Hi I have started looking into WLS after putting all the weight I lost back on and I am disgusted with the way I look. I am 5''9 and just over 15 stone, BMI of approx 31. I am thinking of a gastric band or plication. Am I lazy, can I just do it without surgery or will I always end up back to where I begun? Looking for a hospital in Manchester. I have to pay for it myself. Recommendations please, thank you
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Should I?
- Thread starter Gridin
- Start date
Hannah2
Well-Known Member
Whatever surgery you might have will not work without getting your head in the right place. If you don't work on the reasons why you put the weight back on/ make adjustments to lifestyle surgery will not work on its own. If you have read a lot on here you will probably have seen posts saying that surgery is a tool and that we are operated on our stomachs and not our heads. Maybe think about speaking to someone/therapy before surgery?
The other thing is that your BMI is very low for surgery, I don't know what the limits are for UK surgeons but you would need to contact centres to find out - most NHS patients have a BMI over 45 or 50 before being considered.
The other thing is that your BMI is very low for surgery, I don't know what the limits are for UK surgeons but you would need to contact centres to find out - most NHS patients have a BMI over 45 or 50 before being considered.
Hi hannah2. I understand what you are saying. My problem is that I never feel full and I am hungry very quickly. I also tend to reach for food when I am bored, bothered or whatever. Eating is also a social thing for me. I dont necessarily eat the wrong thing, just to much. I lost most weight on slimmingworld and still cook much of our meals like that. It is indeed not a light decision to make. It is quite a hard one to be honest but at 47 I know myself by now and I need a little help. I will go to my gp for some advise on the matter. It would be private and private clinics take clients with a bmi from 30 for a gastric band and 32 for plication. I want to stop being a yoyo. 
Hannah2
Well-Known Member
In which case speak to your GP, but you need to understand that your head will still want to reach for food if you are bored or bothered - that isn't linked to feeling hunger. Sounds like you need to ensure that your package includes a psychologist or therapist - I wouldn't have thought it useful, but I am now a big advocate and I have actually continued to see my therapist after the included sessions finished. It is a big part of it.
I had a crap day at work today - all I wanted to do was come home and eat chocolate or stuff a big cake in my mouth..... my brain is still programmed to go for sweet food when it wants comfort!
I had a crap day at work today - all I wanted to do was come home and eat chocolate or stuff a big cake in my mouth..... my brain is still programmed to go for sweet food when it wants comfort!
FeeBee
Well-Known Member
I'd second @Hannah2 suggestion of making sure you have psychological support in place. WLS is only a physical tool and it won't address the comfort you might perceive food to provide. Yes physically you won't be able to overeat at least to start with but people find all sorts of ways to eat around their band or sleeve/bypass etc if they really want to.
Talking to your GP sounds like a great first step. Good luck
Talking to your GP sounds like a great first step. Good luck
No you are not lazy, you are just having serious thoughts about the effects long term your weight will have on your health and that maybe you need help.
Its true that most hospitals follow the NICE guidelines of BMI of 35 and over with comorbidities and 40+ without. Some have much stricter rules which makes it at times a real postcode lottery.
I had my band with a BMI of 35 but at the time my hospital required a BMI of 50+ to qualify for NHS surgery - with no comorbidities. So going private was my only choice.
Things had changed when I was referred a few years back and with a BMI of 33 on the day of surgery and this time with comorbidities, I qualified for surgery.
The only certain thing is that you will either lose weight by yourself or you won't manage to and put even more on.
I think its a really good idea to get the support of your GP in the first instance.
In the meantime, please read some of the band and pilication diaries and threads on here to get a feel for what life would be like post op but please be aware, I don't think we have any recent pilication patients who are regular posters xx
Its true that most hospitals follow the NICE guidelines of BMI of 35 and over with comorbidities and 40+ without. Some have much stricter rules which makes it at times a real postcode lottery.
I had my band with a BMI of 35 but at the time my hospital required a BMI of 50+ to qualify for NHS surgery - with no comorbidities. So going private was my only choice.
Things had changed when I was referred a few years back and with a BMI of 33 on the day of surgery and this time with comorbidities, I qualified for surgery.
The only certain thing is that you will either lose weight by yourself or you won't manage to and put even more on.
I think its a really good idea to get the support of your GP in the first instance.
In the meantime, please read some of the band and pilication diaries and threads on here to get a feel for what life would be like post op but please be aware, I don't think we have any recent pilication patients who are regular posters xx
