emma

 

[Mynewlife]

Hiya Janie71

The NHS team I was under would not do it on the NHS as I didn't meet the criteria. I weighed about the same as you to start with, 18-7, and had no "co-morbisity" illnessess, their criteria was a bmi of 65, and at 42.5 BMI, there was no way I would ever meet their criteria. I suppose I could have tried to gain about 4 more stone, but I was already depressed enough with the weight I was, I could not imagine adding any more. I stayed with my NHS Team for about 18months trying to persuade them to let me be an exception but they weren't having it. I managed to scrape together the £5k and have the gastric band fitted privately. I am still under the NHS care team, but they just monitor me now every 6 months and I meet with the dietician every 3months. Just to let you know, with the NHS these days, things are so tight, but I wish you well and hope that they will let you have it done on the NHS. THey will probably get you to try other things first, like I had to, even though I had tried them through my own GP, they made me try them again.

Good Luck

My New Life:wave_cry:

 

[shelbell]

my ears are burning

give me a tick and I'll post up the info.

 

[shelbell]

Right, at 5"1 and 18st9 your BMI is 49.5. Now that means that you meet the NICE guidelines (BMI 40 or over, or 35-40 with associated problems).

Now, Newcastle operate on NICE guidelines, so if you come under Newcastle PCT then *in theory* you meet the criteria and should therefore get NHS funding.

If you don't come under Newcastle PCT then look here and see if your PCT is listed.

It's good because when you go to see your GP you can say 'I've looked at the criteria, and I meet the NICE guidelines, so I would like you to refer me for bariatric surgery and apply for funding on my behalf'. You're showing that you've researched and that you know your rights which should make any GP happy

HTH

Shel

 

[j.u.s.t.l.i.z.]

Hi hopelesscase, i live near newcastle upon tyne, and ive had alook on the nice criteria. Im still no further forward.

hi janie, i live in boldon, i was banded in sunderland by mr small on the nhs, they do nhs ops on people further away than you, ask your gp to be refered to mr small at sunderland royal hospital, you have the correct bmi for an operation.
good luck
liz xx

 

[tammy]

Hi Kanie and welcome to minis. I had my bypass done on the NHS and the criteria was to have a BMI over 40 and have tried other weight loss options. I did have diabetes and high BP but they weren't essential to met the criteria. good luck and keep us posted on how you get on x

 

[alliecat]

Welcome to Minis - good luck with seeing your GP. It is a bit of a postcode lottery with the old funding, but we will all keep our fingers crossed, and make sure you let us know how you get on x

 

[Mynewlife]

quick question

Hiya readers

I paid for my band privately, as the NHS refused to do it as they said I didn't meet the nice guidelines. WHen I went back to see my consultant at the hospital and told him that I had had the band fitted privately, and as I had saved the health authority £5K, would they at least sort the band fills out. They have a doctor on staff that does the band fills, so it;s not like they don't do them. THe consultant told me that the band fills are only for patients that have had the band operations done under the NHS at that hospital!!!! have you ever heard such rubbish? has anyone else out there that had their op done privately managed to get the band fills done under the NHS? If we pay for the operation privately, surely this is saving them huge amounts. WOuld anyone know how to go about getting the NHS to sort the band fills out. I have paid for the first one and had it done, but feel they should offer me future band fills, done there with the doctor on staff who does it!!! any advice or input would be much appreciated,

thanks
mynewlife

 

[charliegirl]

Hi Mynewlife, gosh I am so proud of you tackling them over this you a very valid point and I am sure there will be a lot of interest in this. I agree if you have funded the op yourself they could at least do the fills. Months ago when I first spoke to the PCT about funding and said I would go private if I could afford it she wasted no time in telling me they would do NOTHING to help unless a person was admitted through emergency department. I think this is just so wrong, maybe we could petition parliament or something....Linda x

 

[j.u.s.t.l.i.z.]

Hiya readers

I paid for my band privately, as the NHS refused to do it as they said I didn't meet the nice guidelines. WHen I went back to see my consultant at the hospital and told him that I had had the band fitted privately, and as I had saved the health authority £5K, would they at least sort the band fills out. They have a doctor on staff that does the band fills, so it;s not like they don't do them. THe consultant told me that the band fills are only for patients that have had the band operations done under the NHS at that hospital!!!! have you ever heard such rubbish? has anyone else out there that had their op done privately managed to get the band fills done under the NHS? If we pay for the operation privately, surely this is saving them huge amounts. WOuld anyone know how to go about getting the NHS to sort the band fills out. I have paid for the first one and had it done, but feel they should offer me future band fills, done there with the doctor on staff who does it!!! any advice or input would be much appreciated,

thanks
mynewlife

Hi i was told that the nhs wont provide any form of aftercare for private patients, thats why i fought to be nhs banded as i could simply not afford the after care privatley, they told me if i was to self pay that id be on my own after as they do not touch self payers.

 

[janie71]

Thanks everyone, alot of good advise i appreciate it, i have been overweight since childhood,i have done every diet know to man and nearly every diet pill prescribed and bought over the internet and even the dietician said my diet is good but yet i loose a little weight and then put more back on, you just feel :cry:what else ? I will keep you all posted and THANK YOU AGAIN.

 

[shelbell]

Good luck today Janie, will keep my fingers crossed!

 

[janie71]

Hi, well the Dr has said he is going to refer me to a Mr Small(sunderland hospital) ? I meet all the NICE crireria for my area and he mentioned PCT. Does anyone know how long from the Dr refering me before i get an appointment to see Mr Small.:wave_cry:

 

[hopelesscase]

well done you one step futher forward already.

 

[charliegirl]

You could call the out patients booking department or his secretary, they sometimes can help. I was referred a few weeks back to see Mr Ammori but have yet to get a letter although I have found out he has clinic spaces free from mid october...Linda x