Considering my Options

[1974rach]

Hi all,

Am new to this board, but not new to Minimins. I had a very vivid dream last night that I had a gastric band fitted, and it has been something I have been mulling over for some time now (perhaps thats why I was dreaming about it!) Anyway I thought I'd better ask for some advice.

I've been overweight since I was 18 (am now 35) and have been to weight watchers/slimming world/rosemary conley. I've been under the dietician, have tried cambridge and lighter life, and have taken adifax (now banned) reductil and orlistat. Nothing has worked long term.

I'm currently hovering around the 24.7 stone mark, with a bmi of 56.5, and am seriously considering WLS.

I'd like to know what made you choose a bypass or a band, whether you went private or NHS, and if you went NHS how long you had to wait (am based in Warwickshire)

I'm not going into this on a whim, I know WLS is not an easy option, but I would like to know your experiences of it. I'm going to make an appt to see my Dr tomorrow to discuss options with her - thankfully I've been with this Dr's for a long time so my weight battles are well documented!

any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks

xxx

 

[farzu]

Hello Hun, I haven't had my surgery yet but considering Bypass as i have diabetes and PCOS. I hope you will get all the answers you need from a post op soon. all the best.

 

[gaelic girl]

Hi Rachael
Welcome to this board. I'm 3 weeks post op( keyhole bypass). Like you been overweight for as many years as i can remember and have tried every diet going. I became really low and hated myself so knew i had to do something. I'm 5ft 5 and was 20 stone on day off my op. I went privately thanks to an inheritence and was originally going for a band but at my consultation it became clear that the bypass was more suitable. This was down to my eating habits, i'm such a sweet eater and couldn't go a day without chocolate and although i'm a determined madam i don't have huge willpower so felt i would cheat with the band whereas the bypass would make me really ill if i tried chocolate! I can honestly say it's one of the best thing i've done as i've lost 24lbs in 3 weeks. I had no pain and was out of hospital on the second day. Good luck with your decision and welcome again x

 

[zetacatty]

Hi, I first went to my doctor last October to chat about having a gastric band. He was a bit worried about my other conditions, asthma and diabetes, and phoned the surgeon to see what he had to say. I nearly fell through the floor when the surgeon suggested a bypass! I hadn't even considered one. So, on the computer I went and researched for all I was worth. Then I understood why a bypass would be better for me. So I accepted it and was referred in January. My op will be on 7th October - 9 months. I will be giving birth to a new me!
I'm really glad that I will be having a bypass instead of a band. Once it is done, it's done. Although someone with a bypass must take multi vitamins for the rest of their lives and, occasionally, vitamin B12 injections - that's it. The healing process takes quite a while and during the first year you can only eat tiny amounts but, gradually, the pouch stretches and you can eat more because the bypassed bit of intestine causes malabsorption so you only absorb about 30% of the calories you consume. Therefore, after about a year you eat more or less normally - just not the large portions that you had before the op. But I don't want to dismiss the band - most people who have it love it. The surgery is not as invasive, the healing time is much much quicker and it is reversible. The bypass alters your anatomy permanently. It's really what is right for YOU. The best thing is to chat with you doctor - if your are referred you won't have to make a decision right away so there's plenty of time to make up your mind. I'm sure one of the options will jump out at you as being the one you are meant to have. Good luck, Mxx

 

[kandeechops]

Hi, I had a band fitted 3 weeks ago i've lost 27 lb since the 31st July which was the start of my pre op, I feel i'm doing well and have really got my head in the right place for this to work so feeling very positive & think it's best thing i've ever done, i did go private but it only took 12 days from 1st appointment to having the op so for me was really worth it...................

