Please, help me with any bit of info you have!!

[angel_face1985]

Hi all!!

I've been thinking about having weight loss surgury as i did lighter life last year lost 7stone and think ive put it all back on now!!
I'm really confused about what are the different procedures,
How much does it cost privately?
How do i go about gettin it on the nhs?
I was more thinking of gettin it privately as it will take too long on the nhs!! but i just wanted to know what you guys make of it all!!

Oh and has anyone had it done abroard because its cheaper abroard isnt it?

Thank you and if there anything else you can think of let me know ANYTHING!!

MY bmi is about 43 im 5 4" and live in south devon!!

Jenni.xx

 

[thinkbethin]

Hi Jenni,and:welcome2: to mini's. Why not 1st try to see if you would get nhs funding?? Have you checked the NICE guidelines for the criteria for your area?? If you really want to go private then there are many members on here that have done that. I'm sure those who have paid privately will be along soon to answer any questions on this. Are you looking into having band or bypass??? Let us know and we'll help you all we can. xxGaynorxx

 

[angel_face1985]

Thank you!!!

I wasnt really to sure about which one i was goin to have, i was thinking more for the band as its in thoery not so perminant! i just want to find out as much as i can from people that have had it done before i go and see any one, I went to the doctor and asked about surgury but she said because i had lost weight on the lighter life then they know i can do it but the fact ive put 7 stone back on in 7 months is very scary!!!

 

[thinkbethin]

Angel the reason why we opt for surgery is because we have tried everything else. We can lose the weight but always regain it plus more on top. I'm nhs for banding and I have it done 1 week today. I'm no where near brave enough to go through bypass but hats off to those that do.Your gp should be more supportive. Next time you see him/her ask to be refered for funding. Did you check the guidelines to see if you fit the criteria??? If you don't know how then I will tell you?? you need to be honest with yourself about eating habits for you to work out which op would best suit you.

 

[topsy]

If you are serious about having a surgical weight loss procedure then i would research and read around it getting as much info as possible, also i would look on the surgical weight loss forum here and read as many blogs from those who have had these procedures done to see the effect it has made on their own lives.

WLS really is an end of the road senario as Gaynor said we have all tried and exhausted the diets out there but we either put the weight back on or in my case not able to lose enough weight due to medications.

Brunette and Red is an excellent blog and will give you the highs and lows of surgery - there are others too but personally i can relate to Red's experience.

Welcome to Minis - i hope you find what you are looking for and that it gives you peace of mind

 

[angel_face1985]

I'm not quite sure yet how the whole site works yet so dont know how to find the blogs you are on about!!!

I have thought about surgery for the past 6 years and have asked my gp for the past 6 years but they just dont take me seriously, I get very embarrassed about my weight so find it very hard to approach the subject!!
They were really supportive when i did lighter life but have seen the weight go down and back up very quickly!!
I think i would prefer the banding as i think i am also too scared to have the by pass, and yes my hat also goes off to the guys that have had it done or are goin to have it done!!
I have tired many and many diets and have successfully failed every one!!!
I feel now that surgery is my only option but i cannot find on line things explained easy enough for me to understand!!!
I would really like to know how much i am looking at if i was to have it done privatly?

Thanks for all the support and replies.xxx

 

[baby jayne]

My Op is costing £7000 and I'm having my surgery with a surgeon called Basil Amouri, he is based at Spire Manchester.
Google him, he is very good. There are a lot of people on here who have had their Ops with him and they can't speak more highly of him. I would travel anywhere in the Uk to have an Op with a reputable Surgeon, its a lot of money and your life.

 

[Silversurfer]

Hi angel_face

for a bypass privately if yo go with a good company in the uk your looking at 10.5k
A band will cost you about 7.5k

Abroad its considerably less, and some have gone abroad for surgery, but thats up to you to weigh out the pros and cons, personally i wouldn't and didn't !

I had a bypass at the end of August last year, and to date i've lost 10 stone, i started at 24.6 stone with a bmi of 50 and am now just over 14 stone and to be honest i've not had to work very hard at losing the weight either.
I dont dump, so can pretty much eat and dink anything i want and other than not being able to eat huge quantities of food not much is different to pre op, other than i'm fitter and healthier now than i've ever been before.

