Life Without Limits Bariatric Center

Dr.Gluck is a very careing person he takes all the time you need he answers all of your questions . He maked sure I had all his phone numbers an was told to call him if I needed him .he holds a support group once a month at the hospital.An his staff is great also everyone makes you feel like family there. His wife Jen also works there with him an is very involved with his patience.You can tell he loves his job an his expanding family.After surgery when I went home he set up for a nures to come to my home for the first week to check on me she came for 4 days that week it was very nice to know that I had some one to ask questions to that week know I just call Dr.gluck if I need anything.I want to thank him for sharing his gift with me an so many .

Dr. G. is an excellent surgeon. I felt completely at ease about my surgery and have been very satisfied with post-op care. I would and have suggested him to others considering bariatric surgery.

I simply cannot express the depth of my appreciation of Dr. Gluck, and his wonderful staff at “Life Without Limits” they went WAY beyond the call of duty to accommodate me, and take me into their program at the last minute. My sordid tale is as follows:

In the winter of 2003 I attended an orientation seminar from one of the “other” bariatric programs in Muskegon that had been heavily advertised on the radio. At the seminar we were told that the version of surgery to be performed (laparoscopic or open) would be determined by the surgeon following our pre-op physical. Thus began an almost one year litany of documentation, testing, and “jumping through hoops” to satisfy the requirements of my Blue Cross policy. Finally in late 2004, I was approved, and ready for surgery. During the pre-op physical, I asked “is this when we decide whether or not I can have the surgery done laparoscopically?” to which the response was: That’s a moot point, because we are not currently doing “LAP’s”!

At this point I should mention that I was intent on having laparoscopic surgery if at all possible because of all the advantages, (that are documented elsewhere) most importantly the shorter recovery period, as I only had a three month window of opportunity due to the nature of my job.

SOOOO, when I was told by the other program that they weren’t doing laparoscopic, I felt like the “wool had been pulled over my eyes”! After all, they had known for a year that they weren’t doing “laps” and didn’t bother to tell ME! Probably in the hopes that after all I had been through to get approved, that I would just go ahead and have the “Open” version. WELL, they obviously hadn’t gotten to know ME!!! I think that it is very important for any patient to feel comfortable with, and more importantly is able to TRUST their care givers implicitly, and at this point my trust was non existent! So needless to say, I walked away from that program, and didn’t look back!

“The Plot Thickens”:

Having now established my independence, I was slapped in the face with the harsh reality that I DIDN’T HAVE A SURGEON, and every other program in the Grand Rapids/West Mi. area was already booked months in advance, and no one even wanted to talk to me when they heard my time constraints! (or so I thought) I felt like I was standing out in the cold waving my Blue Cross authorization, screaming “Would Somebody Please Cut Me?!”

It was by pure chance (or perhaps destiny) that one afternoon while attending a weight loss class at Hackley Hospital, I was telling my tale of woe, when one of the ladies in the class said: “well, didn’t you call Dr. Gluck?” to which I responded “Who?” and she said: “he’s only like the BEST bariatric surgeon in West Michigan, why haven’t you called him?!” I determined later, that the reason I had not found Dr. Gluck was that I had been doing my search through the A.S.B.S. website, keying in Grand Rapids, and Dr. Gluck is only listed in Muskegon. (in retrospect, I feel like such a Dolt!) By this time, I had been politely turned down by about a dozen other programs, because they were already booked up, and I was beginning to feel like this was a lost cause. But, nonetheless I picked up the phone and my life was changed forever!!!

Unlike all the other programs, everyone at Dr. Gluck’s office truly wanted to find a way to help me. I was told to come in the next day for a meeting with several staff members and the doctor. After hearing my story, Dr. Gluck walked over to his calendar and said “Y’know, I usually only due two surgeries on Mondays, but I think I could fit you in on April 25th“, would that work for you?” HALLELUJIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thus began an extremely hectic month of additional testing with an Upper G.I., and a Colonoscopy (which Dr. Gluck performed himself) as well as a lot of various blood work. Obviously, this guy is extremely conscientious about knowing what he is getting into, and is very concerned about being prepared for any and all contingencies. During this period, Patti C. ran herself ragged, scrambling to make all these appointments at the very last minute. I was also scheduled to meet with several members of the staff, as well as the nutritionist, and was well coached by Jennifer on what to expect each step of the way.

