WLS Process
Hi everyone
I have a few questions about the WLS in Halifax if someone wouldn't mind giving me details?
I am getting my referral from my doctor today, I have a BMI of 54 and multiple health problems at age 31. Does anyone have any idea how long it takes to actually hear back from Dr Ellsmere's office? What happens when they do contact you?
Thanks!!!
I have a few questions about the WLS in Halifax if someone wouldn't mind giving me details?
I am getting my referral from my doctor today, I have a BMI of 54 and multiple health problems at age 31. Does anyone have any idea how long it takes to actually hear back from Dr Ellsmere's office? What happens when they do contact you?
Thanks!!!
Hi Mandy, welcome.
The process is that once they receive your referral they prioritize you according to the related health concerns. If you had no other related health issues ie diabetes, blood pressure then the wait is 3-4 years. I am not sure exactly how long you wait if you have related issues. I would guess maybe less than a year to be invited to an information session. This is a group session where they explain the surgery and their expectations of people. One of the things they will ask people to do is a week of liquid diet. this is to measure your committment to the process. They often expect people to lose 10-20 pounds for the same reason. Some like me needed to lose more weight before we qualified for surgery. Once you have been to the session you wait about 6 months to see the team. They will do an assessment and make a recommendation to the surgeon. I they recommend surgery then you wait ablout 1 month to see the surgeon and then it is about 4-6 weeks until surgery. Does that help? Good luck with the referral.
The process is that once they receive your referral they prioritize you according to the related health concerns. If you had no other related health issues ie diabetes, blood pressure then the wait is 3-4 years. I am not sure exactly how long you wait if you have related issues. I would guess maybe less than a year to be invited to an information session. This is a group session where they explain the surgery and their expectations of people. One of the things they will ask people to do is a week of liquid diet. this is to measure your committment to the process. They often expect people to lose 10-20 pounds for the same reason. Some like me needed to lose more weight before we qualified for surgery. Once you have been to the session you wait about 6 months to see the team. They will do an assessment and make a recommendation to the surgeon. I they recommend surgery then you wait ablout 1 month to see the surgeon and then it is about 4-6 weeks until surgery. Does that help? Good luck with the referral.
Debbie
Weight lost since surgery
Weight lost since surgery
Not that it matters, as you stated you have other health issues that will most likely place you on the primary list, but I'd like to make a few corrections to the reply you received.
I have been on a waiting list for 11 years (*not 3 to 4*), and have never moved to the primary list because I was told the demand is more than they can handle for people with diabetes and heart disease. I have neither, so I was placed on their secondary list.
Eleven years ago, when I was first placed on the list with Dr. MacDonald, I was 453rd on the list. When he retired, I was about 40th on the list. Then there was no surgery available here for a couple of years. When the new clinic opened, they changed the criteria and the way they prioritize surgery. It put me on their secondary list indefinitely.
It will be a few years before they get through the people they have on the primary list they currently have created. Due to the way it's prioritized, it's hard to say any time frame because it's based on need and the health of the existing list. Also factored in, and could cause shifting in the list and when your estimated date of surgery is any new patients added to that primary list, prioritized by health and risk.
Most of the posts I've read from people with multiple health conditions, have stated they have waited over a year or more for their information session from the date of referral, then another year for their initial consult even with being placed on the primary list.
The primary list goes by need, the secondary list is alphabetically. That's what I was told by the people in the clinic.
Good luck in your journey, but if the primary list still has 400 or so people, your wait will definitely be longer than a year, regardless of your other health issues.
I have been on a waiting list for 11 years (*not 3 to 4*), and have never moved to the primary list because I was told the demand is more than they can handle for people with diabetes and heart disease. I have neither, so I was placed on their secondary list.
Eleven years ago, when I was first placed on the list with Dr. MacDonald, I was 453rd on the list. When he retired, I was about 40th on the list. Then there was no surgery available here for a couple of years. When the new clinic opened, they changed the criteria and the way they prioritize surgery. It put me on their secondary list indefinitely.
It will be a few years before they get through the people they have on the primary list they currently have created. Due to the way it's prioritized, it's hard to say any time frame because it's based on need and the health of the existing list. Also factored in, and could cause shifting in the list and when your estimated date of surgery is any new patients added to that primary list, prioritized by health and risk.
Most of the posts I've read from people with multiple health conditions, have stated they have waited over a year or more for their information session from the date of referral, then another year for their initial consult even with being placed on the primary list.
The primary list goes by need, the secondary list is alphabetically. That's what I was told by the people in the clinic.
Good luck in your journey, but if the primary list still has 400 or so people, your wait will definitely be longer than a year, regardless of your other health issues.
For me it was approx 7 months after my Dr;s referal, (my o'Ie lady freaked cuz I didnt tell her) anyway, i then recieved an e-mail from his team (a questionair) after that probably another few mos till i went to an information session ,,then met with Diana. surgery followeda coiple mos after that. start to finish approx 14 months. Got lucky, this was when they restarted wls in Nova Scotia in 08, had mine Feb09..
