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Gastric Bypass surgery on the NHS

Hopeful_Meg said:
Hey guys! :)

I am new to the site and will be seeing my doctor this week to see if I can be referred for gastric bypass surgery on the NHS.

I just have a few questions for those who started their process recently - past year - if you wouldn't mind answering them?

-How did you go about being referred? Did you just ask your doctor?
-What were the next steps?
-If you've had your surgery, how long did it take from referral to operation date?
-If you've not had your surgery, how long has the process taken so far?
-What was your starting BMI (if you don't mind sharing)
-Where in the UK did you have your surgery?

Any extra info would be great, I'm hopeful that I will be considered but like many I am dreading the waiting time haha. A bit about me - I am nearly 21, a student and my current BMI is 46 with a weight of 145kg/22st 8lb.

Thank you,

Meg x
Click to expand...


Im from BIrmingham. In may i was referred to weight management, in june I saw them and was started on a tier 3 weight management programme where i went to a group dietician meeting which happened once a month for 6 months. I had to lose 5kg of my original weight to prove i was really going to give it my all to lose weight. I did that and have now been through 2 MDT meetings in December where weight management, dieticians and surgeons to agree that I am a good candidate for surgery and check me against funding criteria. I now have an appointment for a surgery seminar where i will be talked through all my options and chose a surgery, following that ill get my date to meet my consultant and go over things with him and his recommendation for the type of surgery I need and be added to the waiting list for surgery. :)

So far its been almost 8 months and im told the waiting list can be 6 -8 months :(

My BMI was 50 and I will be having my surgery at Heartlands in Birmingham.
 
Parsnip said:
How tall are you?

I'm sure I've read somewhere about pcos being listed as a kind of co-morbidities for Bariatric surgery... Can't for the life of me remember where though.
Click to expand...
Check out Angeline's thread in one of the January 2017 surgeries threads. She mentions PCOS.
 
chunkyMunky25 said:
Im from BIrmingham. In may i was referred to weight management, in june I saw them and was started on a tier 3 weight management programme where i went to a group dietician meeting which happened once a month for 6 months. I had to lose 5kg of my original weight to prove i was really going to give it my all to lose weight. I did that and have now been through 2 MDT meetings in December where weight management, dieticians and surgeons to agree that I am a good candidate for surgery and check me against funding criteria. I now have an appointment for a surgery seminar where i will be talked through all my options and chose a surgery, following that ill get my date to meet my consultant and go over things with him and his recommendation for the type of surgery I need and be added to the waiting list for surgery. :)

So far its been almost 8 months and im told the waiting list can be 6 -8 months :(

My BMI was 50 and I will be having my surgery at Heartlands in Birmingham.
Click to expand...

Your BMI was 50 and they still made you do the weight management course?? Good luck chick, hopefully it won't be too much longer!
 
UPDATE - I just got out of seeing the private surgeon in Birmigham, he was so lovely and if I had the money I'd be happy to jump straight in to surgery.
He measured my height and weight and I'm well shorter than I thought I was!!! I am 171.5cm... I thought I was 178 haha (and that's what I've been telling my doctors all along - they've never bothered to actually measure my height). My weight is at 148.7kg so that puts my BMI at 49.4! He said he was really happy with me as a future patient but from him to me, he said to go back to my doctor (after gaining 2kgs to put my BMI over 50) and see if they're now willing to refer me. If not he said to give him a call and we can go over the finance options.

Hope everyone is doing well :)
 
Hopeful_Meg said:
Your BMI was 50 and they still made you do the weight management course?? Good luck chick, hopefully it won't be too much longer!
Click to expand...
The weight management is required whatever your weight, it's just shorter if your bmi is over 50 from what I've read.

Hopeful_Meg said:
UPDATE - I just got out of seeing the private surgeon, he was so lovely and if I had the money I'd be happy to jump straight in to surgery. He measured my height and weight and I'm well shorter than I thought I was!!! I am 171.5cm. I thought I was 178 haha. My weight is at 148.7kg so that puts my BMI at 49.4
Click to expand...
Ooooh... Why didn't your Dr measure you?
 
Parsnip said:
The weight management is required whatever your weight, it's just shorter if your bmi is over 50 from what I've read.


Ooooh... Why didn't your Dr measure you?
Click to expand...
Oh I didn't know that!! And I don't honestly know, they've always been like "do you know how tall you are?" And I've always replied with 178 ahh! I guess they were being lazy!
 
Hopeful_Meg said:
Hey everyone!