I came prepared to take notes at all these various meetings, but found out quickly that it wasn’t going to be necessary, as the staff gives you informational hand outs that cover absolutely every aspect of the surgery, what you can expect, and what is expected of you every step of the way, from two weeks prior to surgery, to one year post op. I mean they really cover ALL the bases! Plus they are more than willing to take the time to answer any of your questions, at any time. Even if you’re sitting at home and come up with a question, you can call the office, and someone will get back to you with an answer in a relatively short period of time.

Now we get down to “Crunch Time”, two weeks prior to surgery, you are put on a “Liquid” fast, with nothing but clear liquids, sugar free Jell-O, and pudding. This was probably one of the worst times for me, as my stomach was still full sized, and used to being stuffed, and now I’m just drinking liquids. Needless to say I was quite hungry during this period, but I got through it.

Well, the morning of my surgery arrives, and on my way to the hospital, I am met by my friend the comedian who says he is on his way to “pig out” on a big breakfast of sausage gravy & biscuits, and do I want to come along? Boy, did I ever!, but I had places to go, and weight to lose.

Upon arrival at the hospital, I was ushered into the pre-op area where I was prepped for surgery, hooked up to an IV, and met with the anesthesiologist, to discuss what kind of drugs they were going to give me, and any allergic reactions I might have. From this point on, things are kind of fuzzy, as the meds kicked in, and the next thing I knew, I was waking up in my hospital room. Things remained fuzzy for about the next twelve hours or so, until they stepped down the pain medication, and I was able to remember who I was! I do recall a couple of nurses coming to my room and helping me get out of bed and shuffle around the room so as to avoid the dreaded “Thrombosis”. As anyone will tell you, the first 24 hours are the worst, and mine wasn’t really all that bad, considering…

I do have to admit, I had a rather “Cavalier” attitude going into this thing, as the pain involved had been described to me as “it’s like you’ve been in a bar fight, and have been gut punched a few times, and your stomach muscles are pretty sore.” WELLLLLL, as soon as I woke up in my hospital room, I was slapped in the face with the realization that this was no “bar fight”, this was MAJOR F%$#@%G SURGERY!!!
They had gone inside my body cavity, CUT OFF some things, DISCONNECTED others, and attached other parts to places where they were NEVER MEANT TO BE!!! Needless to say, there was a big attitude change on my part, and I was determined to do whatever was necessary to get better, and get home as soon as possible. So I got up and out of bed as much as possible, and did as many laps around the nurses station as I could, drank my “shot glass” of water every fifteen minutes, and took my medications when necessary. The end result was that I had my surgery at about 5pm on a Monday afternoon, and I was released, and went home at noon on the following Wednesday.

At some point during all my pre-op meetings with the staff, I believe it was Jennifer that said to me: “Brad, the people who get through this thing the easiest, have the fewest complications, and recover the quickest, are the folks who do EXACTLY what we tell them to do! After all, we’ve done over 400 of these, and we KNOW what to expect!

Now, I have to admit I’m a bit anal retentive to begin with, so this did not present much of a problem for me, as Dr. Gluck and his staff really make this, “surgery by the numbers”, and I followed every direction as closely as possible. As I mentioned earlier, they give you written instructions on absolutely every phase of the process, and this becomes increasingly important, after you get home and are trying to recover as quickly as quickly as possible.
I would have to say that the only problem I encountered during this period was some major constipation which was giving me gas cramps, and “doubling me over” in pain. I really didn’t have all that much pain from the surgery itself, but those gas cramps were killing me! I was continuing to take my pain medication to relieve the pain from the cramps, but after consultation with the office, I discovered that it was most likely that the narcotic pain medication itself that was causing the constipation! As you can imagine, I quit the pain meds that night, and the very next morning, well… it was like air being let out of a tire!!!

From then on, it was simply a matter of sticking to the program, and following instructions. Dr. Gluck and his staff are very good about following your progress, and making sure that you get all the post-op help that you need, including scheduling monthly appointments with the Nutritionist, an exercise specialist, and all the support groups that you could ever stand to attend.

