Any Boston, Ma Gastric Sleevers Out There?

[peacelovenkarma 12]

I am doing pretty good. I am down 17 pounds since surgery, 31 pounds since I started the program on 1/16. I really want to chew food! As I write this my family is grilling steak tips on the grill and mentally I think I am hungry, but I know I am not. I have been having dreams the past 2 nights about chewing food and spitting it out because I knew it wasn't the right thing to do. Wednesday I have an appt with the NUT so I will then be moving onto ground/soft food I am pretty excited about that : )

I started to vlog my journey on YouTube if anyone is interested?

[Kimma34 5]

Way 2 go!! Is the head hunger an issue? Come chat.......

[LizEac 32]

Hi Everyone! I have been using and enjoying the forums on VST but only just today found this "Boston Area Site". Great! I am from Boston (Allson neighborhood) and had my Surgery on October 17 at Mass General Hospital. They have a great program and have done a fair amount of Sleeves. My surgeon' date=' Dr. Mathew Hutter, told me he had done 20 before me and others in the MGH Program had done as many or more. 20 seemed low to me, but he was a very well respected Gastrointestinal Surgeon at MGH and had done hundreds of BiPass surgeries as well as other GI surgeries involving cancer, etc., so I trusted him. And he was WONDERFUL. I couldn't have been happier. I had absolutely no complications and I am 66 years old. Mass General was the only hospital I could find in the area that took people over 65 for this surgery. The hospital care was great and the pre-surgery and post-surgery nutritional guidance and psychological care are also excellent. The only problem is that the non-insurance out of pocket costs are higher than most of the hospitals in the area. It costs 1,045 paid in two payments before surgery for the educational and support part of the MGH Weight Center program, but the support is excellent and the program is life-time support. Another issue is that it usually takes a long time to get an appointnment since they are very busy. But most of the people I have talked to say that it was worth it.

If you all still want to have a "Regional Meeting" we can meet at my house if you would like, or maybe I can find some space at one of the local universities. Let me know what you think.

Phyllis, aka Hopeful Spirit[/quote']

I am also working with MGH, I have Dr. Meireles and am getting sleeved on July 18th!

[peacelovenkarma 12]

Dr. Meireles is awesome! I have had a great experience having him as my surgeon. He has done many VSG's. I made sure to ask him about that. Good luck!

[LizEac 32]

Dr. Meireles is awesome! I have had a great experience having him as my surgeon. He has done many VSG's. I made sure to ask him about that. Good luck!

I'm so glad you had a good experience with him! He seems like he knows what he's doing! How are you doing with your sleeve post-op? I'm having mine done July 18th, I'm so excited, I just hope everything goes smoothly!

[Jenn31MA 149]

HI YES HAD SURGERY 1/23 IN BURLINGTON U?

How are you doing?? your almost 5 months post op. I hopefully will be having my sleeve in August at Lahey as well. I go today actually to see the Np and hopefully get an appt with the surgeon..we will see. So far i love their program and everyone is really nice. How are they post op?

[nadoue 158]

hi y'all i am nadoue, from the brockton area. i was sleeved on sept, 2011 and yes i am at my goal, lost a total of 66lbs and still losing but i like being a size 8-6 depending on fabric. i usually do not comment because for some reason, i can pinpoint a lot of issues that i only read or hear from others sleevers. my surgery was easy, i got 6 little scars on my belly ( i am black so we tend to have scars) i took two days of from works, no pain at all, i didnt have no issues at all except that i was craving chewing for the first two weeks. i had my surgery at St elizabeth hospital in brigthon. my surgeon actually did advise to have the sleeve instead of the band. thank God for that. i eat everything but in small portion. i am not a gym rat nor control carb, calories or whatever i see a bunch of us are obssessed with. i see the sleeve as a tool, without it i wouldnt lost wt, it is there to help so i am not going to kill myself over a few ups and downs. my skin look normal except for my inner thigh a little saggy but you wouldnt know that if i dont point it out and yeah, i love being a slow losers, i am not going to need cosmetic surgery for some time. my greatest advice to any of you is: stop comparing yourself to others and stop being the OCD over the scale.< /p>

[LizEac 32]

Hi Everyone! I have been using and enjoying the forums on VST but only just today found this "Boston Area Site". Great! I am from Boston (Allson neighborhood) and had my Surgery on October 17 at Mass General Hospital.