 

[thinkbethin]

I'm a bander and had it done on the nhs. It took 10 months in total from speaking to my gp to having op. I chose the band because I was too scared to have the bypass. The band is working for me and I have lost 4 stone from the start of my pre op diet. Every one is different and chose whichever op because it suits them. I was a volume eater. I loved my big dinners and the band limits my portions now. I do have type 2 diebetes which is very well controlled now. If you can't decide on which op then ask for your gp to refer you to the bariatric surgeon and speak with them. They will help you decide which op would work best for you but only if you are totally honest about your eating habits.Good luck on your journeyxx

 

[j.u.s.t.l.i.z.]

Hi all,

Am new to this board, but not new to Minimins. I had a very vivid dream last night that I had a gastric band fitted, and it has been something I have been mulling over for some time now (perhaps thats why I was dreaming about it!) Anyway I thought I'd better ask for some advice.

I've been overweight since I was 18 (am now 35) and have been to weight watchers/slimming world/rosemary conley. I've been under the dietician, have tried cambridge and lighter life, and have taken adifax (now banned) reductil and orlistat. Nothing has worked long term.

I'm currently hovering around the 24.7 stone mark, with a bmi of 56.5, and am seriously considering WLS.

I'd like to know what made you choose a bypass or a band, whether you went private or NHS, and if you went NHS how long you had to wait (am based in Warwickshire)

I'm not going into this on a whim, I know WLS is not an easy option, but I would like to know your experiences of it. I'm going to make an appt to see my Dr tomorrow to discuss options with her - thankfully I've been with this Dr's for a long time so my weight battles are well documented!

any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks

xxx

hi rach, i chose the band because i was a huge portion eater at meal times and the band helped me reduce my portion sizes, i wasnt really a snacker between meals so the band suited my eating habbits, if you like a large meal and also like to snack between meals and love sweet foods then a bypass is usuallly the better choice, the chosen surgeon will discuss your eating habbits as they are now with you, and advise what will be best for you and the best option to change the life style you have now xxx

liz xxx

 

[AA1234]

HI, I had my band fitted 4 months ago. I have lost 5 stone and am really happy.

It is up to you and you surgeon what you have but I am a snacker and a sweet eater and still wet for the band. I do have good will power but I wanted something I could control and not control me.

It is best thing I have ever done.

 

[PinkDaisy]

I had my band fitted on saturday and since 15th Aug which was the start of my pre op diet I have now lost 19lbs, 15 on my pre op and 4 in the last 2 days since the op. I am thrilled, I went private with WLSG and couldnt fault them one bit, not even if i wracked my brains thinking their was nothing that was out of place of done wrongly. Go for it, you wont regret it x I had to take a loan for 6300 over 3 years paying 199 a month but to be honest i could have spent almost that on takeaways and buying crap throughout the month x

 

[1974rach]

Well - I've read practically the whole board (slight exageration but you know what I mean...) and you've all been so kind with your responses and you've all done brilliantly well - It's very inspiring!

I've made an appt to see my Dr next Monday, and am going to go armed with information. What questions did you ask your dr when you went?

Am going to keep this firmly under wraps until I've spoken to the Dr, I just feel a bit nervous about discussing it with my family for the time being!

xxx

 

[Snowcrystal]

Hi Rach

Just wanted to hi and welcome to Mini's and also wanted to wish you good luck at the docs today...look forward to hearing how it all went.

(((hugs)))

 

[gaelic girl]

Hi again Rachael
I went privately but did go to my GP just to discuss it with him more from a point of view as to what i should be looking for in a surgeon. At this point i was still thinking gastric band and he never said any different. It was only when i saw my consultant that i decided on bypass, questions there were based around on what to expect ,recovery times, approx weight loss, do's and don'ts, risks and aftercare support. It's usually quite difficult to discuss with family initially as they may react differently to what you expect. This tends to come from worry and insecurity but i found by keeping them reassured and telling them that i would soon be suffering serious health problems related to my weight anyway gradually brought them round. Good luck for next Monday and let us know how you get on x

 

[phatgirl]

Hi just wanted to say best of luck on your weight loss journey. I had my gastric bypass on the NHS 10 months ago and now have a healthy BMI (was 45.4 now is 24.9)! I waited 18 months from when I spoke to my GP to my actual surgery, however that extended wait was mostly down to the surgery being a new service at my local hospital so the wait is less now (less than a year in most cases, sometimes less than 6 months in cases with high medical need). I think that the bypass for me was the way to go considering my eating habits (snacking, sweets), my metabolic sydrome (type 2 diabetes, PCOS) and my mind set. But that is me and my expereinces. I have seen so many success stories on here from banders, bypassers, sleevers & switchers which just goes to show that when you pick an option and committ to it you can make it happen.

