Lap Band Surgery: March, 2009
Weight Loss: 104 lbs.

I have had an issue with my weight ever since I could remember. I am a young guy and certain problems started to happen, that were beyond me. Things like high blood pressure, diabetes and sleep apnea were things I thought only older people had, that is until it began to happen to me.

I was 21 years old at the time I was going to school to be an Emergency Medical Technician. This is when I started to learn a little about myself and my problems. About a year before I joined the class I was diagnosed pre-hypertensive. I gained 40 pounds year, added on to my already over-weight status. I was with some of my EMS friends one night at the station and one of them said “Charlie what is your face doing so red?” I told him I didn’t know, I had a headache all day, and didn’t really notice anything else. Well my friend said let’s check your blood pressure I got in the ambulance and was hooked up to the monitor. I could not see the monitor but I could see my friends face and he gave me a pretty ominous look .I ask him what it was and he said it was 190/116. I was advised to see a doctor the very next day because it was so high and did so with confirmation that I have high blood pressure.

That coupled with blood sugar problems and not being able to walk for very long without having to sit and rest and waking up in the middle of the night feeling like I was choking was scaring me. Not to mention all of the fat jokes and taunts that I received on a daily basis for about 6 years that really pulled my self esteem down enough where I just felt hopeless. I tried to exercise, tried diet pills, and it even got to the point where I was trying not to eat at all, then I would get so hungry I would pig put. Nothing worked and I felt like this was just the way it was going to be for the rest of my life, however long it lasted. I felt at this point my future looked pretty grim.

I saw a commercial one day on TV about this guy in Albany, GA that had this procedure called lap-band. I said what the heck I’ve tried everything else, why not go talk to him. That man was Dr. John Bagnato and from the minute I met him and talked to him about the lap band I was HOOKED. He was a super nice guy and knew his stuff. His staff was also absolutely wonderful, they were sympathetic and caring to a degree I had never been shown. I had my lap band placed March 2009, and so far it has been the best decision I have made in my life thus far. Dr. B’s staff have been there with me the whole way on my journey. The ladies at the treatment center are absolutely awesome also. They are the ones you get to go see for your checkups and fills. It was just an all around great experience and continues to be because of the amount of support and kindness you get from these wonderful people.

If you are contemplating lap band surgery, and you meet the criteria, I strongly encourage it. It will be the best decision you will ever make. I have no regrets at all! You won’t either. These people work miracles I have no other word for it!