Hello! Looking for advice please

[Hannah2]

Hi @oliviafrances i was referred in January 2016 had my first group apt/saw Mr Pellen in March and cleared for surgery end of May. However I didn't have to have any further investigations for anything. I was told it would be at least 8 months wait for surgery so decided to go privately with Mr Pellen instead. Hope that helps.

 

[Laaux]

Great thanks, when/which appointment was you told you're approved for surgery?

It wasn't until my last appointment with the dietician that she said it would go back to the surgeon and then the board to decide if I was approved for surgery. I then got an appointment to see the bariatric nurse and she said the board had approved me. Then I was added to the waiting list, it was about a year after I started the journey as I got my surgery date very quick. X

 

[oliviafrances]

Ok, did anyone need a colonscopy/sleep apnea test done? Very much want to avoid the colonoscopy (I have no reason to believe theres a problem there anyway) but do we have to have one regardless at Hull?

 

[oliviafrances]

Hi @oliviafrances i was referred in January 2016 had my first group apt/saw Mr Pellen in March and cleared for surgery end of May. However I didn't have to have any further investigations for anything. I was told it would be at least 8 months wait for surgery so decided to go privately with Mr Pellen instead. Hope that helps.

Wow that's a very quick turn around! Everyone at Hull seems to be seeing Mr Pellen instead of Mr Sedman like me haha

 

[Laaux]

Ok, did anyone need a colonscopy/sleep apnea test done? Very much want to avoid the colonoscopy (I have no reason to believe theres a problem there anyway) but do we have to have one regardless at Hull?

I didn't need any tests like that x

 

[sophiapink100]

Good luck with your journey, it is definitely a life changing one .. and there can be some difficult emotional times that go with the drastic change. I am in a different catchment area to you and I had my op 3 years ago but I was not fast tracked and I had a BMI of over 60.. However I think the longest part is the part prior to hospital referral - or it was for me. I did have to have sleep apnea testing yes, but again this was done prior to my hospital referral. Once I was referred and had my first appointment which was in July of 2013, I had my operation a year following, however I was originally scheduled for the Feb 2014 but had some health problems which meant it got deferred.

Sophie
x

 

[Julia56]

You fill in some questionnaires at your first appointment. Some of the questions are to look for possible risks of sleep apnoea. If they think you might suffer from it then you will be referred for a test. I was and you take a machine home that you wear overnight that records your sleep pattern.

Remember, none of this is done to delay you, just to make sure you are safe during the surgery so be honest. Just trust them and follow the process. I know you want to get on with it but you also need time to prepare your mind and your body if you want this to be successful in the long term. (IMHO).

 

[oliviafrances]

You fill in some questionnaires at your first appointment. Some of the questions are to look for possible risks of sleep apnoea. If they think you might suffer from it then you will be referred for a test. I was and you take a machine home that you wear overnight that records your sleep pattern.

Remember, none of this is done to delay you, just to make sure you are safe during the surgery so be honest. Just trust them and follow the process. I know you want to get on with it but you also need time to prepare your mind and your body if you want this to be successful in the long term. (IMHO).

I will be 100% honest with them, I don't snore at all and have never had sleep problems before that I know of You're right I am very keen to get this done ASAP but i'm also well aware the need to be honest as it will aid my lifelong journey with this process

 

[oliviafrances]

Good luck with your journey, it is definitely a life changing one .. and there can be some difficult emotional times that go with the drastic change. I am in a different catchment area to you and I had my op 3 years ago but I was not fast tracked and I had a BMI of over 60.. However I think the longest part is the part prior to hospital referral - or it was for me. I did have to have sleep apnea testing yes, but again this was done prior to my hospital referral. Once I was referred and had my first appointment which was in July of 2013, I had my operation a year following, however I was originally scheduled for the Feb 2014 but had some health problems which meant it got deferred.

Sophie
x

Thank you, and thanks for sharing your journey with me! Can I ask how old you were when you had yours done? I think I might be the youngest on here (21)

 

[sophiapink100]

Thank you, and thanks for sharing your journey with me! Can I ask how old you were when you had yours done? I think I might be the youngest on here (21)

You are welcome....I would have been 23, however it took me 3 years in total to get from doctor referral to the surgery.. I had to go through every loop you could imagine before they finally referred me for surgery. Think it worked slightly differently then. Age is on our side!

 

[Kate1980]

Hi Olivia I'm also at at group session on the 22nd August and under Mr sedman will see you there x

 

[oliviafrances]

Hi Olivia I'm also at at group session on the 22nd August and under Mr sedman will see you there x

Hi! That's great news that someone from this forum will be there too. How long have you been waiting since your referral?

 

[Kate1980]

Hi! That's great news that someone from this forum will be there too. How long have you been waiting since your referral?

I was originally referred to weightwise 10.5 months ago and had heard nothing went back to my drs 7 weeks ago as had continued putting weight on and now had a bmi of over 50 and had added a couple of co morbidities into the mix so I then got the referal straight to the consultant at castle hill my appointment came through at about 4 weeks to wait another month till the 22nd ... ironically enough I've had a letter through this week saying I was finally at the top of the list for weightwise too but will be sticking to direct with the hospital x

 

[Kate1980]

Say that I originally asked for a referal in Feb 2014 at which point I was flatly refused without even being weighed my dr at the time just looked at me and said your not big enough I was about 25 stone and had a bmi of 45 but I'm 6"1 and seen to carry my weight quite well .....so I've spent the last 3.5 years researching and finding out all I can all I can about surgery

 

[Julia56]

How exciting, real life buddies about to happen. Welcoming to Kate as well.

 

[oliviafrances]

First appointment went great, Mr Sedman is lovely and really took the time to answer every question I had. I'm overall feeling very positive about this whole process

 

[Laaux]

Glad it went well x

 

[Kate1980]

Olivia Mr sedman was lovely wasn't he ? Did you get booked onto the group diet talk with beryl ? .... I got lucky my course is the 12th not the 14th so didn't have to rearrange anything ... Mr sedman mentioned coming back in 6-8 weeks do you know what for ?

 

[Julia56]

Told you so!

 

[starryeyed]

Say that I originally asked for a referal in Feb 2014 at which point I was flatly refused without even being weighed my dr at the time just looked at me and said your not big enough I was about 25 stone and had a bmi of 45 but I'm 6"1 and seen to carry my weight quite well .....so I've spent the last 3.5 years researching and finding out all I can all I can about surgery

Yay a fellow tall person, /waves