New Here!

Hi from the north,

I'm Catherine and I have decided I would like to have WL surgery.  A bit about me....I am 33y/o and I live in Yellowknife Northwest Territories and have struggled with my weight for close to 28 years, I think I started gaining weight in kindergarten.  It's been a life long struggle as most of you know.  I also have quite a few medical conditions; I am a type 2 diabetic(diagnosed at age 15), severe psoriasis with Arthritis, and sciatica. I pretty sure I also have sleep apnea. Yay me right? Anyway, I have tried all kinds of fad diets I am able to lose a bit of weight but then gain it back and then some. I swear I could eat only lettuce and still gain weight. 

I was referred to the Edmonton Clinic for bariatric surgery 2 ½ years ago by my doctor. As I live in Yellowknife that service isn't offered here but the NT government does cover the cost in Edmonton-thank god!  I honestly didn't think I would get the call, after waiting for so long but on Monday(August 8) I finally got a call for my assessment appointment in Edmonton, my appointment is set for September 27. I have been doing a lot of reading, obsessively to be honest. I am curious if anyone else from the North has had surgery or are waiting for surgery in Edmonton.

Can anyone tell me what I should expect from my assessment appointment? I'm hoping I can do a lot of the appointments in Yellowknife as I don't want to be traveling every month. I have already taking the craving change course and am hoping that means I am ahead a bit. Any advice or tip you guys can give would be greatly appreciated!!!

So begins your journey of dieticians, nurses, psychologists, etc..... Good luck.   You will be able to do a lot of appointments via phone calls and through your networks in the NWT.   Prepare for a 2 year wait from start to finish.

So begins your journey of dieticians, nurses, psychologists, etc..... Good luck.   You will be able to do a lot of appointments via phone calls and through your networks in the NWT.   Prepare for a 2 year wait from start to finish.

Hello Catherine

I'm Terry from Cold Lake Alberta.  The traveling really sucks but it will all be worth it in the end.  I have been with the Edm clinic for two years now and just singed with the surgeon, now about a year and a half till surgery , if all goes well.  Your assesment appt isn't to bad.  They ask a lot of questions to get to know you and your health.  Take a list of meds you on including vitamins,  There is no physical exam but they do take you weight.  I hope this helps :o)  Welcome to the clinic!  If you enail me you email, there is a bariatic facebook club that has been so helful as they talk about everything and support during our jouney!   It's an invite ownly so if intrested I'll recomend you.  Its called the Bariatric Sisterhood and is a fantastic group!

Terry

I am waiting for surgery and just had my first pre open class.  There is a woman from the NWT and another from Manitoba.  If they are in my last pre open class, I will have them contact you.  Myou last class is Sept 13th.

Good luck.  It will be over before you know it.

Sounds good :o)

Welcome Catherine 

Welcome!  I'm new here, too.  After about 13.5 months of appointments in Edmonton, I now have a surgery date of September 7th!  It's amazing how fast it all goes by.  I hope that you can get your appointments grouped into as few as possible.  I found Dr. Sharma liked to see his patients every 6-8 weeks and realized I hadn't seen much of my nurse or nutritionist, even though I felt like I had been in the clinic a lot.  

The assessment appointment was a lot of paperwork and background questions. Make sure you have all of your current medications and vitamins handy for them to see.  

My appointment schedule looked like the following, but I had taken all of the Weight Wise classes the year between my doctor's referral and my first appointment at the Edmonton Bariatric Clinic.  

Doctor's Appointments for Weight Wise

May 2014 - asked my regular Dr. for referral         

July 2014 -found out paperwork was not submitted properly and so this set me back 3 months

July 10, 2015 - Initial appointment, Nurse

July 29, 2015 - Dr. Arya Sharma - Initial appointment

July 29, 2015 Initial Assessment - Registered Dietician

August 4, 2015 - Bariatric Surgery Class -  Nurse

August 17, 2015 - Initial Assessment with Psychologist 

September 28, 2015 - Follow-up - Nurse

September 28, 2015 - Med Gem Test - Registered Dietician

November 27, 2015 - Follow up & Saxenda prescribed - Dr. Sharma

December 2^nd, 2015:

-Follow up psychologist

- Follow up, nurse

- Follow up, nutritionist/registered dietician 

January 13, 2016 - Dr. Arya Sharma, Surgery request

March 16, 2016 - Dr. Alyah Kanji - Initial Assessment for surgery

March 23, 2016 - Dr. Arya Sharma - Internist Follow up

May 25, 2016 - Dr. Arya Sharma - Internist Follow up

June 3, 2016 - Nurse - Preparing for Bariatric Surgery Part 1

July 15, 2016 - Dr. Arya Sharma - Internist follow up

 July 15, 2016 - Dietician Follow-up

 August 15^th, 2016 - My Doctor - Full physical for surgery (supposed to wait to boo****il after surgery call)

August 18, 2016 - Received a phone call from Dr. Kanji's office.  My surgery is scheduled for September 7^th!!!!

August 23^rd, 2016 - Follow up with nurse

August 23^rd, 2016 - Pre-Surgery Class #2 - with psychologist

September 2^nd, 2016 - Maintaining the Change class

September 2^nd, 2016 - Pre-admission Clinic (Bring meds/vitamins, can have breakfast/liquids before)

September 6^th, 2016 - Weigh in before surgery

September 7^th, 2016 - Surgery!

Morning, September 9^th, 2016 - Registered Dietician to stop in to see me in the hospital

September 12^th, 2016 - Nurse to call      

October 12^th, 2016:

            - follow up appointment with Nurse

    - follow up appointment with Registered dietician

          - follow up appointment with surgeon

December 8^th, 2016 :

           - follow up appointment with Registered Dietician

           - follow up appointment with Nurse

Because I had journaled my food consistently for a year before starting at the clinic, had no other co-morbities and had attended all Weight Wise modules, I was fast tracked somewhat.  I've talked to other people at the clinic who have been there 2 - 5 years without a date.