Sooooo, as of this writing, which is exactly six months since my surgery, I have lost just over 100 pounds, my blood pressure and cholesterol have gone down like an elevator, blood sugar is normal, and I feel like a million bucks! The pain in my knees and feet is gone, I have more energy, and I sleep better. The symptoms of my carpal tunnel syndrome have even been reduced dramatically. I feel ten years younger at least, and I am looking forward to going through a sleep apnea test to see if I can give up using the C-pap machine that I have been dragging around with me for the last ten years or so.

During the period when I was considering having this surgery, I talked to a lot of people who had gone through it previously, asking all the usual questions, but my final question to each of them was “If you had it to do over again, would you?” Each and every one of them, (even the ones who had experienced complications) replied that they would do it again “In a New York minute!!!” Well, you can now add my name to that list, as this was absolutely the best gift that I could have given myself, and I certainly could not have done it without the help and guidance of Dr. Gluck and his wonderful staff.

So, if you are entertaining the idea of having this surgery for yourself, or a loved one, do yourself a favor and at the very least talk to the folks at “Life Without Limits”, even if you have to travel to Muskegon, it will be well worth your while. They have changed my life forever, and can do the same for you too!

Brad Curtis
10/25/05

My first impression with Dr. Gluck was that he was very serious. Well, I learned that he is serious about what he does, but he is also passionate about it too. He follows up on all of his patients and will not hesitate to call you at home if he has not seen you in a while. He loves to hear how you are doing and unlike some doctors, he enjoys listening to how your life has imporved.

Dr. Glucks aftercare programs are a must for all patients. He requires that you follow up with the dietician and that you attend a regular exercise program.

Dr. Gluck is a first rate surgeon who cares about all the aspects of care and weight loss.

Dr. Gluck is a committed, driven, knowledgeable, concerned and compassionate surgeon. He knows his stuff, and has a presence about him, without being arrogant. He has a wonderful beside manner, and if you don't like him or don't get along with him, it is YOU with the problem. His staff is fabulous, also knowledgeable and committed - yeah, yeah, they OUGHT to be committed for dealing with all us crazy heavy people(!) LOL - and the entire program is A-One, top notch, and worth anything it takes to get into the program!
Dr. Gluck tells it like it is, and if you want to cheat, and not do what you're supposed to do, and wish to put yourself at risk, you ARE going to hear about it.
When you combine him with Jeannette Waite at Mercy HEART Center for nutrition, and the monthly support group that is available, if there is any breakdown or failure, again, it will be because of YOU.
Dr. Gluck cares. His program is top notch. You can't go wrong by trying to be a part of his program!
And, with my experience almost a blur, I really have nothing negative to say, and with an 80 lb. weight loss in 4 months, my life has improved so much, ANYTHING negative I might have experienced has been totally overshadowed.
DEC. 26, 2004 - 8 months out, today, I am now down 120 lb., a full 1/3 less than what I weighed at my heaviest. I am now going on my THIRD round of smaller clothes. Dr. Gluck has remained right there for me if needed, as has been his staff. He is available for ANY of his patients, 24/7, and wants to know IMMEDIATELY of any kind of problem. I had a ONE DAY gallbladder flare up and he took care of it RIGHT NOW. I can't believe where I was and where I'm now at. It's still all a blur, but the best decision I've ever made in my life.
Dr. Gluck is a blessing from God to anyone who wants to make a change in their life and take a chance on GETTING a second chance to do life right!
Sept. 10, 2005 - Seventeen (17) months ago, Apr. 11, 2004, I began this odessy called bariatric surgery. I am now down ONE HUNDRED SIXTY (160) pounds from the start, 190 lb. from my heaviest at 375 lb. I weigh less now than I did in SIXTH (6th) grade! Who else remembers Sears Husky 18 pants? Dr. Gluck has asked me to STOP losing weight. When have you heard anything like THAT?!? :) On July 11, two months ago, they installed a new titanium hip, necessitated by my weight ruining my hip bones. The other hip will be replaced in another 6 weeks or so. Bariatric surgery was far easier to deal with than hip replacement and rehab, and even THAT isn't too bad!
I've gone from size 60 pants, to 38's. My shirt size is down from 3X to MEDIUM! OMG. EYE can't believe THAT! I have been posted at online date sites since Oct. 2003. I don't care WHAT they say, folks, size DOES seem to matter. The second looks these days, at 50 years old? Priceless. The people who don't recognize me any more? Priceless. The congratulations and well-wishes of people who see me today than haven't seen me in some time? Even MORE priceless.
I STILL say it was the easy way out. Everybody tells me it wasn't. They say I've worked hard, stuck to the program, and THAT's why it's worked. The results are nothing short of amazing. There is no reason NOT to cheat, to challenge what I can do and what I'm supposed to do. I NEVER again want to be where I was. NEVER! I feel good. I am a new person. I'm actually starting to believe what I see in the mirror, and WHO I see in the mirror - but, it's taken this long. I LIKE what I see in the mirror. And, I'll talk to ANYBODY that wants to talk about bariatric surgery, has concerns, has questions, needs one-on-one support. It changes LIVES! And, Dr. Gluck is still there. Still in the background. If I have a question or need him, he still answers within minutes or hours. He still cares. If I am a poster child for HIS program, HE is a poster child for what every surgeon should be - dedicated, with a continued fire in their eye, who CARES about what is done, and how, and how it affects the patient.
For me, life has begun again at 50. I thank God that I got that chance, and have been blessed with so many, like Dr. Gluck, to make that a reality!

