Yet another introduction
Hi Guys:
I'm Blake. I am a big guy from Victoria BC in Canada. I have been on the weight list for RNY surgery and have finally got a surgery date. It took 3.5 years to get the date and by the time I get my surgery it will have been nearly a four year wait. Prior to knowing about Weight Loss Surgery I knew I had to do something to get in shape. I formed an exercise group designed with big guys in mind. I called it Victoria Big Guys and through the help of the Institute of Sport, Fitness, and Exercise at the College where work. It was kind of odd because we trained in the same building as some of Canada's Olympic athletes. It is very odd to see a gold winning triathalon runner along side a 450 pound guy.
But back to me, my heaviest weight was 339 pounds and since I have been working out I am down to 304. I am diabetic - taking many pills and insulin. One of the big reasons for me even knowing about WLS was that while I was exercising I was having a harder and hard time breathing. I am very much into walking and moving about. I run a work out group that meets once a week and do two or three 5k walks a week.
So here I am 70 days away from my surgery. I am feeling very confident about my surgery and surgeon. I am definately looking forward to being a post surgical person too. Thanks for being here.
I'm Blake. I am a big guy from Victoria BC in Canada. I have been on the weight list for RNY surgery and have finally got a surgery date. It took 3.5 years to get the date and by the time I get my surgery it will have been nearly a four year wait. Prior to knowing about Weight Loss Surgery I knew I had to do something to get in shape. I formed an exercise group designed with big guys in mind. I called it Victoria Big Guys and through the help of the Institute of Sport, Fitness, and Exercise at the College where work. It was kind of odd because we trained in the same building as some of Canada's Olympic athletes. It is very odd to see a gold winning triathalon runner along side a 450 pound guy.
But back to me, my heaviest weight was 339 pounds and since I have been working out I am down to 304. I am diabetic - taking many pills and insulin. One of the big reasons for me even knowing about WLS was that while I was exercising I was having a harder and hard time breathing. I am very much into walking and moving about. I run a work out group that meets once a week and do two or three 5k walks a week.
So here I am 70 days away from my surgery. I am feeling very confident about my surgery and surgeon. I am definately looking forward to being a post surgical person too. Thanks for being here.
Hello and welcome to this forum. We've been getting more Canadians lately and they deplore the long wait for WLS in Canada. Recently, it seems like Canadians having the national insurance pay for WLS in the USA has changed. One man posted that since Canada is now covering WLS in Canada, they are not paying for it to be done in the USA. Anyway, that's been the latest rumor.
I can't even imagine waiting for WLS that long. When I finally decided that I needed it I weighed over 570 ( I wasn't being weighed regularly so I really don't know my highest weight). I got my surgery 4 months later and it saved my life. My docs said I probably would have been dead within 2 years if I didn't have it.
I can't even imagine waiting for WLS that long. When I finally decided that I needed it I weighed over 570 ( I wasn't being weighed regularly so I really don't know my highest weight). I got my surgery 4 months later and it saved my life. My docs said I probably would have been dead within 2 years if I didn't have it.
Hello to my American cousins:
In Canada the health system is run provincially like the different states have their own ways of managing or not managing health. That's why in some places like Ontario and Saskatchewan they realize how much money is saved by WLS and they support it. On the other hand, my Province, British Columbia is in the dark ages when it comes to weight loss surgery. So wait times can be a year or two in some places but at home here if you were to see your referred surgeon today it can take 7 years before you get your surgery. If I were in Nova Scotia on the east coast, I saw it reported that the wait is 10 years.
From my experience, I think that it should take two years to get weight loss surgery. The first six months to learn and accept there must be a change in lifestyle. The next year to implement the health style. Learn good food choices, abandoning bad choices, embracing an exercise regieme, dealing with the psychological and addictive component of life. The last six months is to come to terms with the surgery, get the body healthy enough for a recovery and prove that you can do it.
