Complete Newbie and Looking for Guidance

Hi Room.

My GP started the process to refer me on April 22, 2013.

I have no friends that have done this. I know very little about what to expect. Nervous to say the least.

What is the timeline on this? I live in Toronto.

I guess since I have made up my mind, I want it done and over with. Ready for the weight to be gone.

Anyone have the time to give me a summary of the general process.

Thanks!!

Hello

I was referred November 2012...orientation March 2013..met Dr. Starr May 3 ...nurse,nutritionist and social worker May 15

Thank you Starfish

I am hoping to see the internist that day as well...the surgeon was great! Are you going through Humber?

You can add me as a friend if you like

Hello And Welcome.

I am from Hamilton, so I cannot say what the timeline is, but wanted to welcome you to the board and feel free to ask as many questions you need to! everyone on here is very helpful!

~Lisa

Thank you!

A lot of people have timelines in their signatures and that should help you with that aspect a bit.

The good thing is that once you get into your orientation session, they'll give you all the information you need about how the surgery works, what kinds of surgery you can have (basically it's RNY, but you might be able to get a VSG if medically necessary), and how each kind of surgery works.

The way the process worked for me is that I was referred to the bariatric registry.  Then my file was sent to Toronto Western Hospital (since one of the hospitals in their bariatric network is near my house).  I was sent a letter telling me to come to a mandatory orientation session.  At that session, they told us all everything about the process.  Then they gave us our first appointments.  You'll have appointments with a dietitian, a social worker, a psychologist, a nurse practitioner, and the surgeon, where they will assess you, send you for whatever tests they feel they need you to do in order to know as much about you as possible, and give you information you need about the surgery and post-op nutrition, and answer all of your questions.

After you've had all your pre-op medical appointments with the various staff and the assessment is done, then they will give you your surgery date.  Before surgery, you'll have to do a few weeks of Optifast diet - this is a liquid diet.  Different centres have different rules for this diet, but most of them will only allow you to have no-calorie snacks with it - diet jello, chicken broth, and some centres allow watery veggies like cucumbers or lettuce.  (TWH doesn't allow that.)  The general rule for the Optifast diet is that you're on it for the same number of weeks as the first number of your weight.  So if you're in the 200's, you get it for 2 weeks, if you're in the 300's, you get it for 4 weeks, etc.

There is probably stuff I'm forgetting, and different centres do things a little differently from each other, so I'm just going by my own experience at TWH.

Good luck with your journey, and feel free to ask as many questions as you like!  It's great that you're being proactive and trying to do some research on the process (and reaching out for support) early on.

Thank so much guys!

I feel like I have been asleep for the last 7 yrs of my life, in the process gain 150 lbs,.

Now that I have woken up, my body HURTS! I try to go to the gym and I can barely walk afterwards. I have yo yo dieted the past 2 yrs only to gain another 20-30 lbs.

My doctor actually suggested this to me, I never considered it until he did. He said he thought I would be a good candidate for it.

He spoke of it mid last year, then again at another appointment in mid Feb. I went home, did some hard inventory of my life and came to terms with the fact that I really need help. I need a fighting chance here and right now my body hurts so much.

I dont see this has a " easy " way to lose weight. Anyone that does any basic research on this knows there is nothing EASY about it.  But I do believe it will give me a fighting chance to be normal again. Help me even the odds of dropping the lbs and taking a back my life and living it for myself for the first time.

I know there will be a lot of self discovery along this trip. Im sure there will be alot of Good the bad and the ugly discovered. But I am excited.

Im not sure what hospital I will be assigned to, I live in East York area so maybe East General or Toronto Western.  Im just ready.. lets start this. :)

Yes that is pretty much how we all have felt... I made the decision now ON WITH IT JEEVES!! 

I can tell you my experience if it helps... I will be 11 weeks post op tomorrow. 

I Live in Mississauga and went through Toronto Western hospital.  The process there is referral, orientation, Nurse Practitioner, Social worker, Nutrition class, Psychologist, Nutritionist, Surgeon, Optifast, Surgery!  It took me from April 2012-Feburary 2013 from referral to surgery.  (At the end of this reply I will give you some contact information so you can make sure things are going through well.

Once I found out what center had my files, I called and asked to take cancelled appointments in order to move the process along for me.  It worked pretty well.

My experince with all of the above people was great!!  They were all super friendly and knowledgeable and I enjoyed all of my appointments. 

I met with Dr. Cyriac who is out of Toroto East General Hospital.  He is amazing and I really liked him.  He has a good sense of humour and will joke around with you.

On surgery day I got to TEGH they took me back got my IV started, put me in my gown, and compression socks.... and moved me to a second waiting room.  Dr. Cyriac came out to talk to me again and asked if I had any questions.  Again I LOVED him....  His staff came out to get me after and I walked the green mile into the OR and his staff were so friendly and made me comfortable. 

I woke up with them wheeling me to my room later.  My pain was not what I expected... I expected stomach pain, or abdominal pain...but what I felt was pressure in my chest.  They told me that was from the gas they used to inflate me .... They managed my pain really well.  I had a late surgery so I did not get up the first night other then to walk to the washroom.  the second day I was walking the halls constantly.  My pain was well managed (didn't have much at all I was totally surprised) ... Dr. Cyriac let me go home at 2pm.  

Once home I was given perks... I litterally took 1/2 a perk in the morning and 1/2 at night...that is all the pain management I needed.  :) 

I can not say this next part enough... I would recommend ANYONE who meets the criteria to do this...it is simply the BEST decision I have ever made for myself.  I feel great, I look good, I am dropping weight I never could before and I know it will stay off.... I started my journey at 5 feet tall 258.4 lbs...as of this morning I am 204.2 lbs.  that is 54.2 lbs lost in 11 weeks.   5 lbs from being under 200 lbs for the first time in my adult life.  Before surgery I could take off like 30-40 lbs MAX and it always came back pretty fast. 

You can do this... If I can anyone can.  :)

 [email protected]  this is the email to the ontario bariatric registry.. email them your full name and date of birth and ask them if they have received your referral.... and if so what center your file was sent to.... once you know that come on here and we can give you the phone number to your center so you can call them and enquire as to when your orientation will be.... that will help speed up the process for you.

:)

Juls