Newbie to WLS

[Starlit_Cazza]

Hi there, have used minimins for a couple of years though have been absent for a while. Went on to the weight loss surgery bit and was redirected here. Have had a bit of a read and now feel ready to post.

My name is Caryl and I am enormous. 5ft 8, 24st 8lb, BMI 52.3. I have always been enormous, apart from briefly in late 2008 when my BMI dropped to a mere 38.7 and I was deemed slightly less enormous. This was after 4 months on Cambridge Diet which saw me lose 5stone, before piling it all back on again and then some.

I saw my GP tonight in order to discuss my weight. Over the years, as we all have, I have tried everything - all the slimming clubs, the pills, low carb, low GI, atkins, Cambridge etc etc as I am sure everyone reading this has! Anyway, my new GP is wonderful (have recently relocated from Portsmouth to Nottingham). Really, she amazed me, she was just brilliant. She basically went through all my options, and then went on to talk about weight loss surgery, but she talked about it in a really positive way which was a bloody great breath of fresh air I can tell you!!!

She was explaining that basically I have to go through the "process" if you like and tick off all the boxes - Dietician referral, exercise referral, I have to go and be weighed in a months time and have lost 2.5kg to prove that I am "dedicated", Orlistat if I manage to lose that 2.5kg...ermmm...there was more but to be honest my mind has gone blank! The really good news though is that there is funding available locally for weight loss surgery which is fantastic news! She said largely it is a tick box exercise but have to go through it in order to get the PCT funding - does this sound right to people? Its a bloody relief in some ways as my old PCT wouldn't consider weight loss surgery unless your BMI was over 60!!! which would have involved gaining another 7 stone, which funnily enough I wasn't prepared to do lol.

Is there anything else I should be doing do you think? Or is it just a case of playing the game, following the rules, and hopefully getting the reward at the end of it?

Thanks

Oh and hi to Nightwitch if you are reading this - saw you are using this forum too!

 

[ladylite]

Hello there and welcome,

You sound like a lot of us, we are or were really big and done all the diets. So glad you have at last found a Dr who will listen to you.

You are lucky to have moved up north because in our PCT you have to be dead with a BMI 50 or over.

Good luck on your journey and keep us informed.

 

[moonflower]

Hi and welcome

i had to do do all the tablets etc before I was referred it took about 18 mths. They didnt work hence the op. All I can say is tow the rope and i'm sure you'll be referred.

I think you'll be done at the Royal in Derby. They do a monthly support group that anyone is welcome to even before you decide on surgery. I go eventhough I had mine done at Walsall as I'm Burton and my PCT only send that way.
I may see you at the meet sometime. Its at the Royal last Wed of the month in the education centre near car park 4.
Let me know if you need more info

xx

 

[SOON SLIM SUE]

hi and welcome to wls.
a good gp is worth his weight in gold. it's not an easy journey, just jump when they tell you to.
good luck.

 

[Sambucca]

Hi Cazza and welcome. I remember you from minimins, and like you have tried all the diets, including Cambridge and always gained the lost weight back with interest.

I had my bypass 8 months ago and have lost about 8 stone so far.

Have a look at BOSPA - The British Obesity Surgery Patient Association for some factual information about how the bypass works, and then read as many diaries on here as you have time for. Although you are an established miniminer you need to get posting to earn your privileges over here. I think its 100 posts for the bronze diary section where you will find some of the long termer diaries.

I look forward to following your journey. Sounds like you have a very supportive GP on side which is half the battle.

 

[Mixman]

Welcome to the land of the people who have tried and tried

Glad to see things moving on for you and hope you share your journey with us! Look forward to hearing about it all

 

[phatmomma]

Hi and welcome....

Sounds like you found a good gp there. Mine is awesome, referred me the first time he ever saw me, i was new to the practice. Took my word for it that i'd done the diets n pills etc (which i had) and referred as i sat there. Always asks how i am, if i have my date (which i do now - 6 weeks to go whooo )...

I hope you don't wait too long and wish you all the luck and ease over the next few months on your journey xx

 

[BandyEmm]

Good luck on your coming journey x

 

[Starlit_Cazza]

Hi and welcome

i had to do do all the tablets etc before I was referred it took about 18 mths. They didnt work hence the op. All I can say is tow the rope and i'm sure you'll be referred.

I think you'll be done at the Royal in Derby. They do a monthly support group that anyone is welcome to even before you decide on surgery. I go eventhough I had mine done at Walsall as I'm Burton and my PCT only send that way.
I may see you at the meet sometime. Its at the Royal last Wed of the month in the education centre near car park 4.
Let me know if you need more info

xx

Hi Moonflower

Yes GP has said that if I were to have the op it would be at Derby. TBH if it meant a permanent solution to my weight issues I'd go anywhere!!! Thanks for the info on the support group, I shall have a think about it and may come along at the end of the month.

 

[Starlit_Cazza]

Hi and welcome....

Sounds like you found a good gp there. Mine is awesome, referred me the first time he ever saw me, i was new to the practice. Took my word for it that i'd done the diets n pills etc (which i had) and referred as i sat there. Always asks how i am, if i have my date (which i do now - 6 weeks to go whooo )...

I hope you don't wait too long and wish you all the luck and ease over the next few months on your journey xx

The problem I had is that I have done it all before - dietician, orlistat, reductil etc, but its been staggered out over the last 10 years or so! She said the only way to guarantee funding is to prove I have tried it all recently so when she makes the referral she can evidence it all with dates etc

 

[galm37]

Welcome to the site. It's full of incredible people with amazing insight, I hope it's as beneficial to you as it has been to me.

Good luck with the start of your journey x

 

[girly girl]

Welcome there is always some one around when you need help so just shout and good luck with your journey.
xx

 

[Neen]

Wishing you lots of luck and hope you get the WL surgery you are after x Looking forward to hearing how you get on and seeing the pounds vanish very soon x

 

[Mimsie67]

Hi Carly,welcome to this fab site, you are definately in the right place hun.
It makes such a difference when you have got a gp that is on your side. Luckily I got reffered the first time I approached my gp and got funding automatically, but I know some people have a terrible fight on their hands, which I think is absolutely appaling.

We are there because we are desperate and at the end of our tethers, why should we then have a long battle on our hands and have to fight for what we need?

Anyway hun enough of my ranting!!! Really looking forward to hearing more about your wl journey. xxxxx

 

[gaelic girl]

Hi Carly
Welcome to the site, there are loads of us here who can relate to your story. I didn't qualify for wls surgery on the nhs but had a private bypass last August. I wouldn't worry too much about having tried and not necessarily succeeded in the past, i'm sure i can speak for quite a few of us who have felt the surgery itself is a pot of gold and therefore has made us determind to succeed in our pre op efforts. So glad the funding is available for you and look forward to hearing about your journey xx

 

[dottychic]

Hi Carley :welcome: good luck with your journey x