So I don't mind the two year wait, my 3.9 year wait is a bit excessive. All the costs are covered by provincial government. And the average cost of a RNY is about $14,000 to $16,000 CDN. We do pay for it in our taxes so I pay a bunch for that too. And because of that the doctors want to ensure that the people who do get the few available spots will be successful.
But we really do have to work on our provincial health care to buck up and recognize that weight loss surgery saves money and the government will make more money and spots available.
In Canada the health system is run provincially like the different states have their own ways of managing or not managing health. That's why in some places like Ontario and Saskatchewan they realize how much money is saved by WLS and they support it. On the other hand, my Province, British Columbia is in the dark ages when it comes to weight loss surgery. So wait times can be a year or two in some places but at home here if you were to see your referred surgeon today it can take 7 years before you get your surgery. If I were in Nova Scotia on the east coast, I saw it reported that the wait is 10 years.
From my experience, I think that it should take two years to get weight loss surgery. The first six months to learn and accept there must be a change in lifestyle. The next year to implement the health style. Learn good food choices, abandoning bad choices, embracing an exercise regieme, dealing with the psychological and addictive component of life. The last six months is to come to terms with the surgery, get the body healthy enough for a recovery and prove that you can do it.
So I don't mind the two year wait, my 3.9 year wait is a bit excessive. All the costs are covered by provincial government. And the average cost of a RNY is about $14,000 to $16,000 CDN. We do pay for it in our taxes so I pay a bunch for that too. And because of that the doctors want to ensure that the people who do get the few available spots will be successful.
But we really do have to work on our provincial health care to buck up and recognize that weight loss surgery saves money and the government will make more money and spots available.
Most of the men here who have been successful have had nutritional counseling. However, being on a supervised diet for 6 mos prior to surgery seems to be enough. When I had my original RNY on 11-14-2000, the need for a changed way of life was not stressed ( I had a staple line disruption and got a revision on 01-21-2005). I was having mental problems at that time and had difficulty with follow-up. I'm manic-depressive and these are my unique problems although I've found other people with this condition who have similar problems.
Take a look at the profiles of several of the other men. I especially recommend looking at Hercules and Cabin111. I only mention them because they are successful and continue to post on the Men's Forum. Look at their profiles, and go to the links for their Latest Posts. That way you can get a history and more recent info. Many people do not post profiles anymore, but you can learn a lot from their Latest Links. Also, you may want to look at some of the men of the Exercise and Fitness Forum; there's a normal progression fo men going there once they are able to exercise regularly. I continue to ask them to periodically post here.
I believe that BigAl2029 leads a Men's only Group--not a forum. You have to apply to the group leader to be able to post on the Group. BigAl2029's qualification was that you had to be a man, i.e., it is not an open forum and women cannot read nor post in the group. I haven't posted there iin a long time so I just assume it's still there.
Take a look at the profiles of several of the other men. I especially recommend looking at Hercules and Cabin111. I only mention them because they are successful and continue to post on the Men's Forum. Look at their profiles, and go to the links for their Latest Posts. That way you can get a history and more recent info. Many people do not post profiles anymore, but you can learn a lot from their Latest Links. Also, you may want to look at some of the men of the Exercise and Fitness Forum; there's a normal progression fo men going there once they are able to exercise regularly. I continue to ask them to periodically post here.
I believe that BigAl2029 leads a Men's only Group--not a forum. You have to apply to the group leader to be able to post on the Group. BigAl2029's qualification was that you had to be a man, i.e., it is not an open forum and women cannot read nor post in the group. I haven't posted there iin a long time so I just assume it's still there.
Thanks for the leads Steve. You are right about nutritional counselling. It is imparitive. One of the things that I found very cool about my nutition counsellor was that she was instrumental in helping me to learn that food is a source of fuel and not as a pleasure device or emotional pillow. Again, thanks a bunch.
Most Active
Recent Topics
