Ellies journey so far!

[Ellie65]

I havent been around much of late as I was feeling really down with regards to my WLS. :sigh::sigh:

Since I was last on I have changed GP's to enable me to be referred to St Richards.

I have now been approved for funding (I have the letter) but now im being told that I have to wait to be approved from the hospital trust not sure how long this will take. Now ive heard that St Richards books are closed


Does anyone have any ideas??

 

[mandyl]

hi ellie
as far as im aware st richards waiting list is closed till april. xx sorry your feeling down hugs xx

 

[Ellie65]

Your kidding me............:sigh:

 

[BIG KIM]

I don't want to upset you further, as each part of the country is different, but I had to wait 14 months from getting the letter approving me for funding, to having the surgery, it can be a very slow process.

 

[Ellie65]

Thanks there mate, I know patience is what I need

 

[Priesty]

Hi,

I first asked my doctors about this time last year about the surgery. I picked the doctor to see, a very nice older man and he agreed it would help me.

The Dr's surgery secretary had to write the letter and included the doctors recommendation. I then had to go and see a local dietician. She also had to give her recommendation and then I had to wait for local funding approval.

I was supposed to see the St Richards team in May but it got knocked back and I saw them in early July. In the mean time I had decided it was all a bad idea and was going to cancel it but the secretary at St Richards suggested that I at least come along and have a chat. I saw Mr Slater who suggested bypass over band and let me go away with all the gumpf to mull over and decide.

I rang them the following week to say I wanted the bypass and they said they would get back to me in the meantime. I had to go for a meeting with the Physchiatrist at St Richards which was in September of last year and she also agreed that surgery was ok and I was well equipped to handle it but that I needed some councelling to help me use other coping mechanisms once ive had surgery. I was supposed to go on the 18th of December but got cancelled due to snow.

I am now going on the 1st of Feb. I was contacted by Mr Slaters secretary yesterday (the 19th of Jan) to say my operation was on the 12th of March and pre op on the 19th of Febuary.

I think time wise I have been lucky and all in all it hasn't taken too long. The worse thing about it all is the waiting and not knowing. I rang St Richards in November and was told that my surgery had to be done by the end of March, so once your put on the waiting list they do have a 'sell by date' for want of a better term.

I think I was one of the last to go on the St Richards list last year so hopefully you will be one of the first this year.

Good Luck and I hope it's soon for you.

Take Care

Paula XX

 

[Ellie65]

Paula thanks for your reply its like you say the waiting I suppose is the worst part. I feel that at the moment my life is hold, I cant plan anything and dont want to plan anything just in case I get the call/letter. Its drivimg me nuts!

 

[Ellie65]

Will this ever come together??

Just had a call from the Bariatrics team at chichester saying that my GP needs to refer me for a sleep study,(No point in seeing Mr Somers unless this investigation is carried out) when I spoke to my GP she said that St Richards would organise this, now I am being told from St Richards that it is down to my GP to refer me for the sleep study and if there is nowhere local my GP would then have to apply for funding at my local PCT for it to be done at St Richards. Has anyone exerienced these problems?? and how long do the sleep studies take?? Getting down and desperate!

 

[tiarasandtantrums]

:grouphugg:Can't really help hun, but didn't want to leave without sending a virtual hug xx

 

[Ellie65]

Thanks xxx

 

[Ellie65]

Well well well I have had my funding approved for wls at St Richards (for some time now) but I have iust been informed that I cannot have my sleep study done there as my PCT wants me to have it done locally.

I need to be referred to a local Hospital East Grinstead for a study anyone know what their waiting times are?? or what the costs are roughly if I go private??

Many thanks Ellie xx

 

[Roch]

Have pm`d u xx

 

[reema]

Hey hope your feeling better now? please hang in there i know its really frustrating all this waiting but u have got the go ahead and it will happen enjoy this time you have now before the surgery as its a big change..
I to couldn't wait for my surgery but now i know my life has changed and never will be the same i hope its for the better but it does get a little frustrating when your having difficultly drinking water as i loved water..
so please enjoy the time you have now and after surgery.
I wish you all the best...xx

 

[Ellie65]

Reema , thank you so much for your post. I am feeling better and more positive now I have moaned and groaned from day one wanting this to happen very quickly I suppose im scared in a way and just want to get it over and done with!

At the moment I am waiting for an appointment to come through for a sleep study and then hopefully things will start moving. In a way not understanding about the sleep study and the importance of it confuses me.

With all due respect to my Doctor she is lovely but has no idea about Bariatric surgery and what it entails.

Thanks again Ellie xx

 

[chocchucky]

Hi Ellie didnt want to read and run hun, what a time your having with all this messing around, ive had a sleep study done at a different hospital to where i had sugery, fo rme they just checked my oxygen levels while i was asleep Wish you alot of luck and hope things get sorted for you soon, its sooo frustrating sitting there waiting for things to happen, hopefully it wont take tooo much longer

Bigs Hugs hun and take care

Sharon xx

 

[Ellie65]

Oh Sharon thanks for your reply, I know all this waiting is awfull, I am starting to get paranoid now thinking the hospital dont want to have me on their list and so on.

I need to calm down and relax more (easier said than done) I have become such a miserable biatch lately and feel that I am bringing the whole family down with me.

I take 1 step forward and 2 steps back!

Sorry to rant

Ellie xx

 

[chocchucky]

Awwww Ellie dont worry hun about ranting we understand how you feel It took along time from me being reffered for surgery to actually getting it done, then i had to have several test done in the mean time including talking to mental health It never going to be easy to stay calm hun cause at the mo it probably feels like its never going to happen, it did for me anyway
All i did was just tried to carry on with my day to day life and went to the appointments when they arrived. While i was waiting they actually forgot about me till i phoned them and got a ticking off for leaving it so long
I never used to think about anything else apart from sugery pm me if you need to chat hun

Sharon xx

 

[Ellie65]

Thanks Choccy thats very kind of you xxxx

Anyway.......ive just had my questionaire through for my sleep study ive completed the forms and returned them back straight away, will need to call them in a few days for an appointment! Well....its a start!

 

[Ellie65]

Finally......... things are moving got my Sleep study on 6th April and I am on the cancellation list for an earlier appointment if one comes up:banana dancer::banana dancer:

 

[gemrovers]

Hi Ellie,
Just wondering how you're getting on? It really surprises me how different areas and PCTs do things so differently, my case has been handled quite quickly. I had my first appointent with the consultant in September, after having the sleep study, seen pyschologist etc I got my date through for surgery today for the 10th of March. The waiting is a killer but it will be worth it, keep smiling and it will all happen before you know it. We are all in the same boat and here to help each other so try stay positive.