Hey everyone...

Where is the least expensive place to get this procedure done in Canada? With the plummeting dollar, I was hoping to get in done in Canada instead of the states/Mexico.

It is very important to factor into your decision the cost of aftercare. Many of the better known clinics include fills and other programs in their package price.

If you go elsewhere that initially appears to be "cheaper", you might find that if you have to pay for fills/unfills and travel costs, it might not be as economical.

Please do a lot of research into the procedure and everything that it entails. It is crucial to have a very experienced band surgeon and it is worth the extra cost for this.

I really hope that you don't allow cost to become your deciding factor...there is so much else to consider.

Depeding on where in Canada you live you can plan on spending approx. $16,000 on your surgery...this seems to be a pretty good average across the country. Like Alex said, the price may look less expensive some places but when you factor in costs of fills and travel it may not be the best. I certainly would not pick a less than stellar surgeon or clinic just to save myself some $$$.

Best of luck,

Patricia

Dr. Ortiz in Mexico, I have read is excellent, so are the surgeons in Canada such as Dr. Woodhead, Dr. Yau, etc. As the above posters have stated really, really do your homework on surgeons and aftercare. Not now but in the future. Can you afford to fly or drive to your destination not only for fills but for surgery correcting port location, slipped band, band erosion, etc. and simply consultations on concerns about the band. When you are satisfied you have checked everything out, then you can make an informed decision. I will add, I would not trade the band in for anything. When I start to slip back into old habits, the band brings me up short. Good luck

Also check out The Surgical Weight Loss Centre in Mississauga, Ontario, www.obesitysurgery.ca they charge $16,000 and that includes lifetime fills at their Mississauga location and lifetime warranty for any complications. They are fantastic and have a large network of nurses and doctors that are trained personally by Medical Director and surgeon Dr. Chris Cobourn across Canada in many cities to do fills. The SWLC message board and chatroom is second to none and accessed by patients across Canada.

They also offer support from the dietician Billie Jane and the fill nurses Tammy and Sue, patient coordinators, etc. and sponsor local support groups for their patients like the one I started in Mississauga. Dr. Cobourn and Dr. Mumford are also available to see you by appt., email or telephone call when needed.

Edited November 22, 200817 yr by Donna!

It is important that your aftercare costs - the price of fills and defills for example - be included in the total cost. I was banded a couple of years ago by TLBC for $16,000 and a lifetime of aftercare was part of the package. I have since come to learn that this was a good deal and TLBC has treated me well. An added plus for me is that it is close to my house. I can walk there!

Doctor Woodhead in Vancouver charges 14K and includes all fills and consult cost. But he's a private doctor. Ontario actually has WLS clinics like TLBC or Credit Valley. While they charge more, the pre op and post op services seem to be more comprehensive.

like others said, don't let cost be the deciding factor.

The services offered by clinics can be very useful to the weight loss patient. These may involve more than just a lifetime of aftercare for the mechanical system, including fills and defills; they may also offer the services of dieticians, psychologists/psychiatrists, and mutual support groups.

While I found that losing weight was very easy once I had the band and followed the bandster rules of fine dining, people can run into difficulties. Finding oneself newly thin can play with your head in the most unexpected ways and, too, many of us can do with a dietician's advice. (I did some independant study on how to eat well while I was recovering from my band op but I am sure that I would have profitted by listening to a dietician.)

I'm gettting my band done in wpg on Jan 2/09. I'm paying $18.500 This includes unlimited fillings, consults, dieticians for one year. Fills after the first year are approx $150. I considered going to Toronto as it's cheaper ($16,000), but factoring in the convenience of having it done at home, and the cost of travelling to TO and back, the savings didn't really seem worth it.

Joanne does that include lifetime no charge in case of any complication such as needing new port, band, etc? If so that sounds great for you. :smile2: