FINALLY got an appointment booked with Dr. Hong to discuss DS!

Well, it has taken since my August 12th meeting with Dr. Rotstein at TWH when he referred me to Dr. Hong, to now, some 10 and a half weeks later to get an appointment set, but I got one. November 10th at 10:20am!

I am going for my gastroscopy the same day at 2pm, and today I got my lung x-rays done. After November 10th, all that will be left to do if my pre-op blood work on November 28th and then I should be able to confirm a DS surgery date for the last week of December. Here's hoping I can convince Dr. Hong that OHIP should pay for it!

If anyone has met with Dr. Hong recently regarding a DS, I'd sure appreciate hearing about your experience!

Congratulations on getting a date with the surgeon.  It has been a long wait for sure!

Judy

Great news!  If approved are you going to have Dr. Hong do it or go to Gagner?

I could be wrong, but my understanding is that due to the back-up of RNYs, almost all DS surgeries are being sent to Dr. Gagner right now, so I sort of assume that I will be sent to him if approved.

I've spoken with Dr. Gagner and he confirmed that he has worked with several patients with Von Willebrand Disease (my genetic blood clotting disorder), so that makes me very comfortable with him. But if I see Dr. Hong and he is willing to do it and also confirms that he is comfortable with a VWD patient, then I would happily have him do it.

The hard part for me right now is to not get my hopes up - I know the odds are against me, but I have an arsenal of information to take with me into the appointment. I fully expect that Dr. Hong is going to approve me for VSG though, so if he says the DS is not possible, but the VSG is, I'm going to ask for a referral to Dr. Gagner for the VSG on the basis of his experience with VWD surgical patients and then pay the difference for the DS. This is really what I think is the more likely scenario, but we'll see. It seems lately that more and more the surgeons have some wiggle room in the OHIP requirements.

I've discussed it though with my husband and we decided that if the only option I'm presented with by Dr. Hong is VSG in Ontario, that we'll pay for the DS out of pocket. I've been told that I shouldn't tell Dr. Hong this, but I think if it comes down to it, to the point where he is saying VSG only in Ontario, I'll lay it on the line in the hopes that he'll see I'm very serious.

Ahhhh... didn't realize you had VWD.  My girlfriend has that as well and was extremely concerned when she became pregnant.  Did you know it goes into remission when you're pregnant??!! 

I'm really rooting for you Tri****'s about damned time things turned around giving grown adults some choice in their own health.  Power to you!

When I was talking to Dr. Gmora about having a VSG instead of a RNY he told me that he had been doing WLS in New York where basically people tell the surgeons what they want done whether it is the right surgery for them or no. Obviously Pat has done her homework and I had too and that is why Dr. Gmora was okay with doing the VSG but I'm not sure that everyone going into the process has researched all the different surgeries in all the different aspects. It sounds like they get a lot of people coming in saying I want a VSG because this person I know had a VSG. Dr. Gmora asked me that, did I know someone who had WLS and was it a VSG and I think I surprised him by saying no the person I know has a RNY, I want a VSG for these reasons for me. When you see some of the questions people have post-operatively it is clear that either their centre has not educated them or they have completely missed the boat on listening, reading and being educated about a life changing surgery that has just happened! That could possibly be a reason why they are pro RNY because it is easier to educate all of Ontario about one WLS and more information is out there. If you want one of the other surgeries (VSG or DS) you can have it but you have to prove yourself by doing your homework. Just my personal observations.

Really glad that things are moving forward Pat!

You're bang on Jenn, it's all about the research! Hope you're comfortable and managing ok post-op!

Thanks so much Karen, I'm hopeful heading into the appointment.

My hematologist did mention that to me about pregnancy. There are 4 different types of VWD, and the type I have where I am simply low in the number of VW factor does go into remission with pregnancy - isn't that amazing? I guess your body releases its stores automatically throughout the pregnancy, which is what the DDAVP injection stimulates when you have to have surgery. Aren't our bodies neat?

Just wanted to say congrats and best of luck.  I hope they approve your DS.  I dont think anyone in this province should ever have to pay for WLS out of pocket.  If the technology and know-how exist, then you should get the surgery you want and need.

Thank you Simona!