Hi everyone, I'm new to the board and I am researching my different surgery options in Canada. I'm wondering if people would be willing to share their knowledge/opinions/suggestions or any other bit of information with me regarding surgery options in Canada.

I have noticed that quite a few people mention Dr. Cobourn at the Surgical Weight Loss Clinic in Mississauga, Ont but I have not seen any mention of the Toronto Laparoscopic Centre with Drs. Joffe & Yau.

Are these clinics/doctors good? I live in Calgary so would be traveling out of province for my surgery if I decide to go the fee pay route. I'm abit concerned about not having any support pre & post opt in my city. Does anyone have any experience with this?

Thanks,

Janice

:help:

Janice, welcome to LBT, if you keep reading around on this site you will find tons of info. There are quite a few people who do the out of province thing, I will be one of them. I live in Edmonton and I am going to be banded by Dr.Cobourn. From what I have read there hasn't been anyone with too many problems with follow up care. Good luck!

Becca

Hi JLB...welcome. There are a ton of people on here who have had their surgeries at TLBC with Yau/Joffe...I'd say it is about an equal split between the TLBC and Coburn folks. From my experience I can say that the job TLBC does (pre, during and post) is excellent...second to none. However I also know that the Coburn folks say the same thing.....so if you pick either of the two, you are in excellent hands.

Are these clinics/doctors good? I live in Calgary so would be traveling out of province for my surgery if I decide to go the fee pay route. I'm abit concerned about not having any support pre & post opt in my city. Does anyone have any experience with this?

Janice,

I am from Calgary as well, and am booked with Dr. Coburn on Feb 14. So far I have done the phone consult and recieved my pre-op package.

In terms of after care on Calgary I will be using Dr. Mitchell for fills etc. In talking to Dr. Coburn, basically what happens is he makes the call as to how much fill etc, and then Dr. Mitchell does the fill. Dr. Coburn told me that he came out & trained Dr. Mitchell in Calgary on how to do the surgery and the fills

From my limited experience, I feel that I have made a wise decision to use Dr. Coburn, although I have heard good things about TLBC as well. There are also a coulpe of Dr.'s doing bands on the west coast from what I have seen from some people around here.

Really the best resource I have found has been this forum, read as much of it as you can and it will answer so many questions for you.

Andrew

Gaf, I'm wondering if Dr.Cobourn will be sending me for my fills to Dr.Mitch in Calgary. I don't know if he's trained anyone in Edmonton yet, I know he said he was going to. I don't mind the drive though.

I went with the TLBC and have had no complaints at all. None of the women whom I have met there when I have gone back for my fills have been anything other than happy with the care which they have received either. From all that I have read here both groups provide top care for their patients but I suspect that Dr. Coburn may invest more of himself personally in his patients.

While Drs. Yau and Joffe are excellent surgeons and seem to be good individuals much of our on-going contact is with other members of their support staff. This is not a drawback. These are all terrific individuals both with respect to their training and the warmth of their personalities.

And the location of TLBC works out well for me. I live in the heart of Toronto and can walk home from the TLBC if I am feeling energetic. :girl_hug:

Plus, Drs Yau/Joffe were the first surgeons in Canada doing this surgery....so they have a LOT of experience. Not that the others don't have experience....just saying that these two were the first doing it.

I agree with everyone. Dr. Cobourn and TLBC both exceptional. Either one you can't go wrong.

Let us know how it goes!!!

Janice,

this is my first time on here, but I just wanted you to know I was banded by Dr. Joffee at TLBC on October 5/06. I am about 5 hours from Toronto, but they are only a phone call away. I have also been looking at these types of sites and have leared a lot here. Best of luck to you.

Banded Oct. 5/06 208

Jan. 5/07 190

Hi atir,

Welcome, and congrats on your loss so far!!

Mandi

Hi Atir, good to hear from you. So you were banded at TLBC. What did you think of the pre-op/post-op care, the clinic and staff, etc. I'm interested in hearing more about why you chose TLBC over other clinics. I'm still on the fence and haven't decided for sure where to go so anything you can tell me would be helpful to add to my research.

How have you been adjusting to the changes since surgery?

Thanks and congrats on your loss so far - you're doing great!

Janice

Janice,

I beleive I chose Dr. Joffee because of information I had read about him. Good bariatric surgeon and such. It was was one clinic or the other. All follow up was included in the price. Because I am a 5 hour drive away, I just went for my consultation, surgery and then 3 fills. I find I have been looking through the cahat forums and filtering through what I consider good information.

So far I feel fine, have only had difficulty with throwing up - I think they call it BPing...(not sure why). I think this has happened because of not chewing well or some foods that seem to be difficult for me now. It is an adjustment, but worth it.

My weight loss has not been fast but slow and steady so far.

Banded Oct.5/06 208 now 190

Canadaian banded at TLBC

hello and welcome Atir! Come visit more often! How are you doing? I'm not fast either but figure slow and steady will work well for me!

Thanks Atir, I'm glad everything has been going well for you. I've read a bit about the PBing also. I think most times people seem to be able to control it better or with trial and error learn which foods are better tolerated than others. I also read that right after fills it can be more irritating so some people go back to liquids for a wekk or so and then reintroduce other foods slowly.

Slow but steady is a great way to lose weight and proves to be successful in keeping it off too.

Thanks for the info on Dr. J - he is quite impressive.

Janice