No regrets,, Dr Ellsmere, Diana, everyone are fabulous people.
I know the wait list is lengthy now, stay with it
No regrets,, Dr Ellsmere, Diana, everyone are fabulous people.
I know the wait list is lengthy now, stay with it
benji78
Wow Benji,
You're super lucky -- your referral must have been brought to the top of the list while all of ours were lost in the shuffle of the one surgeon retiring and the new clinic open.
It's definitely not that fast of a process now, unless you have other health issues like I said before.
Awesome to hear you were done so fast and successfully!
I hope it works out as well for Mandy, but it didn't for me.
You're super lucky -- your referral must have been brought to the top of the list while all of ours were lost in the shuffle of the one surgeon retiring and the new clinic open.
It's definitely not that fast of a process now, unless you have other health issues like I said before.
Awesome to hear you were done so fast and successfully!
I hope it works out as well for Mandy, but it didn't for me.
I am really sorry to hear about your experience - that has got to be incredibly frustrating.
Have you been re-referred? I was referred Oct 09, was invited to the March 1st session in Halifax and am now going for the clinical appointment tomorrow. (Which I am scared stiff for, I might add)
Is it possible your doctor has failed you a second time? I had my doc fill out the form and then I faxed it in myself.
I wish you luck. I hope you hear from someone soon.
Have you been re-referred? I was referred Oct 09, was invited to the March 1st session in Halifax and am now going for the clinical appointment tomorrow. (Which I am scared stiff for, I might add)
Is it possible your doctor has failed you a second time? I had my doc fill out the form and then I faxed it in myself.
I wish you luck. I hope you hear from someone soon.
Thanks so much for the responses!
I was on a waiting list for a surgeon in NB for about 2 1/2 years, I called this week to find out my status on the wait list and was told my family doctor received my referral back last year (NB doctor no longer seeing NS patients due to surgery now being done in NS) and my family doctor didn't bother to tell me or follow up. Nice. Hopefully this time it won't be quite so long of a wait.
I'm a bit confused about a part of this process... the meeting with the nurse, dietician and psychologist.. I'm really not sure what the significance of this meeting is. What is it that they ask you? Do people actually get turned down for the surgery after this meeting? It seems like there are an awful lot of hoops to jump through here in NS to get the surgery while in other provinces there are none!
I was on a waiting list for a surgeon in NB for about 2 1/2 years, I called this week to find out my status on the wait list and was told my family doctor received my referral back last year (NB doctor no longer seeing NS patients due to surgery now being done in NS) and my family doctor didn't bother to tell me or follow up. Nice. Hopefully this time it won't be quite so long of a wait.
I'm a bit confused about a part of this process... the meeting with the nurse, dietician and psychologist.. I'm really not sure what the significance of this meeting is. What is it that they ask you? Do people actually get turned down for the surgery after this meeting? It seems like there are an awful lot of hoops to jump through here in NS to get the surgery while in other provinces there are none!
i just had a meeting with the WLS surgery team. i of course didnt lose the weight they wanted so i go back in two months to meet with them again. they want to see if i can wrap my head around not depending on food so much for comfort and when i am bored.
the meeting took about an hour, they asked me a bunch of questions, we talked and then they ask you to leave the room so they can discuss what was talked about and if they think you are ready for the surgery. they call you back in and tell you if they approve of it or what they think you could change.
the things they went over with me are some of the things i had written down in the intial meeting. as in my diabetes etc etc. they went over to see what medications i was still on or new ones. they asked what i had changed from the intial meeting as in exercise etc. they also asked about support in my life, what i plan on doing to make the change after surgery to deal with the non eating part. so things i could do instead of eating when stressed, things such as that.
they suggested some ideas for me to try to lose the weight they want me to by november 16th wrote them down for me. she changed a few of my medications and sent me on my way.
so i am on the road now to lose 20lbs before november 16th. its been hard but i want this surgery so bad that i am willing to push myself to get there.
the meeting took about an hour, they asked me a bunch of questions, we talked and then they ask you to leave the room so they can discuss what was talked about and if they think you are ready for the surgery. they call you back in and tell you if they approve of it or what they think you could change.
the things they went over with me are some of the things i had written down in the intial meeting. as in my diabetes etc etc. they went over to see what medications i was still on or new ones. they asked what i had changed from the intial meeting as in exercise etc. they also asked about support in my life, what i plan on doing to make the change after surgery to deal with the non eating part. so things i could do instead of eating when stressed, things such as that.
they suggested some ideas for me to try to lose the weight they want me to by november 16th wrote them down for me. she changed a few of my medications and sent me on my way.
so i am on the road now to lose 20lbs before november 16th. its been hard but i want this surgery so bad that i am willing to push myself to get there.
I have no idea why but the idea of this appointment makes me nervous :) Maybe just the idea that they can tell you that you can't have the surgery because of A, B and C... know what I mean?
I'm also interested in the bloodwork that is done on patients, what is it they are checking.. blood sugar levels, etc?
I'm also interested in the bloodwork that is done on patients, what is it they are checking.. blood sugar levels, etc?
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