Frustrated newbie Ahoy!

[sundown]

Hey all

I'm a newbie here and hoping to gain some valuable insight into weight loss surgery pre and post from you lovely people over time.

My potted history - I've been fat since a child (now 46! :cry and had my first brush with a dietician age 9! Despite having a super-healthy, vegetarian Mother cooking throughout my childhood and despite being fit...I remained fat. Over the years I've lost a truckload of weight numerous times, only to fail to maintain it and gradually the weight has crept up over the years until my heaviest now of 18st 10lbs (I'm only 5ft 4" too )and I'm feeling it! I used to do a 10 mile hike with ease, but these days I'm noticing joints are hurting around the 7 mile mark and by the 10 mile mark it's sheer force of will stuff.

Back in November I went to a GP about the issue (for the umpteenth time) and lucked out with a new GP who noted that, apart from being obese, I was otherwise very fit - blood pressure on the low end of normal, blood/sugars normal, I was eating the right things and doing more than the recommended level of exercise. He referred me for weight loss surgery..and that's where the frustration started. In my area you have to be on a weight management program for twelve months with a psychologist to unravel your 'issues' around weight before they'll put you forward for surgery :sigh:

Six months in and I've found these sessions a complete waste of both our time and energy. The problem is, as the psychologist has admitted herself, a good part of the program is around encouraging people to exercise more and to eat more healthily. It's a problem in my case because I already do a shed-load of exercise and several years ago I did a distance learning course to gain certification in nutrition. Eating more healthy and moving more often is not my issue - my issue is that I never feel hungry and, on the flipside, I never feel full either so my eating is completely screwed up. I can forget to eat all day and only realise it when my chap comes home and asks me what I've eaten. When I do start eating there's no 'off switch'. I've always felt totally confused in weight loss groups where the leader talks about 'hunger pangs' and 'eat till you feel full, not stuffed' - the only feelings I know around food are 'nothing' and then 'so bloated it hurts and feel sick'.

The final straw for me came on my appointment 3 weeks ago when I was informed the year's program only started from when I had my consultation with the bariatric surgeon. I should have had one within the first 3 weeks of being on the program but, due to some error, it didn't happen and I was now faced with an appointment in the next few weeks (had it today. Hurrah!!) and then having to do 12 months!!! So today I saw a lovely consultant who, looking at my notes, agreed that I was a good candidate for surgery gimi and that he didn't see any added benefit to another 12 months in the program in my case....however that was the funding criteria for the area so no choice :flamingmad:. So having come away and had a think (and a chat with my chappy) I've come to the conclusion that, for the second time in my life, the NHS are going to be as much use to me as mammaries on a bull and I'm going to go down the 'screw it, go private' route and pay for the ruddy gastric band myself rather than have to go through the pointless bureaucratic treadmill and general administrative incompetence of the NHS again (and sorry if that offends anyone, but myself and a few of my family have had terrible experiences with them - to the point my Mother once asked me to kill her if, in the future, it ever looked like she'd need a long stay in our local geriatric unit)

So, having made that decision - what I want to know is, what's the general lead-time from initial private consultation to surgery? I'd like to get the ball rolling with pre-op preparation etc but my diary until end of Sept is pretty choked with work travel and my own holiday. Would it be better to get the ball rolling now or put off contacting the private clinic completely until end of Sept when I know my diary is clear up to Xmas? The nearest clinic to me is the Winfield in Gloucestershire - anyone got any experience there?

Thanks!

 

[Mazza]

Hello and welcome!

Did the consultant recommend the band to you or is it your choice?

If you do go private you could have the surgery whenever you want basically.

Would it be worth continuing down the NHS route until September then re evaluate?

In the meantime do some research on the surgical options available and what would suit your way of eating etc would be my advice. For what its worth!

Good luck x

 

[los in it]

Hello newbie

 

[wes001]

Hello and Welcome!

 

[~Alison~]

Hi

I think Siana58 had surgery there. I would not rule out other surgeries though and maybe look at a provider that does all surgeries and see what they feel is best for you. I have had a bypass but originally had a band, the bypass is much easier to live with.

Good luck. Privately you get in very quickly so I would wait for holidays travel etc to be over, or go and then have a good think of your options.

 

[sundown]

Hi all

Thanks for the welcome! The consultant (Mr Hewin) didn't recommend any kind of surgery in particular, he simply said that I was a good candidate for weight loss surgery.

Today I phoned up the Winfield to have a chat. They offer all the various types of surgery and the lady I spoke through talked me through some of them. The sleeve wasn't one I'd heard of or considered but I think I may need to as I do work away from home fairly frequently so perhaps the lower maintenance over the band would be a factor to consider in that light. Problem is - I'm a complete wuss about surgery...one of those who panic over the sight of a needle, let alone the thought of being cut up!

Of course there's the ££ aspect too. I have enough savings to pay for a band but not a sleeve or bypass (they are the same cost) so would have to crack into a credit card for that and being in debt makes me nervous! lol

Lots to think about! What I was heartened by was the fact there's 3 years' worth of aftercare as I think that'll be important.

 

[emma-louise]

I think when choosing any type of baratric surgery,the aftercare is very important..and should be a major part of helping your decision.
I think when going down the nhs route(well for me)I always knew I had a dietican number to hand,baratric nurses to speak too,etc..and even though I'm almost 5 years post op bypass,I've had yearly check ups.
And I can still ring my surgeons secretary for any advice....
I personally know people who have gone down the private route,and aftercare is next to nothing,once they've got your money,your on your own,so to speak.
"Good things come to those who wait"
Best of luck with your decision

 

[Mike k]

Welcome to the site .

