STOMACH BAND SURGERY

gastric surgery nhs

Stomach band surgery

A few commonly asked questions :

Q. Are weight loss operations available on the NHS ?

A. Yes, although there are a number of conditions that must be met before someone would be considered for a gastric band or similar operation. Firstly they would need to be over the age of 18 and with a BMI of 35 or over. If a person has a further weight related health issue that would further the requests consideration, although it should be remembered that being overweight is a serious health condition in itself and your doctor will be mindful of this.

Q. Will my doctor support me if I request gastric surgery ?

A. Your doctor will be very supportive although he will not immediately refer you for a gastric band, gastric bypass or other gastric surgery nhs funded. He will first require you to visit a dietitian and demonstrate that you are serious about losing the weight. The procedure for receiving weight loss surgery on the NHS is a long and arduous one. But the majority of the people who have been through the process seem to consider it worthwhile.

Q. What forms of weight loss surgery are available ?

A. The most common ones are the gastric band and the gastric bypass. The gastric band is a reversable process whereas the gastric bypass is a more serious operation and is non reversible. New procedures are being developed all the time such as the gastric balloon and the gastric sleeve. They are all really just variations on a theme, that theme being to make you eat less by convincing your body that you are full. Your doctor will be able to advise you on which would be the better option for you.

Q. Other than my doctor is there any other help and support available ?

A. There is a charity organisation called BOSPA, the British Obesity Surgery Patients Association which is an excellent group run by people who have gone through the operations. They can give you detailed help and support. They are based in Taunton, the full address being, BOSPA, P.O. Box 805, Taunton, TA1 9DU. Write to them for further information about what help they can offer and details of the weight loss courses they run. There is also a lot of very good information on all forms of weight loss surgery on the BUPA website.

Q. Is there a waiting list for gastric band or similar operations on the NHS ?

A. Yes, and it varies depending on where you live. But expect a wait of around a year if you are considered a candidate for weight loss surgery.

Q. If I decided to have weight loss surgery privately, what are the costs ?

A. It does vary greatly although the most common procedure, the gastric band, would cost around £6000 if done in the UK. The gastric bypass would cost a little more and the gastric balloon a little less. There are some excellent and well respected clinics available and it would be worth getting in touch with one to receive their advise and evaluate your options. Bear in mind that the quality of their after care service is as important as the operation itself. If you decide to have the operation abroad in mainland Europe you will find that this is a much cheaper option but if you do decide to pursue this option then please do your research with the utmost care and consider such things as the after care service, is it available in the UK.

Q. How long does a gastric band operation take ?

A. Usually the procedure will take about an hour and you will often be allowed to go home the same day.

Q. Is the stomach band, gastric band operation always sucessful in terms of weight loss ?

A. Not always, but it does have the advantage that once fitted the band can be adjusted by the addition or removal of fluid to reach the optimum setting for each patient. It may be a number of months after the operation before this setting is reached, through a process of trial and error, this can be a frustrating time but the correct balance should eventually be reached.

Glossary of terms :

Gastric Band : The most common surgical weight loss procedure, involves placing a restrictive band around part of the stomach also known as stomach band surgery or gastric banding. It has been made popular in the UK due to the number of celebrity figures such as Vanessa Feltz who have had the operation.

Gastric Bypass : A bigger operation than the Gastric Band. The gastric bypass is a non reversible operation as opposed to the gastric band which can be reversed. The gastric bypass however generally results in quicker weight loss and can also be effective as a treatment for certain forms of diabetes.

Gastric Balloon : A non surgical option and alternative to Gastric Band or Gastric Bypass in which a balloon is fed into the stomach and then inflated to provide a permanent feeling of fulness. This is a short term solution as the gastric balloon can only be left in place for a period of about 6 months

Gastric Sleeve : Another form of weight loss surgery also known as a sleeve gastrectomy.

Duodenal Switch : A similar procedure to the Gastric Bypass

Bariatric Surgery : An overall term for all forms of Gastric Surgery including stomach band surgery, gastric banding, gastric bypass and the gastric sleeve.

Roux-en-Y : The medical term for the Gastric Bypass operation, it is often referred to as a roux-en-y procedure.

Laparoscopic Gastric Band : The Gastric Band procedure is done Laparoscopically which is a form of keyhole surgery in which the band is fitted via a number of small incisions.

Bariatric Weight Loss : A general term for surgical weight loss operations.

Hypnotic Gastric Band : As the name suggests no actual gastric band is fitted the patient is instead given the suggestion of having had stomach band surgery through the use of hypnosis. This obviously has a number of advantages such as the fact that no surgery is involved, so no side effects to worry about, also of course the cost is much less, but does it work ?