New on site and at Luton & Dunstable

[Suffolk Joy]

Hi everyone

I had a gastric band 10 years ago privately and since then have had endless problems. The follow up was non-existent and I thought it would be a case of eating smaller amounts but regular food. By the time all the fluid had been removed from band over 2 years ago via NHS I was on a semi-liquid diet just able to eat maize based products and little else that stayed down. The band needs to come out as there is scar tissue still causing a restriction and the endless vomiting for all those years has resulted in less than healthy teeth and a distended oesophagus above the band. I did lose weight though but only 5 stone and as I started at 29st 9lbs there is still plenty more to get rid of.
Due to extent of problem I am having the band taken out and a gastric bypass done at L&D some time next year under the NHS. I hate operations so I opted to have it all done under one anesthetic rather than band removal followed by gastric bypass.
I have seen the consultant once (Mr Jain) , dietitian x 3, psychologist, had bloods taken, had a sleep apnoea test and just completed a month on the milk diet and am now on a Food Reintroduction diet at 900 calories /day. I hit the weight loss target set by the dietitian and have an appointment with member of Cons team on 26th January 2017.
Can anyone tell me what is next in the process? Do I see an anesthetist prior to being given a surgery date? How long is each stage? I was hoping the appt on 26 Jan would be when I get an op date but by looking at some of the discussions I may be being unrealistic. Good to hear some feedback.

 

[FeeBee]

I can't answer your questions I'm afraid but want to say hello and welcome. I hope someone who can help will be along shortly x

 

[starryeyed]

Welcome to the forum not sure you'll get a date that soon but you never know! X

 

[Suffolk Joy]

I am need of some help and inspiration. I am not sure what is happening and where I am in the system / process and just feel utterly lost. It feels as though L&D tell you what the next step is and keep you in the dark for the rest. I have done the 4 week milk diet, lost the 9 kg I should have. At the last appointment on 6 Dec I saw the psychologist and dietitian. Psychologist said she was okay for me to progress. The dietitian was brief and gave me a reintroduction diet of 900 cal / day and I am struggling with that. In comparison the milk diet at least offered no choice and I didn't have to worry about too much or not enough. In fact I am now struggling to eat at all. I am so disinterested, making meals and not eating them and lost, it makes me want to cry. I have a deflated band in-situ that is coming out when I have my op but I am back to being sick unless I have my pre-milk diet which is not a healthy balanced diet. I have been given a date for an appointment on 26th Jan to see "Ms A Bariatric Mdt (non-consultant) - General Surgery Consultant or another member of the General Surgical team". Any one understand that or what the appointment may be for? Should I call the bariatric team at Luton and ask what the appointment is for. It doesn't say anything about seeing an anesthetist. I am so down and am really worried about putting the 9 kg back on over the Christmas period.

x

 

[SAM55]

Hi everyone

I had a gastric band 10 years ago privately and since then have had endless problems. The follow up was non-existent and I thought it would be a case of eating smaller amounts but regular food. By the time all the fluid had been removed from band over 2 years ago via NHS I was on a semi-liquid diet just able to eat maize based products and little else that stayed down. The band needs to come out as there is scar tissue still causing a restriction and the endless vomiting for all those years has resulted in less than healthy teeth and a distended oesophagus above the band. I did lose weight though but only 5 stone and as I started at 29st 9lbs there is still plenty more to get rid of.
Due to extent of problem I am having the band taken out and a gastric bypass done at L&D some time next year under the NHS. I hate operations so I opted to have it all done under one anesthetic rather than band removal followed by gastric bypass.
I have seen the consultant once (Mr Jain) , dietitian x 3, psychologist, had bloods taken, had a sleep apnoea test and just completed a month on the milk diet and am now on a Food Reintroduction diet at 900 calories /day. I hit the weight loss target set by the dietitian and have an appointment with member of Cons team on 26th January 2017.
Can anyone tell me what is next in the process? Do I see an anesthetist prior to being given a surgery date? How long is each stage? I was hoping the appt on 26 Jan would be when I get an op date but by looking at some of the discussions I may be being unrealistic. Good to hear some feedback.

Different hospital to you but NHS. I only saw consultant once after I had seen everyone else and they had had the MDT meeting. It was then I was put on the waiting list. I didn't see the anaesthetist until the day of the op, but had lots of tests at pre-op for breathing, ECG etc. which is standard stuff. It then depends on how long the waiting lists are, and they vary from hospital to hospital, although NHS guidelines are supposed to be within 18 weeks. I had to wait 7 months so a couple of months over, but that was because it was a teaching hospital, and a specialist cancer centre, and WLS was on the same waiting list, so you would get moved down if there was an emergency admission, which with cancer is quite often! I could have gone to a hospital further away once i had reached the 18 weeks, but travel would have been different so i decided to wait.

