Hi all,
Just thought I would share my story so far on the mission to weight loss surgery..........I apologise in advance for it being long and boring!
Well, where do I start?! I suppose the beginning would be best!! I have been struggling with my weight ever since I was a teenager. I have tried many diets - all that have failed miserably! The only one that worked for a while was Slimming World. I managed to lose 2 and a half stone on this - but it all went back on and more! I decided enough was enough about 2 and a half years ago, so I went to my doctors and asked to be referred for wls. My friend had just had a RNY, so this is what I wanted, but not at her hospital! My friend (Sam) had the surgery done at The Whittington Hospital. I didn't want to go there though as they cut the wrong part initially in the surgery! After some research I decided that I wanted to go to UCLH. I went for my first appointment at UCLH in April time 2 years ago. I saw a dietitian and the surgeon. They both said that surgery would be a good option for me, so I waited for my next appointment. The appointment was never received! Somehow I got lost through the system! At the time, I didn't think too much about it as I moved to Romania and married my husband. After 5 months out there we came back to the UK.
I then started having problems with my periods AGAIN. My period was on for 3 months continuously, so my doctor decided to refer me to a consultant at The Royal Free for testing. I have had problems with my periods all through my life and had various tests done at various hospitals - but I had had enough and wanted to be sent to one of the best hospitals so that they could get to the bottom of my problems. I also wanted to find out why I hadn't conceived all these years as I really want a baby. I went there and had various tests (more tests than the other hospitals had bothered doing!) and they decided that I would probably need IVF as I have PCOS. In order to qualify for IVF I needed to lose weight! My consultant asked me how I though about that and I explained to him that I had tried to go for wls before but never got an appointment. My consultant happens to work part time at UCLH and knows one of the surgeons that does wls, so wrote a letter to Professor Finer and asked for him to see me for wls. Also, I am with another hospital and they want to take my tonsils out. I have very large tonsils that have never shrunk and am always suffering with tonsillitis. They won't do the operation till I have lost weight.
6 weeks later, I still hadn't heard anything from UCLH. I therefore got in touch with my consultant at The Royal Free and asked if he had sent a letter and if he had heard anything (April 2010). I was given the phone number at UCLH to contact them to find out what the delay was. I phoned UCLH and apparently they had received the letter, but it had been rejected as it hadn't come from my doctors surgery (although Prof Finer had seen the letter and had accepted to see me - he wasn't told either that it had been rejected after this by the management team). They didn't bother telling me or my consultant this though! So, back to the doctors I went. My consultant sent a letter to my doctors and to the PCT to explain why I would benefit from the surgery to help speed things up! My doctor sent yet another letter to UCLH and this time I got an appointment in November 2010. I saw Professor Finer and he seemed to think that surgery was the right choice. Due to the long delays, Prof Finer decided to write a letter to the rest of UCLH to find out why my case was with so many delays etc. and decided that I should attend a one stop clinic to hurry the process along. I got an appointment for this clinic on the 1st Feb 2011. At the clinic I saw the dietitian (again), the surgeon (a different one this time!) and the nurse. This though was another disaster! I never received the letter for this appointment, so I phoned up asking why I hadn't received any letters and they sent me out a copy letter. The copy letter, however, had the wrong time down for me to come in (on the letter it told me to come in at 10.30am. I was then told when I got there that I should have been there at 8.30am!) So I missed my chance of seeing the surgeon that would actually be doing the surgeon! I just saw the registrar. Anyway, I went for that appointment and I explained that I wanted a RNY. The surgeon asked me if I had considered the Sleeve. I hadn't even heard of the Sleeve, so he gave me some info on it to read, but said that I would most likely have the RNY unless they had problems. He also explained to me that they took a lady in for surgery the week before and never went ahead with it as she had too much fat around where her stomach was. Apparently, I have the same problem, so they may not be able to do the surgery!
Anyway, I went home and read everything I could on RNY and the Sleeve. I also spoke to a number of people on various forums about their surgeries. After a lot of research I decided that I want the Sleeve! I then waited for my next appointment to come through. Yet again I waited and waited and nothing. So I got in touch with UCLH again and managed this time to get the phone number and email address of the surgeon's PA (Jane). I phoned her and left a message, but got no response, so I decided to email her. Finally I got a response! I was told that I needed to see the Psych for an evaluation. I was given a date in May, but a few days before, I got another dreaded letter saying that the appointment had been cancelled and a new one had been made in July. I was soooooo upset! I have been waiting sooo long! I emailed Jane and informed her of my frustration and she managed to get me an earlier appointment later in May. Again, this got cancelled by the hospital! I really wanted this appointment before 14th June as they were due to discuss my case then and decide if I had been accepted for surgery. Again I emailed Jane and finally I got yet another appointment at the beginning of June. This time, it wasn't cancelled - Woohoo! I had my appointment and told the Psych (Jackie) that I wanted the Sleeve NOT the RNY and asked her if she could let the surgeon know. Jackie agreed. Jackie told me that she didn't seem to think that I required any further workshops, but said the decision wasn't up to her.
