To CaterpillarCrawler

Hey there.  How did your appointment with Dr. Malik go?  What did you think?

Well, I was not too impressed with Dr. Malik...but here is why...


I have been going through this process with Dr. Rusnak since May...I have had all of the testing done, and was told that I was all set for surgery, but because Dr. Rusnak was retiring, the new surgeon would take over my surgery...then I met Dr. Malik, and he has a lot of other criteria...Dr. Rusnak asked me to build some muscle for surgery, so I in turn lost 25 pounds in less then 2 months...but have plateued...he was more then happy with that progress.  Dr. Malik has decided that I now need to have a BMI of under 50, otherwise he won't even consider me for surgery, which means I need to lose another 50 lbs.  He is doing the scope, as well as sending me to a psychiatrist, and sending me for a stomach ultrasound, etc...then he wants to see me every 3 months until I lose the wieght.

What bothers me about this is that I don't even think he looked at my file...And the endocrinologist has told me that with my hormone levels it's going to be a loooong time before I'm able to take off the extra 50 lbs.

I know he is just trying to cover his bases, and check out everything, but as someone who was ready for surgery, and has other issues that prevent me from getting the right kinds of excersize, it was a really awful visit for me.  I will continue to jump through the hoops, and work hard, but I am just so disappointed.

Aside from that, his bedside manner was alright, he seems to really know a lot about surgery, and he wasn't hard to look at, he just gave me news that was 10x worse then I was hoping for...that's all...

Caterpillarcrawler,

If I were you, I would apply for surgery out of the country.  With your BMI of over 50 and your medical conditions, I can't see why you would not be approved.  By applying out of country, you could be done by the time you had your next appointment with Malik. 

What I gather from your words is that you did all you could to go to this appointment prepared and do the best you could before you got there.  Once there, you felt deflated because what you did was not recognised as being the HUGE step towards health and wellness that it is.  Well, I am sorry for Malik's lack of recognition.  I just want to say a huge congratulations on a job well done.  I know how hard losing weight is especially when you have mobility issues.  Do NOT lose faith over the lack of understanding on the part of this man. 

I have attached a link that will take you to the forms you need to apply for out of country. I would talk to Kara and see if Malik will fill this out for you (you will likely have to pay a fee).  If he won't, have your doctor refer you to see Dr. Menghetti in Vancouver.  Apparently you will have to talk sweet to Judy after your doctor has sent a referral to Dr. M and explain the situation and only then will she schedule you for a consult.  He will then fill out the form (you will have to pay $200 but better that than waiting five years for surgery). 

Here is the link the the out of country form : 

https://www.health.gov.bc.ca/exforms/mspprac/H2810.pdf

If this route interests you, you can find more information out on www.bb.wlsforum.net  in the "out of country" forum.  There are several people there who should be able to answer questions for you. 
 

I actually had Dr. Rusnak fill out the OOC forms for me, and Kara is sending them in the mail on Wednesday.  I am just hoping that what he filled out on the forms will be what they want to hear...I should recieve them by Monday or Tuesday and will send them off with a letter I have written, plus a letter from my family Dr. and the documentation from tests that I've had done.  Thank you for the information though...I am hoping and praying that I qualify.

How awful! Being told to lose 75 prior to having this surgery. That's just ridiculous! Gosh, I have an appointment with Dr.Malek in the fall(Had consult with Dr.R)  for a followup before surgery, and I am getting seriously worried after reading the posts people have writen about Dr.Malek. My BMI is 53 so what does that mean for me? I am doing everything Dr.R told me to do, but maybe that won't be enough... I hope you get approved for your OOC surgery. That would be wonderful if you can get things done for you. Let us know. I will be thinking about you.

It was a bit of a blow to be honest...especially since Cr. Rusnak had everything done already and I was just waiting for a date.  I was only supposed to be "meeting" Dr. Malek, as Kara said, so that I could know who was cutting me open...he's sending me for a slew more tests, and now expects me to be under a BMI of 50...He'll probably tell you the same thing, to get your BMI under 50, but who knows, everyone is different, right?  He just came in, and starts everyone from scratch from what I've heard...the testing that Dr. R has sent you for will at least get you on your way.

I am still waiting to recieve the forms, but I am SO counting on them...it feels like that is my only hope right now. 

Hi Caterpillar Crawler,

Sorry to hear that your appt was so disappointing. I can only imagine how you must have felt when you went in with such a good feeling about loosing the 25lbs.. (congrats on that, that is awesome!). 

Try to keep possitve that you will get your forms for out of country and that you could be having surgery within a few months. I will keep my fingers crossed for you.

Keep up the good work. I looked at your youtube and I love your thoughts and views!

keep smiling, it will happen for you soon.

Laurie

Thank you,

It was very disappointing to have him tell me 50 more, because honestly, if it were that easy to take off 75 pounds, I would've done it by now, and I probably wouldn't be heading towards getting surgery, I mean, if I was so great at doing it on my own, I wouldn't need this tool to help me out.

Kara called me yesterday to let me know that the forms are filled out and she will mail them on Wednesday...I almost want to drive the 5 hours to Victoria to go pick them up because I am so tense about the whole thing :P

Thanks again!

Maureen

Congrats on the 25 lb loss!!! Every little bit helps and I know how hard it is to loose even that, as I'm sure everyone else knows too!

I've been seeing Dr Rusack since last November and was *suppose* to have my surgery this month or next month, but thanks to the cutbacks, Kara has said now not until at LEASE January. Which really tickes me off, but I know it's not their fault.

I've gone and seen everyone Dr R wanted me to see, but I'm afraid now that Dr M may want more tests and more appointments. I actually called Kara yestreday to see if that's the case, but haven't heard back from her.

Where you orignally doing a follow up appointment from Dr R?

Thanks...I just wish the scale would move now...I just sit there :P

I'm sorry it's been so long for you...how frustrating.

I hope Dr. Malik doesn't make you go through all the junk, and that Dr. R's stuff was enough.  Kara wo't know though...he'll meet you first before he sends you for mose tests.

I have had 2 follow up appointments with Dr. R already...this was just supposed to be a "meet and greet" with Dr. M...but apparently not