Message for CharlieGirl

[fatbutnot4eva]

Hi
I really hope that you dont mind me asking but can you tell me what your process has been.
I am in Salford (well Irlam) and am a bit confused about all teh different processes
mine so far has been :
Xenical for quite a log time with no lasting results
Reductil for a couple of months but made me moody
GP suggested Band and told me to think about it for 6 months
I left it 8 weeks after discussing it with my Husband and reasing up on it
I went back to see her and she said she woudl refer me.
Recieved letter yesterday for appointment to go to the lift centre in Walkden for a weight management dietician meeting

I am just a bit confused what will happen then
will I continue on teh xenical for 6 months, be given something different. Go to Hope Hospital or some where else.
How do you know who the surgion is how do you know if you have got funding. Is there anything you can do to help you get funding.
God dont I go on !!!!

Sorry to hassle you
Helen
x

 

[gingernutter]

Keep posting Helen when you get up to 50 you can then message people direct.

Have you looked at your local criteria? That gives you an idea of what their rules are. Funding is very different for every area and no 2 cases seem the same but Charlie girl will be able to share her expereinces with you.

Shel might be able to help as she is like an encyclopedia. I believe she in the same area.

reductil. If you were on it befor then they shouldn't give you it again if it didn;t suit. I almost went NUTS on that medication I will try to pull up my post on reductil.

If you need funding then you have to secure that befor you get to meet the surgen. Some people dont need to find the funded if they have other health problems. You might have to wait 6 months to get to see him. Then what ever his waiting list is. thats a rough guide.

As for me, I have a BMI of 49 and I waiting for funding (seems like forever) Then I have to wait for an appointment with the surgeon and then his waiting list. I have no idea how long I am looking at. having said all this I have seem people on here who have everything sorted in 4 months. Everyone is so different.

You will find everyone here very helpful so keep smiling.

 

[gingernutter]

This is the letter I wrote to my doctor as I was so concerned about the medication.

I have decided to stop taking the Rimonabant (reductil) medication. I can not cope with the negative side effects anymore. I have tried very hard for the past 10 weeks on the tablets with poor results.

I would like to let you know the serious effect that my weight problem is having on my health and my life. I am totally withdrawn. When I get home from work I just want to sit alone. I don’t want to talk to anyone. I do not open the door. I stare from the window. I only leave the house in order to go to work. I do not go out socially anymore. I have gone from a happy, busy lady to a sad, lonely person. I feel very isolated by my weight problem. I feel I should punish myself for allowing myself to regain all this weight. I feel continuously anxious about nothing; I am making little problems into big problems. I have poor concentration. I feel very empty and depressed about my problem. I have been suffering panic attacks when forced to leave the house. I have had to change my work system as I have no patients at the moment. I am so short tempered and irritable with everyone. I am having problems sleeping, I wake in the night and I start thinking very dark thoughts. Suicidal thoughts.

My BMI is almost 50.Everyday living is very difficult; most days are a living hell. I don’t want to explain why but it is very hard to live a normal life like this. I really need the help of the Obesity experts. Please can you recommend me as a patient for the Obesity clinic? Maybe they can help. I feel so desperate. Please help.

My doctor did then refer me to the Obesity clinic. he is very supportive.

 

[charliegirl]

Everyone is different and even if you live in the one area i.e. I live in preston but the PCT's are broken down over the areas so there is central preston, east preston etc etc. and they all work differently. So my experience could be totally different to yours.

I had been trying various methods to lose weight for 2.5 yrs, I have been on reductil three times and orlistat once. Orlistat was pointless as I have a low fat diet anyway and thats why the GP tried Reductil three times. It did nothing for me except give me a dry mouth and stop me sleeping. I was given a gym membership via my GP and also attended a food for thought programme which consisted of meeting in a group once a week for 6 weeks to discuss how we felt about food etc. I also attended slimming world and weight watchers on many occasions. My breathing was getting difficult and I was given an asthma inhaler which I used for 12 months (it made no difference to my breathing). A nurse at my GP's was doing a review and we had a long discussion and I told her about other factors that I was suffering from. She advised me to see a different doctor in the surgery and we discussed bariatric surgery. My BMI was 35, with high cholestrol, high blood pressure and acid refulx. I also suffer from the most horrendous headaches getting 5-7 a week. My GP wrote to central lancs PCT asking for funding (it was a very poor referral letter as my GP had no experience in that area). I called the PCT (as most of us end up doing on here) and the woman said I was highly unlikely in her opinion to get funding and that I would need to attend a weight management clinic for a period of time (2 years) at either Hope hospital or aintree hospital. So whilst waiting to hear the out come from the PCT my GP checked if I could be referred to Hope and I saw Dr New an obesity consultant. He first offered me reductil and 300 cal diet. We talked some more and he then said he thought I was suitable for surgery but was unsure if the band or bypass (at this stage I wanted the band). He also thought I suffered from sleep apnea and arranged for me to have a sleep stufy test. He referred me to see Mr Ammori the surgeon at alexandra hospital. Mr Ammori agreed bypass was the best option and said he would write to the PCT for funding. Now because he wrote the letter to my GP and it was copied to the PCT the PCT have cut Mr Ammori out of the picture. Funding has been agreed but I have to attend a hospital in macclesfield and start from the beginning, ie waiting for an appointment to see a surgeon there is a 2-3 month back log on this at present. I will then have to undergo the blood tests etc all over again. Despite the fact the NHS have already paid out money to Dr New and Mr Ammori they are prepared to spend even more for me to see a new surgeon. I will be going into a private hospital not an NHS one. This again is all down to the PCT and who they have contracts with. Basically itis politics...hope this helps but I would not read too much into it as yours could be totally different. The best advice I could give you is sit tight until your appointment next week you just never know what they will come up with. I went from being told I could have my op in two weeks with Mr ammori to now facing at least a 6 month wait. Its a horrible horrible battle to get what you want and I have used all my energy reserves. It certainly is not something that you can predict. Good luck...xx

 

[hopelesscase]

does irlam come under salford or trafford?

 

[fatbutnot4eva]

Hi
It comes under Salford.
many thanks girls you have been FAB xxx

 

[shelbell]

Hmmmmm there was someone on here a while back under Salford, sure there was. Will hunt.

 

[shelbell]

A HA! (a la Alan Partridge)

How daft am I, it was only recent. PhatGirl is under Salford and doing it NHS.

http://www.minimins.com/surgical-weight-loss/63906-phatgirls-road-slimgirl-just-beginning.html

Sara (Thaialina) is in Salford too I think, but went private.

HTH

Shel