"Most of my life I have been overweight. At the age of 44 I had topped out at 280 lbs. and was headed for a heart attack or stroke. I had been diagnosed with exercise induced asthma, uncontrolled high blood pressure, sleep apnea and I had constant headaches daily. Today, I have lost approximately 100 lbs. and have gone from 13 medications to 3. I have not had even one asthma attack in over a year. I am able to exercise and walk longer distances without difficulty breathing. I do not have sleep apnea now. And due to normal blood pressure I also no longer have headaches. I feel that because of the LapBand® procedure my life has been changed. Family activities are no longer a problem for me. I do not tire easily from daily routines."

"I would just like everyone to know how I feel about the LapBand® surgery. I feel like it gave me my life back. I have always had a weight problem. I have been on every diet program you can think of. Losing and gaining it back was my results. Then my heart problem started. At age 32, I had my first heart attack. By the time I reached 44, I had a total of 4. Doctors agreed that my weight problem had a lot to do with my heart trouble. I heard about the LapBand® surgery through a friend of mine at the doctor's office. After speaking with my friend, I set up an appointment for my first consultation. And then I went to two seminars before I had my surgery. Just hearing all the testimonies from the people who had the Lap-Band surgery was such a great feeling. Everyone needs to know that the LapBand® surgery can help you, but it only gives you a 50% chance and the other 50% chance has to come from you. Teamwork."

"In August 2001, I visited my OB/GYN for my annual physical. I weighed almost 250 pounds, which was the heaviest I had been in my life, including when I was pregnant with my twins. Fortunately my physician was familiar with the LapBand® procedure and suggested that I look into it. He had watched me struggle with my weight for 10 years, losing a few and gaining back a few more. I am the mother of four children and I noticed that as my weight increased I spent more time watching their lives and less time participating in them. That was not how I wanted to spend my life. I contacted the Hamilton Medical team and received the packet of information. After reading the packet and researching the surgery on the Internet, I scheduled an appointment for the evaluation. From that day forward my life has changed. Dr. Rick Fromm (or Dr. Rick as he is affectionately known to his patients) and Beverly spent time answering my questions, talking with me about my history, and my responsibilities if I elected to have the surgery. My surgery was March 5, 2002. Today my weight is 176 pounds. Now I am a participant in my life...not just a spectator. I love being healthy, feeling good, being able to exercise and enjoy my children. The benefits to my life cannot be measured. I am no longer tired and lethargic, food is no longer my enemy, and clothing is no longer a source of anxiety. Today I have the energy to do the things I want, the ability to eat and not gain weight and clothes have become a source of pleasure. I look forward to reaching my goal weight and enjoying my new life. "

 

"I've battled with my weight since age 12. I constantly tried new diets, and failed. My health was going downhill rapidly. Now, I finally have control after my lap band procedure. I'll never have to fight this losing battle again and my health problems are resolved. After losing almost 90 pounds, I've never felt so energetic and alive. My life is mine again and I live it to the fullest."

"At 379.9 pounds, I was miserable. My feet hurt so bad I could barely work my three 12 hour shifts. I couldn't walk to the bathroom in the middle of the night without crying in pain. I took naps to avoid my kids' activities. I was desperate and considering weight loss surgery. I looked at the gastric bypass but the complication and mortality rates were too high, considering my young children. Then I heard about the Adjustable Gastric Band. After some research, I chose Dr. Ponce in Dalton, Georgia for my procedure and have since lost 150 pounds. I will lose more, but now I am a success. I can walk without difficulty—even miles--and not be tired or out of breathe. I can hike with my children and keep up with them! I work 4-5 days a week and volunteer the other 2 days at my children's' school. My eleven year old says to me almost everyday, "Momma you are getting so skinny that I can get my arms around you with room to spare". I am a success because now I am living instead of just trying to survive. "

"A lifetime of obesity was leading me to an early death. At 272 pounds, I had developed diabetes, heart disease, and kidney dysfunction. No amount of willpower, "dieting," or good intentions was enough to help me lose, and more importantly, keep the excess weight off. After careful research, I had an adjustable laparoscopic band placed in late November 2000. I’ve lost 90 pounds and no longer take diabetes medication. This wonderful tool has allowed me to lose weight at a comfortable pace without hunger. The band and support from the Surgical Weight Management Center has also led to behavior changes like healthier eating choices and more exercise. With my healthier lifestyle, I’m taking advantage of work, family, and fun because now I can!"

I have been overweight all my life. I have been on every diet there is and have lost hundreds of pounds and gained it all back and more. But I also have always loved to eat with gusto. I never thought I would have a drastic surgery done that would restrict my eating because "I like to eat too much!" I would say. However, as my health continued to decline and I continued to get larger and more sedentary and more and more discouraged, I realized I wanted to LIVE WITH GUSTO and be healthy more than being able to "pig out" when ever I wanted to. I researched the gastric band surgery and felt confident it was safe and that Dr. Ponce knew what he was doing.

"I was introduced to the lap band procedure in December 2000 by a good friend of mine, who was having the procedure later in the month. I had battled with my weight since High School due to an injury to my knee that caused me to have surgery. I was always very active up till that point. I would eat just to have something to do. I did not eat because I was hungry, I would eat because it tasted good. In 1997 I tried Phen-Fen and lost 45 lbs, only to find out the side effects. In June of 1997 I became pregnant and gained that plus more back. I was at my heaviest ever 310 lbs. I tried more diets but nothing worked.

It has been only five months since my surgery and I have already lost 76 pounds. I have dropped from a size 46 waist to a 38. I am 20 pounds away from my goal of 170 pounds and a BMI of 26. I have struggled with a weight problem all of my life. In the last five years my weight began to spiral out of control. I tried all the diets, including fen-phen, and other drugs and herbal therapies. All of them led to short-term weight loss followed by rapid weight gain. I began researching other diet and weight loss options on the internet and that is where I learned about the LAPBAND® system. Soon after, I read an ad for a LAPBAND® seminar being held by Hamilton Medical Center and I attended the seminar. I chose Hamilton Medical Center because Dr. Ponce and his staff are some of the most experienced in the country at performing the LAPBAND® procedure. The entire staff at Hamilton Medical Center is top-notch, and the overall experience has been outstanding. The greatest thing about the Lap-Band® procedure is that I know I will be able to maintain my goal weight.

Buz's first recollection of being overweight was with a sprained back at his doctor's office in 1962 at the age of 12 when he weighed 222 pounds. The following years were: high school freshman at 245; sophomore 270; junior 285; and senior year was at 290 pounds. In college his weight was 325 during football season and higher in the off-season. In 1972 Buz joined the FBI and for 28 years his weight roller-coastered between 240 and 380 pounds. In 1998 he was diagnosed with advanced heart failure and when he retired in 2000 his life was sedentary. In late 2000 and early 2001, Buz participated in a promotional campaign for a weight loss product, and lost weight down to 305 pounds; but quickly rebounded past his original 390 to 430 pounds. Later that year, almost relegated to a wheelchair and feeling that this was his last option for weight loss, Buz was making arrangements to undergo the dangerous Gastric By-Pass surgery, when he learned of the LAPBAND® procedure being performed at Hamilton Medical Center by one of the top surgeons in this field in the United States. Buz contacted Hamilton Medical Center's Surgical Weight Management department in October, 2001. Since his LAPBAND® surgery at the end of January, Buz has gone from 430 pounds to 305 pounds.