Hi there :-) Q about gastric band! Help plssss

[wombat]

Hello everyone

Well, I am pretty much decided that that is what I want. After trying numerous diets (starting from low gi, seeing dietician till lighter life) I am heavier then ever and truly fed up.

Today I had my annual health check and I weigh 16.8 st which gets my bmi to 39.1 (I bet a glass of water would have got me to 40) and it aint gonna get down :-(

I just have a few questions.
1) Seems I can get it done on NHS, I am from Northamptonshire. I am going to my GP sometime this week and will try to get an appointment with the specialist. So the question is, how long did you have to wait for your operation on NHS?
2) What amount of weight are you supposed to loose? I mean what is average per week?
3) If I am not going to manage to get it done on NHS, I have private insurance. Did anybody have it done in that way? I mean will my insurance cover it?
4)How do you generally feel afterwards? I know there are things you are not supposed to eat. Does it affect you a lot?
5) And the last one... I am not very keen on gastric bypass but I am ready to consider it. Which one would you reccomend? (I am 23 and I would love to have another baby in a couple of years)

Thank you for your answers in advance.

Love,
Danielle

 

[tesmaralda]

hi and welcome to this section of minis. With your bmi I think you would have to have some other co morbidities in order to get it a band or bypass on the nhs, as for the weight loss everyone is different and depends on whether you have a band or bypass. You should still be able to have a baby further down the line whether you have a band or bypass. Firstly have a look here BOSPA - The British Obesity Surgery Patient Association and that should help answer some question if not just come back and shout up.

 

[shelbell]

Hi Danielle,

Oooh lots of questions lol, lets get started!

1) length varies from PCT to PCT and then even from case to case, could be 3 months, could be 3 years.

2) not sure per week, but bypassers are expected to lose 70% of excess weight in first 12 months, banders 50%, however, over a longer period of time the 2 balance up.

3) I would be amazed if your private insurance covers you for elective bariatric surgery. Most of them have it as a standard no no.

4) Can only speak for myself, but I feel AMAZING! I can eat anything, just in small quantities.

5) which one? I would recommend you see what the consultant you end up under says, as it depends on your eating habits and lifestyle etc, and is a very individual decision.

Hope that helps

 

[serenitylove]

i dont know about weather your get it nhs or the waiting time as im a different area

i was told to if i lose about 2lbs a week my dr is happy and im doing a little over that now its slow and steady but hopefully stays off, what you can eat will vary but most banders cant eat bread meat is something else thats hard to get down, i also cant eat some fish rice and have been told pasta a no no a bariatric dr will look at your eating habits and recommend weather a band or bypass better for you but the desition is ultimatly yours i couldnt face a bypass myself

 

[wombat]

Thank you for your replies girls

That information on that site was very useful.

I really hope that Ill manage to go through either of those.

Does anybody know whether having surgery will affect for how long I am going to live. Especially the bypass. Because Its something really major... Sorry if it is a stupid question...

 

[cazbandy]

Hi Wombat...

It's brilliant you asking all the questions, it's the right thing to do at this satge, to weigh up all possibilities...

So let me give you my take on your questions...

1) Seems I can get it done on NHS, I am from Northamptonshire. I am going to my GP sometime this week and will try to get an appointment with the specialist. So the question is, how long did you have to wait for your operation on NHS?
I went to see my GP at the beginning of April last year, he got my funding sorted within 6 weeks and an appointment to see a surgeon at the hospital of my choice (had 5 to choose from) on August 4th. After an hours chat and the surgeon deciding it was a viable and good option for me to be banded (as I had diabetes2 and high chlosteral) he set a date for October 14th. It will be down to the surgeon as to what he thinks will be best for you and this will depend on your current eating habits. For example I am a quantity eater but not a sweet tooth eater, so he thought the band would help me restrict quantity without compromising nutrion.
2) What amount of weight are you supposed to loose? I mean what is average per week?
To be honest there is no average, as each person is different. I can only give you an example of my own which have ranged from half a pound to 4 pounds. It depends on what you ate that week, time of the month, how much physical activity you did, how close to a fill you are...there are too many variables to make an accurate assumption. The figure they quote is 1-2 pounds steady weightloss.
3) If I am not going to manage to get it done on NHS, I have private insurance. Did anybody have it done in that way? I mean will my insurance cover it?
The best thing to do there is contact them. They may not cover operations that are deemed cosmetic to an extent. Give them a call and see what they say - you have nothing to loose.
4)How do you generally feel afterwards? I know there are things you are not supposed to eat. Does it affect you a lot?
Immediately after, there is a sensation of bloating from all the gas they pump into you to get at your stomach, this can be painful and can be soothed by moving, walking or some people swear by peppermint tea. To begin with your hunger is very low, as you are still swollen from the op but that returns as you heal. The band is usually empty when installed, so once the healing is done, you are kind of where you started and will have minimal if no restriction, so will power has to be executed during the phase up until your first fill. But you will loose weight, although this may slow as you get back to normal food. Do not worry if this happens - it is totally normal.

The operation is painful, but they give you some strong painkillers that reduce that to discomfort. I felt better within a 7 day period but sleeping was still difficult, as I am a stomach sleeper and had to try and stay on my back, this though was back to normal within 21 days. The port site is the most painful and takes the longest to heal. These vary in location too. Mine is above my bnavel and to the left but I know some of the girls have their ports on the chest bone (as there is less chance of flipping)...each surgeon has there way of doing things.

Its weird the first food you take, but if you follow the guidelines given to you by your provider and chew, chew, chew you should be fine.

5) And the last one... I am not very keen on gastric bypass but I am ready to consider it. Which one would you reccomend? (I am 23 and I would love to have another baby in a couple of years)
Personally, if you are looking to have kids, the band may be the better option as it can be adjusted to allow more nutrition in when you are pregnant. You are also never nutrionally compromised with the band as you are with a bypass, but I guess you could fall pregnant with either, even if you were being careful, so as long as your doctor and surgeon know, they will work out what is best for you.

I hope these answers help towards your decision and that you get the help you need.

 

[wombat]

Thank you cazbandy for your reply

It is a really tought choice for me....

I have to make an appointment with my GP to get a refferal letter to specialist and talk all the stuff throught with him.