Military member seeking help,support and always advice.

 Evening all,  let me begin by saying while I'm new to the idea of weight loss surgery it has been something that I've thought about for well over a year, it's just now I've come to terms that I cannot control my weight using conventional means. 

It's a turning point moment in my life and I feel blessed to discover a group of like minded committed to change people that seem to fill these forums. I'm inspired and reassured by your personal stories and I draw Strenght from your successes. 

I guess I should now share a little about myself and my struggles with weight. 

I'm 35, 5"7 and my weight floats between 250ish and 255. Giving me a current BMI of 39.6 Needless to say I've never been more defeated or ashamed of my current weight. 

I've been overweight since high school and have yo yo'ed up and down the better part of 20 years.
I'm currently a 16 year member of the Canadian Forces the last 12 being full time in the regular force. I've seen my weight balloon between 200-260 in the past 5 years but I've always been the chubby one and being a member of the military it's glaring obvious I'm not like the other members. 

The last year or so my extra weight has really negatively affected my career and more importantly my home life outside of the office. I've been feeling "Off" for the past year or so with bouts of chest pain, muscle/joint pain ,headaches and trouble falling asleep. I've had Chronic fatigue for going on a year now and receive my results from my sleep study on June 26 and everyone suspects I suffer from Sleep Apnea. To add to my list of worries I'm now depressed and unable to do my job to the best of my abilities. After deploying 4 times since 2009 , including once in Afghan, and Haiti following there earthquake I'm ashamed i can no longer enjoy or thrive at a simple desk job.  I guess it was in 2009 in Afghan and later Dubai that the weight really felt like a detriment, being fat in 60 degree weather is not an enjoyable experience. 

While I'm well aware my short post is turning into a short novel it means the world to get how i feel and how excited i am about the chance at getting my old life and body and drive back.  To share my experience and benefit from this forums ample knowledge/experience is just the final motivation I have to seek help. I have my MO/GP appointment on the 26 and I'm going to ask.. no demand they help me in the right direction towards baratric Surgery, I've given  the better part of my live in service to this country and here's hoping they choose now to support me. 


Lastly I would call on anyone to give me advice on how i should handle my GP/MO appointment, how did you all receive your referral? 

I'm worried that my 39.6 BMI is just to low? 

Anyone had experience with the WLS process thru the Military/DND channels? 

Any and all advice would be a godsend. 

Cheers and thanks for listing to me rant: :)

Hey armyguy!

Welcome to OH. I hope you get the information that you need.

A BMI of 35 with comorbidities, or 40 without comorbidities, will get you accepted for WLS.

Your GP will need to refer you for surgery through this site

I hope that you get what you need to become a healthier person.

HI there and welcome!  First of all thank you for your service to our country!  Secondly, my stats were pretty similar to yours in that I had a starting bmi of under 40.  I did have high blood pressure, high cholesterol and sleep apnea.  In Ontario your bmi has to be 35 with comorbities like sleep apnea or diabetis or over 40 with or without comorbities.  If you are diagnosed with apnea and if you are healthy enough, being approved for surgery shouldn't be a problem.  Congratulations on your decision to have this life altering surgery! 

Hi and welcome. I've been hearing lots of good things about the Kingston Centre. I understand they are doing all the pre op classes, testing etc. then sending you to one of the other centres for surgery.

Good luck on your journey.

Welcome to the boards.

Since you are an active military individual, I am not sure if the referral goes through the bariatric registry as others have alluded to.  You fall under the Defence Act and the military medical community.  Are you able to see doctors outside of DND?  Are there military surgeons performing WLS?

I am a civilian in Ottawa and am vaguely aware of some of the issues that you may be facing.

Good luck with your appointment on the 26th.

Judy

 Thanks all for your quick reply, 

Means the world to find like minded people, life in the military is not very enjoyable being this large, here's hoping I can use WLS as a tool to get back to the old me. More then anything i just want to enjoy life again. 

As what the CF/DND medical covers I've confirmed there 100% responsible for the costs and early hurdles i need to jump thru, I had surgery on both my legs last year and the military directed me to the specialist and arranged the surgery, the military itself don't do surgery's in house but farm out the work to specialists as needed. As for truly fits the bill i would assume is' our public service health care plan. There requirements are bmi of 35 with at least pre existing condition or BMI of 40 no conditions. I'm currently 39.6 BMI and awaiting the results of my sleep study. All signs point to me being approved but like allot of you I'm sure you were still nervous seeing your GP or my case MO for a referral.

One final question does you BMI have to remain at 40bmi from referral to operating table or can lose weight once approved? 

I believe it's from the time of approval.  I wouldn't go below BMI of 35 though.
Good luck with everything and thank you for serving!

Welcome Army Guy, You will find lost of support and info on the board.

Welcome

Welcome Armyguy, and thank you for your service to our country.  I hold you in high regard, as do I all members of our military.  My youngest son spent 6 years PPCLI Shilo, and my eldest is in one of the special forces units and has been in the military for about 14 years.  I wear a yellow ribbon and maple leaf tattoo on my ankle in honour of my sons and all other miitary mothers and their sons & daughters.

Please continue to pursue this goal - your health is one of the single most important things in a person's life.  I can tell you that my eldest went from 250 lbs down to about 170 lbs of lean & mean with sheer dedication to diet and exercise.  So it can be done, but it didn't work for me that way, and it doesn't work for everyone that way.   I'm very glad I had this surgery, and I know you will be as well.   

You've obviously found a new sense of life through your deployments and I congratulate you on your desire to move beyond a desk job.  We are all here to help you in our own small way, and be a one-location cheering section for you.  Keep us informed on your progress.  And thanks again from the depths of my heart and soul for everything that you do for all of us.