I am new to this great site that I recently found and I am in need of some guidance. I am in Canada and the process takes approx. 1 1/2 -2 years from the time you enter into the bariatric program until you have surgery. You have to go to your nurse, dietician, psychologist, bariatric program Doctor etc. many many times before you are even sent to see a surgeon. Once you get referred to the surgeon you are looking at another 9-12 months before surgery. Here is my issue...... I want this surgery so bad but my obvious gross eating habits are going to get in the way of continuing in the program. I have to lose weight each time I see someone in the clinic (or at least maintain) and I feel like I am self sabatoging the process. I can't stop this binge eating and yet on the other hand I know I HAVE to or I will NEVER get the surgery. I have spoke to the Psychologist and she tells me that I just have to think before I eat but as we know it is not just that easy. Please Please Please reply to me and tell me how you succeeded in getting your eating under control before your surgery?

Wow. THat is a long time. I had to jump through some hoops but the wait was maybe about 3 months and most of that was because they would do different types of test that you had to do first. 3 months was unbearable! Once you make up your mind, you want it now! lol. I'm not in Canada, I'm in Boston so don't know if that would help but there are a lot of great doctors here. No matter where you have your surgery done, you should try to join Overeaters Anon. And someone there might also have some good advice for you,too on doctors.

If anyone reads this and has paid for their own surgery and had a positive experience either in Canada or elsewhere please send me the name and place and all the details you can. TIA

Dr. Brad Amson

Victoria Baratric Surgery

www.victoriabariatricsurgery.com/

Victoria, BC

Where in canada? I'm in alberta and was about 9 months from referral to surgery. And yes I did get to choose my surgery type. They don't do the band here. Just bypass and sleeve.

In Edmonton Alberta in the Edmonton bariatric program.started doing the required modules over a year ago and I have completed them. Started seeing Nurse, dietician , internist and psychiatrist in June and they are telling me I am probably 9 months away from seeing the surgeon and then another at least 9 months before surgery. I have been very diligent and do everything they ask me to and still this is going to be a 3 year process and I am not waiting any longer I am going to go and pay for my own surgery. 18,000$ is a reasonable price to pay for my health.

I hear you. That is an excessive time to wait. I waited about 6-7 months. I paid $14,500.00 10 years ago. I was my surgeons 2nd band surgery and it was not a common surgery then. Now that they have longer wait lists and have more experience with The Band my surgeon and his team are making people wait longer in BC to ensure people are as ready as possible. What province are you in and what are they charging now.

Are you happy with your surgery? Any complications or regrets? What is the thing that makes you the happiest about doing this for you!!!???? Where did you have your surgery?

To be honest, my band worked well for about 9 years. Every body is different in how it accepts the band. They can be finicky. After about nine months of fills not working, pain and infection, I am waiting to have it removed. It is a huge emotional loss for me. It was a success for many years. I was banded by Dr Brad Amson. I loved being a small woman. It was exhilarating. I have gained back 35 lbs and have recently lost 8 of that through rigorous dieting at 1200 cal day.

Edited November 5, 201411 yr by banded2004

I am so very sorry about the band. That is really aweful.

Thank you!

My Surgeon told me Low-carb and include a good protien shake, eventually 2 weeks prior surgery I will be on a liquid diet (protien shakes) and veggies for dinner. It's tough hang in there.

I am new to this great site that I recently found and I am in need of some guidance. I am in Canada and the process takes approx. 1 1/2 -2 years from the time you enter into the bariatric program until you have surgery. You have to go to your nurse, dietician, psychologist, bariatric program Doctor etc. many many times before you are even sent to see a surgeon. Once you get referred to the surgeon you are looking at another 9-12 months before surgery. Here is my issue...... I want this surgery so bad but my obvious gross eating habits are going to get in the way of continuing in the program. I have to lose weight each time I see someone in the clinic (or at least maintain) and I feel like I am self sabatoging the process. I can't stop this binge eating and yet on the other hand I know I HAVE to or I will NEVER get the surgery. I have spoke to the Psychologist and she tells me that I just have to think before I eat but as we know it is not just that easy. Please Please Please reply to me and tell me how you succeeded in getting your eating under control before your surgery?

I haven't read all the responses, so I'm sorry if this contradicts or reiterates what others have already said...

I can't really speak to the binge eating, but I can speak to the whole Canada waiting dilemma. I started the WLS process in Nov of 2014, my surgeon is in Victoria, BC, and i know exactly what you're going through. I'm told I should have a surgery day by November of this year.

After I had my first consult I decided to start with small changes, my perspective is that even if I didn't see the scale moving at first, at least I was moving in the right direction.

I started out just logging what I was eating, no restrictions, to get an idea what I was eating on average every day, and started doing just 5 min of yoga every day. I learned a lot about myself in those first few days...

I use myfitnesspal.com to log what I am eating. I made a deal with myself that I would cut my calories back by 20/day every week, and every week I'd also add 1 min of exercise to the 5 min/day I started with. I also set small goals. I switched to decaf coffee at Christmas, and I slowly started replacing higher carb/calorie items with higher Protein things as I finished what I had in my pantry and fridge. Each time I go grocery shopping I buy more protein, fruit and veggies, and less high carb foods.

I'm now on day 20, I've gotten my calories down to 1960/day and stayed below my calorie goal for a full week as of today. The first week and a half was ROUGH, I went over my calorie goal most days, I struggled with a lot of hunger and feeling discouraged by how unfit I am, but now I've found my stride and it's getting easier... I'm even breezing through 30 minute work outs now. If I have a day where I'm not feeling it, I still make myself do the min amount I set for myself, this week it's 7 min of exercise per day. Small changes add up to a big lifestyle change.

My mantra has become this. Motivation comes from action, not the other way around...

Edited February 11, 201511 yr by islandsneezer