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Hello My name is Jody. I live in Parksville, BC, and am just starting to look into WLS. Is there anyone who could give me some help finding a surgeon that does RNY where there isn't a 2-4 year wait list? I am willing to pay for my surgery, but have found that there isn't surgeon in Canada who will do it when you are willing to pay. Also, can anyone help me with the differences between the Lap-Band procedure and the Laprascopic Roux-en-y? I know the basics, but I want to know about the pros and cons, as I find when I am looking on a Lap-Band site they are pro Lap-Band and when I am looking on a LGB site they are pro LGB. I think the LGB is the one that would be for me, but would like to hear anyone else's stories and choices. I am 48 years old have been overweight for most of my adult like, having lost significant amounts of weight twice in the past 26 years, but only to gain in back and more, as is with the case of most of us. Diets haven't worked and now I have joint issues and find exercising almost impossible. I am 5'4" weigh 265 with a BMI of 45. Any help, comments or stories would be appreciated. Thank you Jody

Hi Jody, Yes, I did call Alberta and not good news, they have a long waitlist just like everyone else. I figured as much but I gave it a try. If you are looking for someone to do your surgery look up Dr. Christou in Montreal. There is a private clinic where he does the WLS and charges $18,500 for the RNY. I don't know how much for the lapband as I did not ask about that procedure, but there are places in Ontario that will do it if you self pay for lap band. Here is his website. www.weightlosssurgery.ca Hope that helps Sim

I am the patient of Dr Woodheads he was talking about. I went to Dr Joya in PV Mexico. The service was amazing and the hospital was immaculate and well equiped. I would do it all over again in a heart beat!! I have lost 143 lbs and have maintained now for about 4 months. If you have any questions, just shoot me an email. [email protected] Leanen Legare Dr Joya - PV MExico 274/131 Pre-op / current

Hi Sim How is your search going? I did look up Dr Christou, he has a great reputation and is a well respected bariatric surgeon, so that makes me feel comfortable. Also I have a brother who lives in Montreal and has said I could stay there. Do you know if the cost includes everything, ie: anethetist, hospital stay, pre-op work up and labs and psychological evaluation? I sent them an email late Fri. so hopefully will hear back from them early next week. I am still waiting on approval from my bank for the loan, but that should go through as well in the next week or so. Which surgery are you looking at? The band or the bypass? I think I would prefer the bypass, the band is a lot stricter for not eating foods that are soft and can slip through the band such as milkshakes and icecream, 2 of my favs. If you eat any high fat or sugar with the bypass you get the dumping syndrome and that does not sound pleasant. I have feeling sick and nauseated. Let me know how your search is going, thanks for the reply, Jody

Hi Jody, Thanks for your email and thinking of me. Yes, I am looking into Dr. Christou as he does have an excellent reputation and there is no wait time to go to the clinic for the WLS for out of province patients who are willing to self pay. It is not cheap, $18,500 but that does include everything except for the plane trip and staying somewhere. You are lucky that you can stay with your brother. You have to fill out a case form a pdf document available on his website which you send along with a front and side picture of your body and a $150 check for a processing fee. Yes, the Roux is the one that I think is better. It really depends on your eating habits and your weight too. From what I read, the research done on the band give a very inconsistent and mixed result. I'm sure many people have found they are successful and I don't want to knock it, but I know the band is not for me, I want something permanent. My own surgeon, Dr. Meneghetti also told me that he would not even consider doing the lapbanding but I know Dr. Amson does do it. So again, inconsistencies from the surgeons in this province. Right now, I am just taking it easy as I just got diagnosed with severe sleep apnea and I am just trying to get used to the CPAC machine and sleep with it. I have been very emotional and cry a lot lately and I want to do the surgery when I have a stronger mind set and feel like my self again. I have been doing some soul searching and feel very vulnerable right now so I will wait a bit until I can pull myself together. Plus I am sleeping very poorly and feel drained right now. But I am slowly getitng used to it and not feeling as panicky when I wear the mask so there is slow improvement. And I also think that the sleep apnea will be gone once I lose this weight. I see the respirologist on Feb 26th at UBC hospital for a consult after my tests are finished and he get the results. Take care and keep in touch. Sim

hi Jody, My name is Destiny, I had by-pass surgery on the 12th of Jan, I have lost 30lbs between now and my 2 week pre-op diet. I too couldnt think of the waiting list and all the other stuff that went with it. I seriously started looking into this surgery around the beginning of Nov/06. I am from Alberta and was completely willing to pay for my own surgery but no matter where I turned there was a huge waiting list. I had spoke to a few of the surgeons here in Canada and then took my search into the states. By early Dec/06 I had spoke to many patients that had either had there surgery in Canada or the US. However; I had found a group of ppl that had had thier procedures done down in Mexico. Believe me my first thoughts of surgery in Mexico was a slab of wood a vacuum cleaner hose and someone elses blood sprayed on the wall. However; all these ppl seemed to do nothing but praise this Dr and his team and the facility. So I began to investigate this further. I was so impressed with this Dr. I was sent all the info I required and more and was welcomed to ask any questions. I asked about the doctors and everyone on the surgical team, I asked about the hospital, I asked about mortalities, I asked about pre-op & post-op care. I asked about finances for both the band and the RNY Bypass. I asked for information I could pass onto my own doctor so he could research for me as well. Everything was happily given to me. I flew to Puerta Vallarta on the 12th of Jan/07 with a friend who was being banded as well. I had the bypass , I spent 4 days in a beautiful private hospital with the best care I have ever received, then I spent 4 days post-op in a 5 star resort where I had doctors care every day. I am so impressed with this facility and its team of doctors & nurses that I know if I ever need any other cosmetic surgery I will definately go back and not think twice. My surgeons name is Dr.Joya his website is www.drjoya.com he has yahoo groups so you can speak to many many of his patients. Speak to his assistant Gerald he will answer anything you have questions on. Also please feel free to contact me I will be more then willing to help you out. Good Luck Destiny

Congrats on your surgery!! I love Dr Joya and his staff they all rock!!! Leanne

Hi Destiny Sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you. I didn't know you had written me, it didn't come through on my email. Anyhow, I will definitely check him out. How much was your surgery? My husband might not like me going to Mexico though, he is a little skeptical. I am also looking at Dr Christou in Montreal, he has a really good reputation as well. Apperntly he has just opened a private clinic, so I have emailed them, but did it late Fri afternoon, so hopefully will get some sort of response at the beginning of the week. Also, my brother lives there, so would have family close by. My concerns are the pre-op consultations and then post-op, whether I get surgery in Canada or Mexico, or the US, which it doesn't look good for the US as they are way too expensive. What made you choose the Gastric bypass over the lap band? I am leaning toward the bypass as the closest Dr. who does adjustments is over 2 hour drive away and it sounds like you have to get quite a few adjustments in the first 6 months. How are you feeling now? How is the diet going? I am quite nervous about the diet afterwards. It sounds like you can't eat anything except pureed foods for the first 12 weeks or so. What are you doing for post op care and labs? I understand that they want to check your iron levels etc. in the first few months so you do not have any malnutrition issues? Do you get it done in Alberta and the results sent down to Mexico? Do you have to pay for the lab tests? Thank you for all your help and answering all these questions. Jody Robinson