OMG - I've heard it all now!

[bmthsue]

Just been watching the local news and there was a story about a woman wanting a gastric band on the NHS. The local hospital has said no because she doesn't meet their criteria for the op (she isn't heavy enough & doesn't have a serious illness such as diabetes due to her weight). The silly woman has said that she's prepared to increase her weight from 15stone 6lbs to 21stone to meet the criteria! I don't blame the hospital for refusing her!!! Can't believe the TV news were taking her seriously.

 

[badger1980]

That really is a joke.

 

[Purple_Star]

Thats awful!!

 

[tillyfloss]

There was a thread on one of the surgery threads on minis where some people were discussing this... about having to meet the criterior...

I happened upon it through google...

It is sad what people think of doing when desperate...

x

 

[ZoBo]

So instead of going on a diet to lose the weight safely, she is going to go on a diet to put weight on & risk her life..... Silly woman....

 

[broxi]

What an idiot; however, I now that feeling of complete hopelessness about losing weight. I've tried everything and nothing's worked until this. I never even thought of CD before cos I just thought it was impossible. I'd tried it a few years back and lasted about 3 days and thought it was impossible (this forum has shown me it is doable and very effective). But I was on websites actually reading people's blogs about gastric band or balloon and it didn't seem all that good. The people were in a lot of pain, some of the ops didn't work and people had therefore lost about £6000. I thought I might try to save up and then I came across this forum while reading about surgery. I found this CD section and here I am- 5 weeks later and a stone and a half lighter. The only pain I have had is cravings and I bet you'd still get them even with the surgery. I just hope I can keep going to the end now though.

 

[curlywurly1234]

That is absolutely ridiculous, I actually feel very sorry for that person..

 

[Jessxx]

That is absolutely ridiculous. It is amazing the amount of TV programs now about gastric band/bypasses? I always just think 'Do CD or LL! I know its not the diet for everyone but it must be easier than having surgery! Did anyone see that programme the other day about fat teens. There was a 20+ stone 13 year old on there and they allowed her to have a gastric bypass...not band, bypass! Surely, if she has to have surgery, then it should be something that can be reversed, like the band. I just felt sorry for her because she has to live with that for the rest of her life now!

 

[Pichi]

She must be ill. No sane person would do that.
Well, not unless they are REALLY desperate.
But gaining THAT much weight to do a risky op doesn't seem like the best choice.

 

[LizzMB]

stupid woman!!!!!
She just needs to discover Cambridge!!!
Some people just want something for nothing in this bloody world! Stupid STUPID woman!!!
xx

 

[Anisah]

Oh my goodness. Actually it's kind of scarey.

 

[Lexie_dog]

Whoah!

You might think she's stupid but think of how desperate she must be feeling.

A gastric band is a serious life threatening operation (as with any surgery) and whilst we may not agree with her choices I don't feel we are qualified to call her amongst other things an idiot, stupid, etc

Think of all the people, especially after last night BBC 3 "When diets go wrong" who are going to be sitting with their lofty knowledge of CD now, calling us stupid, idiots, putting our health at risk etc

Its not nice when it happens to us, so I don't think it'll be nice for her either. I considered a gastric band at 15st 6 too, and like this lady was told that I didn't meet the weight criteria. Did I seriously consider coming away and putting on the weight? I have to say yes. Did it make me stupid? I don't know, but was I desperate? I would most certainly say so. I didn't even know CD existed and even if I did, having had years of "safe weight loss" criteria and "healthy diets" rammed down my gullet I'm not sure IF I would have even believed that. I tried CD and had every certainty of it failing, because everything else had. I was desperate.

At the end the day its a desperate person making a potentially wrong decision, thats why the NHS have criteria, as even after having met the weight target they still might not give her it.

 

[miss jelly tot]

Wonder if she would put weight on if she still had to pay for it herself.....bet not. It's because it may be free! Obviously money is more important than her health to her. I can understand she may be desperate but thats where the GP should step in and help. I know some GP's can be unsupportive but mine is brilliant and so encouraging. More help and trained nurses/GP's are needed in doctors surgerys.

 

[furrysmudge]

I am a bit in the 'split camp' here.......I can see what everyone is saying and agree to a certain extent, but also agree with lexie. I too went though a stage of wanting the gastric band, and hassled my doc and cried on his shoulders several times that I just couldn't lose the weight however hard I tried. Then I even got the mentality (I'm ashamed to admit this mind, but I trust you guys!) that if I was going to have the band then I could stop trying to lose weight and just kept eating......which mean my weight rapidly rose. Sigh. Looking back at it now I can't quite believe it. Then I got a cyst inside my achilles tendon, but got refused surgery because of my weight and I was in a lot of pain. Even that wasn't enough to kick me up the preverbial until I saw my landlady who had lost a load of weight, and CD was tried. 3 months later and 3 stone lighter I'm feeling much better in myself and am looking forward to losing the rest of my weight, and as a bonus my ankle is a lot better. So yes, I can see that the lady in question saw the band or bypass as her last option, but to actually want to put on 6 stone in order to get it? No. I'm sure she'll be getting a lot of comments about what she said, possibly in a moment of weakness that she may regret for quite a while, and if her health authority consultant actually saw that on the news, then her chances of getting the op now will be so much slimmer (excuse the pun). Hopefully she will get the help she needs, in a different way xxxx

 

[furrysmudge]

PS Lexie I missed the programme you mentioned, what was said? xxx

 

[Shopaholic]

Furry this is the program from last night...
BBC iPlayer - When Diets Go Wrong

I feel sorry for the lady on the news as she obviously feels like she has no where to go. She's desperate and making rash statements. When she's calmed down she'll realise that rationally putting weight on isn't going to help her.

I hope she gets the support she needs and someone helps her make the right decisions... and points her in the direction of CD.

 

[furrysmudge]

Thanks Lynda xxx

 

[Julie Williams]

God this is so controvertial its like a debate thread!! My initial reaction was what a silly woman but when you think about it my heart goes out to her because how desperate must she be the poor thing. Hope she gets the help and support she needs before she does anything silly xxx

 

[polishrose]

I reckon they should get all people who want surgery to try CD for a month-how much do you want to bet that most of them would stay on it and decide to not have the surgeryonce they see how fast it comes off?Having surgery always seems like a slightly lazy way of losing the weight(sorry to anyone who has had surgery)-and the weight doesn't come off any quicker than CD.I actually looked into a gastric band before I did LL 3 years ago, but decided I didn't want to suffer for the rest of my life having tiny portions and throwing up every time I ate something sweet.And also the risks of something going wrong really scared me.

 

[eyeontheprize]

thats sad. even at my heaviest, i never ever considered a gastric band. its a scary operation, and not something to be taken lightly! and i am a big wuss with pain, so CD is so much easier for me.

someone at work asked me yesterday if i had a gastric band fitted though! i was quite insulted to be honest, imagine asking someone that. never mind the fact that i havent had a sick day in bloody ages, never mind the weeks needed to recover from major surgery!