HELP info needed

Hi i live in saskatoon and am looking at getting wls.I am 228lb lost almost 20lb in 8 weeks and have a consultation in may for a tummy tuck.I know i have lots more to lose but i am desperate and depressed.Does saskatchewan health cover the cost of wls?.My other question is if i were to pay for the wls myself would sk health pay for any other ps i may need in the future ie tummy tuck etc as there is no way i can afford both.How much does the surgery cost and how long is the waiting list if i pay for it myself.Also i cant find much info on it so what would be my first step. Thank you Donna

Hi Donna: You didn't mention how much weight you need to lose or what your BMI is. I had lap-band surgery done 3 years ago and it was very successful. I lost 70 of the 90 unwanted lbs. I had it done in Mexico, after researching it very thoroughly. I did not try to see if SaskHealth would cover it, but I did submit my receipts to Income Tax and they were accepted. Also I am a recovery room nurse and I have seen many patients have "tummy tucks" also called abdominoplasty, which is covered by SaskHealth. But the surgeon has to agree that you need the abdominoplasty, usually after a large weight loss. It does not help you lose weight. It is just to remover the excess skin resulting from large weight loss. I wouldn't have the tummy tuc****il you've reached or got close to your goal weight. This surgery is very major and recovery time is long, so you don't want to go through it more than once.!! If you'd like more info on my experience in Mexico, I would be glad to tell you. It was half the price that a surgeon in Toronto is charging for the same procedure. My Mexican surgeon has been doing lap-bands for 11 years, and its only been in Canada (Toronto )for 2 years. Good luck.