Begining of a Journey

Well, After Four years of living my life in this nebulous area I am finaly a landed Canadian with medical insurance. I have found a Doctor willing to take new patients and have had my first appointment with him. Since so many regular physicians are not always willing to "resort" to any form of gastric surgery I was surprised when I went in and told him I wanted him to refer me and get me started on the testing I wanted done for said surgery of some sort. I was beyond encouraged when his reply was to ask me for the information of the surgeon I wanted to be refered to and handed me a handfull of one-time-only passes to the local swimming pool. He had them left over and is apparently of the mindset that he will help me get on the lists and since it is such a wait to get places to continue to help get me ready for the post-op rehab. YEAH !!! We shall see where this leads. So now I come here .. is Dr M the only bariactric surgeon in BC? Is he in Victoria BC? I am thrilled and scared all at once. Ive seen all the hype of bad surgeries and keep thinking I have what it takes to beat the odds. Any advice or suggestions or information to make this go faster is more then welcome. Kristin L

Hello Kristen, Dr. Meneghetti is located in Vancouver and he is not the only bariatric surgeon in BC. There is also Dr. Amson and a partner of his who's name I think, is Dr. Rusnak. They are located in Victoria. The last time I checked, Dr Amson and his partner's waiting list had approx 300-500 patients on it. Dr Meneghetti's list has approx 60. I guess the gamble in being on Dr. M's list, at least for me, is that he still does not have a budget to pay for his staff and equipment and has not started doing the surgery's yet. In July, he told me he thought they would begin in the fall. To the best of my knowledge, there are only 6 people on his waiting list so far. Gotta run...work is calling my name. LOL Will get back to you later. Janice

I would like to clarify my post regarding Dr. M's waiting list. My understanding is that he has about 50-60 patients hoping to have WLS but only about 6 of them are on the waiting list so far. I believe that your name doesn't go on the list until you have completed all the pre-op tests that he wants you to do. Are you on the mainland or on the island Kristen? Janice

This question is more for clarification......why are Americans coming up to Canada to get their surgery? So many Canadians go into the States to have the surgery as there are WAY more doctors and basically no wait lists. Just wondering why you would come this way to have the surgery? One big difference I know is that with insurance, its harder to qualify in the States, but no waiting period. Here in BC/Alberta, we are basically approved, just have to wait 3-4 years for the actual surgery. There are 2 doctors on the island and 3-4 in the Vancouver area doing surgery, some practicing more than others (hospital time, surgery time etc) In Alberta there is one in Medicine Hat, One in Red Deer, 2 in Edmonton all with very long wait lists. Hope this helps and maybe you can educate me on why you are coming to Canada. Thanks

I am in Abbotsford BC. The reason I moved to Canada is because I met and Married a Canadian. Its no great conspiracy he just had more seniority at his job then I did just fresh from college. I actually want to talk with different doctors about the surgery and thier recomendations. I'm very nervy about having to rely on anything artificial in my body after surgery and want to have options available. I was most comfortable with my new general practioner offering excersize options first to "prepare" me for post-op. Kristin

Kristin, thanks for your reply.......I must have misunderstood and thought you were still in the States and coming here for your surgery. Best to you...get your name on a waiting list as soon as possible.

That is ok understandable. What I dont understand or at least I didnt think I understood is why so many people are going to the states for surgery. Unfortunately it can be hit or miss with certian types of surgery. The care isnt always there and there are always worries. I think I am lucky in that if I have to I can wait two years. Unfortunately there are many who have heart, kidney or liver issues who need to loose weight now to ease the strain on thier bodies to live. The HMO's ( basic medical plans for people who arent independantly insured) take forever to approve and they dictate which surgery you have to have. I get touchy when people tell me what to do with my body. It might be some Americans or other nationalities are comming here for any one of thoes reasons. I wish the medical community would imprint on the insurance agencies that Obesity is one of the worst and most prevalant problems out there. With weight controled several other issues would not become issues. Unfortunately they wait till the body is all but given in before seeing that yes carrying three hundred pounds extra on your body did your heart damage. Gee go figure. Sorry .. discontended with the USA BS they shovel out when you arent independantly wealthy. Kristin

Kristin, thanks for your reply. A agree the system is not fair and its very true in today's society, if you have the $$, you can pretty much buy anything. There are SO many people that are obese that are great candidates for the surgery, and then there are some that are obese and not good candidates. I really wish that our medical system would increase the doctors that can perform here in Canada. People in Sask and Manitoba are having to come here for surgery and its already a strained system. There will always be someone who "needs" the surgery more than another, and different doctors have different requirements and put you on the list differently. I guess we just need to learn which doctor we want to go with, their requirements and then wait it out. I don't know which is better, having to deal with the insurance companies in the States and get surgery right away, or be approved in Canada and then wait it out for many years. I know for me, this surgery was the right choice and am so, so thankful. I now try to give back and support others in their journey, regardless of where they are!