want to have the gastric bypass

hi everyone , i am new here just singed up. have been reading this site about the gastric bypass, i need to have this done i feel for my health. i live in winnipeg does anyone know what doctors do this here winnipeg or in canada i really dont know where i should start i am thinking with my family doc. any suggestions or help would be great i just need to be pointed in the right direction. thanks everyone jennifer

Hello Jennifer I also live in Wpg, been researching this for awhile and heard there are no surgeons in MB who do gastric bypass. Heard that you can have lapband in the Maples Surgical Centre http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/MB/postdetail/140.html?vc=0 but have to pay for it yourself, no coverage from MB Health. I had open RYN surgery on March 13, 2008. Through this website I decided on Dr. Nohr out of Medicine Hat, Alberta and asked my family doctor for a referral to him. Manitoba Health paid for my airfare for an appt with Dr. Nohr in May 2007 to discuss open RYN surgery (I had to wait from 2004 to 2007 for an appointment). I had surgery in March 2008 and MB Health paid the travel, medical & hospital costs. I know another woman from Wpg gave lap RYN with Dr. Star in Toronto and was covered as well. MB Health will pay the cost of travel but your doctor has to make a request for every visit, etc.... check out MB Health website http://www.gov.mb.ca/health/mhsip/oop.html Hope this helps. Diane

wow thanks for all the info, so i guess i have to decide on a dr first then get my dr to request a appt to see him. how did you decide on a dr, did someone tell you about them so i guess its like a 5 year wait to get this done anywhere, did you investigate the u.s. dr's also or just canada, thank you very much for the info, are you happy with your surgery so far and the dr. you decided on. jennifer

Hi Jennifer I only wanted to explore Doctors in Canada and close to Wpg. When I started researching years ago I saw a lot of Winnipegers went to Dr. Nohr, I emailed a number of them and they seemed pretty happy with him and that type of surgery. I also wanted someplace close to home, for driving distances... I think you have more choice than I did, email people (I would try to email them directly as I think people would be more honest than on a public forum) also we exchanged phone numbers and I have talked on the phone to a few women as well, makes it easier. I would ask the surgeon if having the surgery done lap is available versus open, shorter recovery, less scars etc -I am almost 50 so it doesn't matter to me but if I was younger..... I also check the Ontario forum every day as there is a lot of activity there, you may want to pose a question there, they do not seem to mind.... especially if you want to consider a doctor out east. You can email me at [email protected] if you want... Diane

hey there, I would totally recommend Dr. Christou in Montreal. He is THE number 1 dr in Canada for the surgery. Dr. Christou is the current president of the Canadian Association of Bariatric Physicians and Surgeons. He has a private Clinic.. and he works out of the McGill University. the cost is 18,500. I know alot of people who find this amount alot but think of it as an investment in your health.. I mean you would probably take a loan for that amount for a student loan.. why not your health..I found the wait is too long to go the way of the public health care system.. 5-7yrs... I got mine in less than 3months, start to finish. I enquired in Feb. 08 about the surgery.. got an appt. with Dr. Christou May 15th (could've had it in April but he was on vacation) I had the Lap RYN on May 20th. (1000X preferable to the open surgery as recovery time was only a couple of days.) Dr. Christou is also the Dr who teaches most all the Dr's in Canada how to do the surgery. He's got the yrs of experience behind him.. I don't regret it for a minute.. I'm 16days post op and feeling awesome... lost around 30lbs so far.... http://www.weightlosssurgery.ca/en/about/facilities/cmcp