Got my referral! Wait time?

I finally bit the bullet and approached a walk in doctor for a referral. He did try to sell me in other directions including a doctor who does a metabolic diet of some sort that is quite far away from me and I would need to visit every two weeks. He did give me a form for blood work and took my weight and height... then before he left he asked "so would you like the referral for the doctor or the Bariatric network?". I told him to Bariatric network. He said he would do it!

I'm almost 31 years old. I've been overweight my entire life. I've tried tons of diets and now here I am morbidly obese and bigger than I've ever been with a BMI of 41.1. I'm so happy I could cry.

How long was the wait for you guys between referral and orientation?

I had my referral in July and had orientation in October. I am at toronto western hospital your center may be faster .

I'm in Windsor. I was referred last October and Orientation was the end of January. Surgery was 9 days ago.

If you don't get a letter from your centre within a couple of weeks, follow up and make sure the doctor actually followed through with the referral.

Good News!

That's exciting!!! I had my referral in late May 2017 and my orientation towards the end of August 2017. Surgery was August 2018. I'm with Toronto Western, and each centre has its own timelines.

Use the waiting time to learn everything you can, read the forums, watch youtube videos, etc etc.

It sounds long, but in hindsoght it goes so quickly!! Best of luck!

I was referred in June 2017 to Hamilton and still waiting for surgery. I did all my tests in advance and tried to do what I could to speed things along but sometimes it's out of your hands. I've done all the steps and have signed consent. Just waiting for the call with my surgery date. The process takes time and I used that time to learn as much as I could about the surgeries and to try to make slow, permanent changes to my lifestyle. Good luck to you!

Wow! Thank you! I've seen Hamilton is a long wait... I'm nervous that the walk in doctor didn't put in the referral. It's weird that there's no confirmation call or something. I'm sure the Bariatric centres at the hospital and the doctors themselves would have much less calls if they created some type of system for confirmations of referrals. I understand I have to wait and no problem with that, but what happens if I wait and don't hear anything?

Do you know which centre the doctor was going to refer you to? If memory serves (which it often doesn't!), I got the package with my orientation date in the mail about a month or so after referral.

I have heard of other people calling the centres ig they hadn't heard after 6-8weeks, but you would need to know to which centre you had been referred.

Congrats on taking this step.

Once the Doctor's office has put in the referral for you, at the end of the submission, it will let them know what Centre you have been referred to. I would give the Doctor's office a call and ask what Centre they referred you to. Back when I was waiting to be referred, I actually went to my doctor's office and asked to see the submission. If they don't know, then chances are it was not done. Like Sweetride would say, be sure to be your own advocate!

I was referred to Thunder Bay Jan 2018... I had a few hoops to go through. Hyplori. I had to do 3 rounds of the treatment and finally got clearance. Just had surgery August 23.