Waiting for my wls date at walsall manor hosp.

[waynetta]

Hi i'm a 35yr old mum of one, waiting for a gastic bypass. Ive got an appointment with the anaesthetist on the 6th of jan, then I believe its a further 5wk wait. I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice on what to expect once I go into the hospital to have the op...things like recovery time and pain etc. Im very worried but also excited to think i will get my life back soon.

 

[weight loss hopeful]

Congrats on your appt with anaesthetist. I cant really advise as im a bander. I hope it all runs smoothly for you and you get your op date soon. Take care R x

 

[tesmaralda]

cant help with the details of what happens afterwards but there are loads of posts of peoples journeys from start to finish and they might help a little bit if not im sure there will be someone along soon enough. I am also under walsall manor had my letter yesterday advising me im on the waiting list and the waiting time is approx 20 weeks so looking at mid may i think. saw Dr Hartland the end of october and he sdvised me it would be march april time so will wait for a letter in the post. where abouts in brum are you? Im kingstanding

 

[waynetta]

Thankyou weight loss hopeful, you take care too. x

 

[waynetta]

Hiya, im in Walsall, so luckily I dont have far to go, I saw Dr Hartland first, he was really nice and made me feel comfortable. That was in August.

 

[Jenk]

Hi There,

I had my surgery at The Manor so if you have any questions - fire away!

Good luck!

Emma
x

 

[shelbell]

Hi, I was at a different hospital but my recovery was really good and relatively painless.

I was on painkillers in hospital, but that was mostly for my back (I have a lot of joint problems and lying on the op table for so long set my back off big time). Once I was discharged after 2 nights, I didn;t need any painkillers

A lot of people suffer with pain from the gas that they pump in to inflate your abdominal cavity. I didn't, so can't say what that's like, but gripe water seems to be the best thing to shift it.

I went back to work after 2 1/2 weeks, but my job is very sedentary. I was tiring easily and could have done with a bit longer off, but I coped

 

[waynetta]

Thanx shel

Hiya shel, Yeah I read your blog, it was very interesting, cuz as you know when your playing the waiting game you just want to find out as much as you can. Im very excited and impatient, I just want my op so I can get on with my life!!!
Thanx for replying to me and good luck with the rest of your journey. x

 

[waynetta]

Hi There,

I had my surgery at The Manor so if you have any questions - fire away!

Good luck!

Emma
x

Hi Emma,
Where do I start? When did you have your op? How long did you stay in the hospital for? Did you have an open procedure? Were the staff nice on the ward and was it Swan ward or HDU you were on?
I've got loads more questions lol, but that will do for now, thanx for replying to my original text. take care.

 

[Jenk]

Hi Emma,
Where do I start? When did you have your op? How long did you stay in the hospital for? Did you have an open procedure? Were the staff nice on the ward and was it Swan ward or HDU you were on?
I've got loads more questions lol, but that will do for now, thanx for replying to my original text. take care.

I had my op on the 10th May and have lost 52 lbs since. My WL is really slow but i was considered a 'light weight' by Mr Khan and therefore my wl is expected to be slow although its far too slow for me.

I was due to be admitted on the Saturday but received a call on the Friday asking me to go in as my bed was free and it would be harder to cancel my operation if i was physically in my bed (my op was canceled twice prior). So I went in on the Friday afternoon, had my op on the Saturday. I had my leak test on the Tuesday and discharged myself late on the same day. I was meant to have my leak test on the Monday but it was bank holiday.

The staff on swan ward were really nice most of the time but they were very under staffed and it did show. Also bare in mind there are some very ill patients on this ward (cancer patients) and sometimes when wls patients moaned about being in pain (not me i would like to add) there were a few comments like 'you opted for this surgery, its an operation - it will hurt'. This wasnt very often, im just trying to say its no holiday camp lol.

I didnt need to go to hdu and my op was lap. I had very little pain afterwards, i didnt take pain relief at all. I healed very quickly and my scars are now very faint.

I did have to inject myself for 21 days post op with blood thinning stuff but as my tummy was numb it didnt hurt at all

If there is anything else, ask away.

Good luck

Emma
x

 

[waynetta]

I had my op on the 10th May and have lost 52 lbs since. My WL is really slow but i was considered a 'light weight' by Mr Khan and therefore my wl is expected to be slow although its far too slow for me.

I was due to be admitted on the Saturday but received a call on the Friday asking me to go in as my bed was free and it would be harder to cancel my operation if i was physically in my bed (my op was canceled twice prior). So I went in on the Friday afternoon, had my op on the Saturday. I had my leak test on the Tuesday and discharged myself late on the same day. I was meant to have my leak test on the Monday but it was bank holiday.

The staff on swan ward were really nice most of the time but they were very under staffed and it did show. Also bare in mind there are some very ill patients on this ward (cancer patients) and sometimes when wls patients moaned about being in pain (not me i would like to add) there were a few comments like 'you opted for this surgery, its an operation - it will hurt'. This wasnt very often, im just trying to say its no holiday camp lol.

I didnt need to go to hdu and my op was lap. I had very little pain afterwards, i didnt take pain relief at all. I healed very quickly and my scars are now very faint.

I did have to inject myself for 21 days post op with blood thinning stuff but as my tummy was numb it didnt hurt at all

If there is anything else, ask away.

