Depressed

Hi Sarah!. My advice would be to haang on in there. I waited seven years for my op on the NHS, mainly because goalposts kept moving. However, you won't have anything like. This wait.. Where are you in 'the system'? Have you had a hospital appt yet? Thing is, the band is no quick fix, it is a long term life change and a year in the scheme of things isn't long even tho it might seem it at the moment. As you say, you have been yo yo dieting (like the rest of us) for 15 years, so another year won't make too much difference. I understand the sense of desperation, but you could use this year as a preparation. But other people might think differently. Whatever you decide, I wish you all the best.

Hi Sarah!

I was referred on the NHS and had to complete a program with a team called Why weight, like you I had to do this for a year+ and would have to go to a group over half an hour away from me twice a year for this length of time and then I wasn't guaranteed a band at the end of it!

I too wanted the band ASAP as I had made my mind up!! Plus the classes/groups were in work 3pm each afternoon and there was no way I could leave early from work for all that time as I'm a full time nurse!

So I opted to go privately, had my band fitted in October and only wish I'd had it sooner, I love it and I am getting used to it, it's not a quick fix and not easy at the start but so far it's been worth it!

As for cost your probably looking in the region of £6000 I too had to get a loan but don't regret it at all xxx

Sarah means Princess and all Princess's have a time to prepare themselves for their Prince 

I have battled 20+ Years with my weight 

In January 2015 I had the Gastric Bypass 

I would say to you honestly it's worth the wait to look into everything very carefully as it was for me (I knew it would be) the hardest yet best decision of my life 

It has given me a New Life 

It's really not an easy choice as some might think weigh up all the pro's and cons and before you know it you'll get a date for your choice of surgery 

I chose the Gastric Bypass as I didn't want to get BIG again and it's not reversable 

I wanted a drastric measure as I was sick almost to death - type 2 Diabetic and a number of other medical complications 

Since I've had the op NO DIABETIC MEDICATION has needed to be used AND I've HAD to come off Blood Pressure tablets as Blood Pressure is better than Normal !!

so don't rush in be Patient 

Wish you all the best keep us posted  Wendy 

The simple truth is , Sarah, is that you do not know whether or not you can have a gastric band fitted by the NHS. Even if the NHS agrees to carry out the operation you cannot know how long you would have to wait. It appears from your post that you have no faith in "diets" and believe that the only solution to your problem is to have a gastric band fitted. You say that you have gone from one diet to the next over the last fifteen years but with no success. I think that you should pursue the possibility of having a gastric band fitted by the NHS but as a fall-back position. Rather than get into debt to pay for a private operation (could that be £10,000?) consider employing a local registered dietitian for expert face-to-face advice on weight control. The dietition will be able to help you to understand why you are overweight and provide you with weight-loss diet menus. I undertook my own problem with being overweight by treating it as a project. I weigh myself daily and chart the results.  I record everything I eat and drink. Sometimes I eat biscuits and chocolate but then I am human. You will find that you can lose weight but that it is a slow process and at times your weight gets stuck. But you have to keep your nerve. Please do not bother with internet diets as they are mainly nonsense and some are potentially dangerous.