Alan H. Brader Bariatric Surgeon M.D.,F.A.C.S.

Dr. Brader and his team are the best! He's smart, detailed, and warm. His PA, Christy is on the ball, really competent, and has a good sense of humor, and the office staff are quick to get the answers you need. I truly haven't felt a bump in the road yet.

I had surgery on 9/29/03 at Wake Med and it went beautifully. Dr. Brader and Christy were really attentive, and it was apparent that the nurses that served in the hospital respected them and made sure to take great care of their patients. My husband was a nervous wreck during the operation, and they took time to call him TWICE during the procedure to update him. He's still talking about their professionalism!

I feel extremely confident with the care I got before, during and after the surgery.

Before having surgery with Dr. Brader, I heard lots of postives from nurses about how great he is. I know nurses who work at Rex, Wake and even Duke, and all of them had heard lots of postives about his surgical skills and excellent attitude. When I was in the hospital, one of the nurses who cared for me told me that she choose him as her own surgeon. That says a lot about a doctor's ability, and it definitely made me feel very comfortable with the choice I had made.

It's obvious that Dr. Brader knows his stuff. The thing I like the most about him is the fact that although he's really knowledgeable, he's also very thorough, and willing to learn more. He asks lots of questions and listens well. As for Christy, her word is her bond. If she says she'll do something, you don't have to worry, she'll follow through. I don't know how she keeps up with it all, but she actually makes it all look easy.

As for aftercare, I'm 6 weeks out, and feel very well cared for. I have a follow up appt every week, and each time Dr. Brader or Christy take time to find out about my diet, my recovery and even how my hubby is adjusting. I casually mentioned a minor concern to Christy during one visit, but told her I'd deal with it for a while. Do you know, within a few days, I had a call from her telling me that she had discussed the minor issue with Dr. Brader and they figured out how I could address it. For me, it was a "I'll just deal with this" kinda thing, but to them it was something they wanted to help me overcome to feel better. I'm telling you, this group is EXCELLENT. Overall, they're a 12 on a scale of 1-10. I can't find anything negative to say about them.

My first impression of Dr. Brader was that he was very personable. Easy to talk to and very concerned that the WLS that he offers is understood. He seems excited to offer the procedure and has obviously invested a lot of time into researching WLS programs that are successful and comprehensive. The program offered at Carolina Bariatric Surgery is great. It is apparent that they are concerned about their patients participating in a quality program.

The office staff is very friendly, especially Christy. They make sure that you understand that this is a comprehensive program. The aftercare program is set-up pre-op, which is great.

I met Dr. Brader and his PA Christy during my first consult. I liked the fact he met with us individually and not in that cattle call mentality that some other practices use. I liked his qualifications and his matter of fact manner. Christy has been wonderful. So far I have not had a bit of trouble with any of the office staff.
The aftercare program is in place and I am hoping that it is what they say it is. I have heard nothing but good about this doctor. My only concern, just a teeny tiny one, is that I have not seen him personally since my original consult. I have seen his PA Christy. However, I know for a fact she has talked with him on several occasions about me. So I know he is not going into my surgery blind.

I've switched surgeons. I'm going with Dr. Alan Brader. He is a totally competent surgeon and one of the best all around doctors I've ever met. He spent 2 hours with me the first time I met him. I have never had a doctor, much less a surgeon, spend that kind of time with me. I have complete trust and confidence in this surgeon. I was lucky, due to circumstances I almost missed having the best doctor in this area.

Here we go some more. I am back with Dr. Brader. Hopefully things will go well with the insurance company. I had not seen Dr. Enochs but Dr. Brader and I talked and we are going to work something out. I will be the new web designer and webmaster of the Carolina Bariatrics web site. (It doesn't exist yet but it is going!!!) I am going to cancel my appointment with Dr. Enochs. I kind of feel like a tennis ball, thanks to the stupid insurance companies. Well it will all turn out in the end I am sure.

June 25th Update: I have to change surgeons becasue Dr. Brader isn't in network with BCBS and I can't afford to pay the 30% that I would have to pay as PPO, plus the increase in our other healthcare costs that not choosing HMO would add. So I have an appointment with Dr. Enochs at the end of August. I haven't dealt with any of the staff there but from what I hear it is a great office and he is a caring doctor.<p><p>

I saw Dr. Brader and his PA Christy on May 5th and was very impressed by their professionalism and attention to detail. As an RN I had a fair bit of knowledge and Dr. Brader just built on that and tailored his presentation to my knowledge level. Christy is on the stick!! I started getting phone calls today from the various consultants and my appointments are set up within the next few weeks. I just have to call back the GI doctor, as I got the message after they had left for the day.

Dr. Brader has been a leader in the field of laparoscopic surgery in our area and I feel very confident that I want this man to do my surgery!!

They have a very structured pre & post care pprogram encompassing all aspects of the WLS process, nutrition, excerise and the psychological issues that may arise.

Dr. Brader and his staff get an A+ from me so far.

