Dr. Gordie Kaban and Dr. Steve Pooler.

Hi there, not sure if there is a support group in Saskatoon or not - I am from here as well and went to Mexico for my VSG surgery in June.

I do know there is a support group in Regina that is supposed to be for all of Saskatchewan but all their meetings and social events are in Regina.

Good luck with finding something!

Here's the information on the Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region's website:

Surgical Care Services: Bariatric Surgical Assessment Clinic

Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region provides Bariatric Surgical Assessment Clinic services in Regina.

As of September 1, 2009, the clinic will be operating out of a new location at 1731 College Avenue, Lower Level (located at the corner of College Avenue and Broad Street in Regina).

Until September 1, the Region will continue to see existing patients in temporary space at the Regina General Hospital until the new clinic is open.

Who is eligible to participate in the clinic?

The clinic is designed to assist in the care of those clients whose BMI (Body Mass Index) is between 40 and 60. In certain instances, clients with a BMI between 35 and 40 may be considered for treatment at the clinic, particularly if they have 2 or more additional conditions which are being managed, such as:

• Cardiopulmonary problems
• Severe sleep apnea
• Severe diabetes mellitus
• Physical problems interfering with lifestyle

You must be between the ages of 18 and 60, must be a non-smoker and cannot be pregnant, lactating or become pregnant to be admitted to the clinic.

How does the clinic help you?

1. You must first contact your family doctor to discuss your eligibility for this clinic.
2. Your family doctor will assess your condition and, if he/she feels you may benefit from the surgery, he/she will refer you to the RQHR Bariatric Surgeon.
3. You will be assessed by the RQHR Bariatric Surgeon and, if considered to be a good candidate for the surgery, you will then be referred to the Bariatric Surgery Assessment Clinic.
4. At the clinic, you will work with a multi-disciplinary team of health specialists.
5. To be considered a surgical candidate, it is mandatory that you:
   • remain in the program for a minimum of six months,
   • have attended all assessments, appointments and all three support group meetings, and
   • have maintained or lost weight.
6. Your request for surgery will be reviewed by the team. If all criteria are met, you will be placed on a surgical wait list.
7. The laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass will be the surgical procedure performed. Following your surgery, your length of stay in the hospital is expected to be four days.

All client assessments, group sessions and related treatments will be conducted and performed at the Bariatric Surgery Assessment Clinic located in Regina. All surgeries will be performed at the Regina General Hospital.

For more information about the Bariatric Surgical Assessment Program, please call the Region's Surgical Waitlist Enquiry Line at (306) 766-5241 or toll-free at 1-866-622-0222.

Well Ivy, the program is 6 months long, and you have bi-monthly meeting with a multi-disciplinary team of a Physiotherapist, Nutritionist, Psychologist, Exercise Therapist, The Surgeon (Dr. Kaban), and a Registered Nurse. The program is going to be starting in the fall, and Dr. Kaban, and the new surgeon (his name escapes me) will be seeing patients in September. Making the choice to go out of country is not an easy one. I hope you do what you need to do to get the help you need.

Hi Joel,

So there are two bariatric surgeons in Regina now?  Wow that is great...any word on what the wait time will be like if the permanent program goes into effect?  Or is it too soon to know yet??

Thanks ;)