Really Ticked! Seeing Internist BEFORE Orientation?

Hi Bubbosmama,

Thanks for offering that perspective--and for taking the time to write to someone who is just starting the process to share your experience!  :) I see you are six months out from surgery. Congratulations! am really appreciative of your willingness to share what helped move your process along. I wonder if you have time to offer me a little clarification? You say that you called nursing--I am not sure that I have any number to call anyone yet? I have the internist's number from the bloodwork requisition but think that is his office and not the clinic, so will have to wait I guess. The irritation is wearing off, and your comments helped with that immensely. Thanks very much! Off for bloodwork Monday morning and hope things will move along.

Have a good evening and best of luck with your journey! 

It is a really difficult process because it all seems so cloaked in secrecy.  I remember the feeling of total frustration, fear I would be rejected at one stage or the other, like I had a microscope pointed directly at me and my behaviours.  The reality is that they are so packed and backed up and understaffed that not only were they no****ching me like a hawk, they really didn't have a clue who I was or where I was in each step.  You are in the door, that is a huge success and I hope things flow fast for you.  If you look up St Josephs hospital, look under bariatric services there is an extension there for the clinic.  When you push that extension they will give you options as to who you would like to talk to.... nurse, reception, dietician, etc, enter the extension and you will likely get an answering machine, but they should call you back.  I am 4 months and a bit out... January 20th and have had some complications, so have gotten to know the staff there, a little too well.  Haha.  Not to worry, my complications were specific to pre existing conditions and most people do really well. Glad I could help lighten your load a bit.  All the best

Hi Carol...In Guelph when you're 50 and over you have to see the Internist to get the green light from him to proceed. My appointment was definitely later in the process but I had my 50th birthday part way through my wait time. If he had declined me, I would have had attended a bunch of appointments for no reason, so my time, travel and parking all would have been wasted so maybe it's best that you see him first. 

I understand your frustrations with the waiting but resign yourself to the fact that waiting is inevitable. At the time it seems to take forever but the important thing is that you keep moving forward in the process. Sooner than you think, you might not need blood pressure medication at all! Best of luck in your journey!

Kim

Hi Kim,

Thanks for your reply! I do not think that my age was the reason I was seeing him. I asked him why I had an appointment with him and he seemed to think that it was because my family doctor had indicated that I was interested in exploring diet intervention.

I do understand that waiting is part of the process--really! I was just irritated that an appointment for something I had not requested was arranged--and that I waited three months for that appointment only to now have to wait another three months for orientation. 

Thanks again for your letter. I do appreciate your good wishes. 

Carol

Well that explains it then, since she is 60. Good to know!

Hello Karen,

I do not think that my being 60 is the explanation. If it were standard for everyone over the age of 60 to see an internist first, I suspect that the internist I saw would be cognizant of that and share that with me when I questioned him. He could provide no reason other than than my doctor sending me for a "medical consult" rather than a "surgical consult". 

You could be right - that was why I asked you which centre you were through as I thought maybe you had been referred to the Wharton weight loss clinic instead of the registry directly. A few people over the years have had that happen to them. When you said Hamilton, Wharton was my first thought.

She said she was 60 in the very first letter :)

She said she was 6o Karen in the very first letter. :)

Yes, I realize that :)