Hello
Hey everyone!
I read a few posts prior to joining and love learning about the experiences other people are having in Ontario. I find the timelines to be very helpful. Today is the day I officially started my journey. My doctor referral was July 16th and my consultation appointment at St. Michael's Hospital was this morning (August 29th). Now I am waiting for someone to call me about next steps.
I am excited and nervous. So happy I found this forum!
Welcome! Enjoy the journey, learn as much as you can and come back here often to read about others experiences, it has really helped me.
HW: 285 SW: 260 CW: 134 Dr. Grantcharov, St. Michael's
Referral: May 2017 Orientation: June 5/17 Nurse: Aug. 17/17 Doctor/Dietician/SW finished by Dec. 11/17 Surgical Ed. Class: Dec. 18/17 Surgeon: Jan. 9/18 Surgery: February 26, 2018!!
Welcome - I am just starting out as well. My doctor referred me 2 weeks after you. But they also referred me to the Wharton Medical Clinic. My first appointment with them is 3 weeks away.. the waiting in this entire process is going to kill me.. lol. I still haven't heard anything about a consultation appointment. Are you in the GTA? I live in Brampton.
I live in Etobicoke and yes, the waiting is going to kill me as well! As long as I know when the next appointment is, I should be ok but right now I'm waiting for the unknown. When my family doctor asked me what hospital I wanted, I picked St. Michaels because it was close to work and I figured appointments would be easier to go to.
Now I am waiting for someone to call me about starting "the program". No idea when that will happen. I asked about wait times for surgery and he said optimal patients can have surgery in 3-4 months but that is not a guarantee. I found two websites from the Ontario government about wait times. For bariatric surgery one says 40 days and the other website said for my hospital it is 75-95 days. I was preparing to wait for 9-12 months.
I have been reading tons of timelines and it seems to me that most people are getting the surgery just under a year from their referral date.
My doctor didn't ask me anything about a hospital preference.. She told me that all referrals go to one place and that it would take a couple months before they contact me for an orientation. Seems like you are getting a lot more information from your doctor about how this all works.
I have completed blood work, urine test and ECG test 3 weeks ago but I haven't heard anything. I am assuming that means everything is okay. What other test are needed? I don't have sleep apnea so I don't think a sleep test would be required. I am not taking any ongoing medication.
Melissa