argon

I asked this in the "Lounge", curious what the general consensus was. I said: I'm wondering... if you're going to someone's house, when you walk in the door, is the first thing you do is take off your shoes? Do you take off your shoes in your own home? Does it depend on if you know the person, like it's a friend or family or not? (this probably seems pretty stupid, but for the longest time, when I was younger, I always noticed on TV how people never took off their shoes, and thought it was an 'American thing" LOL ... Then when I finally knew someone who was American, I asked him, and he said NO WAY would he take off his shoes in someone's house that he didn't know. I just thought that was bizarre, and have always wondered if it's a common thing) Anyways, now that I have access to all you wonderful people, I have a good way to find out this thing that has bothered me forEVER! I personally think that is IS a normal thing that we do in Canada, but... hey... I haven't been everywhere, so I'd like to know what you guys do. So, I'm making the same poll, to ask you Canadians specifically!

Hey guys, thought it was time to start a new thread in the Canada section. I'm happy to announce that I have a date to be banded with Dr. Cobourn in Mississauga on March 29. About 7 weeks to go. Yay!

Yup, 3 years ago.

Yeah, I lived in NB for about a year and a half, then Halifax for a year, and now Quebec City. Fun for a non-french speaker.

Hmmm.. I think you need to search search search and see if you can find someone either on here or OH (obesity help) who's also from Nova Scotia and had it covered in another province (other than NB). I guess, if you live in NS, and they'd cover you to go to NB for Beausoleil, it should be the same thing with say, "Dr. So-and-So" in Montreal, wouldn't you think? I'm pretty sure MSI wouldn't pay your travel expenses if/when you have to go to NB for consults or fills. Same thing if you got it done in QC. BUT, you can always claim those things as medical expenses when you do your taxes. For last year, I claimed $600 in fills. I shoulda saved gas receipts, but I didn't. Lets say you managed to get banded in Montreal. You'd probably have to go down there once for a consult, and maybe some time before your actual surgery date. Then, just because it would be a good idea... go for your first fill 6-8 weeks after your banding. After that, you could go see any person who is trained in doing fills. I don't think you HAVE to go back to your original surgeon for fills. I've had probably dozens of fills, and only one of them were at the clinic I was banded at. There was a lady in Pictou doing fills, and she was fabulous. I don't know if she still does them, or is even in Pictou anymore, cause I wasn't able to get ahold of her before I moved from NS in Feb. How is your French? Mine is very bad, and that's what's stopping me from calling some places here in QC where I now live to inquire about the lapband for my boyfriend.

Have you been looking on the Obesity Help forums at all? You might be able to find some info there.

I'm pretty sure he's just a lapband surgeon (at least as far as WL surgeries go), that's all I've ever heard about him. Wow.... 5 years for just the consult?! That's insane. Definitely see what the story is with Dr. Savoie, and if nothing else, maybe it's time to bug MSI a little bit about whether they would still pay for the surgery if you were to get in to somewhere like in Quebec. I've *heard* things about that, but never got a straight answer as to whether it's true or not.

Yeah, try to find out as much as you can from them. I'm already banded, have been for a few days over 3 years. :glare:

What I meant is that I think I read somewhere that you have to get some kind of specialist (like an endocrinologist) to give you the referral to Dr. B rather that just a regular old family doctor. But this might have been in New Brunswick. I lived in NB and NS and was trying to figure the whole thing out in both provinces. I also could be completely wrong, so yeah, find out from the secretary and let me know what she says !

Oh yeah, and why not check out the Dr in Bathurst? Get referrals to both, and see who comes up first.

You know, I think your best bet would be to just call Dr. B's office, and ask the secretary your questions. At least you'll have the answers from someone who reallllly know! Ask how long of a wait (typically) after your dr. sends in your referral until you get your first appointment, and how long between all of the other steps. Maybe also when you have to pay for the band itself would be good to know. ( make sure you hound them a few days after your Dr should have sent in your referral, checking whether they've received it or not, to make sure your doctor did actually send it) I don't think there should be any special wait for getting in to see your family doctor for a referral. Just as long as you would normally wait for any other appointment to see him. I saw some of your other posts, and if he isn't willing to make the referral for you, find another doctor, any other dr. I really don't think it matters if they've known you very long. You'll tell them what your issues are. If necessary, they can get your file from your last Dr. I didn't have to get a referral for my banding, but I did have to go see a doctor to do a pre-op checkup before surgery, and I just saw whoever I could at the walkin clinic. And yes, that would be normal, Dr. Beausoleil having to write up/send in something to justify why you should have this surgery. I'm sure it's not anything that you need to be involved in, or ask him to do. He's been through the process enough that I'm sure he knows what's gotta be done. Just make sure you ask him what the next steps are. Good luck! You should definitely post what you find out, because I think there's a lot of confusion as to what the process is to get covered in NS, NB, and PEI (now that I look back at these other posts, I remember something about having to get your referral from a specialist, not just your family Dr. This is something they'd be able to confirm if you called Dr. B's office though. Do it!!)

