I'm new and have questions

Hello,

My referral was sent in December/17 to the HRH clinic. I know I still have quite the wait ahead but I actually wanted to get a feel for how long that wait would be and the exact steps that go with the process.

I've been doing a lot of reading and research about bariatric surgery and at times I feel excited for a new lease on life and times when I am terrified and scared.

l asked my doctors secretary how long it would be and she said it was about 6 months based on previous patients from his office.

So is that 6 months before I even get word or 6 months till surgery?

I've been overweight most of my life but it's been the past 18 months that my body is crying for help. I have been yo yo dieting for many years and then just gave up because every time I lost weight I gained it all back plus more when the diet stopped. I was ok with the shape and size that I am until the health problems began. Sleep apnea, high blood pressure and now a low back ache that is affecting my mobility.

any help is appreciated

Thank you

Welcome. I can't give your a timeline for HRH, because I went through Guelph.

I would suggest doing a lot of research on these forums. It will give you an ideas of the bumps in the road ahead, and how to deal with them, or at least not to be surprised by them. Join the What Are You Eating Thread. That will help keep you mindful and accountable, plus they have great support. Start developing as many healthy habits as you can now, don't wait for surgery. Give up pop, start moving, journaling your food. Join My Fitness Pal, it's free and you can track your food, exercise, measurements, weight etc.

I wish you success on your journey.

Thank you

Welcome! My timeline for surgery was approximately 10 1/2 months here in Ottawa from start to the surgery. (I am 1 week post op!) but each hospital sites program is different in some ways. I recommend reading up on this site and what others are asking and responses for more information. If you have any questions we are here! :) Good Luck and enjoy the journey!!

Thank you

Welcome! I am going through HRH and if you look at my timeline below you will see it is about 10 months from referral. I could have had surgery at the end of January but work is crazy for me this time of year so I asked for March. I have found this board fantastic with a good mix of newbies like us and vets who have been through the process. I keep track of tips and tricks they impart that sound helpful. My best word of advice would be to research and prepare. They want to know that you have put in the time to understand the process, possible complications and life long changes you will need to incorporate. Good luck! Time goes fast, I can't believe I start opti in just over 4 weeks!

Thank you

Welcome! I just had my surgery done at HRH with Dr. Huynh. I had a pretty long wait for some reason, but once I had my first appointment with the surgeon in September 2017 it was really quick (my surgery was last Friday, on Jan 12th). I'm not sure why I had to wait so long between the orientation and the first surgeon's appointment, but I it may be because I had no comorbidities and so was low-priority (just my guess, I don't really know). It sounds like you have some more going on health-wise than I did, so hopefully you'll get through the process quicker. I can say that I had a great experience with the hospital and my surgeon, you're lucky to be at HRH!

Thank you

Thank you everyone for the tips and advise. I will definitely be a regular by following all your progress and learning for myself along the way. Good luck to everyone