Newbie needing advice and support!

[Immi]

Hello,

Im Imogen. Ive been loitering round this site for the last week and finally Ive plucked up the courage to sign up and introduce myself!

Ive always had ongoing battles with my weight but after the birth of my son 4yrs ago I have managed to lose 6stone and managed to maintain this for 3yr. Problem is the weight loss has left me with this awful sagging skin around my tummy which has become such an issue, so I recently went to my GP and asked to be refered to the local hospital to ask for a TT.

My appointment was today and the consultant was very dismissive and said althought I would greatly benefit from the procedure, it is cosmetic and therefore is no longer available on the NHS. However If I secured funding from the PCT then they could go ahead.

So now I have to go back to my GP and ask him to apply to the PCT for funding. My GP wasnt particularly supportive before so I know my chances are slim to zero! But Im not defeated yet!

Im feeling so low about this, I feel like all that hard work losing the weight and maintaining has been pointless. I felt happier when I was bigger, at least I fit my skin! So I just wondered if anyone who has experienced a similar thing could offer me any advice or tips on securing funding? Also if anyone had any experience dealing with Darlington and Durham PCT over funding issues?

I look forward to hearing from you

Imogen xxx

 

[SarahSez]

Hi Imogen, I have no experience of your particular pct or being refused tt on NHS as I got mine so easily I couldn't believe it. I had lost 7 stone at the time (put a bit on after tt due to swelling etc) over 2 years; I went to my doctor in November, couldnt help but cry over it, he dictated a letter to ps and a month later I had a letter from the consultant asking me to book an appointment, which I had in January. She said she would put me on the waiting list. I expected to have to wait for years for it, but when I asked she said 4-5 months. Had the tt in June. I didn't have to do anything re: funding; it wasn't even mentioned to me. Seems from what I have read on here that I am the lucky one.

If you search on the net for your pct's criteria for abdominoplasty you will find what they require.

Good luck

 

[gbone]

in my own experience getting your gp to pester the pct for funding is the key,my doc wrote backwards and forwards to the pct for months then finally got the funding once my bmi was below 26 with no other criteria.

Once I had the funding it took a few weeks to see the surgeon then my op date came through in weeks so from funding to tummy tuck is less than 2 months


For me my gp applied for the funding and waited for approval before he would even refer me to the surgeon,his thinking was once youve got the funding the surgeon is just the last small hurdle.I have friends who went the other way surgeon wants to do it now their gps wont apply for funding for them,who knows? every case you see everybody got there a slightly different way.My recommendation and what worked out alright for me, get a formal letter of funding or try to first then approach the surgeon,because it must be heartbreaking to get to a surgeon who is happy to do it and then you struggle to get the funding

 

[Immi]

Thanks for your replies Sarah and gbone and congratulations both on your weightloss. I have since been back to my gp, who was suprisingly supportive this time. He said he would write to the PCT to request funding, but not to build my hopes up as it was a long process and in his experience it would be refused. But its a step forward I guess! So I will just have to wait and see and keep my fingers, toes and saggy skin crossed!

Thanks again for your kind words

Immi xx

 

[Mini]

Congratulations and well done Immi on losing six stone and for maintaining for three years!!!:happy096:

Fingers crossed that you get the funding for a TT :fingerscrossed:

Love Mini xxx

 

[SarahSez]

Well done Imogen .. persistance pays!!! Let us know how you get on x