Ottawa wait times?

Here is my timeline

March 2, 2015-Orientation session;  April 8, 2015-Blood work completed; May 12, 2015-Intake appointment; July 24, 2015 Dietician/Behaviourist; August 26, 2015 Pre-surgery class; September 21, 2015 Meet the surgeon

They told me today to wait 2 1/2-3 months for the surgery now...sigh...LONG wait.

I noticed you didn't have anything on your time line about a sleep study? I was told I'd have to do one? Also did you have to speak to a physiatrist? Or a councelor?

thanks again

Hi,

I don't have trouble sleeping and don't snore so no sleep study was needed. After speaking with the behaviourist she was pleased and didn't see a need for psyc or a social worker. Everyone is different though and needs different things. 

I am now waiting 2-3,MONTHS for my surgery. I have the opti fast sitting in the kitchen waiting for that call. I hope to get a call in six weeks to tell me the date. I check out the surgery list that is posted to see when the next Ottawa person is having surgery but most people are from southern Ontario. Fingers crossed I'm in before Christmas. 

There is no shame in admitting that you need help.  It's the hardest thing to admit, but once you do it you can set yourself on the right path.

The last time I was in to see the nurse, she said that the average wait time is 18 months from them receiving the referral to surgery.  It can be a bit quicker, or a bit longer depending on your medical history.   It seems like a long time, but it will help you prepare for a new life after surgery.  There will be lots of learning to do before and after surgery, but you can do it.

You'll need to have your doctor submit the referral to the Ontario Bariatric Registry on-line (they don't do faxes anymore) and start there.

You've made your first step in this journey, I encourage you to keep on traveling it.  And also to remember, this is a journey, and surgery is only one point on it, it's not the end.

Cathy

Thankyou Cathy I appreciate your words. That just seems so far away, 18 months :(

I did know the referral system was different now and hope my Dr knows this also.

Have you had surgery? Was this your waiting time? I'd think I'd be having mine in Ottawa since that's the closest site.

Ive been doing my homework on the surgery, aftercare,eating etc.

Kick myself everyday for not going ahead with my appointment 4 yrs ago when I was referred that's for sure.

Sherry

Hi Sherry:

i think it is easy for us to "kick ourselves" for past decisions but we made those decisions at the time---usually for the right reason at the time. 

I have learned (and am still learning:)) that dealing with my weight is a life-long journey. Who I am as a person still matters---no matter if I am in a body that weighs 135 pounds or 335 pounds! Society likes to try and judge me differently--but I have learned that I won't let it!!:))

18 months seemed like a long time to me too (still does to be honest:)) but I am using the time to really be ready to use the wls as much as I can---and to do that..I need to prepare, change some of my thinking and habits and be truly ready!! 

You are not alone on this journey---there are many of us here to walk along side you!

Treat yourself with love and kindness!! We all deserve that!!

Hi Sherry,

We all kick ourselves for not doing this earlier.  But if you look back to 4 years ago, were you really ready do to this?  I had been given the option once probably 10 years ago, but surgery sounded drastic and I couldn't afford the Opti Program, so I just went back to WW.  Then about 6 years ago, the concept was introduced to me, still wasn't ready.  A few months later, I was, and I've been pretty successful.  My journey has had it's ups and downs, but I'm still in a better place than before.

I fully believe that if you are not ready to get this tool, and go through it, you'll not be as successful as if you do go in ready.  There is lots to learn while you wait (and yes, it's hurry up do this, then wait).  But it lets you get your head and your body ready to use the tool.  Rush in too quick and you'll fall back to old habits very soon.  It sounds like you are ready to do this, and will be successful!

I was about 18 months, but my time line is a bit off the regular as I was in just as the funding to go outside Ontario was cut, and the new program was put in place.

Cathy

My wait from referral to surgery was almost exactly one year.  Don't worry about having waited, doctors had been telling me for over a decade that I needed surgery, I just was not ready to be open to the idea.  The important thing is that you have made a positive decision to improve your health.  Check out my profile for my full list of dates for appointments to give you an idea of how it might go.  My wait was about average at the time, although once you are waiting it does seem like forever lol  This forum is a great place to find support and information, it has been an amazing tool for me countless times, so keep coming back, it will help.  Good luck to you, you are in good hands at the Ottawa centre, they are very good.

THANKYOU THANKYOU THANKYOU I cannot say it enough, you've made me feel a lot better about all this. A year I can wait, I was terrified it would be 2 yrs. I'm not sure if this sounds weird but I'm very embarrassed about this surgery, my husband is the only one who knows, I don't want my coworkers to know. I just feel like a failure, I come off as a very strong woman to my friends etc, I have a great life, an amazing marriage to my best friend and my kids are happy and healthy. This is the only part of my life that is lacking, it's affected our lives in so many ways. So many times I have backed out of engagements because of my weight., I've lost so much of my life and feel like this surgery is the only way to gain some sort of control again.

My advice to you is to read more about the surgery, especially get into the scientific literature if you can, because then you'll feel better about your decision.  I personally didn't want the surgery either, but honestly, the stats for long-term successful weightloss and maintenance for people with 100+ lbs to lose, particularly if they've tried many programs and lost and regained again, is abismal for weight loss programs.  The stats for surgery are incredible.  When trying to lose weight on your own, there are numerous factors working against you that you simply don't have when you have the surgery (at least not for the first year or two anyways).  But this is for you to do your research on, you'll have plenty of time over the next 12 - 24 months to get yourself familiar and comfortable with the procedure, and to also learn what others do when communicating with others about their surgery.

As for Ottawa timelines, mine is also in my signature.  If you can't see it, then I'll repeat it here.  My referral was sent in January of this year, I got the call for the orientation in February, had the orientation in April, waited 8 weeks for the call to see the Intake nurse (she's the one who initially goes over your file with you, checks your bloodwork results etc).  The nurse will decide whether or not you need to see psych and/or do a sleep study.  If so, she'll recommend those in your chart.  I saw the nurse in July and was able to immediately book my next appointment with the behaviourist/nutritionist for October.  Now at this point I didn't have to see the psych, but the nurse did flag to the behaviourist that this might be a possibilty as I have a history of mental health issues.  So really, they can send you to the psych at any point in time.  As for the sleep study.  I already knew in advance that I snored and stopped breathing at night so I had my GP refer me to the sleep clinic even before the referral for WLS.  I recommend you do the same thing if you have any inkling that you might have apnea, otherwise a sleep study may delay the process if they have to recommend you get one.  Plus the sleep clinic at the Civic is extremely slow.  If you are thinking of getting one on your own, I'd ask your doc to recommend you to a clinic that is not part of the Ottawa Hospital.

As you'll see from Molly83's timeline and my timeline, the wait times vary quite substanially.  Her orientation was in March and she's already waiting for her surgery date and sitting on her opti.  My orientation was 6 weeks after hers and I still have another month to wait yet just to see the Beh/Nut, much less the surgery class/surgeon/psych etc.  Everyone's wait is different.  Things like summer holidays and Christmas get in the way.  If your name was at the top of the pile of your orientation co-hort or the bottom of the pile, etc.  Things have a way of turning out for a reason.  I've been glad for this extra time i've had to wait as life took a trip on the crazy train for much of the summer.  The wait gave me opportunities to figure out how to eat better during times of stress/vacation/housing transitions etc.  I'm much more prepared now to meet this journey head-on and look forward to talking with the behaviourist for more ideas.

Good luck with your journey, this is a great place to start for support.