My pct is asking the public for their views on WLS!

[Chuffy_29]

Done the survey as a member of the public. I too look forward to the surveys about funding smoking cessation, drug and alcohol clinics, anorexia and bulimia clinics. Would the public say " oh lets not help the anorexics we'lll just let them die" , i doubt it...and morbid obesity (+co-morbidities) can and does lead to the same issues! Bl**dy annoyed!

 

[dottychic]

I read in the paper today they are trying out a new scheme, to stop smokers getting ops! If they dont attend smoking cessation clinics and stop smoking they will be denied surgery..........any surgery. Needless to say, if your an alchy and you need a liver transplant or your a junkie and need surgery thats ok........but if you smoke, meaning over the years all the tax you have paid on cigarettes would be enough to fund your surgery and someone elses probably.....they wont operate on you. Now I know there are risks involved with smokers and ops, infections and healing difficulties but is it really fair to single them out? I gave up smoking over 3 yrs ago so its not me Im worried about. I just dont agree with it, it makes me so angry. Fatism is alive and well and so it seems is discriminating against smokers!! X

 

[yorkiegal]

My surgeon made a point of telling me that if I am still smoking when it comes to the op date I will be sent home without the surgery. But as a high risk patient I think I have a responsibility to do as much as I can to make the surgery safer.
However, this is elective surgery. If I'd just been told I had cancer and was refused an op to remove the tumour unless I stopped smoking I think that would be very unfair. Quitting is difficult at the best of times, but especially when you've just been told you're seriously ill. So yes, do it to the patients who are on waiting lists for non critical ops but cut the others some slack I think.