Seeking WLS

Hi there, Im new to this page and WLS in general. I had my orientation with the Guelph Bariatric Center in June, and am waiting to have my first Nurses appointment in a few weeks. I am 5'3, 213lbs and a BMI of 37. Im really worried that I will be "too small" to be approved for OHIP covered surgery. I have some comorbidities, but Im not sure if their "serious enough".I have PCOS/Infertility (Husband and I went through fertility treatments, and was repetadly told to "just lose the weight", treatment lead to no pregnancies, doc wanted to do IUI or IVF and we cant afford either), Hypothyroidsim that is controlled through medications and "Pre-Diebetic"/Insulin Resistence. I have tried countless "weight loss regimes" from Personal Trainers, to Weigh****chers, to Shakes and other "fad diets", I am desperate to be healthy and start a family!

Is there anyone out there with a similar story to mine that was approved for surgery?

Just wanted to say welcome! I think you are going to have to wait and see what they say about your weight and co-morbidities as everyones cir****tances and bodies are different. You are definitely a light weight - I sure do understand wanting to start a family, I really hope you qualify to increase your odds of this happening for you and your husband.

Karen

I too have pcos and when I first started my paperwork at the orientation they had pcos listed as a comorbidity but when I attended my nurse and dietician appointment they told me it is not considered one that would be used on basing approval of surgery; however, because you are insulin resistant that might be helpful and enough to get you approval. But every case is different.

Welcome! I would hope PCOS would be considered a comorbidity. I'm glad you got your referral in, wait to speak with the nurse and see what happens. Load your pockets up with loonies/toonies when they weigh you in maybe? (Just kidding!)

haha, that's too funny! I wonder what would happen if you got caught!

I went through Guelph for my wls, and you must have at least 2 commodities to qualify or a bmi over 40 ect. I certainly understand you wanting a family, even if you are approved for surgery, they want you to commit to waiting 18 months before trying to get pregnant. So let say you are approved for surgery, it probably wont happen until next spring at the earliest, or summer, then 1-2 more years before trying to have a baby. In reality it could be 3 + years before you would know if you would be able to conceive. I wish you luck, keep us informed..Oh have you considered maybe the non surgical procedure that they have for weigh loss in Guelph, you may want to consider that.

I completely understand the whole waiting process of starting a family. I'm ok to wait, and to be honest, I know I'll need interventions to have a baby, I want to lose this weight to regulate my hormones so I can conceive on my own. 

I've looked into the opti program, and I really feel that I would lose weight, but then gain it back and then some.

Go for what you think is right for YOU. Nevermind what others may post. They are (obviously) not in your position.

Hi there,

I'm sure each centre is slightly different in who they choose to accept on the program, they might refer you for the optifast non surgery diet... Or they may accept you, I am not really sure. I I do believe PCOS is a co morb, so hopefully they recognize it as such. You will only know once you go meet with the nurse. I have heard another story on the boards where a woman was in your predicament, and they referred her to the optifast non surgical program, and did not approve her for surgery.

I wish you all the best, and just go in there being positive. Maybe just tell the nurse you have been really eating healthy since you were referred and lost a bit of weight, but that your weight has been up and down for years (assuming it has been like so many others of us here ) Good luck!

You seem very knowledgeable about the whole experience.