Weight limit for surgery/Boston area

I feel so sad. I tried to get to two Boston hospitals, one has yet to respond to my application or phone calls from November, and my attempts to get to the information session at the other led me on the most frightening of exploratory city excursions I have ever been on. So bad that by the time it was an hour into the seminar and I was still somewhere in the bowels of Boston, I found the highway and went home. I located a hospital closer to my home, and have now discovered they have a 350lb weight limit. I can't possibly lose enough weight to get there. I need to re-consider my options in the Boston area. I am sure I am not the first person over 350 to get this surgery, but honestly it is starting to seem like there are more and more people having this done who are pretty thin. I mean 350 at 6' is not 350 at 5'2". I was first told the weight limit was due to the table/equipment limits (they have a brand new operating room), and then told it was an insurance liability issue for the hospital. Frankly I see a new program building statistics here based on # of completed surgeries on the easier(?) ("smaller") patients. Sorry....had to vent. It's that or eat. Know what I mean? Anyone had surgery at a hospital in/near Boston who was over 350, or who didn't have to lose 50lbs?

I was 453 and did not have a problem in NC. My Dr. has done surgery on people over 600lbs. You need to look for a bariatric center of excellence. They are the only places that Medicare will pay for the surgery at because they have beds/equipment/training/etc to deal with obese people that really NEED the surgery. I think it is a crock that there are places that offer the surgery but only for those that arent THAT overweight. You may have to drive, ,but it will be worth it. Shellie

Hi, I am hoping to have surgery this spring or summer.....I will have Medicare coverage in April and I was wondering based on your post if you are familiar with their requirements for covering the surgery??? I have a really high BMI (109), I am 558 and 5 ft tall now---I carry MOST of my weight in my legs as I have lymphedema which is untreated and so I have A LOT of fluid in them. Anyway, being my size, I was wondering where to find a list of bariatric centers of excellence???? Thanks!

Julie, I feel your pain. I got told the same thing in Memphis (weight limit of 400). It's very disappointing when you're finally ready to take action, only to be tripped up and shuffled back to square one. I've been shopping around in my area and have found another surgeon who doesn't have the weight limitation that my original Dr. has. It seems kind of ridiculous to be expected to lose weight on your own before you can have WLS. I'll be rooting for you -- hope you can find another facility/surgeon.

THis might do it ... http://www.surgicalreview.org/locate.aspx Shellie