New and wondering

Hi, I just decided that it's time to look into Bariatric surgery.  Other than the few surgeons in Victoria, are there any on the mainland that are covered by BC Med?  Currently, the waiting list for Victoria is 5 years, which nearly made me cry.  I can't afford to pay more than $5,000 for surgery, can someone give me some information?

 There is West Coast Bariatric in Richmond. Dr Nguyen and Dr Sampath, as far as I know their wait times for a consult is about a year. Ask your gp for a referral. :) Hope that helps.

Thank you so much i will try that.

Hi there,

Your best bet is with WLS clinic in Richmond. The Dr's and their circle of support workers are just awesome, way and above the Victoria group. Dr's Nyugen and Sampath are helping as many people as they can, as fast as they can, so the wait time seems to be staying rather minimal.

Good luck on the decision process, I wish you all the best. :)

Thank you Heather, do you know if the Richmond Centre is covered by BC Medical? I can't afford to pay $15,000 for the procedure.

Richmond team is great.  RNY (gastric bypass) & VSG (vertical sleeve) is all covered by MSP, but not  the band. 

Wait time for first consult is about a year, but you can get some of the requirements done before consult, which can speed up the surgery date.  After your referral, phone Garatt Wellness Centre, in Richmond, to enroll in "Winning at Losing" class and then the WLS Cooking class.  As soon as you have your first consult you can register for the "Change Ways" program.  Also, do research to decide which surgery you would prefer, and read the book "Weight Loss Surgery for Dummies". 

After you have completed all of the above, you should phone the surgeons office to let them know that you have completed all the above & you are ready for first consult, and are available to take a cancellation (if that would work for you).  Plus, keep a daily food journal & keep track of all your excercise (minimum of 30 minutes/day), to show the surgeon that you are ready to take the next step to surgery, which will be a number of appointments with other specialist doctors and a few medical tests.  The more preparation you have done before first consult could put you in a better position for a surgery date.

Hope this helps, and good luck on your journey.

I appreciate all your help.  For the first time in many years you have brought me hope.

Good luck on the rest of your journey