Had my appointment today... BUT

[Tyraboots]

Had my appointment today...
So I did the milk diet for 4 weeks. Today at weigh in I find I have lost 12 kilos. I am delighted as I have attained the 5% they asked for, and followed the diet pretty well.

But

The dietician announces that they have to have a meeting about me before I will be considered for surgery!?!??? because at a previous meeting with another dietican I had told them that I sometimes had binge ate. (not purged) Even the psychologist had said I was a good candidate. I have my funding.

Anyway

She has given me an appointment to see the surgeon. (9th Nov) But I have to wait for the results of this 'meeting' next week, if I don't hear for her it will be okay.

I am really pissed off. I think I have bolloxed myself up by being truthful. Not being nasty, but I think to get to where I was 24 stone, it doesn't take a genius to realise that some heavy duty eating was going on. Surely it should be taken as a given that many fat women binge eat? I certainly don't do it now, haven't for quite a while. Maybe I should just keep schtumm now. Pissed off, seriously. Need something to look forward to, now next week is under a cloud.

 

[salski]

Thats a strange one....bet your pissed! What surgery are you waiting for?

 

[Lady_in_London]

This is normal. It is called a multidisciplinary team meeting and all the team meets on a regular basis to discuss the patients who have had all the necessary assessments for surgery. It is nothing to worry about. If the dietician and psychologist have recommended that you are a good candidate, and you have lost the weight they asked, I am sure things will go your way.
No patient goes for surgery until the whole team of surgeons, psychologists, dieticians and nurse specialists have discussed them in full.
Post on here when you find out what they say, and perhaps give their secretary a phone call on the day after the MDT meeting.

 

[PinkyButtonz]

I understand why you are upset but I truely think your worries will be put to rest once they meet. You have the psychologist on your side, they won't ignore his/her's input.

 

[cazbandy]

A bit odd that you had to do milk diet for 4 weeks without a surgery date though??

or am I missing something?

 

[salski]

A bit odd that you had to do milk diet for 4 weeks without a surgery date though??

or am I missing something?

Yeah - strange!

 

[Tyraboots]

At the Luton and Dunstable it sort of goes like this:
Appointment 1, you see a bariatric doctor, or consultant after filling in a very long form.
Appointment 2, they call the 'triple'. Bariatric nurse, dietician and psychologist. You then go on the 4 week milk diet.
Appointment 3, dietician. You go on what they call the refeeding diet. One meal of 400k and 2 pints of milk. Until you visit the surgeon.
My appointment with him (hopefully) in 3 weeks time.

 

[PinkyButtonz]

Yeah - strange!

I asked the same question few weeks ago and was told the hospital require you to lose 5% body weight, before you see the surgeon and to show commitment.

 

[PinkyButtonz]

Gosh they really put you through it. I take my hat off to you, well done.

Though if I was told I had to do all that to get my op I wouldn't have been happy but I would of done it.

At the Luton and Dunstable it sort of goes like this:
Appointment 1, you see a bariatric doctor, or consultant after filling in a very long form.
Appointment 2, they call the 'triple'. Bariatric nurse, dietician and psychologist. You then go on the 4 week milk diet.
Appointment 3, dietician. You go on what they call the refeeding diet. One meal of 400k and 2 pints of milk. Until you visit the surgeon.
My appointment with him (hopefully) in 3 weeks time.

 

[Cuppacocoa]

At the Luton and Dunstable it sort of goes like this:
Appointment 1, you see a bariatric doctor, or consultant after filling in a very long form.
Appointment 2, they call the 'triple'. Bariatric nurse, dietician and psychologist. You then go on the 4 week milk diet.
Appointment 3, dietician. You go on what they call the refeeding diet. One meal of 400k and 2 pints of milk. Until you visit the surgeon.
My appointment with him (hopefully) in 3 weeks time.

Hi Tyraboots,

Is your surgeon Mr Jain or Mr Whitelaw? They work together on the ops but you will be under the care of one or the other. I live near to you but was refused funding for the L&D so am having my bypass done at the Spire in Harpenden. Same surgeon (Mr Whitelaw) as you though and I imagine some of the team are the same too. However my experience has been very different so far, certainly with regards to the four week milk diet? Haven't heard of that one, I was asked to lose the 5% weight then start the milk diet 2 weeks before surgery. Is your dietician called Karen do you know?

Anyway I'm sure the outcome of your meeting will be fine, try not to worry too much.

Best wishes,
Cuppa xx

 

[thinkbethin]

Good luck for the meeting, I'm sure all will be ok and well done doing the milk diet for 4 weeks and losing so much weightxxxxx

 

[Tyraboots]

Hi Tyraboots,

Is your surgeon Mr Jain or Mr Whitelaw? They work together on the ops but you will be under the care of one or the other. I live near to you but was refused funding for the L&D so am having my bypass done at the Spire in Harpenden. Same surgeon (Mr Whitelaw) as you though and I imagine some of the team are the same too. However my experience has been very different so far, certainly with regards to the four week milk diet? Haven't heard of that one, I was asked to lose the 5% weight then start the milk diet 2 weeks before surgery. Is your dietician called Karen do you know?