Nic

 

[SOON SLIM SUE]

hi, i went to the gp with my daughter (27 years old) she was a bit worried to ask him if she could have a band on her own (loss of self esteem due to weight). he said yes straight away, then looked at me and said what about you. well i was gob smacked, but said yes please. we got funding a few weeks later.
this all happened in april this year. everything being ok we should both have our opp's by xmas.
she is having by-pass and i am having sleeve.
good luck at your gp's monday.

 

[phatmomma]

hi, i went to the gp with my daughter (27 years old) she was a bit worried to ask him if she could have a band on her own (loss of self esteem due to weight). he said yes straight away, then looked at me and said what about you. well i was gob smacked, but said yes please. we got funding a few weeks later.
this all happened in april this year. everything being ok we should both have our opp's by xmas.
she is having by-pass and i am having sleeve.
good luck at your gp's monday.

How lucky are you sharing this wonderful journey with your daughter, what a support network you will have....

At my first appt in July i knew because i eat big portions and can eat crap at the drop of a hat that a bypass would do me nicely. If i could cheat and sneak a choccie bar in with a band then i would. And lets face it with all the wish in the world when were having a really really bad day and we NEED something if we can get it without repercussions we will...

So bypass for me, good luck with your choice xxx

 

[1974rach]

Hi again.

Thanks for sharing your stories, I feel quite positive about discussing this with the doctor, I've mentioned in my diary that I haven't discussed this with anyone else - I'd rather get my options straight in my own head before I start talking to my family and friends about WLS.

Can I just ask if your Dr was positive about WLS? I've looked on the NICE guidelines again, and for Warwickshire the criteria are quite strict (or so it seems) BMI of 45 with co-morbidities or over 60 without (mine is 56.5), and you have to have been under an obesity clinic for a year.

Thanks for reading

xxx

 

[gaelic girl]

Hi Rachael
Going privately like i did obviously make things very different in that i did'nt have to meet any criteria and had already tried the nhs route in Scotland ( which is really really hard) that said i did dicuss my intentions with my gp of 15 years and he was very supportive as he has known my battles and depression related to my weight. Good luck i hope you get on well and meet your local PCT criteria x

 

[SOON SLIM SUE]

Hi, my dr was very supportive. Although i have been with my dr for almost 30 years, he is a very modern dr. He helped me with the atkins diet when it was a no no for most other dr's. He is one of the police dr's for northamptonshire so he sees plenty of life.

Hope yours is as understanding. Sue

 

[Mazza]

Hi Rach

Was just going to post about the criteria for Warwickshire, its rediculous that your BMI would have to be so high to even be considered, its a real postcode lottery. I had my band fitted privately my BMI was under 40 so I didnt have a cat in hells chance via the NHS route.

Good luck x

 

[1974rach]

Hi all,

Just wanted to update you all on the appt this morning. Had a good chat to the Dr, and said this is what I was considering, ran through my history, and said this isn't something I'm considering lightly, but that I feel that the time has come to do something longlasting and permanent.

He was very good, and said he would write me a referral to see a consultant, and to discuss it with them. He agreed with me that the criteria for warwickshire are tough (and in my view they are tough because they just don't want to fund the surgery) and is going to speak to the other Dr's in the practice today to get their views on it.

The stupid thing is if I weighed about a stone heavier my BMI probably would meet the criteria for Warwickshire! I've just got to wait now to see what he says when he calls me back...


xxx