Your Opinion Counts-What do you think?

[Mynewlife]

Hiya
I wondered what would you do? I had a band fitted on July 18th at the Hospital Group, but under the WGA Package, which means I had the surgery, but no aftercare. This wasn;t too much of an issue because I was under the obesity clinic at University Hospital - Coventry & Walsgrave and had a dietician there, a consultant and a psychologist as backup. Since having my surgery, the psychologist has left and not been replaced, and I only get dietician appointments roughly every three months. The consultant sees me every 6 months just as a maintenance procedure. I have now arranged to see a therapist through my gp, and have my first appointment with her on 26/11/08. Here is my dilema, the last time I went to see the dietician, she really didn't offer me any real helpful advise. I also have another appointment to see her on 27/11/08. I noticed at my gym yesterday that there is a dietician advertising a 9 week program. They do a weigh-in, bmi, height, weight and body fat check and take measurements. They do a personalised food plan, you have to detox for a few days and then start back introducing various foods etc. As I don't have the information I feel I need from the dietician at the obesity clinic, if you were me would you sign up for this 9-week plan. It will cost me £88for the 9-week course. You get weighed and advise every week, if you need to extend pass the 9 weeks, you can and you pay £4 per session. They also give exercise advise. I asked if they do anything special for people who have been banded and they said that they would get back to me on that. I am not sure what to do:wave_cry: would you take up this program if you had no after care support in this area?
Thanks for any input, I appreciate your help and advise, and feel people who have been there, done that and got the t-shirt, are the best ones to ask advice.
I am struggling with my weight at the moment and am booked for a band fill on Sunday in London as I am gaining a bit of weight and need to nip it in the bud now.

MyNewLife.

 

[callysplace]

Hi mnl, I havent had the band but a bypass. I told some of the ladies on here that have also had the procedure with wga about the group I am with. They are the weight loss surgery group and they do a fantastic after care package including fills and dietician (even if you didnt have the op with themselves)
I think this may be the better option although the more expensive one as they are totaly geared towards bypass and banders, you have twenty four hour emergancy help (with real nurse on end of line) and some of the nicest people you could meet on the end of the line. Hopefully one of the other ladies that have their after care package with them can back me up on this! and no Im not been paid by them!

 

[Deebol]

Hi

How many fills have you had already? If this is your first then Id say that that is the prob and you need a few fills.

I had the same package as you, I was banded 2 weeks ago at Dolan Park and called today and found out I have 4ml in my band. Did you have any in at op? I have been to see a shrink and dietician today that the NHS have referred me too and they are going to find out for next month where I should go next time. This is because they deal with pre op dieting and not post op but they have assured me they will send me somewhere. They might even provide me with my fills but I have today paid £125 for my first one when I have my xray in 2 weeks.

I feel with the gym dietician she is only going to tell you what you already know about diets. She wont really know anything about weight loss surgery. I def think its good to have induction at gym etc but not to pay for there advice that they dont really know much about.

Id wait to see what you gp say but they really need to get someone who knows about post op food changes.


Dee x

 

[serenitylove]

you need to check if the dietician at the gym is experienced in bariatric work as the diet you follow on the band is about eating foods that sit longer in the tummy etc you will probably get just as good advice online tbh i found i have asking what others have found work and speak to whoever does your fills

 

[Mynewlife]

Hi

How many fills have you had already? If this is your first then Id say that that is the prob and you need a few fills.

I had the same package as you, I was banded 2 weeks ago at Dolan Park and called today and found out I have 4ml in my band. Did you have any in at op? I have been to see a shrink and dietician today that the NHS have referred me too and they are going to find out for next month where I should go next time. This is because they deal with pre op dieting and not post op but they have assured me they will send me somewhere. They might even provide me with my fills but I have today paid £125 for my first one when I have my xray in 2 weeks.

I feel with the gym dietician she is only going to tell you what you already know about diets. She wont really know anything about weight loss surgery. I def think its good to have induction at gym etc but not to pay for there advice that they dont really know much about.

Id wait to see what you gp say but they really need to get someone who knows about post op food changes.


Dee x

Hiya
I had 2.5mls in the band at the surgery, I have had two fills, one was 1.5mils and then another 1 mil for a total of 5mils. The last fill was September 29th, so it has been a while. I think I will wait and see what the dietician says at the obesity clinic that I go to at University Hospital Coventry & Walsgrave. She does specialise in obesity patients, and works with bariatric patients.She did tell me that she was the first dietician hired by THe Hospital Group at Dolan Park, and worked there for a while, so she knows what she is talking about. She just hasnt offered me much advise since my last appointment which was in September. I am hoping she is not offering me help because I went private for the op and she is also not high on Dolan Park from her experience of working there! I was under the obesity groups care for over a year, and they refused me the operation on the NHS as i didn't meet the local NICE Guidelines, so I managed to scrape the funds together for the basic package as I was so miserable and felt that I had done everything they had asked of me, and still would not agree to me having the surgery on the NHS. I think they see me begrudgingly, but when I go and see her at the end of the month, I will ask for specific advise and see what she comes back with. Thanks again for your input.

MYNEWLIFE:character00148:

 

[Mynewlife]

Hiya again!
right, have had a bit of a think about things, and am going to wait to see the specialist dietician, my appointment is November 27th. This is where my minimins friends come in. can any of you think of questions or advice that I should ask the dietician? I will put together a list of things before I go, including anything that I have from you, and hopefully get some decent advice from her - this is why I want to go with a list of things to bombard her with.
Thanks so much, and look forward to reading some of the questions you offer.

MyNewLife
:grouphugg:

 

[alliecat]

Hi MNL, I too am struggling with loss and the band at the moment and although I have aftercare for fills I have never seen a dietician. For me, I know what I need to do and I don't need an expensive dietician to tell me - eat more healthily and less rubbish, and smaller portions! I am glad you have decided not to use the dietician at the gym as I think you would have got some kind of biased response and a constant push to do exercise/join the gym as that is who she works for now!
Take a list of the kinds of things you are eating. Keep a diary and note what you are eating, what times you are eating, what you are drinking, how you feel at the time (ie is it head hunger or proper hunger and if it is head hunger did it make you cross with yourself?) She will then be able to help you to identify patterns and help you to try and avoid them in future. Personally, I agree with some of the others and that you need a fill or fills as you have clearly not hit that sweet spot for loss yet. Good luck hun xx

 

[Mynewlife]

thanks for the sound advice. I keep a food diary anyway, so I will make sure to take that with me, and also I will make it a bit more detailed, to include times I eat and drinks etc. Regards
MNL