Greetings All.....

Matt,  Welcome!  I am being banded on 2/11 by Dr. Geoffrey Nadzam at St. Raphael's in New Haven.  I am also experiencing the same feelings of excitement as well as nervousness.  It is good to go through this surgery with the support of everyone on the board.  Good luck on your journey. Which surgery are you having? Tina

 Hi Tina, I had my Gastric Bypass with Dr. Nazdam close to 3 years ago and had no complcations. You are in good hands ! Take Care and best of luck on your "Journey " .                                                                                                                               Julio

Thanks so much for your encouraging words, Julio!  I really appreciate it.  I am not sure you remember but you were helpful to me at the beginning of my journey in late 2006 via this website. I have to be at St. Raphael's at 6 AM on Monday.  I was happy to hear that!!!! Guess I will stay overnight.  Right now, I am hoping my liver is small enough for the surgery to take place.  Diana says I am doing well on the pre-op diet and should be fine.  Thanks again for stopping by with your good wishes! Tina

Hey Matt, I can't add more than what Sel has mentioned.   I will admit I considered Dr. Aranow as my first choice, however for personal reasons and with my PCP's blessing I chose Dr. Barba.    So far I have nothing bad to really say about him or his staff.  They took wonderful care of me.  He does still operate out of both St. Francis and New Britain General. You will have to go with what suits you and what your gut and your research tells you is best.   I am only 4 1/2months (I had laparscopic RNY) out but have found Barba's entire staff to be nice, competent and to me they have been very understanding.  On my recent visit I complained about slight pain on my side and still having some vomiting, minor but still wasn't happy about it.  They orderd blood work and x-rays, which I'm actually just getting home from doing.   I feel, when I go in there and start to talk to them, that they do care and are watching out for me.  Barba's personality, his staff's methods and how they work is what worked best for me.  It may not be for you but we are all different.   Do your homework/research.... Ask questions, be vocal about everything and if you have concerns bring them up at your next appointment.  You should always do this regardless of what doctor you are visiting.

WOW....Lets not let this go into a brawl...lol everyone has a right to their own opinion. I saw like some others go with your gut. i did not have Dr. Barba, I had his partner at the time, now that she has moved to another state, I am now Dr barbas patient. I think him and his staff are wonderful. its one giant family, and even the patients i meet at the meetings its like they are my extended family. look things happen for a reason, npbodys perfect, everything is in gods hands. go with what you feel is right. take care

Best of luck to you Matt!

I had lap band with Dr. Barba in March of 2006. Two of my best friends had gastric bypass with Dr. Barba one in October of 2005 and the other July of 2006. None of us have had complications from the surgery.

Try to focus on why you are doing this and it will help alleviate your fear - fear of unknown is normal

Take care of yourself!

HI Matt! Congratulations on your journey! We are here for support. Alot of us older post-ops....don't post here anymore. Our new lives are filled with so many different things.  All you ar egoing through is normal...fear, excitment, anxiety. But.....rest assured....if you feel in your gut that you chose the right surgeon go for it. I am here for you to support you! I know everyone had the right to thier opinion. No doctor is perfect. I am sure even some of the best doctors in CT have dam have had some patients with complications. Its with ANY surgery and everyone is different no matter who the Dr. Is.  Just keep your head high! YOU made the right decision to have this surgery...it is a life long tool and as long as you use it right you will have much sucess! Please don't let these posts bother you!  God Bless and here's to your new life :cheers: MJ

Great news, Matt! I love your enthusiasm, with your attitude, you should do very, very well with this surgery. Can't wait to follow your progress, until then keep close to us and let me know what I can do to help. Be well, Maureen

WOW, I just read through this entire thread and I am stunned at the negative comments made about Dr. Barba. First and foremost, pre-ops have enough fear in making these very difficult decisions about their surgeons and the surgery itself - we don't need to be fueling that fire! Secondly, personal opinions made on such a public forum and to such a negative degree - there are some pretty serious medical malpractice accusations nade here - can be legally viewed as slander and character assassination, at the very least.  Do any of you really want to be sued for your commentary on this board?  I don't know Dr. Barba, I only know he is a CT-based surgeon doing these surgeries.  It's my job to research all surgeons and decide on the one that is best suited to my needs.  Matt, if you feel you have not done a thorough job of researching all surgeons in CT, then by all means take a look at the others - personally, I would shout it from any rooftop that Dr. Aranow is one of the best. I can bet there are equally many people, patients of Dr. Barba's that would do likewise about him.  Folks, let's support Matt - not discourage him or scare him to death. Be well, all. Maureen

GRRRRRRRRRRRR  I just realized that I had left a post that did not post. I didn't mean to sound like you were making the wrong choice. I have a friend that I work with that had Dr. Barba and she loves him. She was shocked that I went with Dr. Aranow and not Dr. Barba. I think we are all fiecely loyal to who we used and are quick to judge. I have noticed with Dr. Barba ya either love him or ya hate him. You have to follow your gut on who you pic. If your gut says go with Dr. Barba then go with him. If you decide your gut says someone else, then go with them. YOU are the one that has to make the decision. None of us can make that decision for you. Best of luck on your journey.