Newbie London! few questions!

[samlouise01]

Hi Everyone!

I am new to the site and still in the process of discussing surgery with my doctor.

I have been overweight since i was around 8 after a serious illness, the docs told my mum to not be surprised if i became overweight.

I am 5ft3 and weight 17stone at the moment giving me a BMI of approx 42. :cry:

I also suffer with an illness called Hypermobility syndrome, which means my ligaments are overflexible and can cause frequent dislocation.

It it imperative that people with this condition maintain a healthy weight as extra pounds will cause the condition to worsen at a quicker.

I never knew i had this condition and i have been trying to get gastric band for around a year now. I have been to see a dietitian, i have been on orlestat and Unfortunately, exercising is a joke, I get past that brick wall, just when an hour a day starts to become easy and i end up twisting my knee/tearing ligament in my ankle which are usually injured just walking down the road. It becomes very disheartening when you then have to rest your injured limbs and lose that momentum.

I lost my job in February due to redundancy and have not worked since after a spate of injuries one after another.

I have another appointment with my GP on Friday as enough is enough. I am sick of being palmed off and i wish i could do this the natural way but with my condition it is near on impossible to exercise with the excess weight. my only chance is to loose as much with a gastric band and then build up my cardio and endurance afterwards.

I contacted the head of UCLH Batiatrics who told me that based on what i have told her i am eligible for surgery and to tell my GP to refer me to her. so now i am going back to my GP armed with this information to demand at least a referral for the consultants to decide whether i would benefit from surgery.

Sorry for the waffling, but if anyone out there could tell me how long they waited in London from Referral to operation? and also is there any tips to approach my GP since all of their other options ie orlestat/dietitian have not worked? I am sick of being given the run around now!

Thanks in advance

 

[samlouise01]

Advice needed

Hi there, I posted this in the introduce yourself section and although i have had 48 views I didn't even get a welcome message so i thought i'd move it into a more active section where hopefully someone would be kind enough to reply.



Hi Everyone!

I am new to the site and still in the process of discussing surgery with my doctor.

I have been overweight since i was around 8 after a serious illness, the docs told my mum to not be surprised if i became overweight.

I am 5ft3 and weight 17stone at the moment giving me a BMI of approx 42.

I also suffer with an illness called Hypermobility syndrome, which means my ligaments are overflexible and can cause frequent dislocation.

It it imperative that people with this condition maintain a healthy weight as extra pounds will cause the condition to worsen at a quicker.

I never knew i had this condition and i have been trying to get gastric band for around a year now. I have been to see a dietitian, i have been on orlestat and Unfortunately, exercising is a joke, I get past that brick wall, just when an hour a day starts to become easy and i end up twisting my knee/tearing ligament in my ankle which are usually injured just walking down the road. It becomes very disheartening when you then have to rest your injured limbs and lose that momentum.

I lost my job in February due to redundancy and have not worked since after a spate of injuries one after another.

I have another appointment with my GP on Friday as enough is enough. I am sick of being palmed off and i wish i could do this the natural way but with my condition it is near on impossible to exercise with the excess weight. my only chance is to loose as much with a gastric band and then build up my cardio and endurance afterwards.

I contacted the head of UCLH Batiatrics who told me that based on what i have told her i am eligible for surgery and to tell my GP to refer me to her. so now i am going back to my GP armed with this information to demand at least a referral for the consultants to decide whether i would benefit from surgery.

Sorry for the waffling, but if anyone out there could tell me how long they waited in London from Referral to operation? and also is there any tips to approach my GP since all of their other options ie orlestat/dietitian have not worked? I am sick of being given the run around now!

Thanks in advance

 

[NorthamptonGirl]

Hi there and welcome to the forum.

unfortunately i can't help as a) im not in london and b) i went private, but i didnt want to be someone who just read your message and didnt reply!!

im sure someone will be able to help

sam

 

[SHARONA]

Hi and a big welcome Samilouise . Unfortuetly i can not answer your question but someone who lives in your area and who is more experienced will come along soon. Wishing you all the best with your WLS journey! X

 

[mrshengy]

Welcome & good luck x

 

[samlouise01]

aaah thanks for replying, I wasn't sure if the settings on the forum was causing a problem with people replying (i.e. you have to post 20+/50+ posts for full access) but at least i know its working now! lol hopefully someone can help.

I have also read (i don't know if i am interpreting this the wrong way) that prior to July this year all funding was agreed and approved locally by your CCG formally known as PCT, but since then it has been moved to the national budget so it doesn't come out of the GP budget anymore... thus in my head it means it is now easier to at least get referred?

Thanks Sam x

 

[Julrydr64]

Hello and welcome

 

[Mazza]

Hi

Your post in the introduce yourself section went into moderation. This happens with new members and long posts, just so we can check that you are a legitimate poster.

I authorised the post yesterday morning but its probably slipped down the pile, so to speak.

I'll merge these two together.

Please also be aware people may not reply because they can't help, some people don't like to post just to say they can't help.

I'm not sure how many members we have that were NHS patients in London, chances are maybe a handful.

Good luck on your journey xx

 

[Kar8858]

Hi and welcome..don't be fobbed off..good luck!!

 

[Leda]

Good luck with your journey

 

[Bear]

Hi Samlouise and welcome.