I emailed Jane after 14th June to find out what they said about my case and whether I needed to attend any more appointments before D-Day. Jane told me that they hadn't been able to discuss my case as there were more urgent cases to be discussed - more waiting! I was told that my case was going to be discussed in the next meeting that was in 2 weeks time. I emailed Jane again after the 2 weeks and she informed me that I had been accepted for Sleeve surgery and gave me a number to get in touch with the pre-op team to make an appointment. I was sooooo happy! I phoned the pre-op team and made an appointment for the 19th July. My dad, unfortunately, passed away on the 16th July, so on the 18th July, I phoned the pre-op people and asked to reschedule my appointment for 2 weeks time and got an appointment for 2nd Aug - meaning my op would be end of Aug. In the meantime I had also received a letter from UCLH to my doctors, saying that my iron levels were low and to go on iron tablets and that I was down for RNY. I queried this as I had been told that I would have the Sleeve. They promised to get back to me. Again they didn't. I phoned the pre-op team 3 days later and found out that I wasn't suppose to be down for surgery at all and that I now have to attend Psych workshop for 4 weeks! Not a happy bunny! Also, they claimed that they didn't know I wanted the Sleeve and asked why.
I sent another email to Jane explaining my disappointment and frustration about now having to attend these workshops and the fact that I would not go on the waiting list until after these! I received no reply, but instead I got a phone call from another person from UCLH (Emma - one of the specialist nurses). Emma explained to me that I shouldn't have been taken off the waiting list and that I had been accepted for surgery. There had been a mix up (again!). So now, I am down for going to Pscyh workshops for 4 weeks from 24th Aug (although it is really 5 weeks as Jackie is away for one of them!). I have got another pre-op date of the 6th Sep (whilst I am doing the Psych workshops). I am also due to see the aneasthetist and surgeon (again) on the 22nd Sep (Day after my last pscyh workshop) about my sleep apnoea and about the fact I want the Sleeve and not the RNY. I have received the letters for the psych workshop and the pre-op, but have not yet received the letters for the surgeon appointment and the aneasthetist. I have also now been given a provisional date for surgery as I have been messed about so much and it is due on the 5th October! Woohoo!
This is my history so far! Not a smooth one! I am sure as well they are going to complain as I have put on weight since my last appointment as my dad has passed away and am eating loads to fill the void!
I am hopeful that I will have no further delays! It is annoying as I have been talking to another woman who is at UCLH on wlsinfo forum and she was sent to UCLH in February this year and she has got her operation appointment on the 10th August! So lucky and sooo quick! I don't know why I wasn't sent on these workshop things in the first place!
Thanks for reading!
MelDx
Just thought I would share my story so far on the mission to weight loss surgery..........I apologise in advance for it being long and boring!
Well, where do I start?! I suppose the beginning would be best!! I have been struggling with my weight ever since I was a teenager. I have tried many diets - all that have failed miserably! The only one that worked for a while was Slimming World. I managed to lose 2 and a half stone on this - but it all went back on and more! I decided enough was enough about 2 and a half years ago, so I went to my doctors and asked to be referred for wls. My friend had just had a RNY, so this is what I wanted, but not at her hospital! My friend (Sam) had the surgery done at The Whittington Hospital. I didn't want to go there though as they cut the wrong part initially in the surgery! After some research I decided that I wanted to go to UCLH. I went for my first appointment at UCLH in April time 2 years ago. I saw a dietitian and the surgeon. They both said that surgery would be a good option for me, so I waited for my next appointment. The appointment was never received! Somehow I got lost through the system! At the time, I didn't think too much about it as I moved to Romania and married my husband. After 5 months out there we came back to the UK.
I then started having problems with my periods AGAIN. My period was on for 3 months continuously, so my doctor decided to refer me to a consultant at The Royal Free for testing. I have had problems with my periods all through my life and had various tests done at various hospitals - but I had had enough and wanted to be sent to one of the best hospitals so that they could get to the bottom of my problems. I also wanted to find out why I hadn't conceived all these years as I really want a baby. I went there and had various tests (more tests than the other hospitals had bothered doing!) and they decided that I would probably need IVF as I have PCOS. In order to qualify for IVF I needed to lose weight! My consultant asked me how I though about that and I explained to him that I had tried to go for wls before but never got an appointment. My consultant happens to work part time at UCLH and knows one of the surgeons that does wls, so wrote a letter to Professor Finer and asked for him to see me for wls. Also, I am with another hospital and they want to take my tonsils out. I have very large tonsils that have never shrunk and am always suffering with tonsillitis. They won't do the operation till I have lost weight.
