Need help getting started!!!!!

Hello I am new to the site. I really want to have wls but I don't know how to go abot doing it. My doctor gave me a letter of recommedndation so I could attend a seminar, but when I called the bariatric center at Albany med the nurse was very rude and would even let me register for the surgery because i wasn't  over weight enough. The nurse staed that my BMI wasn't high enough although when my doctor calculated it, I was a good candidate. I haven't had insurance for over a year but I just got insurance and I really want to have it done but I don't know where to go. I REALLY don't want to use Albany med if I can help it. I live in Gloversville NY. Any suggestions please help.

Hi my name is Margaret and i live in Syracuse, NY. I just had my RNY At community general hospital with Dr. Desimone and Dr. Cooper. They are really great and so is their entire staff. you should check them out if you are willing to come this far.

I wolud travel if it meant having the surgery. I will look into and thank you very much. Also congrats on your surgery and good luck!!!! God bless you!!!!!!!!!!

let your Dr Office handle everything..my dr office did my surgery was in Utica NY Dr Fitzer wonderful Dr and staff...

PS alot too has to do to any health issues ( will get approved with insurance with me anyway)too due to weight your carrying..I would call back to speak to a supervisor

Hi LilMoomoo, LilCaddy here -- we are downstaters and when I returned from Europe with my stomach wrapped around my chest, I was referred to a highly skilled surgeon at NYU who turns out to spend most of his time doing the 3 or 4 most common weight loss surgeries. I declined it at that time cos I had never considered such a thing before. That was 13 months ago and I have just let him operate on me again, this time for a VSG. It was not as easy as the hiatal hernia repair but then, I'm a year older and instead of losing about 40 expected pounds, I put on 20 since then. So I just got home Sat, 9 Jan, my-t happy to be here after 5 days in hospital.  Sorry to hear some nurse thought she could push you around -- believe me, nurses are not experts on BMI cut-offs since there are so many convolutions with co-morbidities -- I hope you will assert yourself and find a more caring office. By all means, if you think you can make it down to NYC, you can easily find these guys at NYU or just send me a msg -- he's the famous Aussie. He specializes in lap-bands but the practice is cutting edge in the other procedures to my knowledge.  And no great raves from me, since it's too early to tell, except that he cured me the first time out.  If there's anything else I can tell you, please ask, and lots of luck, I am brand new here too and finding it quite useful and the peeps all great.
Cheers,
Caddy

What is your current height and weight we can tell you what your BMI is. There are requirements in BMI/medical comorbidities for surgery. Typically a BMI or 40 or 35 with 1-2 commorbidities (like diabetes, asthma, heart disease, sleep apnea etc). wls is not for everyone check out www.asbs.org  to review either program AMC or Ellis requiers many prerequisites, wt loss (ellis does MEDIFAST AMC REQURIES 105 WT LAL CLEARANCES ETC, PREOP ED SEMINARS, NUTRITION VISITS, EXERCISE)

My recommendation is to do a lot of research about surgery etc while you are pursuing it. AMC has an excellent program, I am sorry you had a negative phone experience. Ellis in Schenectady also has a good program. I recommend you get to some local support groups (either at Ellis, AMC or Saratoga) and start asking questions. Here is info on all support groups. If I can help in any way let me know, I have facilitated support groups on line and in person, done preop ed seminars from AMC and am 7 yrs post RNY. Be well my email is [email protected]

1. Saratoga 1st Monday of the Month at Saratoga Hospital in the Board Room 5-7pm (*new time that starts this MONTH NOVEMBER 2nd today!); 211 Church Street Saratoga Springs NY 12866 Open to anyone preop/postop and their support person(s) regardless of surgery/surgeon http://www.saratogacare.org/index.cfm?contentID=25&facilityI D=3&itemType=3
this is Saratoga’s website the board room is downstairs floor, if you are in front of hospital look to right of main entrance, says same day surgery go in first door on left! My contact info [email protected] our website:
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/SaratogaSprings-NY-WLS- support/

2. Glens Falls please call to confirm with Karen Hogan @ (518) 926-2615 or email her @ [email protected] Meets every other month (EVEN NUMBERED MONTHS on the second WEDNESDAY of EVEN NUMBERED months, at 6:00-7:30 p.m. GF Hospital Learning Center side B- in Glens Falls, NY. It doesn't matter which hospital, surgeon, type of surgery, or nutritionist you are using. It is open to anyone who would like more information. http://www.glensfallshospital.org/ http://www.glensfallshospital.org/nutrition_support_groups.h tm

3. Albany Med http://www.amc.edu/Patient/services/Surgery/Bariatric/bariat ric_home.html
a. A general preop/postop EVE support groups EVERY Thursday 5:30-7:30pm(open to anyone) but mainly Dr. Singh/Dr. Rosati/Dunnican/Bonville patients attend. CALL FOR THE LOCATION usually in the Hackett BLVD South Clincial Campus board room 1st floor!!! 262-2195 facilitated by Janet Folkman Social Worker and seasoned Veteran RNY postop [email protected]
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/upstatenywlssupport/
b. the Month 5pm-6:30pm 262-2195 facilitated by Janet Folkman
c. LONGTERM WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY SUPPORT (those over 1 year out) SECOND MONDAY 6:30pm-8pm ?Check Tape for location! ALWAYS CHECK THE answering machine system to call in case of cancellations/in-climate weather (518) 262-2195

4. Schenectady: Ellis
http://www.ellishospital.org/bariatric/bariatric.htm
http://www.ellishospital.org/bariatric/seminars.htm
Bariatric Support Groups give weight loss patients and potential patients an
intimate forum to discuss personal and medical issues. The group meets the first
Monday and the third Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. in Ellis Hospital's
George Wm. Graham Auditorium. Support groups are supervised by a medical
professional and feature a guest speaker such as a nutritionist, a psychologist,
an endocrinologist, or a surgeon. Parking for both the seminar and support group is available, free of charge, in the Ellis Hospital parking garage, which is accessible from Nott Street. Please note that attendees may be dropped off directly outside the auditorium door, which is accessible from Parking Lot # 1 off of Rosa Road.
Ellis Hospital Bariatric Care Center
1405 Fulton Avenue
Schenectady, NY 12308
Phone: 518.243.1313
Fax: 518.831.7007
Email: [email protected]
ALL bariatric patients - regardless of surgeon chosen, are welcome to attend the Ellis Bariatric Support Group meetings. We have always been an open meeting and do provide documentation of attendance for compliance with different surgical program pre-requisites. The meetings are run by Pamela Spicer [email protected] and topics vary (based on the "Success Habits of Weight Loss Surgery Patients" and certified by Bariatric Support Centers, International ) and time is provided for small group discussion or networking time at the end of each meeting.
this is the online facebook upstate ny wls group link:

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?ref=name&id=100000590647 000#/group.php?gid=72540670389

Jamie, Hello and thank you for the support, My height is 5' 7 and I weigh 279. I have researched wls but I just don't know how to get started. Do I need a refferal to get statrted or can I attend a seminar and do it that way?

you should qualify for wls Height: 5 feet, 7 inches
Weight: 279 pounds

Your BMI is 43.7, indicating your weight is in the Obese category for adults of your height.

Calling AMC or Ellis is how folks usually start, erhaps call both programs again to find out how to start...be well.

Hi Jaime...
I was wondering who the bariatric surgeon is in Glens Falls? I went to their site but I don't see too much about wls...do you know if they do the DS? Thanks...

Kim