Referral FINALLY received - Guelph Questions
My Dr. originally sent my referral May 21 to the bariatric clinic but after many phone calls to both the Guelph clinic and my Dr office no one seemed to know what was going on. My referral was resent Aug 27th then sent again Sept 15th and then again Oct. 15th...and finally Guelph has received it and I have been contacted.
The staff there all seem amazing and super friendly...they are empathic to the frustrations of dealing with Dr. offices too busy to follow through and a central referral system that no one can reach.
My question to those who are going through Guelph now is what are the timelines like? Everyone there keeps telling me it's not very long anymore and that they will try and fast track me because of my lost referral problem. Audrey said she was going to try and get me into a November orientation. Any thoughts on what the timeline (generally) is after that?
I currently have a lap band that I want removed (which they don't see as a problem). The lap band was successful for me for the first few years, but then I started having issues with it being too tight all the time and now have gained a good part of the weight.
Thanks in advance for your response!
I can empathize with your frustration with the Dr's office. Mine was lost/not sent whatever 3 times. I also have a lap band, so finally with the help of a very kind lady from another forum she suggested just being referred to a Bariatric Surgeon. I have seen Dr Starr who has sent my referral in again and now waiting patiently for the bariatric clinic to contact me.
I have an appt for Dec 18th to have my band removed. He said I need 2-3 months without the band to safely do the bypass since he may be dealing with scar tissue.
How has your process been going with the band and removal? Do you know yet if you need to have it removed first before the bypass?
I'm sorry that I don't have any information on the process in Guelph but I hope it goes fast for you :)
Please feel free to PM if you have any questions etc. Your the first banded patient I've met on this forum who is in my position also. :)
There didn't seem to be an issue with my band (I was holding my breath praying they wouldn't make me do two surgeries...I am a huge hospital phobic and that is the hardest part of the process for me.) During our phone conversation yesterday Audrey (the nurse at Guelph) just said they've dealt with lots of band removals and will do it all at the same time -PHEW! RELIEF!!
There is a question on the referral form that asks if the patient has ever had WLS before, that is where mine kept getting hung up. The referral centre wouldn't send it through to the clinic because they had sent back a response to my Dr. saying I needed to go for a fill elsewhere...when I clearly wasn't asking for a fill!!!! The returned question form was put in my file and it wasn't until the referral had been refaxed two more times (FOUR MONTHS LATER) that someone found it in my file. Once they sent that back with more details it was two weeks and I got a call from the clinic.
Now all that being said, I am only going by what was told to me during one phone conversation....so you never know what will change.
Your very lucky to have both procedures at the same time! I wish I could ... I had my band replaced though about 2 years after I had it for a slip. The Dr said that because of the he would be dealing with more scar tissue and really wanted my stomach to heal and no inflammation when he does the bypass. It makes sense, but still I'm like you and wi**** could be done in one. But for me, perhaps this is the safest route.
After the first 2 referrals were lost etc, the next one finally did go through but came back being denied because I had the band. Just like you they said I had to go through my band clinic. Apparently they just don't read the forms right or do not understand. I was advised to resend the form and not mention anything about the band on it. But my family Dr refused to not mention the band because this is a legal document and I totally understand that, but I was left in a situation. So that sent me to Dr Starr :)
Hi there.
I just attended Guelph orientation on Thursday this past week (oct 23). I called yesterday to set my next apps and they are: nurse on Nov 26th and dietician/SW on dec 12th. I think the rest of the appts/timelines are pretty indivualized based on your needs. That's some Guelph time-lines for you at the first stages though. good luck!
Hi,
Welcome to the forum! I am going through Guelph as well. I am near the end of the timeline. Yes, time has passed, and here I am! My orientation was Dec 12 2103, and now surgery is booked for Nov 17. So, just under a year. Get that sleep study booked, if you need one. That is the one appt that slowed things down for me!
Solstice
Thanks so much for your reply! A year doesn't sound too bad compared to some other provinces...but I'm sure it will feel like forever. I've already waited 7 months:
March 25th called to book Dr. apt.
April 29th first available apt. (Dr. agreed to referral)
May 21st referral is finally faxed (took two follow up calls from me to get it sent)
Aug 27th I call to follow up, no referral received, Dr office resends
Sept 22nd I call to follow up, no referral received, Dr office resends
Oct 8th I call to follow up and finally someone realizes there reply in my chart and responds again
Oct. 23 finally hear from Guelph with my referral
It's almost comical it's so ridiculous that it's taken this long just to get to the starting line.
Oh, that is a drag, I guess this is a bureaucracy we deal with...crazy that it takes so much time and appts to do this. But we do have it much better in Ontario than other provinces, and even the US. They have to deal with approval from an their health care insurance providers too. And years ago, there was such a waiting list here. I have 2 friends who got in done in Michigan, with not the same degree of follow up as we have.
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