Referral From GP Today!

I went to my GP today and got a referral!! I'm in Ontario and we decided together on VSG. Let me settle in for the wait to begin.

Congratulations!!!

Did you get a referral to the Ontario Bariatric Network or are you going to a private clinic?

Thank you! I got a referral to the Ontario Bariatric Network. Hoping the wait time isn't too long and hoping I beat the rush of people wanting a referral after January 1st. Haha...not likely, but it made me smile anyway.

Hey LB!

Well getting started is always a great start, so that's awesome. :) And yeah, maybe you did beat a rush!!! Who knows. Haha

What Battlecry posted is true, to some extent. It's great you had a conversation with your GP to start getting informed about the two types of surgeries OHIP offers. One word of caution: your GP does not have the final say; your Bariatric surgeon does. And all through the Bariatric process, they will talk about the RNY procedure because it is the Gold standard. Only when you meet the surgeon for your one in one, and the timing for that varies for each hospital (for me, it was the morning of surgery due to some strange cir****tances, but that's a major exception. Lol), will you have that conversation and make that determination.

I went into the process SURE that I wanted VSG but as I learned more, I realized I was a much better candidate for RNY. All I'm saying is be open, learn, and decide for yourself... then make sure you advocate with the surgeon for what's best for you. Some surgeons will push patients one way or another. My surgeon didn't... RNY was my choice, and even the morning of surgery he was willing to perform VSG if I felt that was best for me!

You're on a great journey. Post often if that helps you. :) and welcome!!!

It's my understanding that your GP has nothing to do with whether you get the surgery, and whether you get VSG vs RNY. The GP's role is only to refer, and the bariatric team/surgeon is who decides if you get surgery, and which one you are approved for (likely RNY).