My decision which op to go for was based on the average statistics and the advice of my consultant, if your BMI is over 45 they normally advise a bypass as the stats say you will lose more than with a band.
Be under no illusion though, the band is only the tool to help you lose weight, you will still control what goes in your mouth and its easy to cheat, ask any of the banders here and they'll tell you that banding isn't the easy option that its believed to be, and you have to work with it to make the lose !

My advice at this stage would be to go and do your research, do a google search on gastric band or bypass and you'll unearth a heap of different information, mins is also very good for support and advice, though do be aware that everyone of us is different and although we share simular experiences we all have variances.
Good luck

 

[baby jayne]

Silver I do hope she knows what you mean by dump and she doesn't think something else lol.
That was good advice, the bypass im my opinion is the better bariatric surgery if you have the nerve to do it, I haven't!!

 

[topsy]

Hi Angel - to get onto a blog there are two ways one go to the left hand margin and underneath the person's info you will see my mood and underneath a number next to blog click onto this and it will take you to that persons blogs. The second way is somewhere on the main body of a persons page they will have a link that when you click on to it again you go straight to that persons blogs. Hope that helps i have read loads of blogs and learnt so much both what happens physically and mentally to a person taking this route to lose weight

 

[Silversurfer]

Silver I do hope she knows what you mean by dump and she doesn't think something else lol.
That was good advice, the bypass im my opinion is the better bariatric surgery if you have the nerve to do it, I haven't!!

Lol

I'll be really honest with you, i was going to have a band and dead set on it, but reading up about all the different things that can and do go wrong, plus the band fills, continuing cost of fills etc etc and the fact i really didn't want a plastic device floating around inside me made me change my mind ! also the average percentage of body fat lose with a bypass is a lot higher, giving me a better chance of meeting my targets.
It is right, the bypass is really a one way route as its difficult to regress, but i didn't want something i could easilly cheat, or take out or de fill when i felt like it ! Nerves didn't really ome into it, i know statistically your at greater risk having a bypass, but i figured if i'm going to die it will be from the anasthetic not the surgery and it makes no difference if i'm under for a band or bypass.

Guess it all really comes down to personal choice really, i hate dieting, never been any good at it and have trouble following regimented diet regimes, therefore a bypass is right for me !

 

[angel_face1985]

Yikes i wasnt expecting it to be that expensive!!! I would really like it done in the uk as it does seem much safer!!
and like wise i would travell anywhere to have the best done!!
I can really see your point with the bypass and the banding i dont really like the idea of some plastice floating around inside me!

I am a little confuesed on the term dump tho!! hehe!!

I think i will have a good google search on it all.

So what do you recomend is the best way to get a referal through the GP?

Thank you all again this is so usefull for me!!xx

 

[tinkywinky]

I am new to this site too but have had lovely comments to my few questions I have posted.
I have tried lots diets and always put on more than i lost. GP gave me 2 different pills but they didnt help. For me I feel wls is only option left to control my weight. I looked at wls last year and mention it GP who gave me pills. I have looked at nhs criteria for my area and I dont qualify as i dont have diabetes, high blood pressure etc. I have now decided on gastric band with wlsgroup and hope to have it done in June at cost of £6950.
Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[Silversurfer]

Yikes i wasnt expecting it to be that expensive!!! I would really like it done in the uk as it does seem much safer!!
and like wise i would travell anywhere to have the best done!!
I can really see your point with the bypass and the banding i dont really like the idea of some plastice floating around inside me!

I am a little confuesed on the term dump tho!! hehe!!

I think i will have a good google search on it all.

So what do you recomend is the best way to get a referal through the GP?

Thank you all again this is so usefull for me!!xx

No if you go private you dont need to discuss anything with your GP, in fact as i went privately for my op the first my GP knew was when he got the referal notice from my surgeon 6 weeks post op !

I've never had much faith in my GP, on the odd occasion i've felt i needed medical advice i've been fobbed of with a few pills, so he was the last person i felt like opening my entire soul to !

