Gastric bypass on the cheap...

[hungryhippo90]

Posting here for traffic. After a particular shit time, I'm sat with a pen and paper, writing out goals for next year. So I've a few things to look towards in the coming year.

The biggest thing that would make me happiest is having a gastric bypass. I have always had issues with food. As a child I couldn't stop myself. I reached the age of 13-14 and started using anorexic techniques to not eat or severely restrict my diet

Have you looked into sleeve gastrectomy? It permanently reduces the size of your stomach. I was like you - never full. I had it 4 years ago, lost 5st so I'm now just within "healthy weight" band. Paid £7600 at London hospital (spire Roding) where the support was amazing.
Definitely deal with the underlying issues, which it sounds like you have been making the effort to do. What I think surgery might do is break the cycle and for me it changed my relationship with food. For 1-2 month post surgery you are on a liquid diet, with goals for how much fluid to drink and protein to ingest. It's an effort definitely not an "easy" option, but for me it stopped the negative "how much unhealthy food can I deny myself" mindset and started a "how much healthy food can I get in me" thought process.

Ok I do eat a bit of crap now but it's in moderation as snacking too much prevents me being able to eat proper food. The only massive meal I can eat now is salad so I'm encouraged to do so!
Good luck with your decision, it is not easy to make and you will encounter negativity from others (as with anything). Talk to people who've been through it to get a realistic idea too, as whichever way you decide to go and whatever type of surgery, nothing is a magic bullet and there are downsides

On the OP's behalf it's not as easy as you might think to qualify for WLS on NHS. I'm heavier than OP and the only way I would qualify in my area (West Midlands) would be via attending weekly weight management clinic in working hours which would take 2-3 hours out of my working week - not possible for me. There are hoops that need to be jumped through (rightly so).

Talk to your GP - discuss the options, gastric band is not for everyone.

There may be NHS options, I know my GP has sent people for the op on the NHS.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/weight-loss-surgery/Pages/Introduction.aspx

Flumplet

How odd, I'm in the West Midlands too, I know they do the op in Walsall.

They do the op, but you have to do the course first for at least 6 months more usually a year.

Flumplet.
Yes same with me.
I was told I didn't qualify even though But they still wanted me to attend the clinic.
2 hours of exercise and one nutrition meeting a week. Only times they would do were between 9-5 weekdays... Ridiculous. No employer would allow that.
I know it's to reduce the numbers but surely it costs them more in the long run?

I think that this kind of commitment to WLS programmes is fairly standard on the NHS and is seen as a basic indicator of readiness to make and maintain life-style changes. Following WLS patients are expected to attend aftercare that continues to monitor and maximise health.

My dd had a 2 1/2 years of twice weekly therapy program that resulted in myself and dh taking half days of work to enable dd to attend. The health benefits were enough to motivate us to do this. The cost of the specialist physiotherapy would have been unaffordable and committing some of our annual leave was worth it.

I would also say it is worth approaching work in these situations and asking about flexible working, using half days for leave etc. It may not always be the barrier it appears.

Idefix
You must have very understanding employers then which is of course fantastic.
Unfortunately my job was threatened because of this request.
I think commitment is important of course. But expecting people to sacrifice their livelihood is just impossible for a lot of us.
I had the same problem with mental health services.

"I know someone who has put the majority of weight they lost post-bypass back on again as they didn't fix their underlying issues around food and just ate the same foods but liquidised or in small bites."

Are you sure this was GB? Sounds more like a band. With reduced stomach size, liquidised McD is still only up to the capacity of the smaller stomach. After first few weeks there is no need to liquidise food with GB but this is one way of getting excess food passed a band.

Procedures are very different and should not be confused.

OP - you will need ongoing nutritional support, supplements and blood checks to test for malabsorption. Doing the GB via NHS is the best way to go, they will keep him the follow up clinic. This is the only way to look out for osteoporosis and prevent onset before it's too late. Seriously. And best of luck xx

I would say I work for fairly typical employers ime Box but it was my annual leave I was using and I guess I was fortunate that this was allowed. I did say that this might not be possible in all circumstances but from a clinical point of view it would be a big risk and therefore a no go to perform such life-changing procedures on pts who have only attended a couple of outpatient appts.

I wonder if some of the negative stories we have heard on this thread have been pts who had it done private and/or haven't attended pre op and follow-up appts.

I agree there is a problem with the 9-5 appt system in the NHS is not great but it does seem to be all services offer.

My employer wouldn't stand for it at all. I'm in meetings around the region most days every week so I couldn't commit to anything in work hours without getting in to difficulty but If it were every Saturday or in evenings I would tear their arm off.