Anyone my age?
Just wondering if I am chasing my own tail.....is there anyone out there over 60 who had the gastric bypass done? I have some medical issues that would be helped/eliminated if I could get this done, i.e. Type 2 diabetes, acid reflux, depression, very bad back (had one surgery already) not to mention sore knees and bad feet. I would appreciate any info I can get. My window of opportunity may be closed at this age (63) but if I could get this procedure done I could throw out a bunch of medications and get active again.
I am 45yrs old but I used to correspond with a person who had this surgery done at 61 by Dr.Christou. She had to go the private route as OHIP wouldn't cover her surgery due to her age. Many surgeons had refused her. I think she is still active on the Ontario Board, Mermaidoz(I think). You could try PM her. I would also take this opportunity to welcome you to the board. I for one am thrilled to have another mature woman on board 
.
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Brenda B, HW 328 PreSW 298 CW 156 Goal 165
AT GOAL..................NORMAL BMI! DOING THE HAPPY DANCE
Thanks for the support Brenda. My sister (58) was fast-tracked through the process & is getting her surgery in Syracuse, NY & OHIP is paying. According to her doctor, she is the last one to be approved through OHIP. From start to fini**** was only 5 months. I'm going down there with her next Tues. for the operation. She is a nurse so has done her research and I will be there to cheer her on. My only fear for her is that with weight loss often comes a personality change and she is such a jolly soul right now. I wish I knew about this procedure back when.
Sorry Brenda, please don't spread misinformation about me. I never applied to OHIP so OHIP never refused me my choice of WLS based on my age, nor did I ever apply to many other surgeons *****fused me.
After over 2 years of research into WLS and surgeons, I decided I did not want to leave Canada, and Dr. Christou is an eminent surgeon barely 2 hours away from where I live in Ontario. OHIP was sending people 5-9 hours away to the US as a matter of course as the surgery was not available in the city where I live. Other Ontario cities provided the surgery, but some surgeons and hospitals have age 60 as a cutoff as a matter of policy, so an additional reason to go Out Of Country at that time. Things have changed in Ontario: now everyone, regardless of age, has to first pass through an assessment centre, and there is now one in my city which now also has WLS facilities. The program is new, and there is a learning curve for all new surgeons, my research says that there is an increased possibility of death with the first few surgeries, and personally I would not have a surgeon touch me unless he has done over 500 successfully without a mortality.
It would seem that age is no longer a valid reason forOHIP to cover OOC surgery, as it is rumoured on the Ontario OH Forum that last week a 67 year-old woman died as a result of her WLS in Ottawa. So age is not a barrier, if ever it was, for OHIP covered surgery.
I just never applied to OHIP as I was not interested in any of their approved surgeons, nor did I want to go 5-9 hours away out of country. Dr. Christou was not on the Ontario approved list of OHIP covered surgeons at the time, and I wasn't interested in anyone else. So I was self pay to get the surgeon of my choice without having to go through OHIP and it's sometimes arcane procedure and be forced to go Out Of Country, which was routine 2 years ago.
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A year later, Dr. Christou was on the approved list of surgeons, but since surgeries are now being done, 2 years later, in Ottawa, he is hard to get if your preferred surgeon, regardless of whether you are over or under 60 years of age as a referral to him under OHIP coverage is not easy or automatic.
Hope I have cleared any misunderstanding you may have had regarding my choice of surgeon,, and cir****tances under which I had my preferred WLS.
editd to correct typos
After over 2 years of research into WLS and surgeons, I decided I did not want to leave Canada, and Dr. Christou is an eminent surgeon barely 2 hours away from where I live in Ontario. OHIP was sending people 5-9 hours away to the US as a matter of course as the surgery was not available in the city where I live. Other Ontario cities provided the surgery, but some surgeons and hospitals have age 60 as a cutoff as a matter of policy, so an additional reason to go Out Of Country at that time. Things have changed in Ontario: now everyone, regardless of age, has to first pass through an assessment centre, and there is now one in my city which now also has WLS facilities. The program is new, and there is a learning curve for all new surgeons, my research says that there is an increased possibility of death with the first few surgeries, and personally I would not have a surgeon touch me unless he has done over 500 successfully without a mortality.
It would seem that age is no longer a valid reason forOHIP to cover OOC surgery, as it is rumoured on the Ontario OH Forum that last week a 67 year-old woman died as a result of her WLS in Ottawa. So age is not a barrier, if ever it was, for OHIP covered surgery.
I just never applied to OHIP as I was not interested in any of their approved surgeons, nor did I want to go 5-9 hours away out of country. Dr. Christou was not on the Ontario approved list of OHIP covered surgeons at the time, and I wasn't interested in anyone else. So I was self pay to get the surgeon of my choice without having to go through OHIP and it's sometimes arcane procedure and be forced to go Out Of Country, which was routine 2 years ago.
