Waiting for Surgery Date

[paulam]

Hi I have recently joined and finding my way around the site. I have read some really positive and inspirational stories. I have completed tier 3 and I am now on the waiting list for a surgery date. I have been told 3 - 4 months (scary but excited). I have also seen tier 4 but not sure what this is (confused!). Can anyone shed any light on this for me please

 

[femfrankie]

Hi & welcome paulam. Congrats too on making through the tier system too. Have you been given any idea what surgery you will be hoping to have?

 

[paulam]

Hi Frances

I Have been offered the gastric sleeve. Did you have to wait long after being approved? Congratulations on your weight loss by the way you have done fantastic!

 

[femfrankie]

Hi Frances

I Have been offered the gastric sleeve. Did you have to wait long after being approved? Congratulations on your weight loss by the way you have done fantastic!

I'm in Scotland so the system is quite different ... Same hoops just a different way of going about it. I had already done the dieticians referrals several times before that so that was one hurdle I didn't have to face although of course the NHS dietician worked with me until I was accepted. From referral to my balloon insertion, this was the first phase, it was about 11months and 6 months later I had my RNY Bypass.
Good luck Paula

 

[los in it]

Hello and welcome!

 

[paulam]

Thank you Frances. I really appreciate your advice. I had something similar in terms of going through the tiers. I had to see a consultant then the dietitian for 4 months (should have been 6 but I had been seeing a dietitian under the GP referral progam) I was still continuing with my exercise on referral and attending something called the expert patient program (not linked at all but helped). I was then sent to the seminars and once I had completed this I was able to see the surgeon who offered me the gastric sleeve option. I spoke to the surgeon's secretary who told me that it should not be more than four months as this is the maximum time on my chosen surgeon's list.

 

[paulam]

Hi los in it

Thank you. I have to say you are aall doing so well on here. I am t the stage where it is hard to even imagine losing a pound. I am trying to eat a lot healthier but I am just always hungry (not helping). I am hoping surgery will help with the the constant hunger

 

[los in it]

You say your hungry all the time but is it really hunger or do you need a drink? Its hard to "read" what your body is saying sometimes or at least thats what I found then there is the dreaded food demon or also known as head hunger thats a b###h !
I found myself pre wls and about to start lsd drinking so much I felt like a walking swimming pool but it did stop me from eating and it wasnt food I craved

 

[paulam]

Ahh yes thank you for the info and you are right. I have been watching a few videos about this on Youtube. Someone on here put a link to gastric sleeves and found it from there. So I watched it last night and for the first time and I realised that there are different types of hunger. The one you describe as the demon (which I now know I always get lol) and I think the main one they said to watch is the body hunger where you leave it too long and start to have symptoms such as shaking.

Anyway I am waffling just before reading your reply I had posted a thread about fruit infused water. I am trying to up the amount of fluids that I drink but I am not very successful on just water. The problem is I already suffer from acid reflux but would really like to try this. I was wondering if anyone on here has tried this pre and post-surgery? If so do they have acid reflux or is it ok?

 

[femfrankie]

Spot on los. Paula when I met with my teams dietician for the first time she was horrified at how little I drank. My first hurdle was changing a lifelong habit of managing and increasing my intake of 3 cups of tea to 2 litres of liquid (sugar and fizz free). And as los describes I felt I was swimming with it but it was necessary because after you have a bypass or sleeve it is drummed into you that you need to drink constantly. So start drinking more now in preparation. Another thing I had to learn was to eat three well spaced meals with 3 healthy snacks in between. Again I started this two months in preparation before my balloon insertion. I ate off a small plate with a small fork, I still do by the way, What amazed me was that I never felt hungry and amazingly I lost over 4 st before my balloon! For 50 years my body must have been screaming for hydration and the only way it could get the message through was for me to eat.

 

[paulam]

I cant thank you enough for your advice. I will be implementing this from today. I used to drink loads but constantly went to the loo and gave up. Now I know it is normal I wont give up so easy.

 

[paulam]

Just wondered is there anybody else who lives in London waiting for a surgery date?

 

[paulam]

Update

So I contacted admissions today because I was told by Ms Chang that my surgery would be in 3-4 months and it is almost two months gone. The lady from admissions informed me that I have not been on the list that long and that the waiting list was actually 4-6 months so I have a long way to go. To say I was upset was an understatement. I really thought that I was preparing for surgery in May but she said more likely to be July. Oh well :cry::sigh:

 

[beepbeepcat]

Chin up and keep up healthy eating. Use the time to prepare your new meal recipes and get in all those little pots for storing mini portions. Maybe try again in a month and say that you would be happy to go on a cancellation list!? Think of how your new life is going to be...look forward. Sending much hugs x

 

[paulam]

Aww Thank you Beepbeepcat - I just felt so disheartened when I was told and that is exactly what I have decided to do, use this time to really focus on my eating and try some new recipes. At the moment I am trying to find a good book on gastric sleeve and suitable recipes from start to finish but there is so many books out there not sure which ones are very good. Trawling through reviews now.

 

[femfrankie]

Paula the time will fly in and before you know it you will be well fixed on the losers bench. Meanwhile try to stick to a healthy eating plan and learn a new healthier lifestyle in preparation for what is ahead. That way it's not such a great big shock to you once the time comes

 

[paulam]

Hi Frances

I have decided to focus on my eating and thinking about going back to swimming. I know what you are saying is right yet still I feel like all the others who are waiting. If everyone was singing of the same hymn sheet it would be so much easier and not getting conflicting information. So yeah I did get really hyped thinking it is the end of month two and she did say 3-4 months plus the fact that I was already getting myself psyched up for it. Thank you for your advice gonna take it on board and focus on my eating. Time to start a diary I thinks

 

[paulam]

So just an update. I have tried to call Coordinator to find out how long I have on the list and I am still getting the same thing you have only been on the list for three months (waiting list is apparently 4-6). Surely by now they would have an idea of when I should hear from them. I am not even asking for an exact date, just an idea of when they might call me. Like many of us on here we have our weight issues and we have our work family social lives etc. I cant seem to plan anything at the moment. Rant over

 

[FeeBee]

I know exactly what you mean. I got my date with 6 weeks notice and it made a huge difference mentally. I felt so frustrated because I couldn't plan anything. I needed time to sort out having time off work because I work with vulnerable people so can't really just disappear. I have kids so childcare to arrange and yes a social life too.
All I can say is the end must be in sight now and when you get the date you'll feel loads better well in my case that was until the nerves kicked in!

 

[paulam]

I know exactly what you mean. I got my date with 6 weeks notice and it made a huge difference mentally. I felt so frustrated because I couldn't plan anything. I needed time to sort out having time off work because I work with vulnerable people so can't really just disappear. I have kids so childcare to arrange and yes a social life too.
All I can say is the end must be in sight now and when you get the date you'll feel loads better well in my case that was until the nerves kicked in!

You are absolutely right. Tried to call them again today just to ask them to please give me more than two weeks notice but they do not answer the phone. I wont give up will try again tomorrow. As for nerves - I think I will probably be the same when the hard truth hits me. Especially when I have it in black and white, it will be after all the complaining and ranting I think I am gonna be the biggest bag of nerves lol.