Still new here. Consult Thursday..Barix Clinic, Belvidere, IL.nervous, scared

Hi everyone, This is only my 2nd post on these boards. I have a consult Thursday at Barix Clinic in Belvidere. I don't know what to expect and I'm a little nervous. My husband is going with me, Thank God! I attended a seminar at the clinic in June..or was it May?!! I don't remember which. It was very informational but there was sooooo much stuff covered that it was a bit overwhelming. I took notes as fast as I could. The president of the clinic was there, doctor, nutritionist and a patient counselor. There was just a ton of stuff they covered. Well, since I went to the seminar they called me about a week later and said they were offering a free consult to those who attended. Who can pass up a free offer? Well, the day is almost here and I have all the papers filled out that they wanted for the appointment. I don't know what's going to happen at this appointment. I do have alot of things written down and am in the process of writing down all of my questions. I want to make the best of this meeting. They gave me a sheet to write down my past weight loss attempts but I have NO idea when I attempted them ie. date...year. Will the names of the plans, diets, etc. be enough for them? I have a horrible memory. Now why would I need to have my insurance cards? Drivers license? This is only a consult not a signing me up for surgery appointment. Right? What does the dr. do during the consult? Can someone please share with me what I should expect?? Why would I have to bring my medications with me if I already have them written on one of their forms?? Is this the appointment where the doctor will determine if surgery is right for me or not?? I have so many thoughts going through my head. Right now I'm on the verge of a size 26 and I know that this is not who I really am. Have been married for 19 years with him 22 and happily together at that. I was 125 when we first met and then I don't know what happened after that. I did not eat my way up to this weight of 260 lbs at 5'5" tall. That's what makes me so darn sad. I've asked Robert..."how can you stay with me...love me...care about me with the way I've become"?? I have so many things wrong with me now that I'm positive would be better if I loose weight. I've tried and tried it all to no avail. I'm babbling now. Thanks for listening. Any comments would be appreciated.

Tammy, take a deep breath, I'm afraid you're going to hyperventilate. This is the first visit, where you ask all the questions you have of Dr. Boe or Dr. Vaughn. Barix is one of the premier programs, and the best in NW Illinois, in my opinion. They'll take your blood pressure and weigh you, and based on what you've written, you're definitely a candidate for surgery. They want your ID and insurance info so they can contact the insurance company to see if bariatric surgery is covered. You don't need to bring the pills with you, they tell you that because sometimes you forget to write all of them down, or they can't read your handwriting. Just write down the weight loss programs you've been on, any medical conditions that you have, and take a list of questions for the doctor. They'll answer anything that you want to know. Good luck! Terry

Tammy, Hang in there... Barix is one of the finest placest around! As Terry has pointed out, this will be a meeting to determine if the surgery is right for you. Going through their seminar is a great step in planning this. If you want a list of questions I covered with Dr. Boe, let me know and I can send it to you. I really need to update my profile, but as of today, I'm down to 205 and just returned home from two hernia repairs and a tummy tuck. Up until the recent surgery, I've experinced hardly any set-backs or complications. As I approach my one year anniversary it is hard to imagine what this surgery has done for me!