So what happens now?

[Sappho]

So I have been to my GP and asked to be referred. She agreed and said she would find out who the nearest surgeon is. She booked me in for a blood test. All is quiet now, I wonder what are the stages of the process, what happens next and how many appointments (hoops) are there to go through now? Can anyone shed some light? Thanks

 

[rosejohnson]

I wish I had some answers for you, but I genuinely have no idea.
I am sure you will get the answers you need, I will just say Good Luck for your journey.
Rx

 

[Caroline101061]

You should get a letter in due course from the hospital that your GP referred you to with an appointment to see a surgeon who specialises in bariatric surgery. At that first appt, you will discuss the various options of WLS available and what is right for you and also the funding process - I would think that the hospital will apply for you although sometimes its your GP that does. Then there are various tests which all take time to have cause of waiting lists etc - you should estimate 12 months from initial appt with consultant to op if you are going NHS. If you are going private then its far far quicker - good luck.

 

[fatbutnot4eva]

have you looked at your area pct ? they usually have the guidelines xxx goodluck

 

[fatbutnot4eva]

BOSPA - The British Obesity Surgery Patient Association

heres the link to the area guidelines x

 

[Fashionably Late]

After my GP referred me to the hospital, I received a letter from the hospital saying I had an appointment with a consultant and a dietician. This was supposed to be just a history of my weight loss efforts, physical health and how to proceed. My dietician gave me some weight loss strategies and was lovely. No one would really talk about surgery with me and the dietician suggested I try and lose 5% of my weight before my next appointment which would be 3 months later. The consultant I met with ordered some more blood tests and asked for some of my meds to be changed.

Good luck and have patience. Every PCT and hospital are different and some areas make you go through an entire weight management course.

 

[Sappho]

Thanks, my doc said she would phone me but I was not sure of timescales. I have been through a weight management programme already. So I guess now it is a waiting game..

 

[margaretmc]

Hi
Good luck with your weight loss journey . I hope you don't have to wait to long till you get seen . Take care .
Margaret xx

 

[Rebirth]

My GP referred me to the endocrinologist who after taking my history referred me to the PCT for funding. She also referred me to the BOSPA site to read up on the different wls options. From this I got the details of my nearest surgical wl support group which I attended. I got some surgical recommendations which I was able to follow up. The PCT sent me 2 booklets re Salford Hospital and Manchester Spire Bariatric services to choose which provider I wanted, if funding was approved. I heard within the month that they had approved funding and had referred me to the hospital of my choice. I had my first group meeting at the Spire on Monday. The whole process has taken 2-3 months thus far. Much quicker than my GP had indicated that it would. Good luck on your journey.

Rebirth

 

[thinkbethin]

Hi Sappho, sorry I can't help you as I don't know how it works in your area. Just want to wish you luck on your surgical weight loss journeyxx

 

[Sappho]

Thank you. Will keep you posted and good luck to all of you on your individual journeys. It is nice we are in this together!

 

[Jezabelle]

Good luck with your weight loss journey Sappho. x

 

[Neen]

Hi Sappho, I hope it is not too long a wait for you to have things start happening. Keep focused and come chat and lean on all of us as much as you need to. I was messed about a lot by in my own area NHS wise and by chance we sold our house and moved into rented. I just made a decision to go private because the funds were there, otherwise I would have just had to go through the process of waiting.
I guess if you think of the weight loss as permanent after the op, it's going to be the last lot of waiting you're going to endure before becomming slim...so yeah stay focused whatever direction it goes and however long it takes. You will do it and it will be worth all the wait in the end.
much love xx