Newbie here with lots of questions!!

I am new on this site. I don't have my referral yet from my family doctor but am going on Friday to get it.  I have given a lot of thought before deciding to proceed with the surgery.

I have been overweight my whole life and then in 2011 joined Weigh****chers for the millionth time, lost 95 lbs in 2 years and now I have gained back 30 lbs of what I lost.

I am trying and trying but continue to fail and I think I need to go a different route now.

Several of my friends have done this surgery and have had good success (except for one).  They have provided me some good information.

My current weight is 275 lbs, I have high blood pressure which is controlled by meds and other issues due to my obesity.

My biggest concern is the weeks leading up to the surgery and the Optifast diet.

Can anyone walk me through the process and what tests you have and who you meet with along the way?

Also, what is the average recovery time and how long do you stay in the hospital for?

Thanks!

Mellybelly 

It really depends on which centre you end up with based on your postal code.  Each centre runs their program a little differently.  Also, each persons recovery is very individual but most people stay in hospital for 2 nights but again that depends on complications that may arise.  I'm sure your friends have given you lots of information on the process and the tests required are also based on your health issues.  I did Opti for 4 weeks and for me I didn't mind it at all, you shouldn't worry so much about it yet it's a long process before you will be at that point.  Use this site to research and read everything you can to prepare for your surgery.

Hi Mellybelly, and welcome to the site!

You'll find a lot of really helpful people and information here. My advice is to read, read, read. You will glean a great deal from the posts here. Use the magnifying glass at the top of the page (in your navigation bar) to search for particular topics here. That's a really useful tip; no one ever seems to know how to search this site. It's easier than it seems!

Like you, I was overweight all of my life. I first joined WW when I was 10 years old and weighed 120 lbs. Terrible time... and it went downhill from there.

I'm glad to hear a few of your friends might be good resources for you. At this stage, information is your best friend. Congrats on making the decision to talk to your family doctor and request a referral!

From what I know, here's the basics of the process:

Your doctor will submit your information (electronically... preferably) to the Bariatric Registry. Based on your postal code, they will assign you to a centre. NOTE: I'm in Ottawa, so my referral went to Ottawa's Weight Management Clinic. There are a number of centres throughout Ontario. But my experiences are based on my location. Please keep that in mind.

The centre will receive your referral and invite you to an information session. Feel free to bring a friend or family member to this session. It's really helpful and in Ottawa, they laid out the various options available to us. At that same time, we saw a nurse and got weighed and discussed other tests we might need as we proceeded through the process. In Ottawa, it takes about a year or so from referral to surgery so you use this time to get your tests done, and to research what life is like after surgery, and to start to make positive lifestyle changes (e.g., quitting smoking, starting to exercise, giving up soft drinks, eliminating drinking before/after meals) that will contribute to your success post-op.

Based on your health, you will likely have a few tests to undertake. Many need a sleep study to determine if they have sleep apnea. I needed a lung functioning test because I have asthma. I needed an echocardiogram because I have a heart murmur. Everyone will have blood work. Everyone (I think?) will have an abdominal ultrasound.

You will also meet with a dietitian and a psychologist to determine whether you are a good candidate for surgery.

After all that, at some point you will meet with a surgeon and discuss surgery itself and how it all happens. We signed consent forms. I asked questions. My husband had the opportunity to ask questions too. My surgeon went over my time in hospital. Because I live close to the hospital, he figured one night would be sufficient, but he noted that usually people stay two nights. In the end, I stayed two nights because (a) I was nauseous for awhile, and (b) two of my family members had Gastro on the day I was supposed to be discharged. Ugh!

The surgeon also asked about the possibility of problems getting time off. In Ottawa, they routinely request 4 weeks off for recovery. I was extremely tired for the first week or 10 days, but it picked up quickly after that and I felt much better. I was probably good to return to work after about 3 weeks, but I enjoyed having the 4th off to really ensure that I was well on the road to recovery and had a plan of attack with regard to meals and snacks at the office by the time I returned.

At that same appointment, the surgeon gave me a prescription for Optifast (which you have to purchase at the centre; pharmacies don't usually sell this) and sent me on my way with a timeframe... not a specific date... for surgery.

I got a call about a date for surgery and the nurse also told me what date to start my Optifast. I was on Opti for three weeks while on vacation in Florida. It was quite easy in fact, and I lost 27 lbs just on the Opti. That was a big motivator! Though be prepared; some people don't lose anything on Opti at all. It all depends.

Then I got a call about PATTS... Pre-Admission testing appointment. That appointment is usually 1-2 weeks before your surgery. They go over your medications, discuss the surgery, take blood work, they redid my EKG, I talked to the anesthetist, and we discussed the particulars of what to do and where to go when I arrived for surgery and where my husband should be and how they would contact him.

The next time I saw my surgeon was when I was gowned and prepped for surgery. Two days later, I went home and so far, *knock on wood* everything has been smooth sailing.

Feel free to look at the details in my timeline below in my signature. As I said though, every centre is different and yours may go more quickly or more slowly than mine did. I speak from only my own personal experiences. Be prepared to wait and to get yourself in the best possible place prior to surgery day itself. And I wish you all the best on your journey!

As Hollynik mentioned, it really depends on which hospital you will be referred to, in regards to waiting times, what they expect you to accomplish prior, etc.  I am at the orientation stage (again!  I attempted going the surgical route 2 years ago but at my first appt, I had fallen below the BMI needed to qualify), I've tried other diets, I even went through the non-surgical program, lost over 22lbs, started feeling better about myself, but then life took a turn, stress wise, "fell off the wagon" am really trying to instill everything I learned back into my life, taking baby steps as I know if I do too much too quickly, it will become too much and I'll just end up going back to my comfort zone.  Hospital stays, same, everyone is different, going back to work, depending on what type of work you do has a lot to do with that.  Once you get referred, the centre you will be going through will call you to set up an orientation session, you will receive a letter in the mail stating what you will need to do (at least this is what it's like through Guelph), you will then need to schedule bloodwork, h Pylori test, as well there will be a questionaire on the back called "STOP BANG" to determine if you may suffer from sleep apnea, if you answer yes to 3 you will need to schedule a sleep study.  After orientation, you will call to book your appts with the RN, SW, and dietician.

Good luck! and Welcome!!