That's interesting what you say about hyper mobility. My 8yr old son has the same condition. Thankfully it's not proved too problematic for him yet, but I can remember the doctor once saying he'd be able to freak people out later in life with his movements etc. He certainly does do that. Lol

 

[claudiadearman]

Welcome newbie too xxx

 

[samlouise01]

HI thanks for all the replies.

the only thing i can suggest with hypermobility is lots and lots of exercise! and make sure you keep an eye on what he is eating, espec when he hits puberty as thats when the binge eating usually sets in along with the constant tiredness of being a teenager! lol so i would suggest that will be your sons most crucial time! I wish i had listened but i had always been biggish and managed to get the weight off every so often but now its not controllable due to the hypermobility worsening x

 

[los in it]

Hello samlouise 01
didnt want to read and run , I like the others cant answer some of your questions othèr than it took me around 18 months or so from asking my gp to having my wls in sept 2014
ģood luck with everything

 

[ICAWM]

Hello

The crucial thing with NHS England criteria is that you must satisfy Tier 3 in order to move to Tier 4 (ultimately surgery)

http://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/owg-join-clinc-path.pdf

Have a look at the annexes on this which give indications of things expected to have tried first.

You don't need to say "I want a gastric band" as part of the process includes meeting dieticians and psychiatrists/psychologists to identify the underlying issues. You may find that a different type of operation is suitable for you (or that GP led weight management service is all you need)

Everyone's journey duration differs. Whilst it's frustratingly long at times, it's good not to rush it and to absorb all the help you can along the way.

I'm in Kent where no hospitals do this NHS so I was referred first to Kings (about 3years ago) and I still haven't even seen a consultant. A little over. Year ago, I was referred to Sudbury Clinic and was due for op early Spring but NHS funding issues out spanner in works. Fortunately with GP previous support and my Tier 3 with Sudbury, I was referred to Whittington where I had my bypass last week. It's been a long old slog but something is worked towards for a long time.

At the Educational meeting at Whittington, they said that from that day, most patients could expect surgery around 18-24 months. The hospitals can often offer the Tier 3 service too so keeps things tidy.

I hope I haven't bamboozled you with too much. Google, read posts on this site, inhale as much knowledge as you can and demonstrate how you can commit to this new lifestyle.

I wish you lots of luck.

 

[pannini]

Hi, I feel i am in the same Boat i have been told that because i went abroad 8yrs ago to have my Lap Band Fitted and now having problems with it and i need it removing my surgeon has to apply for funding so i am waiting in pain till someone gets back to me,
can anyone advise
PANNINI

 

[GBforraz]

Hi Everyone!

I am new to the site and still in the process of discussing surgery with my doctor.

I have been overweight since i was around 8 after a serious illness, the docs told my mum to not be surprised if i became overweight.

I am 5ft3 and weight 17stone at the moment giving me a BMI of approx 42. :cry:

I also suffer with an illness called Hypermobility syndrome, which means my ligaments are overflexible and can cause frequent dislocation.

It it imperative that people with this condition maintain a healthy weight as extra pounds will cause the condition to worsen at a quicker.

I never knew i had this condition and i have been trying to get gastric band for around a year now. I have been to see a dietitian, i have been on orlestat and Unfortunately, exercising is a joke, I get past that brick wall, just when an hour a day starts to become easy and i end up twisting my knee/tearing ligament in my ankle which are usually injured just walking down the road. It becomes very disheartening when you then have to rest your injured limbs and lose that momentum.

I lost my job in February due to redundancy and have not worked since after a spate of injuries one after another.

I have another appointment with my GP on Friday as enough is enough. I am sick of being palmed off and i wish i could do this the natural way but with my condition it is near on impossible to exercise with the excess weight. my only chance is to loose as much with a gastric band and then build up my cardio and endurance afterwards.

I contacted the head of UCLH Batiatrics who told me that based on what i have told her i am eligible for surgery and to tell my GP to refer me to her. so now i am going back to my GP armed with this information to demand at least a referral for the consultants to decide whether i would benefit from surgery.

Sorry for the waffling, but if anyone out there could tell me how long they waited in London from Referral to operation? and also is there any tips to approach my GP since all of their other options ie orlestat/dietitian have not worked? I am sick of being given the run around now!

Thanks in advance

Hisamlouise01

I am under the Whittington hospital in London, although I haven't had surgery I can share with you my progress so far. I went to my gp In March 2016, she was very supportive and done the referral to Whittington. I received a letter in August 2016 to say I had an appointment with a surgeon in September 2016. At the appointment I was weighed and my neck was measured. I was given a questionnaire to fill out about my eating habits. I spoke to the surgeon who said he thought a bypass would be best for me, he told me that currently the timeframe was between 8 months to a year for surgery. He referred me to have different tests such as bloods, echo, ecg, endoscopy, sleep study, eating disorder assessment, visit bariactric support group at least twice and bariactric group education.
I also was asked to lose 1 stone, join a gym and provide proof that I am keeping track of my weight.
Today I had my last assessment at the eating disorder hospital and my second appointment with the surgeons is in three weeks time. So far from attending Whittington it has been 3 months and I was told initially that the assessments took up to 8 months to complete, I guess I was lucky. Now I'm waiting for my second appointment to see my surgeon and hopefully I will be put on the waiting list. Good luck with your journey

 

[nafpnd]

Hi, I had my surgery at the Whitt in June 2016, very similar process to GBforraz above. I was referred in July 2015 where the consultant said I should have been put on Tier3 before referral, anyway, that's what he put me on, for 6 months. Then in Feb 2016 I saw the surgeon who agreed to operate if I lost 10% of excess weight (in my case 5kg) and I was operated on in June. Tier 3 involved dietician, gym and psychological/eating disorder assessment. Then from Feb, I had all the tests mentioned above (except the sleep study), so in all 1 yr since referral. I had high blood pressure which is a comorbidity and I have PCOS. It is different for everyone though according to your situation. All the best with your journey.

 

[Mazza]

Wow, this is an old thread, it was started in 2014!

The person who started it hasn't been on here since......