Ticking the boxes. clairemp's pre op diary..

[clairemp]

So what's my story..

I'm 42, have 4 children and Multiple Sclerosis. I'm also morbidly obese and have just been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. I also suffer with Lymphoedema. Arrgh..! What a mess..

My weight problems really started with the birth of my first child.

Before that I was happy hovering between a 12/14. At one point when I was burning the candle at both ends I even held a size 10 for a year or two..

I had my first child at 23 and went from a 14 to an 18 during pregnancy. From that point on, to be honest, I never managed to get down to a 12 again.

I had a further 2 children and put a bit more weight on and hit a size 20.

Following my marriage breakdown and with the eventual fear of being 'back on the market' I managed through crash dieting to get down to a 14 again.

Of course, once I met the love of my life my starvation diet didn't last long and I started putting weight on again. I had my fourth and most definitely last daughter in 2006 while I was an 18.

In the middle of all this I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2004.

My MS became more progressive in 2010. This eventually led to me having to stop being a Community Midwife. A job I loved..:cry::cry:

The more immobile I became, the more fat and depressed I was, but at the end of 2012 I was glowing with positivity..!

I came across a medically proven treatment called HSCT. It meant 2 months in India but I didn't mind..

I'm not scared to take a well researched chance..!

I didn't expect the treatment to let me walk again, I really didn't, but once I came back I couldn't help but resent the fact that I couldn't walk.

Stupidly instead of keeping up with my exercise I became a bit reclusive and began to put on weight again. Now I'm a size 24, 5ft5 and 18st 3lb.

Now I'm held back by my weight. I'm pretty certain if I could lose weight I could do a lot more.

I've yoyo'd a lot and I'm pulling my hair out. My family are the ones who have to try and pick me up when I fall down or manoeuver me around in a wheelchair.

I MUST lose weight for them.

I saw my Dr in Jan and asked for a referral. Surprisingly she didn't argue and just agreed it was probably the best thing.

She took some bloods because she said the Consultant would want a baseline anyway and from those tests was diagnosed Type 2 diabetes. Yay more need for referral.

So now I'm going through the motions in a tier3/4 setting at Worcester Royal Hospital. They don't run a separate tier 3 setting here 3 & 4 are run together.

I've been too scared to ask how long it'll take until I can have surgery for fear of looking too desperate..!

But reading between the lines it seems around 6/8 months. My journey so far has been meeting with the dietician and bariatric nurse. Although I'm weighed at each appt I haven't been given a target. It seems that what they want, more than anything is to see a change in attitude towards food.

I've maintained my weight at each appt, now I need to buckle down and lose weight.

I'm very excited, nervous, anxious, same as everybody I suppose

I'm booked at Worcestershire Royal Hospital, if there's anyone out there with any experience of them please get in touch..!

 

[los in it]

Enjoyed your entry, very goog luck with everything

 

[clairemp]

Thank you, have to say this forum has been a real inspiration and an eye opener to the negatives that, thankfully, are rare shouldn't be ignored.

 

[BFB]

Good luck Claire, I'll be following your journey.

 

[violetangel]

Hi Hun

Lovely to read your back story.

I am under WRH my consultant is Mr Robinson and I am having my sleeve op the 23rd July.

It would be lovely to buddy up.

Wishing you all the best xx

 

[Mike k]

I wish you the very best .

 

[Debs!]

Yay Claire you have started a diary! I am so pleased and it's fab to learn more about you. I live junc 4 of M5 so if you ever want a coffee I will pootle down south!!!!

I wish you all the best xx

 

[clairemp]

Yay Claire you have started a diary! I am so pleased and it's fab to learn more about you. I live junc 4 of M5 so if you ever want a coffee I will pootle down south!!!!

I wish you all the best xx

Hey Debs, I would absolutely love to get together. You let me know when you're feeling up to it..x

 

[clairemp]

Hi Hun

Lovely to read your back story.

I am under WRH my consultant is Mr Robinson and I am having my sleeve op the 23rd July.

It would be lovely to buddy up.

Wishing you all the best xx

Yaaay..! Someone else at Worcester..!

I have so many questions if that's alright? Sorry if I bore you silly

 

[clairemp]

Violet,

How long have you been waiting for your op??

I've been seeing Karen and Emma since end of March. They haven't given me a weight loss target yet. Does the consultant do it?

