looking for info coming from bc to calgary for sugery
My reg doc rerecommended I get a gastric sleeve. I am in BC but am not far from Calgary. I am hoping to get my surgery done there as I can stay with family. Can anyone tell me what all is involved in getting the surgery and were in Calgary they do it. I understand the weight time is around 3 years. Also what r the different types of surgery and the risks involved. I have hear horror storys and wondering how true they r. Any help and sugesstions would be greatly. Appreciated. Thank-you.
Be aware that having yourself referred to the Calgary (or Edmonton) program does not guarantee that you'll have the surgery, no matter what you or your doctor do. From what I've read on here roughly 1/4 of the people who go through the Calgary program are approved for surgery - even with the 3 year wait.
Edmonton has an active program and accepts out of province patients, but once again, no guarantee of being approved for surgery - and the wait times just got longer.
While it's definitely worthwhile to get your doctor to refer you for either (or both) you may want to seriously consider your self-pay options as well. Yes, it costs a chunk, (about $10,000, including flights, for the surgeon my husband, our daughter and I went to) but if you do your research, educate yourself about eating properly after surgery, get your aftercare lined up, and determine to succeed, it can be a great option. Being able to book your surgery 2-4 weeks from the time you have your ducks in a row is worthwhile, too.
I fretted about spending so much money (and paying for all 3 of us pretty much killed our savings account) but my husband put it into perspective,"Amortised over the next 25 years of better health it's around a buck a day per person - a bargain!"
I'm saving more than that on groceries and prescription drugs, our GP is great about aftercare, and we've had no problems at all other than me having a low grade UTI a month out - undoubtedly because I wasn't drinking enough. When looking at surgeons don't bargain hunt - your health is valuable. Look for one with excellent reviews, low complication rates, a hospital setting rather than a clinic or surgical centre, and a willingness to talk with your GP. My surgeon sent me home with copies of all test results and a formal surgical report for my GP. (Which you'll need to apply for a refund from BC Medical)
If your GP is willing to write a letter of medical necessity you can get part of the surgical costs repaid by BC medical (it's simpler here in Alberta) and the rest of the costs, including flights for you and your support person, are tax deductible.
Kelly-Anne
Edmonton has an active program and accepts out of province patients, but once again, no guarantee of being approved for surgery - and the wait times just got longer.
While it's definitely worthwhile to get your doctor to refer you for either (or both) you may want to seriously consider your self-pay options as well. Yes, it costs a chunk, (about $10,000, including flights, for the surgeon my husband, our daughter and I went to) but if you do your research, educate yourself about eating properly after surgery, get your aftercare lined up, and determine to succeed, it can be a great option. Being able to book your surgery 2-4 weeks from the time you have your ducks in a row is worthwhile, too.
I fretted about spending so much money (and paying for all 3 of us pretty much killed our savings account) but my husband put it into perspective,"Amortised over the next 25 years of better health it's around a buck a day per person - a bargain!"
I'm saving more than that on groceries and prescription drugs, our GP is great about aftercare, and we've had no problems at all other than me having a low grade UTI a month out - undoubtedly because I wasn't drinking enough. When looking at surgeons don't bargain hunt - your health is valuable. Look for one with excellent reviews, low complication rates, a hospital setting rather than a clinic or surgical centre, and a willingness to talk with your GP. My surgeon sent me home with copies of all test results and a formal surgical report for my GP. (Which you'll need to apply for a refund from BC Medical)
If your GP is willing to write a letter of medical necessity you can get part of the surgical costs repaid by BC medical (it's simpler here in Alberta) and the rest of the costs, including flights for you and your support person, are tax deductible.
Kelly-Anne
Highest 303.4, Surgery 263, Current 217.8, Goal 180
Thank-you for the info. It is not something I can afford to do with in the next 5-10 years. My only option and the only one I can afford is to get it done in Calgary. I can stay with family in Calgary as offten and as long as I need. And it is only a 3 hour drive from me. We cant afford big expense. Nor can we take on loan payments or any thing like that. So my only hope is to hope I can get approved for the surgery in Calgary. Thank-you for the info and sugestion. If at some point in the distant future things change I well look in to it.
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