JUST GETTING STARTED

My name is Christy. I am 49 years old, a single mother of a 14 year old daughter, and have been morbidly obese since after her birth. I lost the weight using fad diets, but realized that I was a food addict, so I joined Food Addicts anonymous and Overeaters anonymous. I am also a recovering alcoholic, and have been sober since 1988. However, the faith that got me sober didn't work well with recovery from food. In 1992, I fought my last battle with the disease of obesity and was sugar free for nine months. Then the addict in my head got the better of me and I have been loosing ground ever since. I maxed out at 250 two years ago, and went on my last diet, LA weight loss. I got down to 218, when the addict took over. I had quit smoking and shot up to over 275. At 5feet 5 inches, I have a BMI of 45.8, and know in my heart that there are no more diets in me. I used to be active, loved aerobics, walking, running, dancing, but I tripped five years ago and tore all the ligaments in my left knee. Now I am in constant pain and can barely get up out of bed. I am highly motivated to change my lifestyle, and know that just wanting it won't make it so. I had given up hope until I started reading more about gastric bypass surgery. I am ready to do whatever it takes to get this surgery and recover from the disease that is killing me. However, my company's insurance is through the Coventry HMO, and they have excluded any weight managment or weight loss surgery from our policy. I need to find alternative financing. Unfortunately, I just refinanced my house and although I have plenty of equity left, I will have to take second mortgage. I have applied with a couple of the medical finance companies (most recently with Capital One), but my credit isn't great. I wanted to know if anyone in the Delaware or Southern Pennsylvania area have experience with Barix Clinic in Chadds Ford PA. I am looking for a surgeon who uses laproscopic surgery, as I cannot afford a long post surgery recovery. The only doctor in Delaware is Gail Wynn, and while I am sure she is a fine surgeon, she told me I would have to be out of work for one month. I had to leave her office, I was so disappointed. This whole process is making me very depressed. There seems to be so many obstacles, and I am truly alone in this life. No man, the only support I have is my daughter, and she herself suffers from obesity. I want so much to show her that I can overcome this. I have to show myself as well. But I need more than hugs and prayer. Any support is appreciated.

Hi Christy, Nice to meet you. I don't have any info on the Barix Clinics but wanted to welcome you to the board. I used Dr's Irgau and Wynn ( Dr. Peters wasn't there yet when I had my surgery done ) and can not say enough good things about them. Dr. Irgau is my primary surgeon, although Dr. Wynn was present for my surgery. I'm sorry you can't use their office, in my opinion ( take it for what it's worth ) they are the absolute best at what they do. Good luck to you in whatever you decide to do, things usually work out the way they are supposed to in the end. I would caution you about one thing bgefore attempting this, make sure you have your food issues well under control before ever trying to have this done. It will change your anatomy but not fix your head, and people that go into it without addressing those issues usually end up frustrated and unhappy. Please take good care and I will keep a good thought for you. Welcome to the message board! Linda

Thank you for responding so quickly. I feel better already knowing that so many people have gone through this procedure. I am sure a little whinning in the beginning is normal. Something you said made me think. So far, I have avoided treating the core issues that I believe led to addictive eating. I tried years ago, and was in therapy, but of course, my cheap skate insurance company wouldn't cover therapy for weight related issues. So I asked my doctor to treat me for depression, and ended up on prosac which hasn't helped a bit. I have always known that food was just another substance that kept me from feeling my feelings, and I also have to realize that I need help for this before I can continue. No doctor can cut away the hole in my sole that I fill up with food. It sounds as though you have had sucess in this regard. Did you use the twelve steps? Can you recommend a good therapist? Again, thank you for responding. Christy

Hi Christy, Thankfully I haven't had problems in this area, but have known several who have and it makes things so hard on them. In my opinion we all have our issues to deal with and sometimes it can be a crap shoot discovering just what they are. I feel very fortunate that I wasn't an emotional eater. As for a therapist, not sure what your insurance will cover but I really like Margaret Keenan from PMRI, she does some of the pre-op evaluations. I've also had the pleasure of attending one of the meetings where she was a speaker. Using a person not only qualified in psychology but is also well versed in WLS and the challenges that can come with it would be your best bet, as not all doctors understand the procedure yet. Best of luck to you! Linda

Hi Christy, You came to the right place for support....this is a great group of people here. I, myself, had Dr. Wynn as my surgeon and she is absolutely the greatest....she gave me my life back and i will be forever grateful to her. The reason why we are out a work for a month is to make sure that the incisions and the new stomach pouch is healing properly. I was out of work for 6 weeks, and was glad that i had that time to get better. I know people that had surgery in upstate PA that went back to work in only 2 weeks, and needless to say, they have had a lot of complications. I would not change anything about my decision. I have lost just under 70 pounds in 3 and a half months and have the happiest that i have ever been in my entire life! I can only speak for myself, but i think a majority of the people here will have similar outcomes. If this is something that you truly want, don't let 1 month out of work disappoint you, it really is worth it! All the best to you, and we are here if you need anything! -joe-

Hi Christy - Welcome to the DE board! I have to join the band wagon ... my surgeons were Dr Irgau and Wynn also. And I have to agree that they are an excellent surgical team. I have really not had any experience with Barix, other than a friend who started out there but then transfered to CHRIAS (Dr Wynn & Irgau). Although, I do believe we have a couple of people on this board who are Barix patients, but I think there are more people on the PA board who are their patients. I could be wrong, but that is what I seem to recall. At any rate, I guess it wouldn't hurt peeking in there to see what you could find out there also. You can gain a ton of information by peeking into the online profiles of the patients of Bariax or any surgeon for that matter. http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/forums/?ID=1017677795 http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/bariatric+surgeon+profile+Christopher+Kaczmarski+crh.html http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/bariatric+surgeon+profile+Neil+Marymor+dtf.html I have heard that Coventry is a hard insurance company to deal with, with the exclusions and all ... but I know of at least of couple of posts I have ran across where the people were still trying to push for the surgery. I am not sure how it is going for them, but I am sure if you post on the main message board if anyone is able to help your out or give you advice they will do all they can. http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/messageboard/ Sure hope you can find some of the information you need in one of those links. And should you ever decide to let Dr Irgau or Dr Wynn do the surgery, know that their patients regard them with much esteem. Truly a team of excellent surgeons. But regardless of surgeon chosen, it is good to have you here. If sure hope you get the end results you are looking for. This surgery is such a blessing to so many of us. Best wishes! Tammy

Here are a couple more links to posts where others are asking about Barix Hope they help! http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/state-forums/PA/postdetail/6718.html?vc=0 http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/state-forums/PA/postdetail/6717.html?vc=0 http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/state-forums/PA/postdetail/6624.html?vc=0

Welcome Christy! I, too, have Drs Wynn and Irgau. They are sensational. I agree with all of the above. Just wanted to pop in with a "hi" and wish you well with your journey. Dianne

Hi Christy!!!!!! I just wanted to let you know that my Mom just got her surgery done at the Barix Clinics in Penn. Actually, her surgery date was 11-19-04. She goes back for her two week on 12-01-04. The place is phenomenol. Julie