a second chance perhaps?

[cherylxx]

Hi everyone,
confusing story but here goes:
early this year i went to the doctors after much research and time spent on this forum and asked her to refer me for wls.
my doctor said the procedure was to be referred to the weight management team for 6 months in the hope they will agree to me having surgery and so she referred me to them.
for 6 weeks i heard nothing.
then i spoke to someone on here who was in my area (same pct) and had been referred directly for surgery without the need for the weight loss team, so feeling a little let down i went back to my doctors and asked if that was a possibility.
she told me ' no.' that they ' would no longer accept direct referrals that way' even though the girl i spoke to was referred just before me.
she asked if i had heard from the weight management team and since i hadnt she said she would chase that up.
a few weeks later i returned to let her know i still had heard nothing and she told me ' they have cancelled all funding for wls. that stockport pct would no longer be giving any gastric funding. apparantly they were unsure of the long term effects of gastric surgery and so had assigned a quota which had now been filled and that basically wls was no longer an option.
i was gutted, heartbroken. i felt like someone had just removed my lifeline and there was nowhere left to turn.
she did say i should still go ahead with the weight management team meetings (when they eventually come through).
4 days later i received a letter from the weight management team stating that due to funding issues they were no longer seeing patients until the end of the year. :sigh:
and so i was left with nothing, alone again, no support, just me and my ever increasing comfort eating.
anyway to cut a long story short, ive yoyoed on diets for the last 6 months.
i am currently trying my second try at cd (last time i had to leave due to relentless constipation which eventually made me really ill) and im finding the constipation somewhat a concern again.
i suffer from chronic osteo arthritus, lymphodema and now coccydynia (swelling and intense pain in the tailbone) and so last week i went to the doctors to discuss options for pain relief for my back.
i was unable to see my usual doctor and so ended up seeing a locum doctor.
whilst we were discussing my back and other problems she asked ' have u ever considered wls as u would be a prime candidate'
i told her i would willingly have surgery tomorrow and mentioned the pct withdrawing funding in the area. she looked a little surprised and said to leave it with her as well as referring me for steroid injections in spine and ultrasound pulse therapy in spine.
i then got a call from the surgery today saying the doctor had referred me for the spinal procedures and had referred me to the pct for funding for wls. she said it would go to panel and she wasnt sure how often the panel get together.
does this mean my doctor was lieing?
was she just against the idea of surgery for her own reasons?
do i have a second chance or am i just going to allow my dreams to be destroyed again by even thinking about this?
i cant help but feel a little excited (well , a lot really) but at the same time i am terrified im heading for a fall again.
sorry for the very long post .
i just feel so...... on edge.:sigh:

 

[Lostinmy30's]

Cheryl you get all that info pet and you put a complaint to your Practice Manager into writing. Bloody GP's they think they can tell lies and get away with it. That is outrageous no way would any PCT pull all funding for WLS and it not being raised by the media. My bets is she has irons in another fire and wants funding pushed towards that.
And I wouldn't be going back to see her thats for sure!! I know some folk on here have moved practice after coming up against such ill informed piffle before and you are well within your rights to do that. I think what some NHS employees forget is that we all contribute financially and its our right to be treated.
I am so glad you got to see someone else who is actually trying to help you instead of giving you faff so you go away. Fingers crossed pet that you get some news soon xx

 

[fatbutnot4eva]

OMG dont know what to say I am in Manchester too but under salford PCT, I had to do 6 months weight management also I know how you must feel though if I were to be told now there was nothing more i woudl cry my heart out.
I really hope that your GP didnt lie and that the pct have now changed their minds.
good luck and i hope you get what you want and need x

 

[Caroline101061]

Things change all the time with PCTs. Your GP Im sure was not lying, just acting on information she had been given. If you want a true answer, call the PCT direct for clarification

 

[cherylxx]

thank you all.
im trying not to think about it too much although i think i will give the pct a call tomorrow and ask if they have changed their rulings recently.
also going to ask them how often the panel get together.
im frustrated at the fact that im feeling excited...... i guess i just dont learn.

