I WROTE THIS TO THE HALIFAX DAILY NEWS TODAY

It is with great distress that I write this e-mail after reading the article in the August 24th edition of the Daily News. After being super morbidly obese most of my adult life and after moving back to Nova Scotia from Ottawa after 12 years, I decided that I should look into the gastric-bypass. I had a consultation with Dr. E. S. MacDonald in Halifax in1999 and was told that at 555 lbs. I was a prime candidate for the surgery. I had the surgery on June 23, 2005. I was one of Dr. MacDonald's last patients before he retired. In the meantime, I did lots of research online, whi*****luded the website ObesityHelp.com. Every day, I chat with people all over the world who have already had the surgery or are waiting to have it. We help each other deal with weight and eating issues. As a result of my success, I have many new friends who consider me an inspiration. My new American friends cannot believe how long the waiting list is in Canada. Yesterday was the 14 month anniversary of my surgery. I have lost 300 lbs since that day in June 2005 - now weighing 255 lbs. I moved to Fredericton, NB in March/06 as a much smaller man. I have a new life with a great job. I have Dr. MacDonald to thank for my new life because without the surgery, I probably would not be here today. At 555 lbs, I was slowly killing myself. I think that the Nova Scotia government should find the funding to re-establish the gastric-bypass program. There are many people that need this surgery...probably a few politicians should have it as well. The government here in New Brunswick funds the surgery. Obesity is a big problem in Nova Scotia....do these people not deserve to get help? Alcoholics, drug addicts and gamblers get help. Obesity is just as big a problem as those issues. I hope that the government of Nova Scotia wakes up and does the right thing and helps the 24,000 plus obese people in the Province. Someday they might just need their votes. ROBERT CULLEN FORMER ANTIGONISH, NOVA SCOTIA RESIDENT NOW IN FREDERICTON NEW BRUNSWICK

Hi Robert, Good article. There has been some coverage on the news talking about this topic over the last few days. It should be a crime not to help obese people. I work in the medical field.The majority of people I treat, their health issuse are directly linked to their obesity. It it either caused by the obesity or being so over wt aggravates their condition But there is not help for them. But there is little to no help for them. Most doctor do not want to discuss the issue. They usually writ out an othe persciption for another pill to take. When I approached my own family Dr about wls he did n ot want to help me at all. When I told him I was wanting to have the lap band he said it was very dangerous. What was the dangerous part was that he had no idea what it was so it had to be no good. Yet if there is a will there will be a way. I don't regret having to go behind his back not at all. We as a socitiy(sp) should be out raged. They have taken gym out of schools and are turing our young in to overweight sloobs. It is the next crop of obese people. You would wonder when you hear the government cry about the costs of health care they would be will to doing something about it. NS has the highest obese rate per capita in the country. Now there is somwthing to brag about. We need to keep the government awear of this. Laurie

Congrats to you for speaking out...it is very much the same here in Newfoundland...we have a bariatric surgeon here in Newfoundland who is more then qualified to do surgery..he tried and took a waiting list..for 25 patients...but the Newfoundland government stopped...him...I was refferred to him...and disappointed to find this out...and that I was being denied life saving surgery...I found another surgeon in the province who had done 6 stomach staplings and managed to get a referral to see her...for which I waited another 9 months..only to find out that the government has stopped her from doing weight loss surgery in the province...after two years I am back where I started...looking for a surgeon..I have numerous medical conditions..that keep me in severe pain..and it fails me to understand..why I cannot have surgery that drastically improve the quality of my life...and reduce the expense of what it is going to cost as I die..and I will die..a slow painful death...and not from stuffing my face as so many people seem to think of me..I to am going to be taking a stand and speaking up...in this province...Thank you for speaking up..Joanne

All i can say is WOW!! I am from the US and i can believe that it is so very hard to get this life saving surgery in your country. It is so sad that the gov. Has stop some Doctors from doing this surgery. Thay have to realize that health care cost will come down if thay would just give this surgery a chance to prove that health does get better after gastric bypass. It is a shame. All you can do is stand up to what you feel is the right thing and maybe you all can open their eyes to this life saving surgery. Thay should go ahead and put the money out now then to wait until thay have to put the money out on health problems from your weight. This does not make much since what so ever. I hope and pray thay open there eyes and minds to this issue. Good luck everyone. Debra

dr Allen Mac donald still does surgery in Amherst NS how ever he hasnt done rny yet because the hospital is not equipet with the stuff yet.

 I have an appiontment with doctor mcdonald in may hoping to get sergery done soon after. 

Good for you Robert!!!!! I feel exactly the same way. What a "black eye" for Nova Scotia!!!! Can you imagine? One of the top medical schools in the Country and the most prevalent problem "obesity" is virtually ignored!!!!! Not one DR trained to perform a life saving surgery!!!! I have been suffering silently for a long time and "woke up" after watching PBS' Program FAT: What They Are Not Telling You. I couldn't believe it!!!! There was a Dr. Caplan from Harvard *****ally understood and understood my specific problem .....I never had any weight issues until I started dieting at age 23....I lost 5 lbs and when I stopped dieting gained 10lbs and on and on...then in 1985 I lived in Calgary and lost my job and had no money to eat...I dropped from 150 to 115 in about two months. Ever since then my metabolism is at 0. I eat just like everyone else, but it does not burn off like normal people. My brain will NOT allow me to starve again and stores every calorie. So eating normally is a no no...devestating...anyway the RY surgery tricks the neurotransmitters into believing that starvation is not imminent and the metabolism goes back to normal..... I am setting up an appointment with my family doc tomorrow to get started with the RY Surgery. If I pay for it, Dr. Beausoleil can do it within two months....if I wait for MSI coverage, maybe 5 years....can you imagine! Anyway, I've researched up the ying yang but really want to talk to someone who has had it and find out whether or not they would do it again given the chance.....would you? So....my question....do you have to eat pureed food for the rest of your life? Can I never have steak again? Fried rice? Mac and Cheese?

Congratulations on your weightloss success Robert.  It is alot of hard work even with whatever tool we are able to get.

Yes Doc MacDonald use to be the bariatric surgeon for NS, and did retire but i believe he is in Amherst n sees a few patients there.

The Nova Scotia Weight Loss Program which is funded by the government is in Halifax and is what one must go through before approval for bariatric surgery covered by MSI. The surgery now covered by MSI is the VSG... the "sleeve". There is a very, very long wait list for the program... due to the low funding given by government. 

I totally agree that the NS government needs to wake up. Obesity is on the climb... yet somehow obesity carrys a stigma n hence gets put on the wayside. Doesn't make sense that alcoholics and gamblers get help but somehow obese people have very little to none. A much more health crunch can flood the health care system if obesity is not addressed n taken care of... does this really bode well for Nova Scotia?