Help

[Katie84]

I am going to the doctor again tomorrow, i have asked previously for a gastric band or gastric bypass but with no avail.

Since then my weight has increased to a BMI of around 44 due to my medication for my bipolar disorder.

I am getting really worried about my weight but just cant stop myself eating, my medication makes me constantly hungry and thirsty.

I want to go armed with family history if this will make any difference? i know the guildlines say i need to be BMI 50 or 45 with problems.

Now family history:

Mums side, 2 brothers and 2 sisters diabetic, mum has high sugar levels doctor thinks she is on the verge of being diabetic.
Mum has high cholesterol: 8.8 and is on tablets.

Dads side, history of heart disease with my grandad, my uncle had heart attack at 28!!! they are ALL obese, all struggle to loose weight.

Is there anything i can go to the doctors with to make him change his mind to refer me, i have tried tablets from the doctor, the internet, every diet going and nothing works

Please help

Thanks

 

[lotsabeefy]

Hi Katie
Sorry to read you are having problems, i cant really say anything that would help only to keep trying.
Best of luck Honey xx

 

[shelbell]

As far as I know, family history isn't taken into account unfortunately. Sheffield seems to be quite strict on criteria, they say over 45 with severe co-morbidities, so you would need to have sleep apnoea, diabetes or high blood pressure etc yourself. It would be worth getting tested for sleep apnoea if you haven't been already, your GP can arrange that.

Not much else I can offer unfortunately. Sorry!

 

[Caroline101061]

Its your medical history thats really the issue - if you doc wont comply then change doctors until you find one that will - the only thing that you mention that flags things for me is your meds - think you would have a dreadful time with a band and these meds as they would work against eachother - the bypass would be more effective for a while until your appetite kicked in. Maybe thats why your GP is being reticent

 

[Katie84]

Can i ask what sleep apnoea is? thanks

 

[shelbell]

Its a breathing disorder where you basically stop breathing for a few seconds repeatedly while asleep.

 

[Katie84]

How do they test it? would i have to go in to hospital?

 

[shelbell]

Not necessarily, some people do go in for one night, but mostly you would pick up a machine from the hospital which you would wear strapped around your chest overnight. there would be a bit that sits under your nose too. You wear it for one night and then return it the next day. No needles, blood tests, injections etc It is common in anyone with obesity issues as the excess weight tends to cause it.

 

[swizzlestick]

Hi Katie

Just wanted to say hi and welcome to minis.

Sorry about your uncooperative doc have you asked why he wont refer you?

Good luck with your journey and take care.

 

[Katie84]

My doctor is normally fantastic aside with referring me, he helps me loads with my bipolar but he said he cant refer me as i dont have a BMI of 50, but i will ask him if he will refer me and i will battle to get the surgery.

I wish i could afford to go private but i am on ESA and would never have that kind of money

 

[serenitylove]

might be worth asking to change your meds as you would struggle post op if you want to keep eating have a long chat with your dr and if you have a cpn get them involved as well they may be able to help

 

[Katie84]

I dont have a CPN my medication is the one with the least amount of side effects and the one that puts the least amount of weight on you, but i will speak to my pdoc on thursday when i see her.

 

[dreamofbeingslim]

Good luck with you appt tomorrow Katie I hope she will apply for you.

In answer to the sleep apneoa test I was tested last week and I brought home an oxygen monitor. It is just a clip on your finger to measure your oxygen levels. I went back the next day to see the consultant and get the results. I was diagnosed with mild sleep apneoa and have to go in over night soon to be sorted out with a cpap machine. This machine keeps yours airways open over night.

Be prepared for a long wait on your journey, not trying to put you off just preparing you. Alot of pcts have very strict criteria mine in bmi>40 with severe sleep apneoa and or diabetes. Hense the reason I haven't got funding yet even though I have a bmi over 60.

 

[Twiggie]

Hi Katie

I am also bipolar and various meds in the past have contributed enormously to my weight gain. Fortunately, I seem to have hit on a combination that don't appear to be affecting my appetite, and I've not had any significant weight gain since I started them in Feb this year.

It might be worth double checking the meds you're on with your psych if they're still causing you to feel constantly hungry. It's a fine balance between getting your moods stable and minimising the side effects. I've often asked myself which is most important, getting my mood swings under control or losing weight. It's not an easy question to answer!

Good luck with getting help with this


.

 

[Katie84]

Hi, my appointment was cancelled i have to see the doctor this monday, i asked on the phone for a sleep apnoea test and he said at my appointment he will arrange this.

I know he wont refer me but i am still going to ask i just hope he will as i feel trapped in this body, and been many a time suicidal just to hope to get out of it.

Thanks for all the support

 

[candie]

Katie don't give up the fight hun, it's so worth it in the end

 

[Katie84]

Yeah i will keep fighting for it, my doctor is fantastic and really nice to me but when it comes to referring me for surgery i just get a big fat NO! ill end up crying when im speaking to him about it so hopefully if i tell him to refer me and i will do the fighting for funding he might say yes.

 

[emergingbutterfly]

It seems like your doctor is being a little unfair to say the least. At Charing Cross I was informed that BM1 needed to be over 40, or ver 35 with problems, and not over 50 as you dr seems to say. I am worried that my BMI is too high!!! You need to change doctors!

 

[shelbell]

Monday will be here before you know it, keeping everything crossed!

 

[xdebbiex]

Hi there Katie ,
When I first got refererd the PCT said no.
There guidelines were to have BMI of over 42 at the particular time mine was 37 and increasing..
I had doctors from other hospital write back to my g.p explaing why I needed the operation (medical problems) and my GP then forwarded them back to the PCT and soon after that I heard from them saying they had granted my funding. Hope this helps Good luck x