CharlieFen

Hi, I'm Charlie and I am new here. I am interested in weight loss surgery after struggling with my weight for around 10 years, I have managed to lose weight but never to my ideal weight and then just end up gaining weight again. It also seems like whenever I get into things like exercising, something else comes up (I break a bone, stuck in hospital due to gallbladder being infected etc). I have told my doctor and she is really supportive but, as she has only become my GP recently due to moving for university she has to look over my notes before deciding to refer me. Fingers crossed! I know these things take time, but I wanted to ask how those who had surgery or are in the pre-op stage coped/are coping with work? Are your employers understanding? I am really worried my university won't understand, I am in my second year and I work really hard, I even hurt my stitches trying to study the day after I have my gallbladder out.

But you don't get to choose with the NHS when you have surgery, they give you a date pretty much at random, as they are the ones funding it. But I have made the support staff aware that this is something I want to do and my GP has sent out the referral form, so now just to wait and see if I get approved.

Hi, I have recently asked my doctor about weight loss surgery after having struggled with my weight for around 10 years. I have tried seeing several dieticians, Weight Watchers, calorie counting, medication etc and nothing seems to have really worked (I either lose only a couple of pounds or I lose quite a bit in a short space of time and then gain that back and more). According to the specialist I see in London, my non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, borderline glucose intolerance and insulin resistance makes it harder for me to lose weight, it isn't an excuse but it means I have to work twice as hard to burn off whatever I eat. However, my liver would get better if I lost weight, so weight loss surgery seems like the only option now. I have a BMI of 43 and, from what I have told my doctor, she agrees and will refer me once she has checked over my notes (she has only become my GP recently). However, I am worried I won't be approved. As I'm in the UK, my only real choice is the NHS, and they say a BMI of 35 with comorbidities or just a BMI of 40 means you fit the criteria. Unfortunately, the NHS has been getting stricter recently due to lack of funding and I have heard many horror stories about it, so I'm really worried I won't be approved. I am also young, I will be 21 in August, and I just get a feeling that people will think I'm not old enough to make this decision. Does liver disease count as a comorbidity? Has anyone else had any experience with the NHS?

That’s awful and disgusting behaviour from them! I’m glad you managed to get away from them! I’m worried my university won’t take that as a good enough excuse, maybe they will kick me off of the course or just make me feel terrible about it (I struggle with anxiety). But they get paid either way, I’ll still be doing all my work, but I worry they will just puts all of us students into one category - lazy and doing anything for a day off. But maybe they will surprise me, I was terrified of asking my GP about surgery as I thought it would be seen as lazy and that I’m too young to make this decision (I’m 20) and she surprised me. I hope your journey is going well btw!