Anyone in Upstate New York?

Hi, my name is Nicole and I live in Ballston Spa, New York. I was wondering if anyone here had their surgery in one of the nearby hospitals or not?... Were you required to loose weight before your surgery? I'm at 420-430 lbs and I have had an extremely difficult time loosing any weight. The nutritionist I was seeing said that I had to loose 42-43 lbs and it hasn't even been possible. I was wondering if anyone here had a surgeon that did not require weight loss? I'm 21 and medically need this surgeon because at my weight I have severe arthritis in my knees. If I do not loose weight within the next couple of years I will not be able to walk when I am roughly 30. That's a scary prospect for me. I have had a thyroid disease that caused the weight gain. No, I am not making excuse, but if it had sooner been found, doctors have said I might not have gained the weight like I have. Anyway, that's the deal. If you're interested in chatting please let me know. Thanks all.

Nicole, Hello hun and welcome to the NY board.... I am still pre-op and having surgery on June 6th. I also suffer from hypothyroidism but with the meds it is working fine and I can lose weight when I have to but seem to not be able to stick with anything for to long. I am in Goshen, NY, Orange County, I am not sure where Ballston Spa is but my surgeon is on Long Island and he did not require me to lose any weight before surgery but he did not want me to gain anything before. I wish you the very best hun and keep us posted.. Debra P

Debra P, Thank you so much for replying so quickly. I have had trouble maintaining normal levels, but that's OK I guess. I want to have the surgery and my doctor thinks it'll help it. As well as helping the arthritis. Ballston Spa is roughly 30-45 minutes from Albany, NY. It's near a little more known place called Saratoga, NY where the race track is. Thanks for the well wishes! Good luck with your surgery! - Nicole L.

Hi Nicole, I live in Argyle which is near the Glens Falls area....I had my surgery at Ellis Hosp. back in Nov. I was required to lose 10% of my weight before surgery. My doc put me on a liqued diet 6 weeks prior to surgery and I lost like 35-40 pds. My doc. was Dr. Lirio and he comes HIGHLY recommended!!! I know a few other people who have had their surgery in the Albany area and had other docs that also require weight loss prior to surgery but use the food pyramid method...I find that the hard way to do it.... I also have a underactive thyriod that has been regulated with meds for the last 4-5 years. No your right its not a excuse for weight gain as long as its regulated....but in the time I didn't know I had the thyriod prob. I was gaining a lot of weight. Feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions...Also I just added my pic to my profile and have a few comments about Dr. Lirio you might find helpful... Have a good one!!! Karry 311/189/167 goal

Thanks for the information. I have a serious problem loosing weight and keeping it off personally. My doctor put me on multiple diets and many of them have failed for me. My levels get all screwed up and isn't fully regulated as well as I wi**** would. Thanks for adding a reply. - Nicole

Hi Nicole,I remember driving by Ballston Spa while going to Plattsburgh some years ago,you're up there! Some here go to Surgeons far from their hometowns-I go about 1 1/2 hours south to Valhalla NY for my Dr. I am also Hypothyroid and I wouldn't say that is the reason for all of my weight gain but it does make it difficult to lose, when my Synthroid levels are stable I can lose it but it is harder than it used to be and I just turned 40 in April so the older we get it naturally is harder to lose. I know a woman who used a surgeon in the Catskill/Rhinebeck area that's about as far up as I know....Maybe you can try to go to some seminars in different areas so you can decide on a Dr. Have a good night--Robin

It's a nice area to drive through huh? Not a bad area to live. I take levoxyl and my levels go normal, but I can only generally keep them borderline normal. My levoxyl levels are quite high now surprisingly for a 21 year old. Then again, my problem went literally ignored for 15 or so years. My ped doctor refused to believe it. She wanted to say that it was "baby fat." I've been way active even when little except now because my weight is so high. It has seriously been frustrated. I've sort-a found a doctor that'll do it, but he's in Pennsylvania which is roughly 370 miles from me... Thanks though for replying. -- Nicole

I checked mapquest and you are 3 1/2 hours from where I live. I am in Horseheads NY. I had Dr Cole and Dr Mckane for my surgery. They are wonderful. Dr Cole was the Dr I saw during my whole process. He is very personal and he believes that if we can lose weight before the surgery then we wouldnt need the surgery. He is very down to earth and compassionate! Like I said he is 3 1/2 hours away from you, but I know that for me...everything went so smooth from appointments to getting the approval. If you would like the info, please feel free to email me. Tara

Hi Nicole, I am your neighbor :> I live in Colonie and have a camp at exit 16 (Gansvoort). From what I have seen, all of the dr's in the capital district require 10%. Dr. Singh let me go without the whole 10% because I had quit smoking too :> We have a group that meets at St. Peters Hospital every Tuesday from 5-7pm. Just off the cafetaria in the Dr's lounge. Please feel free to join us there are patients of several area doctors there but mostly dr. singh & dr. rosati. Any and all are welcome and we actually have fun. We are a very OPEN group and discuss ANYTHING. It is run by Kathleen Callahan from Albany Nutrition. I will be there tonight too. Dr. Singh does lapriscopic and open at both Albany Med & St. Peters. Dr. Rosati only does Open at Albany Med. Hope to meet you sometime. Good luck on your journey. Mary