trying to get started on waitting list any ideas how long??

Or die waiting....

I've been on the 'waiting list' for 12 years this March.  Referral date was March, 1999.  The clinic decides who they do based on other co-morbidities.  Unfortunately mobility issues, sleep apnea, bronchitis, auto-immune disease, arthritis, etc. are not severe enough to bump me to the primary list.
The clinic has told me that I'll remain on the secondary list indefinitely, because their priority is to do patients with diabetes or heart disease.   Regardless of their referral date, they jump to the primary list.   They said there has been no relief from the patients with the other diseases to even look at the secondary list.  Too much demand just with the people with life-threatening diseases.
Diana told me each list has about 400 patients on it.  Diana told me the secondary list is sorted alphabetically, which makes no sense.  At the very least, the secondary list should be sorted by referral date.
Like I said, 12 years... in March I've been waiting.  Probably gained 100 lbs since I was first placed on the list.   Still holding on though...

OMG, 12 years is insane. I could save enough to pay for it in Mexico in that amount of time. I hope you get some help soon.

!2 years that's cruel and unusal punishment!! If I were you I would def. look into going away and self-pay.While you are saving they may call you and you'll be ahead money wise.You can't put your life on hold forever! The cut off age is 65 so I can't even consider waiting that long!! Best of luck with your journey.
PS I thought sleep apnea was one of the things they looked at??

There's no way I could self-pay, so I'm stuck waiting.
Sleep apnea may be something they look at, and I have severe chronic obstuctive sleep apnea. I have at least 1 apnea per minute where I stop breathing for at least 10 secs or more, but all my conditions are not enough to put me on the primary list.
Some people have been fortunate enough to be chosen from the secondary list, with no co-morbidities, but that is not the norm.
The surgeon I was originally referred to - in the beginning I was 450th on the list, when he moved and stopped doing surgeries in Halifax, I was down in the 30s or less.
Then we went without surgery here, and I didn't realize you could be referred out of province and paid by MSI or I would have in a heartbeat.
Now it's open here, the province told me they won't pay out of province because it's something offered here. It's been a wild goose chase for sure, but in the end, the pay off will be worth the wait.
Just wanted you to know it isn't as easy as it seems. Someone without diabetes or heart disease, being called for a group session and having the surgery a year or two after being referred is not the norm.
Thanks for the encouraging words ladies! I'm still holding on...