 

[topsy]

It all depends on what your GP's like - i am very lucky as it was my GP who came up with the suggestion of WLS. If you find going privately too expensive then go through your GP to be referred. Make sure you state your case in a logical and consise manner. Write points down so you won't forget what you want to ask and remember if you are morbidly obese you are at a higher risk of serious health problems that the NHS would have to cover - so by having WLS you would have a better quality of life and lower your health risks and in the long run saving the NHS - all you can do is see how it goes. Sending you hugs with fairy dust to help you become an successful weight loser

 

[angel_face1985]

My gp is normally really good everytime i mention it she says go and c the nurse and they nurse is just like oh u want he pills dont you? I'm like no!! they dont work! and think the pills on sale atm are a really rip off!!! I think if i go back again and nag then they might take me seriously? I dont have any medical things rong with me except depression for 8 years really linked to my weight so I thought by now they would take me seriously??
I am being refered for chrones testing tho as they thought i had ibs do you think ill still be able to have it with that? surely having wls will make it better??

 

[easter chick]

Hi i had band and so far really happy had mine at dolan park in bromsgrove with hospital group i am so glad i had it done they were great.I wanted it done on nhs but my doc wanted me to take fat loosing pills first i did not want them i was worried about side effects in the future not enough known about them.Then they said i was not big enough but my bmi was 44 and i have tried so many diets always goes back on and more besides.I dont think we can all be wrong they should do more research into fat problems.But i suppose the diet industry would lose a fortune if they found a reason i still dont feel its all about what you eat some of it maybe.Good luck with what you do

 

[Snowcrystal]

Hi angel_face

for a bypass privately if yo go with a good company in the uk your looking at 10.5k
A band will cost you about 7.5k

Abroad its considerably less, and some have gone abroad for surgery, but thats up to you to weigh out the pros and cons, personally i wouldn't and didn't !

I had a bypass at the end of August last year, and to date i've lost 10 stone, i started at 24.6 stone with a bmi of 50 and am now just over 14 stone and to be honest i've not had to work very hard at losing the weight either.
I dont dump, so can pretty much eat and dink anything i want and other than not being able to eat huge quantities of food not much is different to pre op, other than i'm fitter and healthier now than i've ever been before.

My decision which op to go for was based on the average statistics and the advice of my consultant, if your BMI is over 45 they normally advise a bypass as the stats say you will lose more than with a band.
Be under no illusion though, the band is only the tool to help you lose weight, you will still control what goes in your mouth and its easy to cheat, ask any of the banders here and they'll tell you that banding isn't the easy option that its believed to be, and you have to work with it to make the lose !

My advice at this stage would be to go and do your research, do a google search on gastric band or bypass and you'll unearth a heap of different information, mins is also very good for support and advice, though do be aware that everyone of us is different and although we share simular experiences we all have variances.
Good luck

Sorry to hijack a bit here.........but had to say, well done silversurfer, that's a fantastic result and glad you're feeling
healthier....Well Done.

~~~X~~~

 

[xmandyx]

Hi Hun

I'm not quite sure yet how the whole site works yet so dont know how to find the blogs you are on about!!!

I have thought about surgery for the past 6 years and have asked my gp for the past 6 years but they just dont take me seriously, I get very embarrassed about my weight so find it very hard to approach the subject!!
They were really supportive when i did lighter life but have seen the weight go down and back up very quickly!!
I think i would prefer the banding as i think i am also too scared to have the by pass, and yes my hat also goes off to the guys that have had it done or are goin to have it done!!
I have tired many and many diets and have successfully failed every one!!!
I feel now that surgery is my only option but i cannot find on line things explained easy enough for me to understand!!!
I would really like to know how much i am looking at if i was to have it done privatly?

Thanks for all the support and replies.xxx

Hi angel face,
I have just come back from Belguim on Sunday evening, I had a Gastric Band there on Friday morning, My doc was Dr De Bruyne Chris, He is a great surgen and his package is reasonable compared to the uk. I had tried the NHS route but nothing happend, to be told after many promisesthat there was funding then all of a sudden no funding. So I look for private, but I could not afford the cost of the UK surgens and looked to Belguim were the cost was a lot less. I am so glad that I have made the choise of having the gastric band, onwards and upwards. Mandy x

 

[quetiapina]

Hi there, I had a gastric band through The Hospital Group "Why Go Abroad" package, I just had the basic package as this suited my needs. It cost £5,500 as my BMI was well over 45. For a BMI under 45 it is £500 cheaper. I have to pay for my own fills which is £125.00 each. I have no aftercare but i'm lucky in that I get this support on NHS.
Good luck to you - you are in the right place - as you can see there are loads of people here to give you advice!