I am wondering how you approached the surgery with your family dr. Did you talk to him first to see if he would do blood work and checkups after surgery? Were your Dr's supportive? I know my insurance will not cover anything having to do with bariatric surgery so do things need to be coded a certain way? Thanks for any advice!

I made my appointment today to go in and speak with him about my plans. I am strangely nervous. I feel like I am going to be judged even though I know he isn't that type of person.

How did your conversation with your pcp go? I brought up that I was thinking about WLS at my last appt. And my pcp said that "seemed very drastic" and then prescribed me a $700/mo injection medicine for diabetes that my insurance wouldn't cover (I'm not diabetic) that has the side effect of weight loss (which I didn't even fill the prescription).... so I am looking for a new doctor and trying to come up with a way and courage to bring up the wls again. So please post how your conversation goes and how you brought it up. Thank you and good luck!

I made my appointment today to go in and speak with him about my plans. I am strangely nervous. I feel like I am going to be judged even though I know he isn't that type of person.

How did your conversation with your pcp go? I brought up that I was thinking about WLS at my last appt. And my pcp said that "seemed very drastic" and then prescribed me a $700/mo injection medicine for diabetes that my insurance wouldn't cover (I'm not diabetic) that has the side effect of weight loss (which I didn't even fill the prescription).... so I am looking for a new doctor and trying to come up with a way and courage to bring up the wls again. So please post how your conversation goes and how you brought it up. Thank you and good luck!

In Canada, your primary care provider must refer you to the WLS program in your respective province. About a year ago, I asked mine for a referral, which he happily gave. Fast forward 11 months, and i'm still on the waiting list to 'start' the program!

In Dec 2015 mentioned to him that I was looking at other options for the WLS, since I was getting nowhere with the referral. I told him I was looking at the Mexico route, but I was worried because I had heard of some docs refusing to keep them as patients after if they went out of country for the surgery.

He said this would not be the case if I went to Mexico, and he said that there were more skilled surgeons available there than in my home town - as evidenced by the long waiting times, but said to make sure I did my homework/research in picking one. 3 weeks later, I went back and said i'd booked my surgery in MX for Jan 20, and he said okay, see you in 3 months for blood work, and bring him the surgery report and notes.

I am from Canada as well, I know all about the long wait.