First GPs visit

[lynsey2510]

Hi all,

few questions for you if you dont mind?

Will be going to see my GP this week and asking to be referred for a gastric bypass. Do you just walk in there and ask outright to be referred?! Or do you have to give your case to him? Im worried he will just fob me off and tell me to try So and So diet or lets try Such and Such a diet. Did you get this?

Ive been obese for 16 years, since I was 15 years old. Ive tried a slimming pill ( think it was Xenical? ) through the hospital in the past, 4 months on Lighter life, lost 4 stone, put it all back on. Saw a dietician years ago referred from my GP too. Tried WW, slimmming world, Rosemary Conley. I have a BMI of 49. Been reading my PCT's info on bariartic surgery and it says that you will have to tell the GP why I think a bypass will help when everything else has failed. Any ideas on the best way to answer this?

Thanks for your help guys.

 

[shelbell]

Hi Lynsey, welcome to Mini's

When I saw my GP I didn't have to explain myself to him, just asked to be referred. Wirral have their own flowchart of referral though so the GP doesn't have any say in it.

I think the main thing is demonstrating that you have researched the different options, explain honestly your eating habits and how the bypass would work with these, and that you are aware of the lifelong committment needed to make it work.

Hope it goes well for you, let us know

 

[wannaloose18stone]

In my experience you get more by demanding (in a nice way) what you wan't.
You pay your taxes and stamp the same as everyone else so your entitled to the same and fair treatment as everyone else get's.

 

[brett30]

hello Hun ... not being rude but nor all GP's know about weight loss surgery.... and some of them have never referred anyone before.

so they will act dumb toward what they have to do...

but its simple .... your doc just has to fill a form out to you local pct with your medical history of weight loss and why they think it will be good for you ..

if you have tried loads of kinds of diets and pills then you have a good case..

you are of a high bmi so that is good toward's your case too ..

i was sent to the endocrinologist firstly for blood tests to make sure everything was fine. and even he said i should be referred to bariatric team.

i was lucky my GP had put 2 people through it before me.

but your GP can just re fair you to your local bariatric team and they will do the rest as in apply for funding etc from your pct .

but what i found was cause my GP applied for my funding and i was approved before i was sent to bariatic department i was given a choice of 3 places to look at ..

and to make my own choice.

so i was able to call and ask questions of all of them such as how long from referral to operation.

i found the perfect place and its taken me 5 months and my op is this friday....

so try and get your gp to do the request to pct this will make things go quicker for you ..

good luck and don't let GP fob you off ... x

 

[kphorrox]

good luck and best wishes on friday brett this will be the start of your new life.....

 

[lynsey2510]

Thanks so much guys. Brett thats a real insight youve just given me, huge thanks! Hope your surgery goes well on Friday. Think if I just go in and ask to be referred to my local PCT for a gastric bypass as I have exhausted all other avenues of weight loss over the last 20 years? Im so nervous about it. It such a life changing thing and means so much to me.

 

[brett30]

yea just go in there knowing about pct etc and gp will then know u have looked in to it .. and that u know what ur talking about x good luck x

 

[noreenb]

Hey hun...As far as I know you have to have a BMI of over 40 without any additional health complications or 35 and over with health complications to qualify for weight loss surgery. You have to also prove that you have tried other avenues without success. All the best xxxx

 

[Snowcrystal]

I think it helps if you have a recorded history at your docs that you have tried many times before...For example my doc could go back and see that I have tried various medication to lose (and that there were some I could not take because of a pre-existing) weight. He had signed for me to do Lighter Life, Cambridge and Lipotrim. Plus the sheer fact that you have the BMI required to meet the criteria should help.

xXx