Steve Zogg

A year and a half after getting the LAP-BAND^® I have lost 117 pounds. A new me has emerged in a way I never thought could be experienced. Before my lap band surgery, every type of diet you can imagine had been tried, "been there done that." While working at the Fort Worth Specialty Surgery Center with Dr. Smith, I jumped at the opportunity for him to do my surgery. Now I have tremendous energy and no longer have any problems with sleep apnea, gastric reflux, and heartburn. It has taken me almost a year to mentally realize that I am not big anymore, even though I now wear the same size pant of my high school years.

The band has really changed my life -- it's cliché, but true. I am now one of the most active "Band" advocates around. When asked for ID, the person usually does a double take at the picture and says, "Boy, you have lost a lot of weight! This hardly looks like you!"

Duane Barritt

I was just like everyone else, I had tried every diet there was in the universe, Nutri-System, Jenny Craig, Adkins, the popcorn diet; I did it all... only to lose the weight and then put it back on.

Obesity tends run in my family, except my dad who weight only 140 pounds soaking wet. My mother and brothers and sister were all over weight. My oldest brother weighed 500 pounds at the time of his death and my other brother weigh 350 pounds at his time of death. Both died at 50 years old from congestive heart failure.

As I got near my 50th birthday I started wondering if I could die early too. I knew the odds were that I would not be around to see my 13 and 10 year old daughters grow to mature young women. I knew that I needed to do something but I had given up on dieting. One day my wife came home from work and said some of her coworkers had the lap band surgery; she said they had been successful and her insurance would pay for it.

In February I went my family doctor for my annual check up and weighed in at 296 pounds. I went home and started doing research on the lap band. I found out that is was a minimally invasive surgery with lower risk and high success rate. I found the Fort Worth Lap Band on the web, and then as they say the rest is history. Since then I have lost 100 pounds. I have dropped from a size 50 pants to a 32-34. I went from a XXXL to a Large Shirt. I even dropped from a double EE in my shoe size to a B width.

I want to thank Dr. Smith and his team for what they did for me. I now have the energy to chase after my 13 and 10 year old girls, my grandchildren and now I enjoy life. In conclusion all I can say is if you can do it, it will be the best thing you can do for yourself. My kids tell me they like the skinny dad better than the old grouchy dad and that is worth everything to me.

Rose Hernandez

I am a 35 year old and Italian female with ( three young children. After the birth of my last ( child I was a stay at home Mom for a year. I became depressed and fell into bad eating habits and the weight piled on. I had my lap band procedure done on May 11, 2004. At that time my 5'4" frame was tipping the scales at around 245 pounds. I was having back, knee and feet pain due to my weight. I was very nervous about having this procedure done. At the seminar I discovered that Dr. Smith had the procedure done himself. This made me feel like he was someone who had walked in my shoes and knew exactly the way I felt about being over weight. Knowing this made my decision easier. This is a life changing experience for anyone. Before I ( was unable to keep up with my youngest son, unable to enjoy the simplest ( pleasures in life, walking the dog, riding bikes with the kids, even getting in and out of the car was a chore. I was stuck in huge shirts that hung to my knees, my home life suffered, I didn't want to be seen in public. I felt the children were embarrassed to be seen with me; my self-esteem had taken a turn for the worse. Out of desperation to ( repair my home life I scheduled the surgery.

I now weigh 127 pounds and am able to enjoy life to its fullest. I've learned healthy eating habits and have an exercise program. The whole family is healthier and happier. My self-confidence is great and I am able to keep up with everyone and I walk holding my head high! Best of all, I've ( achieved my secret little dream of putting on a bikini!

Thanks Dr. Smith!