Ontario Wait Times for Weight Loss Surgery

by Linda H.
(Ontario, Canada)

I was originally on a list in Hamilton and waited at least 1 year before Ontario came up with more money and my name was sent to Ottawa. By the time my name was added to their list I had actually made it to #3 in the list of people to be called in Hamilton.

My name went to the BOTTOM of the list when it was sent to Ottawa. Fortunately when I had heard Ottawa was accepting patients I had my doctor refer me there in Feb of 2010. I had my first contact with them at the end of November and that was just for a information session with approx 15-20 other people.

By my calculations that's 9 months before 1st contact. Since
then I've been making multiple trips to Ottawa for appointments that could have been done either by phone or at my own doctor's office (ex: blood work and dietitian). All these trips have cost ME days off work (loss of income), time,
and expensive GAS! And all this with NO guarantee the surgeon w
ill accept me when and if I ever do get to see him or her.

If I could afford it I'd go to the U.S. or any other country and get it done in a much more timely fashion.

Related: Bariatric Surgery Canada

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Ontario Wait Times for Weight Loss Surgery

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Great experience NEW
by: Georgette

I am post op. it was around 15 months of a process before I had surgery. Would not change it for the world. Life post op is very challengging. You have to prepare yourself on all levels. The time and process with the Windsor centre allowed mores to build up info about all aspects and prepared me in all respects. It isn't a race to surgery and you only get one chance to succeed. Having a patient attitude really helped me learn about myself and to get some counselling for what was making me fat in the first place. Vthe care I received in Guelph was fantastic. My sister in new Brunswick has been waiting 6 plus years for surgery. My friend in the USA was turned down by her insurance company. Thank godI live in Ontario.

Rules Ignored by the Clinics. NEW
by: Anonymous

I would really like to know why and how Windsor can make up their own rules on who is accepted into the program. For instance I had my meeting last week and I was dismissed from the program because I have only stopped smoking for a month and 3 days. They said that I have to be 3 months smoke free to be in the program. However they obviously have not read the powerpoint put out by the government stating that you only must be smoke free for 6 months before surgery take place. So how is that at my very first appointment I can dismissed from the program, it is not like I am going to get surgery within the next 6 months as I have also heard that Guelph is backed up 6-9 months. Yes I am very upset because I had to take a day off from my temp job, drive for 5 hours and waste gas money.
I actually wonder what the Canadian Government thinks about their rules and regulations around this surgery being ignored.

Up date NEW
by: Linda H

Let's see-I've pretty well given up on Ottawa. They insisted I have two heart tests, which after my taking a firm stand, the types were changed and done here in Kingston. OH MY breaking NEWS!!!!Kingston can do heart testing!!! DUH. They also conveniently insisted on a colonoscopy, which to make them happy I had done in Sept 2011. A polop was found and now it isn't scheduled to be removed until May of 2012. Even though the physcian who did the colonoscopy said A: it was NOT cancerous and B: it should not interfere with a bypass. You guessed it-Ottawa says no way until it's out-another delaying tactic.

As I was STUPID enough to buy the OPTIFAST the last time I was in Ottawa I'm now trying to sell it before it expires in Nov. I've been told they will reimburse me if I spend my time and gas to bring it back to them. I have it listed on Kijijji. There is one slightly bright light at the end of the tunnel-there are rumours that the HDH in Kingston will be starting a bariatric program. I'm just waiting to find out when and who to send a referral to. I've also had my doctor refer me to as I told Ottawa, a COMPETENT hospital that will actually DO the procedure!

I'm going through the EXACT same thing... NEW
by: Anonymous

Aside from the part about Hamilton, my situation is the same.
I even worked at HDH in Kingston for 5 years before my back pain became unmanageable. Now I live on a meager (especially in comparison to the OPSEU wages I WAS getting) ODSP income. The $700 it's cost me in the last 10 months has put a serious strain on my budget AND my back.
Sometimes I get the feeling that the decision to deny me the surgery was made months ago, but they continue to go through the motions so that it SEEMS like serious consideration was given to your case before you were declared an unsuitable candidate for surgery...maybe I'm just being paranoid.

Update to post
by: Linda H.

I should also mention that whenever I suggested to Ottawa that things such as the blood work or dietitian appointment could have been done in Kingston (where I work at the local hospital), their answer was that their people are bariatric trained.

I will say though I was able to do the social worker interview by telephone, which was very much appreciated. They've now deemed I need to see their psychologist in July (another delay and day off work). The compromise is 3 hrs with the psychologist in the morning and the education class (3 hrs) in the afternoon - still with no guarantee of acceptance. At least it's only one day off work with loss of income and spending gas.

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