newbie (back again)..

Hi all,

I joined a few months ago, but then life intervened and i havent been back for a while..

I have yet to (re)ask my doctor for surgery... i'm scared he'll tell me no  again, just because he doesnt like it..
I just recently went to TO for a concert with friends and by the end of the night i was so swollen from head to toe that my friends were freaking out wanting to take me to hospital... the joys of being overweight and on your feet.. :S

so i'm looking for advice on where to start?? what are some things i should prepare to bring with me to my doctor??
Is there a support group here in Sudbury?? Anyone from Sudbury wanna be my support??

Thanks..
Melissa.

You can go to any doctor for a referal.  It doesn't have to be your family doctor.  Does your area have a weight loss clinic with nutritionists/dieticians, etc... similar to the Wharton Clinic here in TO.  If so, this might be a good place to find the support you need.  If this is what you want and your docotr is biased towards it, fight back, and find someone who is better educated about the surgery to refer you.  Good luck.

HI Muma5
Any doctor can refer you. Go back to your doctor however and ask again for the referral. Mention to your doctor that the weight management clinics have a teams of highly skilled professionals that will determine if you are a good candidate for surgery and should they decide its not for you, then so be it.

Your family doctor owes you at least the courtesy of sending that fax. If she/he says no again I would start looking for a new doctor...the god complex has to go don't ya think :) Good luck!
Ann

i had the same issue with my family doctor. I asked him numerous times over the course of 2 - 3 years. Each time he said no. My doctor is part of a family health team, with 2 other docs working out of his office. I made an appointment with one of the other doctors on the team, and he agreed to refer me right away. 


A nurse practitioner can also refer you.

Your family doctor may just require some education from you about the risks and benefits about the surgery. Know as much as you can now before you go back to him (if you decide to go to him to ask for a referral).

You should be ready to give the doctor's office (where ever you decide to go for the refferal) information about the Bariatric Registry. 

http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/providers/program/ohip/b ulletins/4000/bul4518.pdf

http://www.bariatricregistry.ca/


you may want to print out information for the doctor.. that first link would be a good one to give to the doctor (or the person in his office who does the sending out of stuff).

good luck. It's worth it.

Mon

Thanks for the links..


Is there any way to check to see if he has sent in the referral?? 

Can you direct me to any other sites you think might aid me in my journey?/

Thanks again :) 

You can call the registry to confirm that they've received it. I never did that, but I'm sure  there's a number on the website somewhere.

As for other sites, this one is an excellent source of info, just use that "search" option in the upper right of the page. You'll find lots of info. Lots of members on this website have their own personal blogs and websites that are excellent sources. People keep blogs here on this website too, that are interesting. I know when i was first starting out, i was obsessed with looking at the before and after pictures.

http://www.makeitalifestyle.com/joomla/

that one is Dr. Monica Ganz, who was morbidly obese at one time. She's an excellent motivator.

Eggface's website is an awesome source of recipes

http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/

Good luck in your journey!!

 Hi there,

My doctor told me NO the first time I asked as well.  I waited got as much information as possible and went back and told him he was putting in my referral.  He admitted I knew more than him and happily did it.

If you qualify you have every right to ask and if you have researched and know what is involved then be assertive.

Best of Luck

Char