Gastric Bypass Info Needed

Hi All I am 28 and am 315 pounds i am looking for any info on the bypass surgery i can get my hands on. My mother had the surgery about 15 years ago at Victoria Hospital in Winnipeg and has been doing great. If anybody knows the requirements that doctors look at when helping someone decide. Actually i dont even know where to start or what to look for i am just begining my "search" so if anyway can help me i thank you very much. I live in northern manitoba and need advice. Thank You

First off there isn't a surgeon currently performing the surgery in manitoba, you will have to go out of province. Your doctor will have to refer you to a surgeon out of province and that doc will decide if you are a candidate for the surgery, manitoba health will reimburse you for your airfare to the surgeon. May i suggest my surgeon in medicine hat doc. Nohr. MYself i was over 150 lbs overweight, had bad back and joint pain and had become sugar intolerant, one step from becoming type 2. if you have any questions feel free to ask.

Wow, you sound just like me... I just joined yesterday and I am looking for info and trying to get this surgery.

If you have any question you would like answered, send me a note and I will try my best. Storm

Hi again! Well, here's the questions I have: How long ago was your surgery, and how are you doing? How long was the wait? How much hassle was it to get approved? Did you have to "prove" you've tried to lose weight previously, and how did you do that if it wasn't through a doctor? (ie: I was in WW, Herbal Magic, on Atkins, and did probalby a dozen crash diets, as well as developed Bulemia when I was a teeneager to lose weight) If you managed to lose weight on these diets did they try and disqualify you? (I lost nearly 100 pounds on Herbal Magic, but was constantly hungry/depressed, and after a long plateau I binged for months and gained it all back, after spending thousands) Do you have other insurance, or did MB medical pay for it all? Did you have any complications from the surgery? That's all I can think of for now. Thanks so much for your help. :)

Well, lets start at the beginning of the questions...lol My surgery took place on the 4th of april of 2006, the day before my birthday, best gift I ever gave myself. As for the waits, It was over a year from the time of the referal till the appointment. and It was 14 months after that till the surgery. As for hassle, I didnt have any, I asked my doc for a referal for the procedure, gave him a list of at least 6 surgeons, since he knew the name of doc. Nohr he said he would refer me to him. sent the referal letter to doc. Nohr, at the same time sending the request forms to Manitoba health to request permission to send me out of province. Save some time that way. When I was with Doc. Nohr, I answered al his questions, but I did not have to have phisical letters or anything. I dont think that having success on another diet would disqualify you at all, I have tried alot of them, had lost some weight gain back alot. Manitoba health covered the surgery, hospital cost and the reimbursement for the travel, The hotel costs and other travel cost I dont believe are covered.Travel costs are only reimbursed after the travel. Complications from the surgury, hmm , not much, some of my scar is thicker and wider then it really should be but thats astetics not anything important, Had some bouts of vomiting, but that eventually resolved as my body healed. Now I started the journey at 324.1 lbs, I am now at 199.6 and bouncing around there right now, can hardly wait for the end of winter so I can get out and get walking, This will help me loss the reat that I am wanting to. Well I hope these answers help. Christina

Dr. Christopher Andrew at St. Boniface Associates in Winnipeg is trying very, very hard to get this procedure approved by the College of Physicians and Manitoba Health. You can have your family Dr. refer you to him and he'll put you on a waiting list. When and if the surgery is approved to be done in Manitoba, his office will call you to set up consultation. When I last spoke with them, they still had no word on what was happening, it could be approved in 3 months, or 3 years. Dr. Nohr is someone that Manitoba Health suggested I try to be referred to. You have to apply for travel expenses by having your family Dr. write Manitoba Health and ask for these expenses to be covered, as you are out of province. Dr. Nohr bills reciprocally, which means he directly bills Manitoba Health for your consultation and procedure and there is no extra cost to you. So, if Manitoba Health approves your travel expenses, or at least a portion of them, the cost of having the procedure done is minimal. There are a few surgeons in Alberta which perform gastric bypass, it's just very important to find out if they bill reciprocally to Manitoba Health, or else there could be cost to you. Good luck to you. I am also playing this waiting game. G.

I had my surgery done in Montreal by Dr. Christou. Dr. Christou trained Dr. Andrews and he tells me that Dr. Andrews has now given up in the hope to do Gastric Bypass. I had to pay for my entire surgery and Manitoba Health paid for my flights. I have no regrets and know that I only had to wait 5 weeks for my surgery not 5-9 years! I am one week post-opp and already feel like a new person! Good Luck!

How much did it cost?

It cost me $18, 500. Every penny was worth it!! Dr. Christou's website is http://www.weightlosssurgery.ca/en/index.php. You can get all the information you need there. Good Luck!