MY FIRST VISIT WITH DR. BRADER WAS VERY POSITIVE. HE SHOWED ME HIS PREPARED PRESENTAION AND THEN ANSWERED ALL MY QUESTIONS.
I AM VERY IMPRESSED WITH HIS POST-OP PROGRAM. YOU GET 12 SESSIONS WITH A TRAINER, FOLLOW UP WITH DIETICIAN AND THEY ACTUALLY ANSWER PHONE MESSAGES IN A TIMELY MANNER.

DR. BRADERS PA IS AWSOME...SO POLITE AND CAN OFFER A WEALTH OF "HOW TO DO'S"

THE OFFICE SAFF LEARN YOUR NAME QUICKLY AND FORWARD MESSAGES AND CONCERNS QUICKLY. EXAMPLE, "THEY ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF WHATEVER, CAN THIS WAIT FOR A CALL-BACK OR DO YOU NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE IMMEDIATELY? I APPRECIATE THAT SO MUCH.

ON A SCALE OF 0/10, I WOULD RATE DR. BRADER AS A 10/10!!!!!HE DISCUSSED ALL THE RISKS AND BENEFITS AND EXPLAINED THAT WHAT GOES INTO MY MOUTH IS MY RESPONSIBILITY.

I THINK SURGICAL COMPETENCE IS MUCH MORE IMPORTAT THAN BEDSIDE MANNER. BUT, BEDSIDE MANNER IS A PLUS.

My first impression of Dr. Brader was wonderful. He is very knowledgeable in the area of laparoscopic surgery and is very well spoken of in the medical community (I checked). He also has a state of the art computer generated presentation which he delivers one-on-one to each of his new patients. His assistant Christy is a gem along with the rest of his office staff. They made me feel important from the moment I made my first appt. and it hasn't stopped since. Dr. Brader has put an enormous amount of time and thought into his program with key elements in mind, such as: the patient's feelings and well being, nutrition, emotional stability, family support and exercise. He builds in 12 visits with an exercise physiologist as part of his program. My first appt. with him lasted 1.5 hours and not only did he thoroughly explain the program, process and potential risks, I was encouraged to ask all the questions I had. I have been on a quest for the right surgeon for almost a year and I have to say Dr. Brader was worth the wait. I hit the jackpot with him and his staff.

WELL I HAD TO CHANGE SURGEONS SINCE I MOVED FROM NEW YORK TO NORTH CAROLINA. I HAVE NOT HAD A CONSULT YET IT IS SCHEDULED FOR 03-21-03 I WILL LET YOU KNOW HOW THAT GOES.

Well Dr. Paul Brader is family oriented, personable, and friendly and I recommend him to anyone. I had to bring my children with me because I had to get them at the last minute and He was very good with them answering their questions about diagrams and overall stomach, he was never rude which some doctors tend to be I take it because he has children of his own.

When I first met Dr.Brader, I liked him immediately. He was brisque and to the point(which I liked since I'd been in EMS for 4 years and wasn't willing to deal with being coddled). He took his time, explained the process with a slide show and made sure that I understood what I was getting myself into and that it wasn't magic, just a tool to help me improve my lifestyle. He also had a packet that explained who he had on staff and who did what, explained more about the surgery and had a quiz at the end. I then met his PA, Christy, she's been my contact and has stressed just how difficult it was going to be to get me approved since I was so young and that she wasn't going to call me every day to make sure I was going to the necessary appointments and hold my hand through the whole thing. So far, I am looking forward to working with them in the future.

4/2/03
My journey continues as does my awareness of the total ramifications of having choosen this path for my life. I am very positive that this surgery is the way for a better quality of life, my goal. I am, however, hitting several "bumps" in the road. Not unlike others who undergo this procedure, I'm sure, I do however feel frustrations with my own expectations, pain management, and my drive to want to "be back" and feel "normal" again. Eating and drinking anything more than 2-3 oz. is still very challenging. Therefore, I am not getting the nourishment I need. I am trying to stay on the strict time schedule for meal/drink, so as not to "confuse" my pouch. The weather has been beautiful this week, I am reminded of the many blessings we all have in our lives. My daughter, 8, left today for 3 days at camp near the coast. Lucky girl! I am so proud of her. I went with her last year and what fun and great learning they have. I am still experiencing a lot of pain from the site that was manipulated the most during the surgery. I have shared this concern with Dr. Brader, I have undergone appropriate tests and all is "radiologically fine." My coping abilities are exhausted at times, I know my body and the presence of severe pain inhibits healing in my opinion. I know I am having pain that I didn't have last week, it is different and more of a "stabbing" sensation. I am pushing forward, will meet with Dr. Brader tomorrow and will "keep on keepin' on." I want to be strong again, feel better, and get back to living. Patience is always a challenge, I may have pushed myself too much in the past 2 weeks. I also think I may have had a touch of a "bug" that has left me feeling a lot of this discomfort and fatigue.
As my mother used to say, "This, too, shall pass." I pray that my health will always be important and that the weaknesses or shortcomings that we all face at times in our lives will simply not return. I know that I have the desire, support, and the expertise of a fine surgeon. Unique as this surgery is to WLS candidates, I hope that others are fortunate enough to work with people who genuinely care and who are committed to their wellbeing. I am so very thankful to those who have gotten me through these past 3 weeks and who have put up with my complaints and worries.