Weight Loss Surgery

Toothsmith

Plus porkers are more likely to die under general anaesthetic!!

vix2000

I hope no-one objects to me posting my experiences.


I know many people are very anti this subject, and its not for everyone, definately not be taken lightly, but I know what its like to go on every fad diet under the sun, go to every slimming club and succeed for a while, then fail, and I have wasted the majority of my adult life miserably buying outsize clothes when there wasn't the choice there is now, and hiding away from cameras. Weight loss surgery IS a last resort, but IS an option. Please read my experiences if you would like to.


I found out that I had breast cancer on 17th January 1998 at the age of 42. I had to have a radical mastectomy in Jan 1999, followed by chemo. I was very lucky in that my lymph nodes were clear, and so I did not have to have such aggressive chemo. I went for the day every 3 weeks for 8 sessions. I was around 13 stones at this point. I did not loose my hair fully, but it thinned, a bit like old ladies hair. The worst thing was the horrible tinny taste in your mouth, and the sickly feeling. They gave me steroids for this, and although I was hardly eating anything, I was looking like I had been blown up, and putting loads of weight on. After 6 months of chemo I was nearly 17 stones. They said when I finished the steroids I'd lose it but I never did. I went to slimming world, weight watchers, rosemary connoly, did the f plan, g plan, xyz plan, anyone interested in reading this will understand. I ended up buying xenacol online and even that didn't work. After 5 years of misery I came across an article on the internet about non invasive operation for weight loss. It was when gastric banding was not widely heard of. I read as much as I could find about it but took it no further. About a year later I came across a forum, wls forum. I read and read, I found that I met the criteria for this op on the nhs. I plucked up courage to go to my gp, who was great. He refered me to a consultant. Luckily we had a very good one in our local hospital.


I had gastric banding in sept 2004. I managed to loose 5 stones in around 9 months and have been the same weight now since then. I have had a few problems along the way and its not for everyone, but after years of being overweight, hating myself and not wanting to go out, I don't regret it for a minute. I just wish I had done it when I was younger, and not spent my whole adult life on one diet or another. I was just under 17 stones and a size 22 before my op in sept 2004 and by the christmas was a size 16. My consultants goal was 10.5 stones, but due to problems I stopped loosing at 12 st 2lb and a size 14, which, at 47 (then) suited me fine. I now fluctuate between 12st 3 and 12st 7 on a bad week, but am the same size.

My 27 year old daughter has had the same op done 2 years ago. It was her decision and she approached me and asked for my support. We discussed the pros and cons, and she got a lot of stick from other family members. She had it done privately in Belgium and I helped research and plan it, and most important for her, cost it as the price was also important. She says its the best thing she has done. Its changed her life.

I hope this post has been of interest to someone as I had asked if a thread on this subject and cosmetic surgery was allowed, but got no response. There must be more mse'ers out there who've had this done or thought about it. This is moneysaving on the basis that advice can be given on prices surgeons charge both here and abroad, and thousands can be saved by asking for prices, and also more importantly, recommendations. Also many people aren't aware of the criteria to get it done on the nhs and anyone who managed to get it done on the nhs could give advice. To join wls forums you have to pay a membership fee, to give moneysaving advice and support on MSE would be free, so more moneysaving!!!!

If anyone wants to ask any questions please don't hesitate to post them or pm me,

vix2000

Obviously more taboo than I thought!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thought I might get one response, even a negative one,

Stephb1986_2

Hi Vix my mum looked into getting a gastric bypass last year had many appointments with surgeons and then the PCT still said she wasn't eligable for the operation she has now given up on this idea as the NHS wont even listen im glad that you got the operation

Steph xx

Sagz_2

Thanks for your post Vix, I found it very interesting.
You mentioned that you 'met the criteria for this op on the nhs'. Can you tell me where you found this info please.

vix2000

Hi Steph - Gastric banding, the op I had, is very different to a gastric bypass. I don't know if the criteria is the same. Is banding not an option?

Hi Norberts mum - When I had my banding operation you had to have a bmi bigger than 40 and have tried to loose weight by other means first. However, if you had medical conditions affected by obesity (I had arthritis and cancer) You would be considered with a bmi more than 35. I was about 38. I think different pct's may have different criteria, and so it may be different where you are, but will usually be similar. Your GP should be able to tell you, or it is sometimes possible to read the PCTs guidelines online. I can with mine.

Its often a struggle to get approval for this, and I know people often have to appeal more than once, which is why my daughter opted for the private op in belgium, as there was no way she could afford it here.

If you want to ask anything else don't hesitate.

countrygal

Hi Vix
Re your daughter how much did this surgery cost and was she happy with the hospital and aftercare?
Is the gastric band a permanent solution - ie does it last a lifetime or does it need replacing ever?
Does anyone know if this is still available on the NHS?
Many thanks
CG

vix2000

This op is still available on nhs, but hard to get I am told. Read the above post re: criteria for nhs.

My surgeon has not mentioned how long my band will last, but my daughters said 10 - 15 years.

Her costs, including the op, travel to belgium and accommodation came to £3000.00. We researched thoroughly, and the doctor she is under is highly reccommended and very nice. The hospital she had the op in was absolutely spotless. There is, apparantly, virtually zero mrsa in belgium. The care she recieved was fantastic. His aftercare and band fills are in London or Edinburgh which is a bonus.

crocodileteeth

Thanks for putting this into words for us all. I have thought about this many times but have a few concerns. (health, lifestyle change, cost, etc)

Does this mean that you can only eat very small meals and can you digest anything. Do you manage to get all your vitamens & nutrients from your current diet or do you need supplements. Will you have this for the rest of your life?

vix2000

We found the protocol very different between here and Belgium. In my case I was on a liquid diet for about 4 weeks post op, then on puree food for another month. Obviously only very small amounts. If you have too much you 'bring it back' like a baby brings back milk. Its not 'sick' as such as it is just the food. In my daughters case she could eat mashed food from the start and was left to find her own balance, but with my already having it it was easier for her.
You do need a supplement, with vitamins and minerals, I found the bassets chewable ones the best.
How it works usually is that you have the op, and about 6 weeks later when the swelling has gone down you have a 'fill'. This involves your surgeon putting a small amount of liquid into your band. This will happen around 4 to 6 times until you're loosing weight at a reasonable rate. then, when you've reached the weight you're happy with, very small amounts can be taken out until you maintain that weight. My daughter has just had her band emptied as she is pregnant.
I was told by the hospital that I would never be able to go out to eat again, but this is rubbish. I went out regularly. You can order soup or a starter for a main. At first I sat near the loos in case I had to 'empty' quickly. My family had it all explained to them so they knew.
As I said earlier I had various problems that are not the norm, and my band shouldn't be working now, but it is. When I take my grandaughter to Macdonalds I have a happy meal with her. I never finish it. Befor I would have a large meal and still be hungry. I try to eat my protein and veg first, as the dietician advised. My life doesn't evolve around food now, I eat to live more than before. A pitfall is that its easy to get high calorie foods like chocolate, ice-cream, milk-shake and high sugar foods through the band so it is possible to cheat the band.