Upstate NY Surgeons?

I live near Albany, NY in Amsterdam. I met with my PCP yesterday and he referred me to Dr. Steven Hegeman in Cooperstown. I have been doing research online and have found a couple other more local surgeons who are listed as doing Lap Band surgeries, but does anyone have any personal experiences to tell me about? Thank you, Melissa

Melissa: Hello, So you are set on the Lap band? Dr. Singh in Albany Medical Center does the Lap Band as well. To find out more info on the process/program (AMC just became a bariatric center of excellence as well) contact: Albany Clinical Nutrition 1240 New Scotland Road Slingerlands, NY 12159 (518) 475-7000 X4 Vanessa Denning, MD Ann V. Michelek, MD Barbara Kapuscinska, MD Carol R. Santoro, MD Ellen Goke NP Kathleen Callahan RD ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This group of clinical nutrition providers (MD's NP, RD) are the 'gatekeepsers' so to speak, this is where you start. There is a support group as well at AMC next date: Date: Monday September 11, 2006 Time: 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm Repeats: This event repeats on the second Monday of every month. Location: D105 D wing 1st floor AMC The number to check if group is cancelled (last I was given) 262-2195 Also EVERY Thursday at AMC (go in main entrance on New Scotland Ave by white Pillars take first Left down hall in waiting room of that office (Dr,. AALger/Howard) is a WLS support meeting 6-8pm, open to public free. Park in garage it is free when you leave if you went to group. This is link to Dr. Singhs pts messageboard. I had RNY w/ Dr. Sing but he is an excellent and very experienced lap surgeon (he does both the RNY and Lapband) These are the 2 tele#'s I have for Dr. Singh's office: 262-5623/262-5614 More? ask me online or off: *PS I also run the Monthly WLS support group in Saratoga may be fairly close to you, 1st monday of month at saratoga Hospital in the board room 6-8pm we would love to have you! [email protected] Take Care, Jamie Lap RNY 10/9/02 Dr. Singh 320/163 5'9'' (lost 45# before surgery) Plastics 6/9/04 & 11/11/2005 Dr. King http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/members/profile.php?N=c1132518510 "Being happy doesn't mean everything's perfect, it just means you've decided to see beyond the imperfections!"

I'm 32 years old and I want to have a baby very badly. Albany IVF won't work with me unless my BMI is under 40, so I figure the lap band is the best route for me to go since it is reversible if I get pregnant. My PCP thought the only doctor in the area who did the lap band was Dr Heneghan, so I'm glad to hear somebody in Albany does it (much closer than Cooperstown) The support group you run sounds good. I work in Malta so it would probably be convenient just for the fact that my hubby and I share a car and I would have to pick him up first in Amsterdam to head back to Saratoga *lol* You can email me at [email protected] if you want to talk off the board. Thank you so much for your response. Take care, Melissa

Melissa: Hello again, I am posting this here so others if in similar situation may benefit. First I appreciate your thought about the Lap Band and Pregnanacy, may I add some information though. Forgot to give you a few links to groups you may want to look into (OH and Yahoo): http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/UpstateNY-Bandsters/ http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/LapBand/ http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/OSSG-pregnant/ http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/OSSG-breastfeeding/ http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/postop_pregnancy/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ossg-pregnancy-grads/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Having a baby after WLS (gastric bypass or Lap band has been found to be SAFER *less risks* for mother/baby) than when one is Morbidly obese! With that being said here is some info I have on WLS/pregnanacy. Points to ponder, Do you REALLY want to reverse any WLS? Take away the tool=return of Morbid Obesity! Wt loss w/ RNY may be indeed more and faster (reaching your goal to conveive sooner usually 12 months for most RNYers). How much research have you done? PLEASE make an educated/informed decision for best/safest/longterm successful outcome! I am NOT saying Lap band isn't the way to go, just want you to consider all avenues as there is nothing contraindicated about Bypass w/ pregnancy! HERE IS A GOOD ARTICLE ON PREGNANCY AFTER WLS:Pregnancy Following Gastric Bypass for Morbid Obesity. Wittgrove AC, Jester L, Wittgrove P & Clark GW. Obesity Surgery 8, 1998:461-464. Found this at: http://www.gastricbypass.com/images/GBP%20-%20Pregnancy.pdf ****************** Worth the Weight Pregnancy After Gastric Bypass Surgery from Advance Newsmagazine for Nurse Practitioners Vol. 13 ?Issue 11 ? Page 45 Worth the Weight Pregnancy After Gastric Bypass Surgery By Joy Burt, NP http://nurse-practitioners.advanceweb.com/common/EditorialSearch/printerfriendly.aspx?AN=N P_05nov1_npp45.html&AD=11-01-2005 ******************* Is it Dangerous for the Bariatric Surgical Patient to Conceive? Cynthia Buffington, Ph.D. Beyond Change, January 2004 http://www.bbvitamins.com/research_Article_3.aspx +++++++++++++++++++ http://www.lessertummy.com/2005/11/pregnancy-outcomes-good-after-adjustable-gastric-bandin g/ Pregnancy Outcomes Good After Adjustable Gastric Banding Obstet Gynecol 2005;106. PS We would LOVE for you to come to group in October! You could bring Hubby w/ you! Friends/supports/family are allwelcome and can help them to learn/ask ? as well! We have one lap bander who is preg currently she may/may not come...But is a possibility! W/ AMC program they do require a 10% wt loss pre surgery, so if you have a documented high wt can sart that piece as well! Take Care, Jamie Ellis RN MS NPP Lap RNY 10/9/02 Dr. Singh 320/163 5'9'' (lost 45# before surgery) Plastics 6/9/04 & 11/11/2005 Dr. King http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/members/profile.php?N=c1132518510 "Being happy doesn't mean everything's perfect, it just means you've decided to see beyond the imperfections!"

Hi Melissa, Yes lap band is good for pregnancy because you can have your fill taken out while you are pregnant. I've lost 108 pounds since November 2005. I got banded January 24, 2006. Kristine

not to knock AMC or Dr. Singh (I have no experience with either).... just another option for you to look into since you're at the beginning stages. http://www.ellishospital.com/bariatrics.cfm Dr Lirio had been performing bariatric surgery in Schenectady since 1979 Dr Clarke, though younger and (understandably) less experienced than Lirio, is also an excellent surgeon. A friend of my DW had her lap RNY done by Dr Clarke, and that same friend's brother had open RNY performed by Dr Lirio.... both are thrilled with their results. as for the Lap-Band, I'm pretty sure Clarke does it... not positive about Lirio though. I would have went to Clarke myself (from recommendations, and the fact that it's 10 min from my house)... but that practice does not perform the procedure I want... so I'm going down to NYC for it. best of luck to you.

Ok, so I have 2 local options now. Dr. Singh at AMC and Dr. Lirio at Ellis. How do you choose? *lol* Albany is about 40 mins away but its highway, and Schenectady while technically closer still takes 30-40 mins for me to get to *lol* Any personal experiences with either doctor?

Well I called Schenectady Bariatric Group. Apparently they don't have a doctor doing Lap Bands yet. Dr. Clarke will begin to do them within a few months - but I dont want to be a guinea pig, so Albany Med it is