I'm wondering... if you're going to someone's house, when you walk in the door, is the first thing you do is take off your shoes? Do you take off your shoes in your own home? Does it depend on if you know the person, like it's a friend or family or not? (this probably seems pretty stupid, but for the longest time, when I was younger, I always noticed on TV how people never took off their shoes, and thought it was an 'American thing" LOL ... Then when I finally knew someone who was American, I asked him, and he said NO WAY would he take off his shoes in someone's house that he didn't know. I just thought that was bizarre, and have always wondered if it's a common thing) Anyways, now that I have access to all you wonderful people, I have a good way to find out this thing that has bothered me forEVER! Thanks, Mandi

I keep seeing these infomercials, and ads/websites online about colon cleansing, and the pictures of the gross gross stuff that people, umm... eliminate from themselves while doing it... and if there's a chance that there is that kind of crap inside me, I want it out!!! Have you seen those pictures? Oh man... Anyways, has anyone ever bought a colon cleansing system, or maybe tried that Master Cleanser/lemonade thing? Did it work? Did you feel cleansed? Did you expell huge, massive, clumpy, disgusting things? For all I know, and I've read this as well, that it's all a scam, and it's totally unnecessary, but I just want to know what you guys think, and if you've had any experiences with it. Thanks! Mandi

It's happened! While browsing the before and afters, Dan said to me: "Maybe I should give the lapband a try." I'm sure I've heard of Nova Scotians having it covered (even just the surgery, not the band itself?), but is it only with Dr. Beausoleil, and you must wait years? Or can you go to a private clinic and have it paid for? Please someone's gotta know? Thanks in advance, Mandi

Before these changes to the board, there was an option, I believe under 'thread tools' to save a copy of a thread. I did this now and then, to one particular thread that contains ALOT of my posts/experiences/whatever. I save it, because if for some reason all was lost from this website, I'd still have that text file to look at to recall important events and dates.... I can't do that anymore, can I?!

same problem still... It downloads a text file with only about 26 pages of posts (of the 90+)

Is there any way to save all pages from a thread at once? The thread I want to save is 94 pages, and when I click 'download this thread' it appears I only get the very first page.

Whooops, sorry Doddie! I somehow blanked out the whole Vancouver part of that question every time I read it! Haha, sorry!

She was looking for someone in Saskatoon. Unless she wants to fly to BC for fills? Anyways, pm'd with contact info!

Wow, all this attention! I am back from SK. Got in on Tuesday. It's nice to be back, but I wish I could stay longer with my dad. Hopefully he'll come and see me this summer. I did promise that I would try my best to go back in late August/Sept., which he was happy about cause he said it would give him something to look forward to. I'm doing ok, I suppose.... as well as could be. Probably better, actually, considering I'm still an emotionless robot. :confused2: I decided while I was in SK that I wanted a career change, so I signed up and have now started on my home staging course. ( The Haverhill Institute of Staging & Design ) I've got about a month to get the first segment done (well, I could take longer, but I want to get done ASAP). That's about all that's going on with me... how bout you? And thanks for asking, btw. Mandi

Oh wow, that will be nice. I'm actually completely empty right now, so no fills or defills needed, but that's good to know that if in the future I have to, it'll be alot closer! Plus hopefully it'll give that Dr. lots of time to practice on other people... I don't want to be a guinea pig!

Hi Katya, I'm also in Halifax, just moved here as well, a couple months ago. For aftercare sake, I'd go with Dr. Cobourn (or the SWLC, rather). They've got someone in Pictou (which is still a good distance away, but not too bad) to do fills for us, and hopefully will get someone in Halifax soon. Honestly, that's the only 'aftercare' I've had from them, besides the odd email or phone call. If I ever need anything I can call or email, and hear back fairly soon, and that's the best you can hope for, living so far from your clinic, I guess. There's some kind of 'bariatric' support group around here, but I've never gone, so I can't help you with that. I'm sure the lady who organizes it comes around here and will post soon. Mandi

I had a pain like that a few weeks after surgery also... and it kind of freaked me out. My Dr. told me not to worry about it and it would go away, and it did after about a week. BUT, of course, this is only my experience and if you're very concerned and it persists too long, ask your Dr also. and no, nothing weird after starting back on the pill

It's really up to you... maybe you'll be able to, maybe not. I don't bother ordering 'em in restaurants anymore, cause I can't eat much of them, and they're no good to take home for leftovers. But at home I make them some times, and it doesn't matter if I have to throw out half.

Thank you Maria and Susan :confused_smile: I know it must have been fate. I can't believe the fact that I was here. If I had been in Halifax and my dad had to make that call to me... and if he'd had to go through this alone, I can't imagine. She'd just been in the hospital to determine if she would be a good candidate for this medication pump a week before (that's where I walked in and surprised her with flowers), and while she was there, she was visited by 2 of her sisters from AB, and numerous aunts. Just a few days ago, she had the opportunity to meet a couple friends of mine that I'd known for years, but she'd never physically met. At Easter she saw her brother (who also has MS), who she hadn't talked to in quite a while, as well as her parents. The day she died, she convinced me to plant all her bedding plants for her, even though I tried to get her to let us do it this weekend. I spent a good part of that same day helping a friend at a garage sale, and was invited to stay for dinner but I opted to go home and eat with my mom. It was just after dinner that it happened. I could have easily missed dinner with her and not been there for her in those last minutes. I keep realizing little coinicidences that happened that makes this seem like it was the time. No one expected it to happen so soon, but I guess everything aligned and the universe decided to make it happen. Everyone keeps saying that she was the happiest she'd been in a while cause she had her girl home, so I'm grateful for that. Thanks again.