This is a quick question, I'm rereading my letter to meet the surgeon and says "initial assessment for bariatric surgery" I'm from the UK so may be different from other places but does anyone know what this means/what I'll have to have done? I'm just so nervous, I feel like I just need to know everything when meeting them.

have you been seen by anyone yet?

like to talk about what your goals are what op you want etc?

or have you done all that and got a 2 hour time slot?

its been a while and i also already knew my doc but as far as i recall you first go in and meet about 4 people in back to back quick meetings first you talk about what option you want they do some checks then you go get evaluated and they ask about eating habits what you expect thats a pre meeting to see if you need to go to several more meetings with the head shrink.

then you go back to your doc talk some more all these notes are taken and you will get another letter for more appointments.

just be 100% honest with your state of mind and eating habits they really wont care if your lying to them as it doesn;t effect them it effects you and if you need counseling to help with food and emotional attachments to it etc you wont get the help unless your honest about it.

they dont send you costing them money if they feel you dont need the help i personally didnt but if you do be honest about it.

its not going to be quick anyway so a few appointments to work issues out wont effect you if you need them.

for me after i did the first round i think i saw them 1 more time then it was a gap then a letter giving me a date then suddenly another later saying its in a couple of weeks and a rush of meetings to attend and pre op diet and tests and boom op time.

I really ain't sure, my story is kind of confusing as I was going through the stages of surgery preparation in adolescence but once I turned 19, they've put me on the adult route (apparently it's quicker?)So now I don't know if I have started again or continuing but I've been told that this is the appointment I've been waiting for and then in 3 months I find out if I have been accepted/rejected. Thank you for your help, really helped. I have been nervous as to what it's about since I received the letter haha xx

oh yeah this is the talk stage where they assess you the 3 month thing is when you will be given a date if approved or told what you need to do if you didn;t get approved for funding.

when you go make sure you talk alllllll about your history even if they dont ask make sure you tell them everything you have done medical stuff stays in hospital tests diets the works i had alot to mine it kinda fast tracks you above new people applying for the op.

they may try and get you to do the bypass one of the docs i saw was pushing it and kinda rude about it but dont be put off by that they wont force one on you if you dont want it.

i was at homerton so not the same hospital but its pretty easy going after this (for me it was anyway) if approved you go to a 2 hour seminar a couple of weeks before your op they go over everything with you from each op to pre op diet pregnancy and the complications that can happen if you fall pregnant within the first 18 months things that can happen how much food you can eat what types of food you may never be able to eat again.

meds protein water etc

you go for a few tests that day ekg blood work that kinda thing then your done you do your pre op diet go to the surgical center day of and your done.

so just be prepared once your approved with a date it comes fast and they may move it forward like they did mine it can make you freakout i did it sudden;y was very overwhelming to be a couple of weeks away.

I've heard homertons really good, sometimes wish I'd went there haha. Thank you for your advice, it's helped me lots! Really appreciate it. Yeah I can imagine, it's a big deal! I've gained weight since I last see them (over a year ago) and just worried they'd use that as a problem :/