I am guessing you saw consultant quite early because of your problems, and this second appointment is because you have seen the rest of the team and they have agreed for you to go ahead. Mine hinged on the psychologist report. I am guessing as your health is very poor because of previous surgery they won't want to keep you waiting too long?

I hope your next experience is a lot better, and you lose some of your fear of surgery.

 

[nafpnd]

Welcome to the forum @Suffolk Joy , I hope someone at L&D will be along to share. I was also NHS went on tier 3 in August for 6 months and met with the surgeon in Feb who scheduled me for surgery in 6 months. I never saw the anaesthetist, my final appointment was with a surgery nurse specialist in preparation for surgery. Surgery is much safer nowadays and even the anesthetic can be reversed- that's what they did for me as I was a day case and had to 'come out of it' in time to go home on the same day. All the best this time round

 

[los in it]

Just wanted to say hello and welcome!

 

[Sweetcheeks84]

Hi all I am also at L&D hospital. I first went Sept 1st 2015. I'm still waiting to see the MDT team on the 30th DEC 2016 yup just after Xmas..... Feeling nervous as iv gained a lot since last appointment. I'm seeing the nurse,dietitian, and psychologist I have no clue what happens after that nor If they are going to letr me move forward as iv gained. I'm hoping I get a date as iv been waiting all this time an I'm no longer working due to my health conditions which I'm struggling withas iv always worked. Do you know what happens after the MDT meeting? An will I get a date for my op that day? Xx

 

[Suffolk Joy]

Hi. This gaining weight is a problem as I don't know if I will be penalised if I gain weight before my next appt on 26 Jan. Good luck on 30th. keep us updated on how the MDT appts go and what you have to do next. Xx

 

[Sweetcheeks84]

Hi. This gaining weight is a problem as I don't know if I will be penalised if I gain weight before my next appt on 26 Jan. Good luck on 30th. keep us updated on how the MDT appts go and what you have to do next. Xx

Iv gained a stone since September 1st (that's today's weight just after Xmas) I don't know what will happen I just hope they will understand because of Christmas. I will keep you posted once iv been I'm so nervous I can't sleep I really how I get a date then I can start planning my life. This is so hard iv done all that's asked of me yet I know only that I need to see the MDT team. I got told it mite be few more months after seeing them that I'll see the surgeon which would be a huge blow.
Here's to hoping my fingers and toes are crossed xxx

 

[Mazza]

Hello and welcome!

I'm an ex bander, now converted to a sleeve, my operation was two stage though.

Things are slightly different with conversions, there aren't usually as many hoops to jump through once its been decided thats the route to go down.

Don't get me wrong, there were hoops, such as attending every appointment or you'll be kicked off the system and right at the beginning to'ing and fro'ing between different hospital departments before they decided the course of action. I also had to do the pre op diet x 5, as my band removal was rescheduled three times. I then had to wait another nine months for my sleeve. I was refered to the hospital at least three years ago and it took a long 18 months before things started moving - so frustrating at the time.

The letter you have from general surgery will be for the bariatric team (my letters always cam from general surgery too) so hopefully then you'll get some answers. Don't be afraid to give them a call in the meantime though, is there a bariatric co-ordinator you can call?

Good luck and keep us posted xx

 

[coffeecup]

Hi I'm with the l&d, I was sleeved on the 22/12. It seems you have had your MDT appointment with the psychologist etc and now you have your app to see a surgeon? I think the reason why your letter says what it says as in who you are seeing is because one of the consultants died and they are still in a bit of disarray at the moment, they have appointed one new surgeon MR al taan and they are trying to get another aswell. From seeing the consultant I was listed for surgery and then it's anything upto 18 weeks to get a date, it was 15 between me seeing mr jambulingham to being operated on. I hope this helps xxx

 

[Suffolk Joy]

Hi everyone and many thanks for your comments. I did ring the hospital and ask who I would be seeing at the next appointment on 26th Jan and its a dietitian for a weigh in. I have since got the psychologist report which says I have to prove I can maintain my weight loss and stick to a meal plan during the 900 cal food reintroduction plan.
I have to say that's easier said than done as I am back to being sick more days than not and finding myself very limited once again to foods that I know will go down which are not always the lowest calories. On the positive side, my home made soup skills are now excellent!!
Hey ho! it looks like even being as they called it fast-tracked there are still many barriers to leap before I get my operation. So I shall keep on trying to do the three meals, staring down a loo bowl daily when being sick as penance for being a fatty and plod along through the system.

