So many questions...

 Hello everyone,

I am just starting this research journey..I never thought I would ever go the WLS route, but now that I am done having kids and am finally focusing on me..i realize that I am drowning and I am tired of yo yo dieting. 

I have been looking at band and sleeve surgeries and thing the sleeve might be the one for me.  I am a bit of a chicken when it comes to hospitals and surgeries (I've never had surgery before) so I would feel more comfortable going to someone locally.  I had a Dr. apt this morning and asked him for a referral to Dr. Tang or Dr. Amson...by the time I got home from his office I already had a message waiting from Dr. Tang's office to call and get my apt.  They want me to come in on Tuesday...so that's only four days from now.  Does anyone know the current wait for sleeve surgery from Dr. Tang?  They wouldn't even give me a best guess on the phone...I asked 2years? 5years? and she wouldn't say anything...she said she didn't know.  So that's my first question.

My next question is, I notice there is a Dr. Samaad Malik being mentioned on this board, but I cannot find a website for him.  Does anyone know his website or his info?  Does he do the sleeve too and if so, what is the wait time like for him?

Thanks in advance for all the help sorting through this information.  I was really happy to find this site!

Dr Malik did my surgery at the beginning of the month, but I had a RNY so I'm not sure if the wait times are different.
I was seeing Dr Rusnak first and was waiting about six months with him  and then he retired, and Dr Malik took over, so I seen him for six months and then got my surgery.
I don't think he has a website, but he's located on Richmond Street right across from the hospital.

 Did you need a referral to Dr. Malik/Dr. Rusnak or did you just call them up?

Thanks!
Danielle

There is a new program iin Kelowna BC. At I Quest healthcare.....dr kluftinger.
Im two weeks  post surgery, it is a wonderful program, I had no wait time to get in the program.

It's only Dr Malik now, and yes you need a referral :)

Also you can go on www.wlsforum.net and www.blazeonline.com/wls as these are two weight loss surgery support forums as well.

I'm not sure of the wait time for the sleeve.

I think Dr. Malik's waittime is less though.

You could also do a search on waittimes in BC and look under Victoria and then the surgeons names.

Suzanne

 I just called Dr. Malik's office and the wait time is one year from your initial consultation...they're currently booking into Sept. for those apt's.

As for the BC wait times online...they could not be further from the truth.  If you go by those, then it will tell you there are 40 patients waiting for surgery from Dr. Malik and the average wait time (in the last three months) is 2.5 weeks.  For Dr. Tang it says 102 waiting...average wait time 4 weeks.  I think this includes ALL the surgeries they do and so might make the numbers look better if they are doing lots of other surgeries and those wait times are less.  They told me outright on the phone that the BC wait list website is not accurate at all.  Sad.

i have my appointment with Dr. Tang next Friday and want to know if anyone has asked him to sign OOC documents in the first visit?  Does he run tests after the first visit?  Any info on what I can expect would be appreciated.

Much thanks,
Danielle