NHS or Private

[quetiapina]

Hi there, I am new here. I am looking into having Gastric band surgery after the yo-yo dieting has left me at 23 stones (I also have Bipolar disorder which does not help). This means I have a BMI of 48. However, as I live in Wales, apparantly the lightest you can be is BMI 50 to be considered and so am looking at Private - espescially Hospital Group Bromsgrove. This is hard financially but I see it as the only route. Had made up my mind to go private and then had letter from NHS hospital to see someone - have been told that it is virtuallyimpossible to get surgery on NHS but it has really blurred my thinking about everything. I would love advice on this, from anyone who has applied to have gastric band done on NHS particualrly, but not only, in Wales. How and why people went private etc. Thankyou so much. Q xxx

 

[tesmaralda]

Hi and welcome to minis sorry not from wales but am having a bypass on the nhs one of the factors being I can't afford to go private, the other being I do meet the criteria and tried the nhs route first and was successful am now just waiting on pre ops and then will have my op date soon after.

 

[lucyannp69]

Hi,

I'm going private with WGA at Dolan Park in Bromsgrove next Wednesday. A friend went there in November and had Mr Super and shes delighted with her band. I've met him and he was very professional and inspired confidence. I've read good and bad things about WGA but, on balance, i'm really excited to go ahead. It's the cheapest basic package without going to Belgium or the Czech Republic, theres no aftercare included but you can buy various packages from WLS. I'll keep you posted!!

 

[quetiapina]

Thankyou for your posts. How are you finding the milk diet Lucyann? What was the consultation like - I'm going to have mine on Weds. How long between consultation and operation?

 

[lucyannp69]

Milk diet is YUKKKK!!!! I've had a cracking headache - drinking lots of water helped and my mouth tastes disgusting. Only two more days to go D-Day! I had my consultation on 31st January in Harley Street and 25th Feb was the first available date for the surgery, have you definately decided to go private? Good luck for your consultation...!!!!

 

[quetiapina]

Good luck for the Op! and thankyou so much for your messages. I have decided to go private. In Wales, the one Bariatric surgeon described the NHS shop being open to obesity surgery but the shelves are empty. There is no point going down that route. Is the milk diet just yoghurts and milk? Lv Jenni

 

[charliegirl]

I had a bypass in November and I got funding on NHS after a short battle. I would of gone private if I had had the money but it was a non starter in that area for me. I was initially turned down for funding but then they found out I had sleep apnea and had already attended a weight management clinic (they recommended this when first turned down)...good luck in what ever you do its well worth it...xx

 

[lucyannp69]

Yep, its basically skimmed milk and V. low fat yoghurts. You can have a bovril drink (yukkk) and well diluted low sugar squash but basicaly it's torture! Its says on the diet sheet 2 yoghurts per day but the surgeon said its not the end of the world if you have more.....I went mad on Saturday and had 3! Theres no question that i'll cheat, it's just something that's gotta be done. Just had a call from the hospital and their driver is coming to collect me at 4am on Wednesday morning, gotta check in at 7....CAN'T WAIT!!!