 

[Suffolk Joy]

Iv gained a stone since September 1st (that's today's weight just after Xmas) I don't know what will happen I just hope they will understand because of Christmas. I will keep you posted once iv been I'm so nervous I can't sleep I really how I get a date then I can start planning my life. This is so hard iv done all that's asked of me yet I know only that I need to see the MDT team. I got told it mite be few more months after seeing them that I'll see the surgeon which would be a huge blow.
Here's to hoping my fingers and toes are crossed xxx

Hi
How did the appointments go and what were their comments on your weight gain? Have you got any further on the pathway?
SJ x

 

[Suffolk Joy]

Welcome to the forum @Suffolk Joy , I hope someone at L&D will be along to share. I was also NHS went on tier 3 in August for 6 months and met with the surgeon in Feb who scheduled me for surgery in 6 months. I never saw the anaesthetist, my final appointment was with a surgery nurse specialist in preparation for surgery. Surgery is much safer nowadays and even the anesthetic can be reversed- that's what they did for me as I was a day case and had to 'come out of it' in time to go home on the same day. All the best this time round

Wow! am I reading it correctly that you had a bypass and went home the same day? is that normal or are you very hospital phobic? All I have read about the post-op period made me believe that I would be in for 2 - 3 days (whenever that may be) before i will be able to head home. I hate being in hospital but I am not good at handling anesthetics so I assume I am in for a post-op stay

 

[Suffolk Joy]

Hi I'm with the l&d, I was sleeved on the 22/12. It seems you have had your MDT appointment with the psychologist etc and now you have your app to see a surgeon? I think the reason why your letter says what it says as in who you are seeing is because one of the consultants died and they are still in a bit of disarray at the moment, they have appointed one new surgeon MR al taan and they are trying to get another aswell. From seeing the consultant I was listed for surgery and then it's anything upto 18 weeks to get a date, it was 15 between me seeing mr jambulingham to being operated on. I hope this helps xxx

Hi there
How is post op period going for you? How did the op go and the stay in hospital? I am down to see the dietitian on the 26th Jan to see if I have behaved on the 900 cal diet and done as I am told. More hoops to negotiate!
SK x

 

[nafpnd]

Wow! am I reading it correctly that you had a bypass and went home the same day? is that normal or are you very hospital phobic? All I have read about the post-op period made me believe that I would be in for 2 - 3 days (whenever that may be) before i will be able to head home. I hate being in hospital but I am not good at handling anesthetics so I assume I am in for a post-op stay

Yes, I was a day case. I was the first gastric bypass day case at the whitt (don't know about the rest of the country). My surgeon selected me as an experiment lol! I was absolutely fine, in pain like everyone else but manageable.

 

[Sweetcheeks84]

Hi
How did the appointments go and what were their comments on your weight gain? Have you got any further on the pathway?
SJ x

They refused to refer me due to my gain. They wanted me to do the milk diet but due to my condition I can't do that so they put me on the low cal diet 3 meals a day. My nurse wants me to lose a stone in 4 weeks which is fine I can lose weight easy but its keeping it off. I had a few issues with the clinic as the nurse was meant to see me in4 weeks then got an appointment for27th March. I was not happy so called them and they sorted it. My nurse said once ilose the stone they will refer me. But then few days later I got a letter (after I complained) which was an appointment for the surgeon on the16th march so finally they are sorting things out.
So slowly I'm on the right road x

 

[FeeBee]

I was last on the list on my surgery day as I was the only one planned to stay in which surprised me but I have seen other people go home the same day too.

 

[coffeecup]

Hi there
How is post op period going for you? How did the op go and the stay in hospital? I am down to see the dietitian on the 26th Jan to see if I have behaved on the 900 cal diet and done as I am told. More hoops to negotiate!
SK x

Touch wood everything is going ok, I had barely any pain post op apart from when I initially came to but they dealt with that very quickly and after that I was comfortable. As for food I haven't had anything I can't tolerate so far and nor have I been sick. The stay in hospital was fine, a little awkward for me as I work there as well, but I was only there for the night so it was ok. Yeah they want to see that you can make changes for life. Keep us all updated X