What Happens Next?

[claire tuft]

Hi All,

Ive not really used one of these Forum's before but i don't know where else to get answers so I'm hoping some one could help me.

i have previously had a Gastric Band which i paid privately for and it was a success and i lost 8 stone however in February 2016 i started to vomit blood so i was admitted to hospital immediately and the band was removed since then I've put all my weight back on. i tried slimming world personal training exercise referral schemes from the GP but could never loose more than a stone and then it would come back on. Knowing that weightless surgery had worked for me before i knew it would work again but i couldn't afford to pay privately again. i went to see my GP in May this year and talked this through with her she agreed that surgery would be best as its been a success before and we know it works. She referred me to WIMOS team in swansea with me being in North Wales they are the 'Gate-keepers' and they would assess my criteria. i received a letter in July asking for more evidence of weight management i had tried, i sent them letters from my GP and personal trainer i also had Gynaecology willing to provide evidence due to having PCOS that weightless would reverse this as it did previously.

i received a letter at the beginning of October from the WIMOS team in Swansea saying i met the access criteria and that funding had been agreed and i would be referred to Salford Royal under Mr Basil Ammori and i will be contacted by his team in due course.

Can anyone tell me what happens at this stage and what time scales i'll be looking at? does this actually mean I'm having the surgery?

Any answers would be appreciated!! xx

 

[SAM55]

Well done on your original loss.

I am not familiar with your area and all areas are slightly different, but the NHS process does have a lot in common and they work in multi disciplinary teams. The decision as to whether you will have the surgery is likely to be made once you have seen all of the team. You don't say what your BMI is and there appears to be different hoops to jump through depending on that. Also, any other co-morbities.

I have seen Mr Ammori's name somewhere on this forum so worth posting a thread either with his name, or Salford Royal. You may then get some more specific answers.

In the meantime i suggest you research the procedures. The NHS appear to be doing less bands now for the very reason that you are are in this position - they can cause problems. There are a number of people on here who have had revisions to either a sleeve or bypass (not that they are always problem free).

My whole process from referral to surgery took 20 months - I was in Leeds. 7 months of that was on the waiting list once surgery had been agreed and 5 months was waiting for my first appointment.