I am also getting sleeved at MGH on July 13th with Dr. Meireles! I'm so glad you had a positive experience! I've been really impressed with the preparation I had to go through, the team is so thorough! Although, I can say that I was a bit disappointed with the scheduling. I had been working for a year to get a June date so I could work for the summer (I'm a substitute teacher), but at the end of the day I'm just excited that it's finally happening!

[peacelovenkarma 12]

I am also getting sleeved at MGH on July 13th with Dr. Meireles! I'm so glad you had a positive experience! I've been really impressed with the preparation I had to go through, the team is so thorough! Although, I can say that I was a bit disappointed with the scheduling. I had been working for a year to get a June date so I could work for the summer (I'm a substitute teacher), but at the end of the day I'm just excited that it's finally happening!

Just about a week and your there! Are you getting excited? I remember feeling a little nervous, but on the day of surgery I felt completely fine, and not nervous at all. I am so excited for you!! Please keep us posted!

[LizEac 32]

Omg, I am so excited! I'm going in tomorrow for my swallow test, I cannot wait! I'm so ready for the pre-op diet to be over, so ready for the pain to be over and so ready to begin this next chapter! How are you doing so far? I talked to a guy who got sleeved in February and he's down 124 pounds! Holy CRAP! I know he had more to lose than me, and I know that men metabolize faster than women, but HOLY CRAP! I can't wait to start losing!!

[Jenn31MA 149]

Omg' date=' I am so excited! I'm going in tomorrow for my swallow test, I cannot wait! I'm so ready for the pre-op diet to be over, so ready for the pain to be over and so ready to begin this next chapter! How are you doing so far? I talked to a guy who got sleeved in February and he's down 124 pounds! Holy CRAP! I know he had more to lose than me, and I know that men metabolize faster than women, but HOLY CRAP! I can't wait to start losing!! [/quote']

How did your surgery go?

[Skinnyminded 21]

Hi Everyone! I have been using and enjoying the forums on VST but only just today found this "Boston Area Site". Great! I am from Boston (Allson neighborhood) and had my Surgery on October 17 at Mass General Hospital. They have a great program and have done a fair amount of Sleeves. My surgeon' date=' Dr. Mathew Hutter, told me he had done 20 before me and others in the MGH Program had done as many or more. 20 seemed low to me, but he was a very well respected Gastrointestinal Surgeon at MGH and had done hundreds of BiPass surgeries as well as other GI surgeries involving cancer, etc., so I trusted him. And he was WONDERFUL. I couldn't have been happier. I had absolutely no complications and I am 66 years old. Mass General was the only hospital I could find in the area that took people over 65 for this surgery. The hospital care was great and the pre-surgery and post-surgery nutritional guidance and psychological care are also excellent. The only problem is that the non-insurance out of pocket costs are higher than most of the hospitals in the area. It costs 1,045 paid in two payments before surgery for the educational and support part of the MGH Weight Center program, but the support is excellent and the program is life-time support. Another issue is that it usually takes a long time to get an appointnment since they are very busy. But most of the people I have talked to say that it was worth it.

If you all still want to have a "Regional Meeting" we can meet at my house if you would like, or maybe I can find some space at one of the local universities. Let me know what you think.

Phyllis, aka Hopeful Spirit[/quote']

Im also out of MGH weight center!. My surgeon is Dr. Gee! I haven't gotten it done yet.. how has your experience been so far.. btw it only cost $600 now!!!

[nadoue 158]

I am from Boston, one year out as of tomorrow, been in maintenance.

[ljperez 87]

Boston medical center here. Dr Hess. Sleeved 9/4 doing great just dealing with a rash I might be allergic to the gallbladder med. I live in dorchester.

[rubinsml 11]

Anybody have Havard Pilgrim health care for insurance? How difficult were they to work with? What were their requirments?

Michelle