Hello - New Member

I lost this forum for over a year. It takes over two years waiting list to start the Richmond Bariatric and Metabolic program covered by Medical Services Plan of BC. I had my orientation in June. As I recall I was frustrated with the initial registration and confirmation I was on the list. I think the way it is done is that your (my) GP prepares a letter of request. The clinic then replies and the doctor faxes the application. It took a month or two for that process in my case, including the GP's time to prepare the letter. He included some weight information including a graph. I record my weight on an Excel spreadsheet but I think he used his own weights he recorded at his office. The graph looked good but, long story short, I continue to gain weight. I had a second visit to Richmond, From Prince George, two weeks ago and met with a Dietitian (90 minutes), and a social worker for 45 minutes. I now have a scheduled phone appointment with the dietitian in October and two scheduled video appointments with a psychiatrist in October and November. I have a history of depression so thus the Psychiatric requirement. I am recording my foods, cut out caffeine and most carbonated drinks but I struggle to cut down much on carbs.

I can cut out the carbonated drinks, but really struggle with carbs. My background is African and ethnicity is South Asian so carbs are a way of life.

I don't eat a lot of rice, roti/naan but make up for it in other ways like chicken or beef burgers, pasta, or bread.

I can cook more North American cuisine, but that is also a chore and not something my wife likes to do or can do easily.

I know the process is long, but also hearing the things you're having to do (dietitian, psychiatrist etc.,) I suspect the process is designed that way on purpose whereas if you pay to get it done you probably bypass some of those steps.

Update:

I have had three required video (Medeo) appointments with a psychiatrist (Marciano) and there will be no more. I am waiting for the psychiatrist to complete the report for my GP so my GP can make a referral to a local (Prince George) psychiatrist at the Mental Health out patient service. It will probably be required that I have contact with a local psychiatrist before the clinic will give me a surgery date according to the Richmond program psychiatrist (Marciano).

I am continuing interviews with a dietitian - two appointments so far. My first appointment was in Richmond and the second one by phone. The dietitian requested I restrict my carbohydrate intake to 30 - 45 g at meals and 15 - 30 g for snacks. This is very hard for me. I am making progress but eat a lot of fat, salad, dairy, and sugar substitute to compensate for carbs. for instance right now it is early morning and I am thinking of having Fibre 1 (bran) cereal with half and half cream.

I was diagnosed with diabetes recently so I went to retinal screening, was fine, and now the first of two diabetes training centre educational classes was yesterday. Each session is 3+ hours with a diabetes counselor and dietitian in a class with five other clients. This class was helpful to learn more about nutrition and diabetes. Particularly of interest to me was diabetes theory, glucose scale, glucose meters, MSP subsidy policy, food labeling, and food groups.

My last update was November 27th. I have lost 10 kilos since I entered the program in June 2018. I am hoping for surgery in April. I have an appointment with a local psychiatrist (in Prince George) March 22nd. I have purchased a box of protein drinks to use for my pre-op diet, if and when I get a surgery date. The product is Opti-fast 900 which involves four bottles of product a day. My dietitian said I can take five a day, instead of four, because I know it will be a big struggle for me to meet this goal. I am using a food and exercise app called myfitnesspal.com by entering the info on my desk top and sending it as a pdf file to my dietitian, Nooshin, at the Richmond clinic. I hope to get a free cell phone from a friend, an i-phone 5, and learn how to use it for the app so then I can forgo the manual writing of the food journal. I am currently consuming about 4,000 calories a day and my app has a goal of 2500/day. It is very hard for me to restrict my diet and I am definitely not an exercise guy. I still lean toward getting the RNY surgery as my BMI is at least 45. I am 64 years old, current weight 352 pounds, and six feet one inch tall. I have another phone interview with my dietitian at the end of this week.

re: the loose skin. I worried about loose skin incessantly when I was a pre-op and early post-op. I had a lot of it, but it was very easy to hide (I eventually had it taken off because I didn't like looking at myself naked. But no one knew it was there except for me, my husband, and my doctor). I know that *a lot* of us (not everyone - but a lot) would say that in retrospect, we shouldn't have worried so much about the loose skin. I would take my loose skin any day over weighing 372 lbs. ANY DAY!

Thanks - I'm on a FB group for Bariatric Surgery as well, and some people have had excess skin and many have not, without doing any type of "scientific study" there is no way to tell who will and will not have sagging skin.

The group is composed of people that have had it, or in the process. Most are US patients but there are some Canadian in the group as well.

I agree with you - I would deal with the skin, but the weight is a real drag on the body and life expectancy.

So I contacted the Richmond office late last week, and heard from them today. Yes, indeed my doctor did send in the referral and I will be waiting 2-3 years. Sigh... Let the waiting game begin... :-)

My doctor put a referral into Dr zentner. Last feb. my appointment is in November. She is referring people to a surgeon in Burnaby. I am not to sure what to expect as it's not the Vitoria or Richmond program. So it didn't take to long to get in