Dr. Paul Enochs

Hi everyone! This is my first post...... I've been reading this forum for some time and I find it                    so interesting!        I am in the process of being approved from gastric bypass surgery, and I was wondering if I                could get some input from some of Dr. Enochs patients.... Did you have good experiences,        bad experiences? etc....   I would appreciate it!  Thanks!!   

Dr Enochs did not do my gastric bypass, however I did see him for it.  At the time he was moving to a new hospital to be doing the surgeries - Franklin I believe it was.  I remember doing research on the hospital, it's ICU had horrible history. That scared me there. However, my experience with him was not to pleasant. At the time I was over 450 lbs. He told me that North Carolina did not certify any surgeons to do the surgery over that weight.  That in fact, the equipment wouldn't even hold anyone over 400. That if I lost 60lbs he would consider me. But if I couldn't lose 60lbs, that perhaps I should reconsider thes surgery if I couldn't stick to anything.  So he sent me to VCU in Virginia telling me that was the only place closest to Raleigh, that would handle people who weighed over 400.  I pretty much was flabberghasted. I went to VCU - and if anyone has been there, you would understand when I say, just being in the place gave me the creeps and I didn't want to end up with my surgery there.  So I tried to lost the 60lbs. I lost 25.. a year later I was 460+.  I gave up, and felt like no one could help me. Then I met another surgeon by sheer coincidence. I was told that the 400lb requirement is NOT TRUE. North Carolina doesn't certify surgeons based on weight of patients and that all hospital equipment can technically hold up to 1000lb.  I didn't appreciate being lied to by a surgeon who clearly just wanted to keep his patients in the "low risk" category to keep his statistics good.  People who are doing this surgery are doing it because they need help! People my size especially need the help because doing the things you need to do to get it off are painful.  I have heard wonderful things about him from other people, before I went (which is why I went) and even after. But I guess you have to be in his "acceptable" safe risk zone to make it worth his time to help.

Thank you so much for responding to my post. I am sorry that this happened to you and I trust you are in good hands with Dr. Mitchell. I've heard good things about him. I hope you get the other message I wrote you. I would love to hear what you think about the contents. Again, thank you for taking the time to share your story. It may save someone else some trouble and grief.

Hi SRay, I don't have any knowledge of that doc, but just wanted to welcome you to our NC world here! 

Thank you so much!!!  You guys all seem like a great bunch!  I can't wait to get some pictures   (before and after) and get my profile fixed up cool too!

YAY!  I love Dr Enochs!  I was actually his patient... he did my surgery, and my mom's and my aunt's, and one of my friend's too......   And since you are asking about opinions from his patients I will give you a great one!  I love him!  He has a great bedside manner!  He answers all questions regardless of how off the wall with as much professionalism as anyone could want.  I did have my surgery at Franklin and I would do it again... over and over and over!  The hospital staff was on point and personable, I was not a number, I was Laura...which definitely helps with recovery to know you are someone and not another fat person getting their stomach stapled!  I was only out of work for 1 week.  Then I was back to the daily grind!  I was ready to leave the hospital the next morning, Dr Enoch said that he would feel better if I stayed one more night, so I did to appease him, then I was home!  I don't think he is doing anything at Franklin anymore, just at Rex.   That is where my friend just had her surgery done with him, and she is doing just wonderful.  She is a phlebotomist at a hospital and she was back to work in a week also!  I am rapidly approaching my one year mark (Valentine's Day) and I have already lost around 115 pounds.  I am very pleased with my results!  And I owe it all to Dr. Enochs!  He really is great!   Now to the negatives....  You can read my profile blogs to get more specifics as I wrote them "in the heat of the moment".  et me preface this by saying I have no issues at all with Dr Enochs...  His staff, that is a whole different story!  He was located in Wake Forest when I was going through my approval and surgery, the office staff was great... then he moved his office to Cary.  Now I haven't been there in a few months so hopefully they have gotten wrinkles ironed out...  My biggest suggestion is that you keep copies of everything...  I mean everything, anything you sign, everything you submit to them, even if it was their form get a copy of it...  Make sure you call a week or so in advance of allof your appointments to make sure you are still on the schedule, and haven't been moved to a different day or time without notification, (yes this has happened to me).  In the future make sure to make your lab appointments with your Primary Care Dr or whoever you go to to get labwork done TWO WEEKS before your appointment with Enochs.  Enochs office will say a week is fine, but your doc, the lab, results, your doc looks at the results, and then it is forwarded to Enochs... this takes TWO WEEKS....    I am sure there is alot more positives... come to Perkins tomorrow... I will be there!  We can chat! ~Laura glitter-graphics.com

Laura,    Thank you so much for taking the time to respond to my post!  It is very reassuring to say in the least.  I have met with him for a consult so far and that is all. I've had all the gall bladder ultra sound stuff  etc... done at REX.  My insurance requires a 6 month Physician Prescribed diet. I'm 2 months in to that. I haven't done the psych eval or nutrition eval yet. I'm waiting for my work schedule to come out to schedule those. I know about the waiting game. Dr. Enochs office was supposed to fax my REX results to my primary physician. But when I went in for my yearly check up, they had not faxed the results of my REX workup to my primary, yet. I guess I'll have to keep reminding them! And I will make copies of everything! Thanks for that tip! I am glad you have had such success with yours. I have read some of your posts - some are quite entertaining!! I hope it will be ok for me to ask you questions along the way. You sound like a wealth of information. I appreciate it sooo much!! Take care, Shelia

Dr. Enochs was my surgeon and I loved him!! Both he and his staff are awesome!! They helped arrange my presurgery visits, put everything together and submitted for me. It was a very smooth process, and I was approved in no time. I enjoy going for my follow ups, as they are all so supportive. I feel like they feel it is their journey as well, all very caring. I would highly recommend him to my friends and loved ones. This is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I feel fantastic, and I am only 2 and 1/2 months out.

Good Luck.

Thank you for responding to my post! It is reassuring to hear successful stories and that people love Dr. Enochs.  I hope to build a good relationship with him as well.  Thanks again,  SRay

Forgot to mention they have free seminars on Tuesday nights, so you can go and meet him and his staff prior to making any kind of commitment, and you learn a lot at the seminar. He is also willing to answer any questions at that time.