Experience needed....Help with NHS bypass !!

[maxsmum]

Hi everyone...looking for people in same boat to chat with and any possible advice or shared experiences !! :flirt2:

Story so far....

Went to GP in Jan 2009 who referred me to East Lancs PCT for funding for bypass. Dr agreed I met criteria as I have done evry diet in the book, most recently Lighterlife where I lost six stones and regained it all (plus a bit extra). I have a BMI of 47.2 with no co-morbidities. Waited 5 months for PCT to respond, to be told I needed to get a dieticians report done...had report in which the dietician agreed I needed the op and fit criteria. Once PCT received the report they then said there was a new 'pathway' to simplify matters (LOL), and I now needed to see the dietician for six months before I could be considered for funding. The PCT would not accept lighterlife even though I had seen my GP monthly and he had a record of my weight and BMI.
That was 4 months ago now and am still not any further, no tests or consultations...dietician was not happy at having to see me as I was already on Xenical for the third time with little effect. Not sure if I am to lose alot of weight for the PCT to agree to funding as they may see this as I can lose weight and dont need surgery, or not lose weight to show I need the operation. I know that sounds like I am trying to play the system but I have been overweight all my life and see this as my last option. I can lose weight, but have never been a 'healthy' BMI or maintained any weight loss.
Sorry for the long story but I thought maybe someone could advise me, any help would be much appreciated.

Maxsmum Xx

 

[julia in bath]

hi mazsmum,
Welcome to mini's. Cant really help i'm afraid as each PCT is different. i'm very lucky that my pct doesnt make people jump through too many hoops for funding. i got mine by having your history. all advice i have read on here has always been, be yourself.
i do know how you feel though, you just want it now and need answers!
if i was you i'd be tempted to pick up the phone and speak to the pct yourself, i've found they don't mind one bit.
best of luck with your funding.
xxx

 

[maxsmum]

Thanks so much for your reply...my family think a bypass is extreme which means I dont have a support system at home.

 

[julia in bath]

i understand that too hun, my oh was really against it at first and he is my only family.
he got used to the idea, obviously he knows i need to lose the weight and he knows what i have tried in the past. although he doesnt really understand why i cant just stop stuffing my face he is supporting me now.
i'm sure your family will come round too xx

 

[fatbutnot4eva]

snap snap snap

I have been through the same
I have been on xenical 4 years and every other diet gp suggested wls then told had to go on 6 month weight management even though I had done xenical being weighed every month
did this waited for hospital apps etc.. decided on band told by gP and dieticia band woudl be fab for me. got to see surgeon who refused band and suggested bypass or nothing (this was last week) I cried my eyes out and went home with tail between legs and am now in the "thinking stage"
All I can say is jump through all the hoops you have to read as much as you can on wls and decide whats right for you.
good luck xxx

oh as for the what to do, I suggest you try your hardest to lose weight no its not a trick i thought this too, yes you can lose teh weight but its the keeping it off that none of us can do, the more weight you lose now the better chance of wls being successful. I lost 2 stone on the weight management but by the time i got to the surgeon had put 7 lb back on and then my bmi was even harder which didnt help his decision on NO BAND !!!

 

[fatbutnot4eva]

Oh and also meant to say my Mum is dead against it as she has read too many horror stories and thinks that it is way to drastic, but then I am her daughter and she looks at me and loves me she doesnt look at me and think omg your obese. x They just care thats all x

 

[Meggie]

I have told three people so far, all who have been against me doing it!! My sister refused to talk about it initially and basically told me to stop being ridiculous, get down the gym and stop stuffing my face. In retrospect I think the reactions I got were from people being worried about me, understandibly!! Plus I'm not great at sharing my problems and/or feelings so no-one knows/understands how my weight affects me on a day-to-day basis. And they never will!!!

 

[cherrycookie]

Hi everyone...looking for people in same boat to chat with and any possible advice or shared experiences !! :flirt2:

Story so far....

Went to GP in Jan 2009 who referred me to East Lancs PCT for funding for bypass. Dr agreed I met criteria as I have done evry diet in the book, most recently Lighterlife where I lost six stones and regained it all (plus a bit extra). I have a BMI of 47.2 with no co-morbidities. Waited 5 months for PCT to respond, to be told I needed to get a dieticians report done...had report in which the dietician agreed I needed the op and fit criteria. Once PCT received the report they then said there was a new 'pathway' to simplify matters (LOL), and I now needed to see the dietician for six months before I could be considered for funding. The PCT would not accept lighterlife even though I had seen my GP monthly and he had a record of my weight and BMI.
That was 4 months ago now and am still not any further, no tests or consultations...dietician was not happy at having to see me as I was already on Xenical for the third time with little effect. Not sure if I am to lose alot of weight for the PCT to agree to funding as they may see this as I can lose weight and dont need surgery, or not lose weight to show I need the operation. I know that sounds like I am trying to play the system but I have been overweight all my life and see this as my last option. I can lose weight, but have never been a 'healthy' BMI or maintained any weight loss.
Sorry for the long story but I thought maybe someone could advise me, any help would be much appreciated.