Thank you so much for your replies!! I didn't realise you had all written as I never got an e-mail notification, so I do apologise for the late reply. Thank you for sharing your stories, it's so interesting to see the different routes you have all taken :)

I saw my GP and unfortunately my BMI is not the required 50 to be referred. She did suggest seeing my GP from back home (I'm at uni about 4/5 hours from home) as the required BMI for surgery in the south is lower than it is up here in the East Midlands.
I've called my GP and made an appointment when I'm back for Christmas so hopefully some progress will be made!

Thanks again for sharing :) and I'll try to keep you updated! X
Click to expand...

Hello and welcome @Hopeful_Meg !

You won't get notifications for replies unless you are set up to receive alerts (top right hand corner).

To answer your questions:

How did you go about being referred? Did you just ask your doctor? Yes my GP referred me
-What were the next steps? Two years of seeing general surgery and the bariatric team and going round in circles
-If you've had your surgery, how long did it take from referral to operation date? It took about two and a half years
-If you've not had your surgery, how long has the process taken so far?
-What was your starting BMI (if you don't mind sharing) My BMI on referrel was 35 (I think)
-Where in the UK did you have your surgery? I had my surgery in Coventry

My advice to you would be to see a different GP, it isn't up to them to decide if you can have the surgery, its the CCG's decision. You just need that initial referrel.

The NICE guidelines haven't changed, they are and have been since I started on this WLS journey:

Surgical interventions
Bariatric surgery is a treatment option for people with obesity if all of the following criteria are fulfilled:

  • They have a BMI of 40 kg/m2 or more, or between 35 kg/m2 and 40 kg/m2 and other significant disease (for example, type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure) that could be improved if they lost weight.

  • All appropriate non-surgical measures have been tried but the person has not achieved or maintained adequate, clinically beneficial weight loss.

  • The person has been receiving or will receive intensive management in a tier 3 service[10].

  • The person is generally fit for anaesthesia and surgery.

  • The person commits to the need for long-term follow-up.
You fit into the first statement - BMI of over 40, myself, the second BMI of 35 with comorbidities.
 
Mazza said:
Hello and welcome @Hopeful_Meg !

You won't get notifications for replies unless you are set up to receive alerts (top right hand corner).

To answer your questions:

How did you go about being referred? Did you just ask your doctor? Yes my GP referred me
-What were the next steps? Two years of seeing general surgery and the bariatric team and going round in circles
-If you've had your surgery, how long did it take from referral to operation date? It took about two and a half years
-If you've not had your surgery, how long has the process taken so far?
-What was your starting BMI (if you don't mind sharing) My BMI on referrel was 35 (I think)
-Where in the UK did you have your surgery? I had my surgery in Coventry

My advice to you would be to see a different GP, it isn't up to them to decide if you can have the surgery, its the CCG's decision. You just need that initial referrel.

The NICE guidelines haven't changed, they are and have been since I started on this WLS journey:

Surgical interventions
Bariatric surgery is a treatment option for people with obesity if all of the following criteria are fulfilled:

  • They have a BMI of 40 kg/m2 or more, or between 35 kg/m2 and 40 kg/m2 and other significant disease (for example, type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure) that could be improved if they lost weight.

  • All appropriate non-surgical measures have been tried but the person has not achieved or maintained adequate, clinically beneficial weight loss.

  • The person has been receiving or will receive intensive management in a tier 3 service[10].

  • The person is generally fit for anaesthesia and surgery.

  • The person commits to the need for long-term follow-up.
You fit into the first statement - BMI of over 40, myself, the second BMI of 35 with comorbidities.
Click to expand...
Hey Mazza! Thanks for all of your info :) Sorry to hear that your surgery took so long to come around! Thank you for the advice too, I am going to try and have a shameful fat weekend to gain 2kgs and get my BMI that 0.6 higher to reach 50 and see a new doctor beginning of next week (If i am successful in getting even fatter, haha).

Hope everyone is okay :)
 
No problem @Hopeful_Meg :D

I had to have my reflux treated, then my band removed first so the wait was long but worth it!

Good luck seeing the new doctor, hopefully they'll see sense and refer you xx
 
Hey guys! Happy Sunday :) I have actually gained about 2.1kg's meaning that my BMI is now 50.4
I do feel rather rubbish having gained weight, but actually rather hopeful that it will kick start my surgery referral. Meeting with my doc tomorrow to try and get it started. Wish me luck! x
 
Hope it goes well x
 
Does anyone know how long it will take? He said I'd receive a letter in the post at some point but I stupidly didn't ask how long that'd be!
 
Hopeful_Meg said:
Oh my goodness, that long for just the referral?
Click to expand...


i work for the referral centre for an NHS trust at they aim for 8 weeks for these appointments as they are classed as routine, however government guidelines state that you must be seen within 18 weeks. These timescales are from the referral being received by the hospital.
 
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