Read more of our Testimonials
If you would like to submit a testimonial, please use this form.
Date of Operation: November 1, 2004
| Before | After |
|---|---|
|
|
|
Stuff it down, please everyone, give, give, give, seldom take. That was who I had become and the result of which was to feel "pleasure" or rewarded I ate, and ate and ate. Lets start at the beginning. I was a High School and College athlete and looking back that is when the bad eating habits began, eat 5000 calories a day but then I was expending 3500 calories a day so I was okay however the moment I stopped I began gaining and gaining and gaining. Then I found the man of my dreams and was happy so...I ate. In 1995 I had my first baby 2 more would follow in 1997 and in 1999, 1999 the year life as I new it would stop. On October 12, 1999 my third child was diagnosed with cancer at 11 weeks old, the following three years were the darkess of my life a constant battle I was so low, so I ate. Ultimately my son would be cured and at the end of the battle I was now 225 pounds. My mantra went from mother of sick kid to FAT women not good mother, good wife , good person no, just FAT. Long story to say the Gastric Band has changed my life, as the pounds came off I rediscovered the woman god meant for me to be. I always new there was a skinny, healthy girl inside me but had no idea how to find her, thank goodnes the people at Synchrony also new she was in there and new how to help me find her. I now am an active participant in my life and the lives of my family. I now weight 128 lbs I weighed that last in seventh grade. My mantra now.. strong confident woman, great mom, wife, daughter, friend, HAPPY and HEALTHY PERSON.
Date of Operation: May 31, 2006
| Before | After |
|---|---|
|
|
|
I felt desperate and unable to lose weight. I had to do something! I decided to have lap band surgery on Wednesday, the 31st of May 2006. I weighed 301 pounds that day. The surgery was short and I was home the same day. Two days later I cleared to drive.I returned to work on the following Monday. The staff and Dr. Osborne called and checked on me after surgery and they have continued to be a constant form of support. The fantastic staff at Synchrony Health has given me the tools to lose weight and keep it off. They are always available to answer questions and offer encouragement. I love to go to the monthly support meetings. During the meetings the fellow patients and the staff bring up things that keep me motivated. We discuss topics important to lap band patients and people pursuing a healthier lifestyle. Wow, for the first time in ten years I feel I can do this. I can lose this weight and keep it off. Dr. Osborne and his staff are very caring. Every one greets me with a smile. They always make me feel they have time for me and that they will be there for the whole journey. Today is November 20th 2007 and I have lost 115 pounds. I am about two thirds of the way to where I want to be. I hope to take off 60 more in the next year. I am committed to making this work. It is going to happen!
Date of Operation: November 18, 2005
| Before | After |
|---|---|
|
|
|
To all who know us, we are “Darren and Jill.” When I introduce myself, I always say, “This is Jill, of Darren and Jill.” We are partners in most everything we do; gaining weight was not an exception. When we were married in 2001, our waistlines were big and we knew it. We acknowledged that something needed to be done. We joined Weight Watchers online and enjoyed much success, for a while. After we went off of the plan, we gained our weight back and then some. After a while of indulgence, we decided that enough was enough and started seeing a Registered Dietician. Through her we learned to identify patterns in our weight fluctuations and relearned what healthy eating is all about. After a year of meetings with the dietician, we decided to evaluate our success with her. At this point, 6’4” Darren weighed in at 430 pounds (52 BMI) and 5’8” Jill came in at 294 pounds (44.7 BMI). Darren had lost about thirty pounds at the beginning and had gradually gained it back toward the end of the year. Jill had managed to keep twenty pounds off from where she began, but neither of us could see the finish line. We were in a crisis situation both physically and emotionally. At the young age of 31, Darren had been experiencing health problems that generally plague those much older in age: gout, severe sleep apnea, extreme joint pain, difficulty breathing. Jill, at 28, was experiencing joint pain, loss of bladder control, asthma and also had mild sleep apnea. Although news reports kept stating that the nation was in the midst of an obesity epidemic, we began to realize just how different we were from everyone else. We both love to travel and on the occasions that we flew, we had to ask for seatbelt extenders. No one ever questioned why, or was outwardly rude or snide to us, but we felt humbled, discouraged and disgraced because of our weight problem. In public settings, we always sought out the armless chairs if they were available (our legs and hips wouldn’t fit if there were arms on the chairs). In restaurants, we would opt for the table instead of a booth because we were too large to fit, unless our bellies were squished up to the table. Emotionally, we had given up. We had plans to move to the mid-west where we thought that life would slow down for us. Deep down, we wanted to escape from the web that we had woven. We were afraid to progress with our goal of starting a family because we knew that we would not be able to keep up with everything that life demanded. We looked at ourselves as worthless to our employers, our friends and society in general. We always put on a good front for everyone, but this is what you would find if you scratched the surface. After evaluating our success with the dietician, we expressed to her how frustrated we were with our progress. We had changed a lot of things in our life: we were exercising more, we were eating better, but we were always HUNGRY. We kept asking ourselves the same question over and over, “Why isn’t there a magic hat or pill that would get rid of the