New here, hi

Hi everyone, just joined and thinking about VSG.  Not sure where to go or who to see.  Perhaps Dr Christou at the RVH.  Anyone know of a good bariatric surgeon at the Jewish General?  also looking for support and encouragement to go thru with this.  need to lose approx. 180 lbs.  thanks Carmi

Welcome Carmi,  sorry i can't help about your surgeon but wanted to welcome you anyways....   I will be having VSG in a few months with Dr.Atlas...  Hope to get my surgery date soon!!!

Take care

Anne

Welcome Carmi! 
I can't really help you with Dr. Christou because I don't think or I was unaware he did VSG's. The wait time to be covered with Christou is over 5 years. You can always pay out of pocket but I prefered to wait 2 years and have it covered than pay 20000$ out of my pocket to have it done privately. To each their own. I will be aving the VSG done by Dr. Garneau on March 10th. I waited a little over 2 years from my first call to my surgery. Check my videos out on youtube for more info.

Derek

 Hi Carmi!

You'll find lots of support here! I'm also new on this forum and the people are really nice.

I wish I could help with your questions, but I'm also with Dr. Atlas from Sacré-Cœur.

Best of luck!

Welcome Carmi.

Same here had my VSG at Sacre Coeur with Dr. Atlas.

Cindy

Hi and welcome to the board! Dr. Christou was my surgeon but I went with the RNY private route. He has always done VSG's but the public waiting list is very long with him. I consider myself very lucky to have had this surgeon. You are in great hands if you decide to go with him. I have nothing but good comments. The post op care is not as accessible as other american clinics but I never really needed so far. My followup is done in my hometown and I went for my annual checkup....all is well so far. Feel free to ask away all of your questions. We are a friendly supportive bunch.

thanks Brenda and congratulations in obtaining your goal.  I'm basically worried about not being able to eat after my surgery.  does that sound strange?  Also that I will be too hungry and not be able to eat.  although I know that my stomach will be smaller.  It's something that I can't seem to wrap my head around.  Do any of you have those awful hunger pangs with this surgery?  Also, I have an autoimmune disorder called relapsing polychondritis and have to take prednisone which is a steroid anti-inflammatory drug.  It also makes you ravenously hungry and I gained most of my weight due to this drug.  I hope that this won't be a factor in me not being elligible for this surgery.  Sorry for rambling... it's been that kind of day... thanks for listening.  Carmi

Thanks Cami for the kind words. It is thrilling to have reached my goal and then some and there are still days when I do a double take in the mirror. I am for the first time in my 46 yrs feeling like I belong in this body of mine. I still have issues but I do feel I gain control over a few of them.  To answer some of your questions: with rny I never felt hungry.....I have just started to feel what seems to be hunger pangs but for me I learned that my hunger pangs were now more like a nausated feeling. I used to suffer alot with hunger pangs prior to surgery. They even woke me up in the middle of the night. It was dreadful being on any kind of diet. What we sometimes endured in our quest for health. My tool was liberating in a sense as it was so much easier not to crave foods when you don't feel hungry. I am 18 months out and I can eat with much more ease but my portions are much smaller. I tend to eat about six times a day.....small meals or a snack. In the beginning eating was hard and difficult to swallow. It takes practice, patience and the support of this group to remind you we all go through that stage and it does get much much better. As for your predisone, I would ask your surgeon's opinion and see what he thinks of your concerns. It is a good question and would love to hear what kind of answer you get.  No matter what surgery you choose, after several years,  it is lifestyle choices that will make or break us. This my humble opinion :)