Anyway I'm sure the outcome of your meeting will be fine, try not to worry too much.

Best wishes,
Cuppa xx

I had two dieticians, one called Lynsey who raised the concerns. The appointment was to see Mr Dati. I think he may be new there. To be honest I would have preferred Mr Whitelaw, because of his reputation. I might ring up on Monday to see if he has a cancellation before the 9th.

 

[Cuppacocoa]

Hi Tyraboots,

Not heard of either Lyndsay or Mr Dati, I guess you're right he may be new. Interesting what you said about Mr Whitelaw, does he have a good reputation then? I tried to find some info on him before I chose where to have the op but couldn't find much. I don't know of anyone who has had him as their surgeon so kind of went in blind with him! Would be comforting to know he is good at what he does!!

Cuppa xx

 

[gingernutter]

Fist of all I want to congratulate you on your weight loss.

For those of you who don't understand the milk diet it goes like this. The hospital want you to show your commitment by asking you to lose weight by drinking a diet of mainly milk for 4 weeks or longer in order to achieve a 5% weight loss. You can also have a daily sugar free jelly and a oxo drink (for salt). I was recommended 4 pints of milk a day.

I am sorry you have now got this added worry to concern you. You have every right to feel unset! I know it was very hard just to be referred to the Luton clinic as they refused me on my first application. Luton are so busy as they cover the east of England. It took me another year to finally be accepted as a patient. I agree, it seems so unfair after all you have been through so far. I am sure they have these meetings all the time about all patients and not just you. If we were all honest you might see that we all have our bad habits with food, thats why many of us are here. You have done so well already showing that you can be committed to a diet by successfully losing 5% on the dreaded milk diet. The worst is behind you. You are almost home! Only the surgeon to meet then you will get your surgery date. Keep smiling as I am sure you will be fine, try not to be down, We understand your disappointment and we are here to support you.

As for me, I was under Luton but I couldn't get the funding even thou other patients who weighed less than me could get treatment there, some had less health concerns than me yet could still get their surgery at Luton (I understand it's down to PCT funding but I still needed that surgery, post code lottery). My BMI was 52 and I have a number of co morbidities. So Luton obesity clinic are not top of my popularity list. I am not saying they do not do a good job as they do a fantastic job but I think it is hard to get past the hurdles in order to get to see the surgeons. lets be honest here, there are some people who will NEVER be able to stick to the 4 week milk diet. I know one of my dear friends who couldn't do this and she wasn't able to go forward for surgery. Who will help her now? She has a BMI over 60. She is seriously depressed about her weight problems and the added health problems related to her weight. I feel the Luton clinic didn't do enough to help her or me. It isn't fair that Luton insist on this 4 week milk diet as it will eliminate a number of very needy obese patients. It is obvious that many of us have eating problems in various ways but this course seems discriminational as some patients will fall at this hurdle. What happens to them? Who will care for them?

I thank God everyday for helping me find a hospital that were prepared to help me with my obesity.

 

[salski]

It seems strange tp ask patients that are unsucessful with diets (hence why they choose surgey) to stick to a diet. It seems a litlle messed up for me? Especially if there is no gurantee at the end that you will have the surgery?
Just my thoughts...

Sally xx

 

[Lady_in_London]

It seems strange tp ask patients that are unsucessful with diets (hence why they choose surgey) to stick to a diet. It seems a litlle messed up for me? Especially if there is no gurantee at the end that you will have the surgery?
Just my thoughts...

Sally xx

It may be to shrink the liver if it is fatty, as a fatty liver takes up too much room to do the surgery.

Also it shows a person is able to show their ability if they can do the liquid, pureed and soft diet for after surgery.

I agree though and I have often posted that the psychological aspects of pre-surgery care should be looked into more.

The psychologist and dietician can often suggest ways to alter habits that a pre-surgery patient may be able to adopt in order to lose some weight to ease the risks of surgery and post surgery, because the lower the weight and healthier the person is, including stopping smoking, the more safe the surgery outcome.

I had several sessions with a NHS psychologist with treatment called Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, and it worked as I really am not sure I want to go for surgery - I am way too much of a wuss to cope with it all.

CBT can be tailored specially for someone's eating problems. It also only took five weeks from GP referral to my first of ten CBT appointments.

WhenI want to turn to food for whatever reason, I bring to mind what I learned at those sessions.

Personally I think people should go for these sort of sessions, or at least have a couple of appointments with the Psychologist or Psychiatrist before surgery to learn about the emotional or boredom eating aspect, and it is possible, like me, that they will decide to give psychological therapy a go to help them lose weight, and most importantly to keep it off.