6 weeks later, I still hadn't heard anything from UCLH. I therefore got in touch with my consultant at The Royal Free and asked if he had sent a letter and if he had heard anything (April 2010). I was given the phone number at UCLH to contact them to find out what the delay was. I phoned UCLH and apparently they had received the letter, but it had been rejected as it hadn't come from my doctors surgery (although Prof Finer had seen the letter and had accepted to see me - he wasn't told either that it had been rejected after this by the management team). They didn't bother telling me or my consultant this though! So, back to the doctors I went. My consultant sent a letter to my doctors and to the PCT to explain why I would benefit from the surgery to help speed things up! My doctor sent yet another letter to UCLH and this time I got an appointment in November 2010. I saw Professor Finer and he seemed to think that surgery was the right choice. Due to the long delays, Prof Finer decided to write a letter to the rest of UCLH to find out why my case was with so many delays etc. and decided that I should attend a one stop clinic to hurry the process along. I got an appointment for this clinic on the 1st Feb 2011. At the clinic I saw the dietitian (again), the surgeon (a different one this time!) and the nurse. This though was another disaster! I never received the letter for this appointment, so I phoned up asking why I hadn't received any letters and they sent me out a copy letter. The copy letter, however, had the wrong time down for me to come in (on the letter it told me to come in at 10.30am. I was then told when I got there that I should have been there at 8.30am!) So I missed my chance of seeing the surgeon that would actually be doing the surgeon! I just saw the registrar. Anyway, I went for that appointment and I explained that I wanted a RNY. The surgeon asked me if I had considered the Sleeve. I hadn't even heard of the Sleeve, so he gave me some info on it to read, but said that I would most likely have the RNY unless they had problems. He also explained to me that they took a lady in for surgery the week before and never went ahead with it as she had too much fat around where her stomach was. Apparently, I have the same problem, so they may not be able to do the surgery!
Anyway, I went home and read everything I could on RNY and the Sleeve. I also spoke to a number of people on various forums about their surgeries. After a lot of research I decided that I want the Sleeve! I then waited for my next appointment to come through. Yet again I waited and waited and nothing. So I got in touch with UCLH again and managed this time to get the phone number and email address of the surgeon's PA (Jane). I phoned her and left a message, but got no response, so I decided to email her. Finally I got a response! I was told that I needed to see the Psych for an evaluation. I was given a date in May, but a few days before, I got another dreaded letter saying that the appointment had been cancelled and a new one had been made in July. I was soooooo upset! I have been waiting sooo long! I emailed Jane and informed her of my frustration and she managed to get me an earlier appointment later in May. Again, this got cancelled by the hospital! I really wanted this appointment before 14th June as they were due to discuss my case then and decide if I had been accepted for surgery. Again I emailed Jane and finally I got yet another appointment at the beginning of June. This time, it wasn't cancelled - Woohoo! I had my appointment and told the Psych (Jackie) that I wanted the Sleeve NOT the RNY and asked her if she could let the surgeon know. Jackie agreed. Jackie told me that she didn't seem to think that I required any further workshops, but said the decision wasn't up to her.
I emailed Jane after 14th June to find out what they said about my case and whether I needed to attend any more appointments before D-Day. Jane told me that they hadn't been able to discuss my case as there were more urgent cases to be discussed - more waiting! I was told that my case was going to be discussed in the next meeting that was in 2 weeks time. I emailed Jane again after the 2 weeks and she informed me that I had been accepted for Sleeve surgery and gave me a number to get in touch with the pre-op team to make an appointment. I was sooooo happy! I phoned the pre-op team and made an appointment for the 19th July. My dad, unfortunately, passed away on the 16th July, so on the 18th July, I phoned the pre-op people and asked to reschedule my appointment for 2 weeks time and got an appointment for 2nd Aug - meaning my op would be end of Aug. In the meantime I had also received a letter from UCLH to my doctors, saying that my iron levels were low and to go on iron tablets and that I was down for RNY. I queried this as I had been told that I would have the Sleeve. They promised to get back to me. Again they didn't. I phoned the pre-op team 3 days later and found out that I wasn't suppose to be down for surgery at all and that I now have to attend Psych workshop for 4 weeks! Not a happy bunny! Also, they claimed that they didn't know I wanted the Sleeve and asked why.
I sent another email to Jane explaining my disappointment and frustration about now having to attend these workshops and the fact that I would not go on the waiting list until after these! I received no reply, but instead I got a phone call from another person from UCLH (Emma - one of the specialist nurses). Emma explained to me that I shouldn't have been taken off the waiting list and that I had been accepted for surgery. There had been a mix up (again!). So now, I am down for going to Pscyh workshops for 4 weeks from 24th Aug (although it is really 5 weeks as Jackie is away for one of them!). I have got another pre-op date of the 6th Sep (whilst I am doing the Psych workshops). I am also due to see the aneasthetist and surgeon (again) on the 22nd Sep (Day after my last pscyh workshop) about my sleep apnoea and about the fact I want the Sleeve and not the RNY. I have received the letters for the psych workshop and the pre-op, but have not yet received the letters for the surgeon appointment and the aneasthetist. I have also now been given a provisional date for surgery as I have been messed about so much and it is due on the 5th October! Woohoo!
This is my history so far! Not a smooth one! I am sure as well they are going to complain as I have put on weight since my last appointment as my dad has passed away and am eating loads to fill the void!
I am hopeful that I will have no further delays! It is annoying as I have been talking to another woman who is at UCLH on wlsinfo forum and she was sent to UCLH in February this year and she has got her operation appointment on the 10th August! So lucky and sooo quick! I don't know why I wasn't sent on these workshop things in the first place!
Thanks for reading!
MelDx