From the beginning I felt so safe in what he had to offer. The longer I know him and his staff I feel so strong in what he does. He cares about the people not the money. We are people not a check. I couldn't ask for a better office staff they always answer your questions and not make you feel like you are stupid and they would make sure that I was clear on what they said. There is nothing I don't like about Dr Gluck. Brian called me before and after surgery. When I see him or his nurse they always make sure that I am doing what I should be doing and if I am having trouble they always help me work through what ever it is. I would rate Dr Gluck a 10+.

Dr Brain Gluck (D.O) he is a very good surgeon, and he make sure we walking day after surgery. the pain medicine helps me alot, His staffs are so great, they treat you very nice in his office and at the hospital. Dr. Gluck is tough doctor, if he see you won't follow his order, he won't want you to come back to him. I lost weights since the surgery, I am following his diets, his diets are good too. Dr. Gluck is the only one the take Molina Healthcares of Michigan in Michigan ONLY! He was from near detroit, then he married his nice wife and moved to muskegon, because he wanted more money, they were not offering him enough here in detroit area, His wife work at the office with him, she is nurse for weight loss surgery. he order a homecare to check on me once a week. He is great and BEST doctor in Michigan, I will says he should be #1 in Michigan.

He's very personable and knowledgeable about what he's offering me. After meeting with him I'm even more impressed. He has a personal attachment to using his skills to improve and sometimes RETURN life to those of us who are willing to properly use the tools he offers.

His office staff are also very passionate about the positive results Dr. Gluck offers. He and they are very honest that complications occur and he and they take great care so that they are avoided as much as is within their control.

I have yet to form any negative "likes" or "Dislikes" about Dr. Gluck. He's definately exceeded any preconcieved notions I had.

If you're in Michigan and able to get to see him - he has had the training and seems to have the touch in returning our lives to us.

He stresses continuous aftercare with support groups, regular appointments and checkups. If you miss one - they WILL track you down to find out WHY.

The structure of his aftercare exceeds any care I've received in any of my previous six surgeries. He doesn't just do the surgery, he actually CARES that you succeed!

All risks of surgery were fully explained and any off the wall situations I presented were answered to the point I'm confident this is the choice for me.

On a 1-10 scale I would rate him a 50!

After talking with other patients of his and having had surgeries in the past with other physicians - his bedside manner and surgical competence are exemplary.

My frist impression was that he was a very carning person as I had taken a client there with very special needs and he was great with her. Thank God for giving Dr. Gluck the gift to do this for the 100s of men and women that have has the surgery and for those who are following. Such a great person and well as his wonderful wife and sfsff. Keep up the good work. I'll do my best to follow what he tell me to do.He answered all my concerns before I could even ask. He is really up with the aftercare and he wants you to follow what he says for the great rewards. I have not been to a DO. Dr. in many years and if they could all be like Dr. Gluck I would change my family Dr. to one. He is just a geat person.

My Impression of Brian Gluck was very good. His Seminar was very informative, and his staff is so helpful. Dr. Gluck was my first choice and my last stop, I would definitely recommend Brain Gluck to anyone wanting WLS. I haven't had Surgery yet, but I'm sure Dr. Gluck and his staff will be just as helpful as they were getting me approved. I will update again after surgery...