 

[Mazza]

Hi Cheryl

Good luck with your 'second chance' I hope it works out for you this time x

 

[thinkbethin]

Cheryl I don't know what to make of it. I would have thought the locum would know the area and the pct so it does sound positive but I don't want to build your hopes up sweetheart. Can you not find a number for your pct and ring them and ask for answers from the "horses mouth" if funding for wls has been stopped?. I would give it a go and see what they say. If they say it has'nt then I would seriously consider putting in a complaint against your original gp. Good luck and keep us up to date in what you find outxxx

 

[swizzlestick]

Hi Cheryl

There can be no denying that for many of us the journey is nothing short of a giant emotional roller coaster, with many conflicting twists and turns that if it were a blockbuster movie would have people gripping onto their seats and screaming out in horror!

I have lost count of the number of times there were changes in procedure/referall/elegibility criterias and went through 4 hospitals en route. Even on the day of the op another surprise was thrust upon me, that they may be doing a sleeve instead of a bypass! They ended up doing the bypass but you can imagine the confusion and stress!

It sounds like now hopefully you may be on the right track. If I was you I would expect the worse and hope for the best if you know what I mean, expect your stress levels to be tested again. Try to put it all out of your mind as it may be a long arduous (sp?) journey but I have a feeling you may just get there in the end

It is a good sign that the pct are considering your application. if they turn it down, appeal. Also ask the good dr to send you for sleep apnoea, diabeties tests etc as these can also strengthen your case.

You can decide whether or not you wish to pursue a complaint with your practice, however, I will say that from personal experience, in life we have many many battles, they all cause added stress, pick the ones you chose to fight carefully, some just brush under the carpet of experience. I would save this possible battle for a possible appeal with the pct rather than the practice.

Good luck

 

[gingernutter]

swizzlwstick, what a great post. I fully agree.

I understand that some PCT have put wls funding on hold. You really need to ring your PCT who will give you the answers to your questions.

You are on the first step of the ladder so now is the time to look forward and reserve your energy for what lies ahead.

Best of luck with your funding.

 

[jean13]

Hope it all goes to plan this time and you get the weight loss you want.

Take Care
Jeanx

 

[BlueDiamond]

Hello sorry to here of your dilemma atm, Just call the PCT directly and ask what is the status of the there funding for gastric surgery , am sure they would tell you if it has been put on hold etc.

All the best and keep us informed - MeJulie xx

 

[dreamofbeingslim]

Hi did you manage to call your pct to see what the situation is? I so hope you do manage to get the funding.

 

[cherylxx]

hi all,
called the pct and was told to call back tomorrow as the woman who can help me (apparantly i need to speak to Tara) isnt in until tomorrow afternoon.

 

[claudia24]

good luck for tomo when u speak to her, hope u get good news xx

 

[phatmomma]

What an awful story, here's hoping you get a happy ending!!

I like the others will be interested in hearing the pct's response also x

 

[cherylxx]

well, ty all for ur replies.
im am sitting here barely able to see through the tears.
i finally managed to speak to tara from the pct who was shocked about the doctor referring me recently as she confirmed that stockport pct has stopped all funding indefinately.
she cant say whether it will ever start again, she said it could be reinstated in 6 months or even 10 years. she has no idea but she knows for sure that ALL gastric surgery is no longer funded in stockport.
i cant even begin to describe how i feel right now.
ive come to the conclusion i will indeed die morbidly obese and it will probably be that what kills me and u know what..... its my own damn fault too.
i have no one else to blame but myself so why am i feeling so hard done by right now?
yet again i allowed my dreams to be shattered.
i wish i could afford to go private but sadly its a dream that will never come true for me.
i couldnt feel any lower than i do right now as im sitting here bawling and typing.
ive not even been refused so to speak, both times ive been referred ive had the dream snatched away without anyone even so much as reading my name.
i will continue to 'try' with cambridge but the way im feeling right now isnt good, usually leads me to the food cupboard.
im so sorry the doctor mentioned referring me again.
im not up to these emotional blows:cry:

 

[Caroline101061]

PM Gingernutter - she found a loophole which involved not getting funding and had her surgery. Goodluck

 

[cherylxx]

there goes my dreams again

ty, i have pmed gingernutter in the hope of some advice.

 

[dreamofbeingslim]

Just want to send you (((hugs))). Please don't get your hopes up about Charing Cross I emailed Mr Ahmed Ahmed the other day and he sent me one back saying he was unable to help, it wasn't as blunt as that he said he gets annoyed by not being able to help but they can do it cheaper for the pct because they try and do things quicker so they don't cost as much. I really feel for you. Take care.

 

[rybens]

cheryl im so gutted for you i really am xx why every where cant be the same i dont know , it really is a post code lottery . Lets hope the funding starts up again very soon x x xtake care