OHIP APPROVAL FOR WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY IN DETROIT

I have had a lapband (for $18,000) since 2007 without long lasting  success at the Toronto Lap Band Clinic which later became Slimband. Now I am retired back in Ottawa inc last December and am waiting for the Weight Management Clinic to call me. They called once to prioritize me and asked if I were a diabetic or waiting for a joint replacement or weight loss surgery and I said no I have a lap band. I have never heard back from them. I am now 67 years old. Is there an age restriction for OHIP approval for the RNY?  Shirleigh

Hmmm... well, when they asked if you were waiting for WLS, shouldn't your answer have been "yes"? Of course, I guess I'm assuming you're looking for a revision from the band?

I'm confused about the Detroit, where you approved there but want to have surgery in Ottawa?

I only moved to Ottawa in December 2013. My new Doctor suggested I go to the Weight Management Clinic at the Ottawa Hospital. After a several weeks they called to see if I should be fast tracked. I really knew nothing about this this clinic so I didn't know what to expect. After reading about this clinic on  OH I understand you are asked if you want to go on Optifast for $3000 and hope you will lose and maintain the weight loss. Since I have been unsuccessful with the lap band and my BMI is 48.8 and I have developed cellulitis and a heel ulcer of my left leg and been on I/V antibiotics and am presently confined to a wheelchair I have begun to rethink about wasting more time without going for weight loss surgery. Originally I wanted to go for a RNY but was convinced by my Dr. and husband that a lap band was safer and less invasive. I have had aspiration pneumonia from this lap band in the past so I had to have a defill.  Apparently, from what I have read here this program will ask me on admission which route I want to go on the Optifast or go for RNY. Apparently they get OHIP approval and expedite your surgery from Ottawa to a hospital in Detroit. Someone please correct me if I am wrong. Now I find myself at the age of 67 years in a catch 22 situation that I am becoming more and more immobilized from the complications of a lifetime of obesity and I can't even workout to effectively get the weight off. At the same time, as I am analysing my options at this point, I am wondering if OHIP has an age limit in order to qualify for their approval to cover the surgery. If they do that may not even be an option for me. Shirleigh

I went through the clinic in Kingston but had my surgery in Ottawa - unfortunately they did mention that they would not do surgery after 64 or 65yrs (I can't remember which).  Just call the clinic on Monday and ask them directly.  I wish you the best:)

You really need to give them a call and get this sorted out.

Karen

There is no hardcore cap on age.  It's strictly by health conditions and overall health.  

As far as I know, they haven't shopped anyone to the states since 2009 when they used to do out of country quite often.  Most revisions are now handled here. Good luck. 

I have enjoyed reading your website and found it very supportive. I wasn't looking forward to a trip to Detroit from Ottawa in my present state. I tried the Bariatric surgeon search but it said there were no Bariatric surgeons within 200 miles of Ottawa. I know this must ******ror. Does anyone have one they can recommend or otherwise in the Ottawa area?  "Information is Power"  I appreciate all of your input. Thank You Shirleigh

If you haven't already, you need to get a referral from your family doctor (or other doctor) to the Bariatric Registry. Once they have received the referral you will go through a series of appointments to determine your eligibility for surgery.

I'm confused by your posts as the first one sounds like you WERE referred - now this last post sounds like you weren't.

K.

I was referred to the Weight Management Clinic at The Civic Campus in Ottawa when I first moved here from Toronto last December. I knew nothing about it but recognized I was at least morbidly obese. I was not considering further WLS I just wanted to get assessed and follow a new lifestyle at that point. Then I developed a heel ulcer which lead to acute cellulitis which has grounded me. (I am not a diabetic ). I have recently completed an MRI, a Bone Scan,  and a Gallium Scan at the Queensway Carlton Hospital and fortunately I do not have Osteomyelitis of my heel bone. The MD at the Infection Clinic told me I was lucky but all my results showed a lifetime of being overweight and I needed to lose at least 60 pound--he was being kind. So now I realize at 67 with an unsuccessful Lap band that I need to stop kidding myself and go for the RNY. I am a retired nurse who knew a lot of MD's I worked with in my hospital in Toronto. Here I don't know the system or the MD's and I feel I have to scramble and take action before I get even sicker. I was always busy taking care of everybody else but unfortunately neglected myself and now the chickens are coming home to roost. We moved here to a bungalow and to be near our family as we are from Ottawa but moved around due to my husband's job. I retired in 2009 with my 2 year old Lap Band in order to adopt a healthier lifestyle but still there were always others who needed me more and I had the skills to do it. My younger brother and only sibling was dx'd shortly after retirement with pancreatic cancer and I moved in with him to take care of him. I am feeling a little desperate to make the right move and get this weight off. Shirleigh