What I need to be approved by OHIP

Question
Hi, I've been looking into the Gastric Bypass for the last few months now. I recently had a pap done and they said I fit all the symptoms for PCOS and so I have a doctors apt to be tested for that.  symptoms include, little to no period, severe acne, excessive weight gain.. I would say its been about 100lbs in the last 2-3 years and it just keeps coming on.  i have major heartburn and dry mouth.. there is other symptoms as well that i won't go on about.

Anyway with this increase weight I am unable to loose it. It has gone to mostly my belly, thighs, hips etc. and I just cannot seem to loose it.


I've had weight probs since i was in late public school.  since i was old enough to spend my own money I've tried those weight loss pills from online, walmart, shoppers etc obviously with none working. I've even gone to herbal one for 7 months and did their program. Yes i lost maybe about 40lbs. i stayed to the healthy eating and moderate exercise but i stopped taking their pills. within 2-3 months i gained all 40lbs back plus some and its just kept gaining since then..

so i was looking into what i need to do to get the wls..  i need something drastic or I'm gonna eat myself to death, that's how i feel, i am always hungry.. i am currently 4 foot 11 and weighing 250lbs which puts my BMI at around 50.5,  i am  24 years old. my blood pressure is fine its usually 120/70-80 on a regular basis..   every time i get blood tests they seem fine. that's why I'm going to get more done as i have the symptoms of the PCOS.. Even if i test negative for the PCOS could i still qualify for the surgery?  Or will i be pushed off to a nutritionalist and have to go through all that for years before i can qualify?


Any help would be greatly appreciated Thanks

Stephie from London Ontario

Answer
Hello

I have good news and bad news for you!

Many people did the option of going to the States for the surgery as a way of fast tracking through the system, however as of November/December 2009 the criteria for that has changed. Now if you do not have a serious comorbidity that would cause you to die/or have tissue damage if you did not have surgery *today* then you will not get approved for out of country surgery. This was how out of country was initially set up and now they are reverting back to its original use.  That's the bad news.

The good news is that our province has established Centres of Excellence in Ontario and that means, more facilities, more surgeons, less waiting time. The typical wait seems to be going now around 6-12 months for most from what I can see provided you are flexible on surgeon and facility.  They were put into place around 6 months ago and they hired surgeons from all over and brought them to Ontario :) Awesome!

You need to have a bmi of 40 to qualify ( or 35 plus SIGNIFICANT health issues ) in order to qualify. That means that you more than meet the criteria.  

You have your doctor refer you to one of the Assessment Centres or more than one. They are not hooked up together - which means you have to apply to each one individually (that sort of sucks as it makes more paperwork) but on the good side of this, it means, the more you contact, the greater the odds are that you will be on someone's list sooner than others.

Here's the Centres:


http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/pro/programs/ohip/ont_bariatric_surgery/default.a...

Please email me any time for more info.

www.diminishingdawn.com

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