Massachusetts, Usa

[mry1407@aim.com 0]

I don't have any comorbidity can still get the sugery!

[Sweetdove 6]

I would love to join. I'm from Western Mass and started my journey last week when i requested a referral from my primary. Tomorrow I go to the open forum and we start from there!

[Sweetdove 6]

Western Mass ~ Just got my first date with my surgeon! I'm so happy I started crying!

[Kimberly Bouche-Perez 48]

Hi everyone. I am so Happy I found this website a week ago!!!!

I am from Lynn, but now for the past 10 years now, I have lived in Northampton, MA. About 7 miles away from UMASS AMherst.

I would love to join this support group.

I had mmy surgery on 6/25/13 at Baystate Hospital in Springfield, MA. Bad experience with thia hospital. I haad Dr. Kuhn. I found him to be little ion the mean side.

I have BMC and Mashealth. So here were my requirements:

3 group meetings

6 NUT meetings, and she was tough. Her nick name was the nutrition natzi, lol

2 visits with the lab doctor

2 phyic visits

1 sleep clinic

2 meetings with Dr. Kuhn (WL Doctor)

I started with a huge seminar on 9/23/12. I got the 3 group mmeetings out of the way quickly. By November I had all 3 done.

I had my frist appt. with the lab Docotr the day hurricane Sandy hit. It was October 29, 2012. My appt. was the last one that day (1:00 p.m.) Cause they closed the hospital after that appt.

I will never forget it cause when I went in I was 264 (down from 301 earlier in that year). But my weight to start was 264. We were told in the beggining that the weight from the seminar was the weight which we could NOT gain from.

So I got ion the scaale and I was 262.4. I started crying.

Because the rules at Baystate nd the insurance ere as such:

If you gained from your started weight, your surgery would be an additional 6 months post poned. That was your warning.

Secound time you gained weight you were suspended for a year and the doctor had the right to "suggest" you go elsewere.

So needless to say when I saw the 4 ounce weight gain, I cried. The nurse looked at me and said that the doctor might refuse me.

So when I went into her office I was till crying. She came in and asked me why was I crying. I told her I didn't want to get kicked out.

She told me scales vary from one office to the next and that I had to worry bout the scale in Dr. Kuns office.

She said she would change my weight to the 264.4 but that was IT. No more weight gain, period.

I aslo had to quit smoking as well. I did that on October 23, 2012. I did have lot of breakdowns cause they expect you to loose weight AND quit smoking, not easy but |I did it.

They told me "the story" abut how a woman was actually getting preped for surgery, she smelled of smoke. So they gave her a drug test. It came back poitive for nicotine. They post poned her surgery for 3 months. They said she a actually in her hiospital gown. I thought this was nuts, but I did as they required and quit.

I had to meet with the NUT once a month and she was tough.

I finally jumped through ALL the hoops and in March of 2013 I meet Dr. Kuhn. He tried to talk me into the sleeve, bt I wanted the gastic bypass. My insurance has a once in a lifetime policy. So I wanted the one that would give me the best results. Lucky my husband was there cause he almost talked me into it. I got upset and my husband looked at me and asked what did I want. I told him the GB. He looked at the doctor and said, "if that's what she wants and you can do it, that's whaat she should get". I am so glad he was there. SO I got the bypass.

I got approveed in April. He was so far behind I got a 66/25/13 date.

I was in the hospital for 4 days.

It took 2 months before I could even drink 12 oz of Water.< /p>

It is 22 months out and I still have a problem eating. I had always had an eeating disorder and now it has showed it's ugly head , again.

I am in theropy, but \i am grateful that |I found this site. I would love to talk to people who have walked in my shoes. I have lost a few friend who I guess wern't true friends caue of this.

I would love to find anyone in my area to maybe go for walks with on the bike path.

Thanks for taking the time to read this long story.

I am not a VIP so my email is kimerick2008@gmail.com.

I am looking forward to heaqring from you all.

Everyone keep up the great work!!!!!!1

Thanks again,

Kim

[Sweetdove 6]

Hello Western Mass!

I've just finished my 3 life skills classes and have one more dietician appointment scheduled for next month. I have gone up 4 lbs....was told it was from exercising but I think it was from the increase in my insulin and have now lost 3 of those pounds. I've been working out 30 minutes 4-5 days per week... I'm keeping it moving.

[DR1220 3]

I am from Boston also, Revere, 10 mins from downtown Boston. Anyone use the Beth Israel Hospital and with Dr. Schneider?

I am seeing him tomorrow for my dates and pre-op discussion and what to expect and so on and on!

[Overheard 1]

Are there any bariatric surgeons/clinics who would go to bat for me for a gastric sleeve operation with Harvard Pilgrim in MA area hospitals?

30 y.o, 5'8", 232 lbs, fluctuates between 225s-240s. Serious yo-yo weight gain/loss between 180-240 over the last 7 years. Pre-Diabetic with frequent urination and low energy, chronic lower back pain (compressed L5/S1 with sharp pain and thrown out pain), chronic knee pain (torn ACL and meniscus), and now I'm getting chronic random toe infections. Numerous missed days due to these issues, especiall the back/weight immobility. I struggling with getting out of bed or even bending down to help my students with classwork. This limits my mobility but not my hunger, and triggers depression more.

Attempts: Numerous years of health clubs, trainers, nutritionists, workout and eating plans, yoga and mindful eating, intensive therapy, and even stay away camps focusing on health/nutrition/fitness/therapy. It all centers around the hunger.

At the end of the day, I am always hungry and/or exhausted. And the instability is something I can't take anymore.

Are there any bariatric surgeons/clinics who would go to bat for me for a gastric sleeve operations with Harvard Pilgrim in MA area hospitals?

Thank you for any help or advice that you can provide!