Maxsmum Xx

i know your frustration:sigh:. I have just started on xenical 1month ago but am now 3 months into seeing the dietiation. Salfords ptc whan 6 months under dietiation then referal to hospital. the dietiation i have is really nice, she says it doesn't matter if you lose weight in the 6 months seeing her they go off your bmi from when you start with them. so if you lose weight it is better for when you have the operation. i want a bypass i understand the risks but no one can talk me out of it!!not my oh or family, i want to do this so my 5 year old little girl has a mum when she grows up to look up to, and so she doesn't go down my root.:family2::family2:


Hope this message can be of some help?

CHERRYCOOKIE XX

 

[thinkbethin]

Hi Maxsmum and welcome back to the forum. I've not seen you post for a while. I don't know how your pct works and believe you me they are all different. Hope you get some answer from the ones who know your area. Good luck, Gaynorx

 

[maxsmum]

Thanks guys...it really does help being on this site and all the support. I understand where your all coming from, our experiences help one another. Thanks for the info Cherrycookie will try harder (LOL)...honestly feel much better now !! Will be the end of the weight management in October...fingers crossed (along with everything else). Xx

 

[gaelic girl]

HI Maxsmum
sorry i can't really help with any info as i had my bypass privately a week ago but just wanted to say hi and good luck with your journey x

 

[dreamofbeingslim]

Hi I advice you to keep on at them and do what they are asking while you are waiting.

I had my funding turned down on Wednesday. I was told they want me to loose weight by other means, with the dietician in a weight management programme. My gp is going to appeal this decision, over the years I have done SW, WW both numerouse times and xenical twice also I attended the obesity clinic at our local hospital for a year and lost 3 stone doing a milk diet. As always the weight went back on as soon as I started to introduce food. Also I was diagnosed with depression brought on partly by medication I was given to try and loose the weight at the obesity clinic. The consultant suggested that I have a bypass and applied for funding just before Christmas 08. I can't believe that is what their reply was. It just seems to me that people make a decision about us that don't know what our lives are really like . Sorry about the little rant but I am so cross with them now, I was crying on and off for a couple of days now I just feel amazed that this can happen. There is so little support out there for overweight people, lots for other addictions but not for ours. Don't get me wrong I am not saying the support shouldn't be there for others its just something needs doing for us too.

Good luck I hope you get what you want. Take care and try to do the 6 months then you may get it.

 

[maxsmum]

Hi I advice you to keep on at them and do what they are asking while you are waiting.

I had my funding turned down on Wednesday. I was told they want me to loose weight by other means, with the dietician in a weight management programme. My gp is going to appeal this decision, over the years I have done SW, WW both numerouse times and xenical twice also I attended the obesity clinic at our local hospital for a year and lost 3 stone doing a milk diet. As always the weight went back on as soon as I started to introduce food. Also I was diagnosed with depression brought on partly by medication I was given to try and loose the weight at the obesity clinic. The consultant suggested that I have a bypass and applied for funding just before Christmas 08. I can't believe that is what their reply was. It just seems to me that people make a decision about us that don't know what our lives are really like . Sorry about the little rant but I am so cross with them now, I was crying on and off for a couple of days now I just feel amazed that this can happen. There is so little support out there for overweight people, lots for other addictions but not for ours. Don't get me wrong I am not saying the support shouldn't be there for others its just something needs doing for us too.

Good luck I hope you get what you want. Take care and try to do the 6 months then you may get it.

Thank you so much for your support...You are so right about support being needed, I work for the NHS within peadiatrics and am constantly bombarded by obesity awareness either being sent on courses to combat it in childhood or being sent on training days for healthy eating. No-one says to me your fat but they do comment all the time how we need to set an example....Seriously do I want to be so big it hurts my body and health ?? I am not doing this on purpose and if it was as easy as giving someone a booklet on healthy eating we would all be thin !! LOL.
When asking for help from Drs and health professionals I'm afraid its a case of hit and miss, some people dont seem to have any trouble accessing services when others repeatly hit stone walls. Unfortunatly we are seen as the next big drain on the NHS rather than people needing support and help.
I am thinking of you and know how your feeling (not much comfort I know). Try to stay strong and chin up...theres lots of us here for you

Xx

 

[Big an Bouncy]

I know where you are all coming from.When i see a health profesional and they say You could do with losing some weight,I look at them in amazement and say no,me morbidly obese god i didnt realise putting so much food in my body would make me so fat!Do you sometimes feel they are talking down to you?and why are they ALWAYS a size 12?

 

[teen]

Hope all goes well for you I was done and dusted in 16 weeks on NHS that was from first seeing my Dr about referal to having my op. I didnt have to do weight management or see a phyciatrist Guess in one way I was a lucky one also had funding automatically. I was 19stone 9lbs day of op and I didnt have any other health issues