Good luck

Emma
x

Hiya Emma, thanks for that, yeah I have loads of questions. So here I go again! How long was your date after seeing the Anaesthetist? What did you take in to hospital with you? Did you have a catheter? Were there many other wls patients? and finally for now lol Do you have any regrets? Thanks for sharing your experiences with me, i'm really really thankfull, nervous but very excited too! x

 

[Jenk]

Hiya Emma, thanks for that, yeah I have loads of questions. So here I go again! How long was your date after seeing the Anaesthetist? What did you take in to hospital with you? Did you have a catheter? Were there many other wls patients? and finally for now lol Do you have any regrets? Thanks for sharing your experiences with me, i'm really really thankfull, nervous but very excited too! x

Two days after I saw the Anaesthetist I called Karonica who used to schedule the operation's (i dont think she works there anymore) and she gave me my date which was approx 3 weeks later, but my op was cancelled twice to lack of beds so in the end it was around 7 weeks after.

I did have a catheter which i had nightmares about as I have certain issues but to be honest it was fine. The pump so much fluid into you via drips that you would be up and down to the toilet all day and night if you didnt. I asked for mine to be removed a day early as it was getting a little uncomfortable but i was also very mobile so they didnt mind.

In our ward / room was six beds and four of us were wls patients and we were all operated on the same day except for one so it was nice to chat and compare how we felt. We still keep in touch via text to see how we are all doing.

Regrets - I dont regret having the op but i dont think its been as successful as other peoples. I dont loose weight now and a struggle with a few tummy issues and lack of energy but i know that if i hadnt had the op i wouldnt be 50lbs lighter. I think people need to have realistic expectations as maybe mine were not.

I took loads of things with me into hospital but really only used my mobile and charger. I took books and magazines which i didnt even open. I took nightdresses, wash bag, shower cap (I have long high-lighted hair that takes ages to condition so I didnt want to have to try and do that 1 day post op LOL). I took my ipod but didnt use that either as we all just chatted and slept.

Keep the q's coming and I will try and pop by here in a couple of days, i just dont have perm internet access at the moment.

Emma
x

 

[Sambucca]

Just wanted to say am loving this thread. Its great to hear your experience Jenk as I will hopefully be at Walsall Manor having my WLS during 2009

 

[waynetta]

Hi Emma, Thanx for answering my questions so far! I have a couple more, but to be honest I just wanna be there experiencing it all myself! I'm just getting a bit impatient now and want to get it over with.
I'm worried about finally getting my date then, them canceling it like they did with you. How many days/hours notice did they give you before they cancelled? Then how long was your next dates after they did cancel? This I think is my worst fear at the moment, because as you know it's a long enough wait without being messed around.
How are you feeling now, anymore weight loss yet? Have you had any follow up appointments yet?
thats it for now chucks, take care. x

 

[Brunetteandred]

It seems there are different pathways at Walsall Manor. Depending on the patient's needs. Which makes sense.

I was referred by my GP end Sept 2008, hads my first appointment at Walsall Manor on 6th Nov where I was weighed, height measured, BMI calculated, saw Ana the bariatric specialist nurse who talked through my history and advised what options are available to me.

We talked about what my current eating habits were i.e. whether I am a binger or a grazer and how banding works (and how it can be cheated!). Also, she had to take into account my previous surgeries. And thus bypass was recommended.

I then went into see Dr. Hartland who went through my history again, asked me about any medication I am taking. He then talked me through the Roux en Y process and said that I was at the best age and BMI for it. I was advised that the waiting list is 4-5 months and that I would hear in due course.

Two weeks later, I received an appointment for March 27th (not 26th as I previously put!) and have since found out that this is to see Dr. Kenrick, the psyche. Ana tells me that I could see him post-op as his list is behind. And as someone has rightly pointed out to me privately, what's the point in seeing him first post-op?! I was worried that my op-date would be 4-5 months after seeing him, but Ana assures me otherwise, so I must go with that.

So here I am. Waiting for an op-date. I am not worried about the psyche side. A large part of my depression is related to my weight and self-esteem, but not wholly. I have other issues to attend to. But the main thing is that I am not worried about seeing the psyche. This is not a decision I have taken lightly or overnight. I am not following a fad or certainly not an easy option (anyone who says that to me will risk a tongue lashing at the very least!).

I am a rational, educated person who knows that it is a life-changing (and potentially life-saving) procedure, although not the panacea to sustained weight loss. I know I will have to meet it at least half-way with diet change and exercise.

So, bring it on and let's be getting on with it.

 

[waynetta]

Yeah I know...From what I have seen, it does'nt seem as though there is any method or routine to which it is the same for all. ie. To get from your first appointment with a GP to surgery. I thought there would be one standard procedure to follow, except of course for emergencies.

 

[tesmaralda]

have spoken to ana today and she told me that they wont take my gall bladder out with out instruction from my gp, si now have to speak to them next week to ask the dr if they can instruct mr khan to remove it, even though both my gp and i were under the impression that if the test came back positive it would automatically be removed(he showed me the letter from dr hartland)thats why he booked the scan so quickly as not to delay surgery. I was also told that it is a waiting time of 5 months from when they get your pct funding confirmation which i wasnt told at my initial meet otherwise i woukd have been chasing it up before i did, so my op should now be around mid may 8~(

 

[shelbell]

Mid May isn't long away. The time will fly by!

 

[tesmaralda]

Mid May isn't long away. The time will fly by!

thanks shel just a bit fed up of the whole everyone singing from a different hymn sheet and had ngeared myself up to march/april and i am not the most patient of people i hate waiting and not being in control. I think i am just having a bad day and things are catching up with me and i think events over xmas have affected me more than i like to admit.

 

[Brunetteandred]

The funding thing is totally bonkers. Ana said that if funding had have been refused, I would have had a letter first!

I am hoping for May but am trying to put it out my mind and see what happens.

Your gallbladder issue doesn't exude confidence in communications does it? Keep us posted, Terri.