 

[Crystalrainbow]

Speaking as a NHS patient who incidentally waited almost 3 years LOL personally speaking its the best 3 years I ever waited.... it certainly got my head in the right place for this life changing/saving surgery ....I know things have changed dramatically these days and some peeps have been thru done and dusted within months, depending on area.

I was the same in terms of having a no on or off hunger switch.... I always though I ate quite healthy being wheat and diary intolerant but couldn't do the moving bit LOL but its such a fine balance and one that I still struggle with 1 year post banding....it certainly does not change the head, if you have 'issues' which again incidentally I didn't realise I had until going thru the process, and since post banding... its no easy option for sure...... I continued along the nhs route uncertain I would even get as far as surgery (like you a wuss) but the process taught me SO much and lets face it ...its only time.....we have spent so many years getting this way, its never going to happen overnight..... I say take your time...make your decision based on the insights you can glean form the hospital, support groups, us etc. If your committed thru the summer you have nothing to loose.... the groups set up thru the nhs are invaluable, not just food based but a whole heap of stuff including what surgery would suit you better, how to deal with the emotional side of things too....which frankly smacks you in the face at times LOL

In the mean time do you research, book some consultations and go thru all the options once September comes who knows life may have changed.... of course waiting on the NHS helps in the financial stakes too ....(sorry if that sounds bad ) don't just go for the surgery which suits your pocket.... you need what is going to work for you best if your doing this do it right first time round ..... as Emma said 'good things come to those who wait' x x x good luck great post and welcome....its a fab friendly site

 

[sundown]

I think when going down the nhs route(well for me)I always knew I had a dietican number to hand,baratric nurses to speak too,etc..and even though I'm almost 5 years post op bypass,I've had yearly check ups.
And I can still ring my surgeons secretary for any advice....
I personally know people who have gone down the private route,and aftercare is next to nothing,once they've got your money,your on your own,so to speak.
"Good things come to those who wait"
Best of luck with your decision

Hi Emma

I guess what aftercare you get on the NHS is very much down to the area you are, just as the aftercare you get when going private is very much down to the provider you go for.

In the case of the NHS, my area is absolutely dire. I've been in the 'program' for 6 months already and I find the sessions a total waste of time - they're not telling me anything new, it's the same old psychobabble claptrap I've heard dozens of times before. On top of that, I simply get issued an appointment by post and on two occasions as soon as I've opened it I've known I couldn't attend as I was working hundreds of miles away on those dates. Despite phoning up to change the dates immediately on receipt of the letter and despite having had absolutely no input into the initial dates chosen, I was given two 'strikes' for changing appointments - a third and I'd be booted off the program anyway. Lastly - the hospital it's at (and where the operation would be) nearly killed my Grandmother through total lack of care in their geriatric unit and managed to lose my dementia riddled Step-Father from an intensive care unit (he was found bare footed and in pajamas wandering along a main road in the middle of a Winter's night by a local taxi driver...) so my general confidence in their ability to do anything well is pretty much rock bottom unfortunately!

 

[JJJ]

Lots of good advice here already.
It may well be worth waiting for NHS, I certainly wouldn't take yourself off their list while you think about it.
I had a band privately & recently have an NHS revision to bypass because of complications.
I would advise you to consider carefully which procedure is best for you & leave the cost to one side while you make that decision. The rest of your life is what's important & a short delay waiting to jump through NHS hoops may be well worth it in the long term.
Even at 6 weeks post bypass, the support I've had on the NHS doesn't compare to privately ( just to be clear - it's better on the NHS)

 

[BFB]

Hello, and welcome to the forum

 

[violetangel]

All the best - let us know when you get your appointments and surgery date x

 

[siana58]

I was banded privately by Mr Hewin at the Winfield. All initial triage/ assessments are carried out by a specialist bariatric nurse who has had a sleeve so knows her stuff. She doesn't pullover punches, very matter of fact, I like her as I don't like pink and fluffy.

 

[Mazza]

I was banded privately by Mr Hewin at the Winfield. All initial triage/ assessments are carried out by a specialist bariatric nurse who has had a sleeve so knows her stuff. She doesn't pullover punches, very matter of fact, I like her as I don't like pink and fluffy.

Thats sounds like Wendy, who was a director of the provider I used but that company went bust leaving people high and dry with no aftercare.

Recommendations for surgeons are fine but I would rather we didn't go down the recommending providers route. Too many issues to mention have happened as a result of this.

So lets just stick to the questions asked and what we do best - mutual support. I'd rather avoid the drama please

 

[siana58]

Ok should I edit? And yes her name is Wendy

 

[sundown]

I was banded privately by Mr Hewin at the Winfield. All initial triage/ assessments are carried out by a specialist bariatric nurse who has had a sleeve so knows her stuff. She doesn't pullover punches, very matter of fact, I like her as I don't like pink and fluffy.

Hey there

I've got a pack of info through from them now and spoke for about an hour on the phone to a really nice lady who was very helpful.

Like you, I don't do the pink and fluffy stuff! I just like to get the info - the good, the bad and the ugly and make a decision.

How did you find the aftercare? 3 years sounds pretty good if it actually lives up to the promise

Were you happy with Mr Hewin?

 

[siana58]

I was happy with Mr he win but I did have a few post op issues that the ward did not appear to be able to manage. At that time I was the first bariatric case they had had for ages. However I did address the issues and they were happy to take my comments on board. So far aftercare has been fine, but I have not needed a fill so am not an expert. For me it's extremely convenient as I can pop in, get seen and back to work within about an hour

 

[Mazza]

Ok should I edit? And yes her name is Wendy

Thanks, no its fine I'll do it