Xx

 

[violetangel]

Hi Hun

Fire away with any questions x

 

[violetangel]

After I saw the psychiatrist and Cathy the dietician, I saw Emma three times before she gave me a target of 10kg to lose within six weeks:. She said any loss would be great. I lost 6 kg in the six weeks which was hard and she was happy with it and agreed to book me in with Mr Robinson. She asked me to decide what procedure I would like to have before meeting him.

I decided on the sleeve because I feel it would be the best option.

 

[violetangel]

I was originally referred last year in November due to my high blood pressure , high cholesterol and being borderline diabetic. It took them four years to agree to the referral and I really had to bang my drum in the end. I quoted the new NICE guidelines to them. They referred me the same day!!

 

[clairemp]

So how long has it been from beginning to end..?

They're not sending me to the psychologist for some reason.

I had my last appt on 5 June. It was my 3rd appt with Emma and Karen. They told me they'd send me to see the surgeon on the next visit.

Nobody has given me a weight loss target at all yet.

You must be made up! Not long to go..

What's Mr Robinson like..?

Xx

 

[violetangel]

I am ecstatic Hun and so far so good.

When Mr Robinson's secretary rang me with the surgery date, I felt like I'd won the lottery!!

It's been eight months so far and it will have been nine months by the time I have the op.

Mr Robinson is lovely, and very easy to talk to and get along with. I saw him with Emma and Karen present. He asked me to tell him about myself and what weight loss methods I've tried. I said everything going to include prescription tablets and Lighter Life. He said that some people tend to lose pounds not stones and that I was one of them. He said I was an ideal patient for surgery. I asked him a few questions and he was happy to answer them.

He explained the bypass and sleeve to me in detail and then he asked me what procedure i would like. He said he thought the sleeve would be preferable for me. He then went onto discuss the sleeve procedure in more detail and advised me of the pros and cons etc.

He then said he was willing to do the op for me and I could've cried. He said the funding has been agreed and I felt relieved because Boone mentioned it to before. He then asked me to sign the Medical Consent form and he told me to expect to have surgery in July and to bring he form with me on the day. He said his secretary Sarah would ring me within the next week with an official date. I literally sat by the phone waiting for the call and she didn't ring within the seven days so I rang Emma. Emma said that she would ask Sarah to ring me with an update. Anyway, after the weekend she rang me with the pre op and surgery date.

I was meant to see Mr Perry but his appointment list was too long so they asked me if I would like to see Mr Robinson.

I am going to see Emma Friday to discuss the LSD.

Can't believe it's all happening!!

 

[clairemp]

I'm made up for you!!

What pre op diet will you do..?

I like the idea of the milk one but I've heard diabetics can't do it..?

I'm sure Emma said they were going to get me in to see Mr Wadley. May be I heard wrong..

It seems that people don't have to wait so long at WRH. People seem to move through the system quite quickly.

I think Emma and Karen are great. It feels like a proper support network.

They've been asking me to just look at my eating habits and they seem happy with everything that I've done so far.

I so hope that meeting the surgeon says yes.

I can't believe Emma would send me to them if she thought they'd refuse..?

Xx

 

[violetangel]

Thanks Hun.

I am doing the yogurt and milk pre op diet. Emma said I can have 6 Muller yogurts per day plus a pint of semi skimmed milk.

I agree Karen and Emma are amazing and Emma wouldn't put you before the surgeon if she thought you weren't ready. It's good to have such lovely people to work with, as its important that we can communicate easily and get the answers we want.

I have heard that Mr Wadley is lovely - the lady I sat next to at the seminar had him for her sleeve and she said he was great. I think they send you to see who is next available to keep their waiting times low which makes sense.

Your turn next Hun and I'm sure that you will get your surgeon appointment through quicker than you think!!

 

[Debs!]

Hi Hun

Just wondering how it was going at Worcester and if things had moved a long a little since your last update? Hope things are ok xx

 

[clairemp]

Hey love, I'm fine thanks.

Going through the motions. Saw the surgeon who said lose some more weight and if I do he's aiming for surgery in the autumn.

Only problem is that people are very vague as to how much I should lose. I haven't got a clue.

I can't weigh myself so I have no idea if what I'm doing is working.

I'm seeing the nurses on 21st August and if I've lost weight they'll refer me back to the surgeon.

I know you shouldn't live your life by the scales but in this instance it would really help.

Anyway, you seem to be doing well. I'm looking up to you for inspiration..!

xx

 

[violetangel]

Well done Claire - you will be there all gowned up before you know it!! Xxx

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