.
A year later, Dr. Christou was on the approved list of surgeons, but since surgeries are now being done, 2 years later, in Ottawa, he is hard to get if your preferred surgeon, regardless of whether you are over or under 60 years of age as a referral to him under OHIP coverage is not easy or automatic.
Hope I have cleared any misunderstanding you may have had regarding my choice of surgeon,, and cir****tances under which I had my preferred WLS.
editd to correct typos
Jennifer, it wasn't an misunderstanding and I am not giving misinformation. I am stating a recollection of what you had mentioned in our emails. You did say that the surgeon you considered in Ontario had a cut off age of 60. If you consulted somewhere else I wasn't aware of it. Things have changed in the last two years. Don't make this out more than what it is. I was helping someone out. Obviously you are taking an offense and I am sorry for that. It certainly wasn't my intention. But, I do think you are making a big deal out of nothing.
Brenda B, HW 328 PreSW 298 CW 156 Goal 165
AT GOAL..................NORMAL BMI! DOING THE HAPPY DANCE
Just to cross t's and dot i's,� I was contacted on the Ontario Board by this lady from St Zootique at your suggestion and since� I never considered any other surgeon for my WLS. I felt I had to correct the erroneous information you gave, and saw it here in your posting.�
During my research I discovered that the MIS group and Humber Regional Hospital both had age cutoffs set at age 60 for RnY covered by OHIP. I have no idea what the cut off age is at other hospitals in Ontario.� Banding, in any case never covered by OHIP, was eligible for those� over 60� by� MIS surgeons and at Humber.� Banding in Ontario is always on a self pay basis and I believe� is still� available for over 60's by those surgeons who operate at Humber.�
However, at the time I was researching WLS years ago , all Ottawa RnY patients were sent� OOC either to Utica or Barix. As I had no patience for all the hoops OHIP makes people go through. and since� I wanted none of the surgeons on OHIP's approved� list, I never considered them or interviewed them, so certainly was not "refused by many surgeons" because of my age as you state.� You are doing a disservice to people over 60 by saying so.
OHIP covered surgery� for those over 60� was readily available� 2 and more years ago and still is.
The fact is a 67 year old woman was operated in Ottawa just last week...the outcome was mortality, but I really don't know what the cir****tances are around� her death. She could have had serious health problems underlying the complications post surgery.� I personally chose not to be covered by OHIP and chose my preferred surgeon who also happens to take people over 60 in Quebec .� Older patients are� presumably� accepted as long as they are healthy and not super obese, but you would have to check with each surgeon�� what their personal criteria are in accepting or rejecting older candidates for surgery. .
Sorry, I am a stickler for acurate facts.
�Mermaidoz
During my research I discovered that the MIS group and Humber Regional Hospital both had age cutoffs set at age 60 for RnY covered by OHIP. I have no idea what the cut off age is at other hospitals in Ontario.� Banding, in any case never covered by OHIP, was eligible for those� over 60� by� MIS surgeons and at Humber.� Banding in Ontario is always on a self pay basis and I believe� is still� available for over 60's by those surgeons who operate at Humber.�
However, at the time I was researching WLS years ago , all Ottawa RnY patients were sent� OOC either to Utica or Barix. As I had no patience for all the hoops OHIP makes people go through. and since� I wanted none of the surgeons on OHIP's approved� list, I never considered them or interviewed them, so certainly was not "refused by many surgeons" because of my age as you state.� You are doing a disservice to people over 60 by saying so.
OHIP covered surgery� for those over 60� was readily available� 2 and more years ago and still is.
The fact is a 67 year old woman was operated in Ottawa just last week...the outcome was mortality, but I really don't know what the cir****tances are around� her death. She could have had serious health problems underlying the complications post surgery.� I personally chose not to be covered by OHIP and chose my preferred surgeon who also happens to take people over 60 in Quebec .� Older patients are� presumably� accepted as long as they are healthy and not super obese, but you would have to check with each surgeon�� what their personal criteria are in accepting or rejecting older candidates for surgery. .
Sorry, I am a stickler for acurate facts.
�Mermaidoz
I am 67 and just had a sleeve four weeks ago in a public hospital in Montreal.Everything is fine and already lost 30 pounds.Surgeon and nurses were absolutely fine.
I know that here and elsewhere you can have the operation till 80 as long your in good health .But for sure that the risk is higher.Have a good day!
I know that here and elsewhere you can have the operation till 80 as long your in good health .But for sure that the risk is higher.Have a good day!
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