Time Line
Why is there such a big difference in how long it takes people to get a surgery date?
I have seen people on here get it only a few months while others it takes years. What is the hitches that come along to make it take so long.
Hoping that knowing what the pitfalls are I can then avoid them.
Thanks yall!
I have seen people on here get it only a few months while others it takes years. What is the hitches that come along to make it take so long.
Hoping that knowing what the pitfalls are I can then avoid them.
Thanks yall!
It all depends on the route you choose, Red deer and Edmonton have alot of monitoring and very helpful education classes as well as psycologist and dieitcians. In Medicine hat you only meet with the surgeon and the dietician once. But whatever route you chose it has to be right with you. From the time your referral is sent in it still takes at least a year for the consult and then at least that long before surgery, unless you get lucky and they move you up due to a cancellation. Good luck on your journey, it is definately worth the wait!
As far as i am aware they are only doing the lap band here in Calgary, and no you can be referred to anywhere in the province. Dr. Nohr in Medicine Hat just does the gastric bypass and thats where i went. Red deer and Edmonton they do the gastric bypass, sleeve and lapband. You need to research these prcedures if you havn't already to decide what you think is best for you before you put in the consult. Reddeer only takes referrals once or twice a year so you will need to call and find out what these dates are. Edmonton takes them always, but you will have to be prepared to drive up there frequently even in the winter months. Medicine Hat also takes referrals at anytime.
I think it is a number of factors on the wait times:
1. the doctors caseloads are BUSY and full. The Drs in Med Hat and Red Deer ONLY accept patients once per year, then those patients go through their appts, counselling, resources etc...and wait for their surgery (if they are appropriate candidates).
2. DIligence: all doctors in the province require us to have nutritional counselling, nurses, psych evaluations etc (all of these appts have to be scheduled with staff that already have full case loads). It is good though...you will have the TOOLS you need to stay successful with your surgery and maintain your weightloss.
3. OR booking times....each doctor has to schedule precious time in an operating room (all that are full already..blah di blah blah...)
4. INdividual needs and assessments: they won't rush you through if for any reason you need to get bloodwork and other complications stable, or mental health/emotional eating issues stable....THEN you will be ok'd for surgery...THEN you will wait for the schedule to open up for OR time.
5. Some programs have a waiting list to GET IN...so there's waiting and more waiting and individual case by case scenarios.
Frustrating yes, necessary (yes in a lot of cases), worth the wait....heck yes and YES!
1. the doctors caseloads are BUSY and full. The Drs in Med Hat and Red Deer ONLY accept patients once per year, then those patients go through their appts, counselling, resources etc...and wait for their surgery (if they are appropriate candidates).
2. DIligence: all doctors in the province require us to have nutritional counselling, nurses, psych evaluations etc (all of these appts have to be scheduled with staff that already have full case loads). It is good though...you will have the TOOLS you need to stay successful with your surgery and maintain your weightloss.
3. OR booking times....each doctor has to schedule precious time in an operating room (all that are full already..blah di blah blah...)
4. INdividual needs and assessments: they won't rush you through if for any reason you need to get bloodwork and other complications stable, or mental health/emotional eating issues stable....THEN you will be ok'd for surgery...THEN you will wait for the schedule to open up for OR time.
5. Some programs have a waiting list to GET IN...so there's waiting and more waiting and individual case by case scenarios.
Frustrating yes, necessary (yes in a lot of cases), worth the wait....heck yes and YES!
Just a comment on the Calgary process, first off it is up to the dr what surgery you get. I am in the program this year and I have been selected for surgery this year. Most people will get the lap band but the dr will help decide what they think is best for you.
Process is not that bad in May they take a new group of people, when i started there was like 300 people and at the end of the 6 month program everyone that was left and wanted surgery was given a surgery. There is 50 surgeries this year, I hear about 100 next year although they are going to change how the program is done next year I hear, not sure what the changes are going to be though.
Process is not that bad in May they take a new group of people, when i started there was like 300 people and at the end of the 6 month program everyone that was left and wanted surgery was given a surgery. There is 50 surgeries this year, I hear about 100 next year although they are going to change how the program is done next year I hear, not sure what the changes are going to be though.
I am just hoping that my doctor is not leading me down a road that will not work out and will end up being futile. The Weight Loss Clinic doesn't even have a doctor that does the surgery, but my doctor insists that she is sending me to the correct place.
Where did you hear that they were changing the program?
Hopefully that info is correct, as I know that people could benefit from having more access to surgery and sooner.
Where did you hear that they were changing the program?
Hopefully that info is correct, as I know that people could benefit from having more access to surgery and sooner.
My process was a little different my family did not know of the program, so I did the research and found out the information for the surgeron and I was referred directly to the DR. It was then I was told I was in the wrong area, that I had to go through this program.
I was referred August 2010, May 2011 I had my first meeting na dI have been in the program since, then. I know it sounds like a long time but it really is not, the calgary program was a great start and I have made some amazing bonds with the girl i went through the program with.
The calgary program is called the Weight management program, it is on richmond rd. I am not 100% sure but I think it is part of the Diabetes and Hypertension program there.
I was referred August 2010, May 2011 I had my first meeting na dI have been in the program since, then. I know it sounds like a long time but it really is not, the calgary program was a great start and I have made some amazing bonds with the girl i went through the program with.
The calgary program is called the Weight management program, it is on richmond rd. I am not 100% sure but I think it is part of the Diabetes and Hypertension program there.
I went to alberta health's website and found the info for you
http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/services.asp?pid=saf&rid =1042102
http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/services.asp?pid=saf&rid =1042102
Hi
for the medicine hat with Dr.Nohr I waited 2 years for the consult which i just went to yesterday!! he gave me the surgry date which will be Oct of 2013 He Only does the Gastric though
tips i have found was my doctor sent referals to multipul doctors for me ( red deer edmonton and medicine hat ) Once they are sent you can then begin the process of calling the offices to see if they have an appt opening... at the very least it gets them looking at your name lol so if something comes up they will maybe call you first lol i did get a call for a cancellation early last year however i was pregers lol so i had to keep this one for this year
best of luck to you
for the medicine hat with Dr.Nohr I waited 2 years for the consult which i just went to yesterday!! he gave me the surgry date which will be Oct of 2013 He Only does the Gastric though
tips i have found was my doctor sent referals to multipul doctors for me ( red deer edmonton and medicine hat ) Once they are sent you can then begin the process of calling the offices to see if they have an appt opening... at the very least it gets them looking at your name lol so if something comes up they will maybe call you first lol i did get a call for a cancellation early last year however i was pregers lol so i had to keep this one for this year
best of luck to you
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