cravings we had?” We had asked her in the beginning, so we asked her again if she believed that our only hope was gastric bypass surgery. What she said to us that day has changed our life forever. She said, “Maybe you would be good candidates for the LAP-BAND procedure.” Having never heard of such a thing, we began our research and liked what we saw. In August of 2005, we attended one of the informational seminars given by Dr. Eric Pinnar. We knew at that moment that this procedure was the tool we needed to make a difference in our lives. We knew that there was a chance that our insurance would not cover this procedure, but we were determined to make this happen. After making financing arrangements and taking an already-scheduled vacation, we were ready physically and mentally to have our procedures. Jill scheduled our surgery for November 18, 2005. Yes, that is one week before Thanksgiving. Darren’s initial reaction was “Great, now you have ruined Thanksgiving for us.” Then after some thought and personal reflection, Darren realized just how special every Thanksgiving would be after that. One week before surgery, we were required to begin a low-carbohydrate, all liquid diet. After the surgery, we would also need to endure two weeks on all liquids. Since we did not have children, we had the luxury of taking extreme measures to prepare for our surgery, so we purged all the food in our house. We kept only the bare essentials: protein drinks, soups and low-calorie drink mixes. If we were going to be tempted, it was going to be on the only solid food left in the pantry: the dogs’ food. Being partners through it all (and not having children to care for), we decided that if we were going to do this, it was going to be done together. On Friday, November 18, 2005, Dr. Eric Pinnar changed our lives forever by performing our surgeries at Reston Hospital Center. Both procedures went well and we were back to work within a week. We were so moved by how the LapBand surgery changed our lives, that in July 2006, Jill became a member of the Dr. Pinnar’s team, leaving her previous field of financial services. Jill’s desire to help others who suffer from obesity prompted this drastic change in her career path. We both speak at the bi-monthly prospective patient seminars in hopes of inspiring others to consider the Lap-Band procedure as the tool to change their lives. We are now approaching our second anniversary and our lives couldn’t be more different. We have each lost at least 100 pounds since surgery. Physically, we are both exercising regularly (because we enjoy it), we feel satisfied after having a small meal. The best news is that Jill was able to enjoy a healthy pregnancy and in June of 2007 our first daughter was born. With our new lease on life, we are looking forward to the next 40 or 50 years instead of wondering whether or not we can make the next 30.
Date of Operation: August 23, 2006
| Before | After |
|---|---|
|
|
|
My lap-band is my absolute best friend! I have been a hospital nurse for ten years and took care of many dying patients that had gastric bypass surgery. I knew that was not an option for me. When I did the research on the lap-band and found out that it was reversible (I will NEVER give mine up though), with no cutting or re-routing of the intestines, out-patient surgery and that I could reasonably afford it, I knew that was the best decision for me. I lost all of my weight within the first year. I went from a size 18/20 to a size 2! I have done so well and love my band so dearly, that my husband decided to have his lap-band surgery in May 2007. He went from a size 42 waist to a 32! We want to shout to the world how happy we are and how much we love our bands! Two weeks after I had my surgery, I came to work for Synchrony (formerly Cincinnati Weight Loss Center). I couldn't be more blessed because I get to work doing something I am so passionate about on a personal and professional level. I love to talk about my beloved band more than anything. My only regret is that I couldn't have had this surgery before. I wasted so many years being fat and sad. NEVER AGAIN!!!!!!
Date of Operation: May 9, 2007
| Before | After |
|---|---|
|
|
|
I had my lap-band surgery this past May after seeing the amazing results that my wife had with her lap-band. I have never been happier in my life than I am today, and it is 100 percent due to my band. I have went from a 42 in my pants to a 32! My health is outstanding and my energy is unstoppable. All of these things are amazing reasons why I am so happy with my band, but the most powerful reason is the peace of mind that it has given me for the future. My son was born with significant kidney damage. His nephrologist told my wife and I that the hardest time on his body and kidneys would be puberty and that is when it would be likely that he would need a kidney transplant. He told my wife and I to make sure that we were in excellent health which would allow us to donate our kidney if necessary. Our lap-band may save our son's life. He is 10 years old and approaching puberty soon. My wife and I are now extremely fit, healthy and ready at any moment to give him our kidney.
Date of Operation: October 25, 2005
| Before | After |
|---|---|
|
|
|
I have lost 100 inches and 100 pounds since surgery 2 years ago. It was the best decision I made to have the surgery, even though I had to pay for it myself. I saw it as an investment in my future with a guaranteed ROI of 100%!
Date of Operation: February 17, 2005
| Before | After |
|---|---|
|
|
|
Before I became banded and lost my weight, my feet hurt, I had sleep apnea, and I had asthma. I wasn’t comfortable being seen in public. And although I’m an outgoing person, I found myself staying at home behind closed doors, not venturing out, and really missing out on realizing my potential. Once I discovered the Lap Band, all that changed. I regularly attended and participated in the support groups offered. I listened to what my nurses and doctors advised. I got adjustments when I needed. And basically, I did what they recommended and it worked! I've lost 110 pounds and gone from a BMI of 43 to a BMI of 26!