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NHS Frustrated beyond words....

Miss_Emtastic

New Member
Hi all,

I thought I would write on here to moan and hopefully get some advice. I started my weight loss journey in September 2016 after being diagnosed with a rare knee condition that I was born with.

After struggling most of my childhood with my weight I found excerising very difficult and painful due to my undiagnosed knee problems. With many misdiagnosis (knocked knees/growing pains/overweight) I turned to comfort eating. I had so many dietians informing me to run up and down the stairs 10 times an hour in order to lose weight. As you can imagine it failed due to pain.

Fast forward to present day and I have lost over 5% of my body weight and still waiting to progress to tier 4! I've been told by the mdt doctors that I am a good candidate for weight loss surgery due to osteoarthritis in my knees and that I'm needing further surgery (orthopaedics won't operate till my bmi is 35 or below due to it being a rare operation).

However, in may a psychiatrist delayed me another 3 months due to my depression tablets needing to be increased. As I explained to the psychiatrist my life has turned upside down and my work has been unaccepting of my disability. To top it off I was made homeless in January because of my disability. Through all of this I managed to keep my emotions in control and maintained my weight. Yet the psychiatrist said it was protocol that if medication gets increased they need stability in my mood so I have to wait 3 months since my medication was increased.

So as my antidepressants was increased in April I changed my appointment that they sent me for September to July. I returned to get weighed and I've continued to maintain. However they still won't progress me onto the next tier due to them needing three months since my psychiatrist appointment. I truly don't understand why i am being punished for maintaining my weight in a very difficult time.

To me it feels as though they are delaying my life and expecting me to fail. Has anyone else experienced things like this? When I first had my appointment I got told as my bmi
Is high I only have to do 6 months of tier 3 then I will progress onto tier 4 if I meet the weight loss requirements. I have lost the weight and kept it off so why are they delaying me? I was told I would have my surgery date by the time It's been a year so my orthopaedic doctors won't even treat my dislocated knee cap until I've had surgery.

I'm really struggling with how I'm being treated....will I ever get my life back? Or will I be forever stuck in a vicous circle.

Hope someone can help,

Emily
 

Bling Babe

Well-Known Member
Aw Hun I feel for you I really do, they certainly make us work for this surgery don't they, you will get there, it will happen, I don't have any answers for you, sorry, maybe use the time to do extra research into types of surgery so your certain which one you would like or if you've decided which then maybe start to research meals to cook after your surgery, please try not to become to disheartened by this x
 

SAM55

Well-Known Member
Contact PALS to see if they will intervene for you. It sounds like rules are just being used for the sake of rules!
Well done on your maintenance in the face of such difficulty.
 

Mollypop

Well-Known Member
I'm so sorry to hear this and I don't have any answers either. I was also postponed for 3 month last year where I wasn't able to get a consent from for surgery signed because the surgeon was busy and this added 3 month to my wait time; so I can appreciate your frustration. Keep at and and don't give up. Its great that your maintaining xxx
 

ItsmePaula

Active Member
I am sorry to hear about the hurricane you have been on. I really do understand where the frustrations are. It seems as if they are making up the rules as you are going along.

Just keep going, you are brave and strong. well done for maintaining. :hugs:
 

_Victoria_

Well-Known Member
Hey @Miss_Emtastic I'm sorry to hear about your struggles. I suffer a lot with knee pain too.. mine dislocate often and they're both often painful. It's so frustrating when people tell you you need to exercise when they have no understanding of how painful it actually is. And obviously it's made even more painful by the excess weight.. its vicious circle.
I think as far as your issues with the NHS you should just try your best to keep plodding along. I know waiting is horrible.. I've been waiting now since November 2015. But they really do have your overall health as their first concern. When i had my first appointment they said that the program was a MINIMUM of 3 months.. but they can keep you on it until they consider you ready to handle the surgery. maybe its the same case with tier 3? And i've heard that even people in the best mental state suffer with their emotions a lot after surgery. Regret, depression.. it's a ordeal. It's gonna be a real big change. I'm sure they just wanna be extra sure you're in the right head space to cope with that so you can get the best from the surgery long term. In the grand scheme of things, its just another year right? You've suffered so many already... you can suffer one more knowing that so many happy ones are ahead of you :)
 

FeeBee

Well-Known Member
Hi @Miss_Emtastic and welcome. I second @SAM55 suggestion and talk to PALs. It sounds like you are remaining committed and motivated in very difficult circumstances, well done you! I felt like my life was on hold too and in the end had to try and ignore it all till my date came through but I didn't have a weight loss target to maintain and I can imagine how much more difficult that makes it. :hugs: to you x
 

Miss_Emtastic

New Member
Thank you everyone for your kind words and encouragement. I have taken your advice and wrote to PALS. Hopefully I will hear something soon. I also found my dream wedding dress yesterday so feeling positive that I will look amazing on the day no matter what size I am....still praying that I will be a skinny bride though

X
 

Maria61

Well-Known Member
Thank you everyone for your kind words and encouragement. I have taken your advice and wrote to PALS. Hopefully I will hear something soon. I also found my dream wedding dress yesterday so feeling positive that I will look amazing on the day no matter what size I am....still praying that I will be a skinny bride though

X
So sorry you have had all this stress and hope you get it sorted out soon xxxx
 

nic 2007

New Member
I have found it is very easy to be pushed back in every stage. I had to do a year tier but the linking times going to docs in the first place and back after tier 3 all adds up. In my area I had to go back to my gp after tier 3 to tell them I wanted to go onto tier 4. Such a faff about.
Good luck on your journey! I xx
 
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