NHS Patient Rights

teddysmum

Playing computer games (lots of free 1 hour trials on Big Fish or Zylom) are good for making you concentrate so forgetting about food or worries. However, something like Wii games would be better as they also give exercise.


I have a game called Step to the Beat, where you literally have to walk on the spot (or round the room) in time to the music to earn trees, buildings etc on a holiday island This is so easy to get carried away by (up to two hours for me, when I was able to do the exercise, but I can't now,due to nerve problems; not weight)

woolythoughts

My mother is 73, need a new knee and two hips. she had one knee done 4 years ago. She can barely walk 10 yards and is on two sticks. she takes tablets which mean she has to eat six times a day.

When she had the pre-op for her second knee, she was told she was too heavy despite being the same weight as when she had her first done.

She lost 5 stone.

If she can do it, anyone can.

And I say that as someone who also weighs 19 stone and happens to prefer food to exercise. its no ones fault but my own.

Katiehound

Ask to see a different GP and explain about the drugs etc.
If you can afford it you could have an initial private consultation

I think you have to be seen to try to lose some weight- if you are making an effort I suspect they will be more helpful.

Diets you might look at are: Atkins, 5:2 and Sirtfood diet.
The third is new this year and if you follow is faithfully you can certainly lose 7lbs in 7 days.... you need to like kale! You won't go hungry either. It aims to change your eating habits over 3 weeks.

BMI certainly influences decisions about operations. I had a knee replacement in June, the other is scheduled for December. I just have to keep the weight off. (oh and I have a sweet tooth!)
I aim to swim a couple of miles per week and be busy sewing etc.

The risk is certainly with anaesthetic
At the local hospital if you are BMI 35 or under there is no problem. (assuming patient is otherwise healthy.)
BMI 35 -40 is subject to patient's fitness and anaethetists view
BMI 40+ means that operation can only be carried out at a larger hospital with a high dependency unit.

You need to stay positive for not only yourself but your family.
Good luck.

Primrose

No surgery is without risk and as a surgeon in our family would tell you, obese patients do unfortunately carry a higher risk of death either in surgery or from complications afterwards. One of the problems now is that often surgeons' performances are judged on their mortality rates, however, skilled they are, so they are obviously more concerned to avoid higher risk patients. Also anaesthetists have a genuine reason to be more concerned about the risk with patients with a higher BMI. Disappointing as it is for you, it would seem worth having another serious attempt to lose weight. Whilst you may well not care about dying on the operating table, I'm sure your children would be devastated by your loss. Long term dieting is very hard but think of the long term benefits and try to let be what motivates you.