Barix Belvidere

I could not even be seen by a dr here as I had surgery in Massachusetts. Memphis, TN doctors would not see me as I was not their patient. Kind of sucks if you want my opinion and I cussed out one drs office. i can not believe that a medical professional will turn a patient away. I just wanted to be seen for follow ups and blood work. I finally got a doc to see me and she was so preoccupied with herself that she looked at me and said wow your little....do you have any problems? then she told me to check into the support groups and if I have any eating issues to call their nutritionist. She did not ask what kind of surgery, did not look at my incisions, did not weigh me or nothing. Told me to get some bloodwork at another hospital farther away and she said have a nice day and sent me a bill for 200.00....thankfully my ins covered it because she is a specialist. Basically I have no support group and have not been seen by a weightloss doc other than that one time. I just wing it and if I have any probs.....I guess I will be SOL. I am almost 6 years post op, and doing well. have minor issues and some re-gain. But I am working on that. So thats my story and I am sticking to it...tammy

Hey Willow, I completely understand how you feel. 9/06/01 Berk performed WLS on me & set me on the path to my new life... eventually Dr. Vaughn saw me for follow-ups - which was completely fine with me. He was compassionate and kind - very informative. Support group leaders (and former SG leaders) received an email from Barix last week informing us of the up-coming Belvidere Barix closure. I felt sick. I've been hospitalized numerous times since surgery , here in NW Indiana, and each time local docs spoke w/ Barix docs by phone to help them in my care. I asked a representative from Michigan Barix if they would be available to me - in the event of an emergency. She said she thought so but would have to check & confirm. In the meantime, I'm sad, but so grateful for the opportunity to have been so very capably "altered" by such skill (Dr. Berkowitz). I do feel a little "abandoned"... I've connected w/ a local surgeon who has performed numerous RNYs ( no longer, due to insurance) and would be available to me if necessary (Emergency operations that saved my life from 1 horrid bowel obstruction and 1 non-functioning, diseased gallbladder!) - so I'm grateful I'm not "left alone" . Great idea about securing our files. Gonna call the office tomorrow! Hang in there!

I'm with you Willow. I wasn't able to attend the support group meetings, seeing as I am 3 hours away, but knowing Dr. Boe and the rest of the staff were there in case I needed them was very comforting. Now I am being referred to a new place in Madison, WI and I have to start all over again with a new doctor and new staff. I had a relationship with the staff at Barix, they knew me and I was comfortable with them. I feel like an abandoned child somewhat. These people gave me life, they fed me, cared for me, were concerned about my well being and now they are leaving me. At least we aren't as bad off at the people scheduled for surgery after the closing (Dr. Boe said there were some that they couldn't get in before closing up, so these people who were SO close had to start over someplace else too). Be brave, and I hope the support group finds a way to still get together, and when you do, shoot me an e-mail because I would love to come if I can. My e-mail is [email protected].

We moved away and there is really no one here for follow up. My family Dr here is trying to help. I learned that I needed a Dexa scan and found out that I have Osteopenea from not being told that Tums is the wrong kind of Calcium, we need Citrate not Carbonate I guess. I also found out that my ferritin level is only 7 so I am not storing any iron and I just now started even getting enough in with 3 iron pills a day (don't take that many on your own-I was a strange case-barely absorbing at all) so I better not get sick cause I have no back up. I am taking the vitamins but I guess they aren't enough. I am following all the directions but boy I think I need new directions. How do we go about getting our medical records if the place is closing?  I used to have an email address but I don't even have that anymore.