Center for the Treatment of Obesity

Weight Loss Surgery

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At the Center for the Treatment of Obesity, our patients love sharing their success stories - and their  "Before" and "After" photos. Meet a few of our weight loss surgery patients.

Willie DePascale

When former chef Willie DePascale reached 392 pounds, and he experienced a heart attack a few years ago, this professional foodie realized that change was on the menu.

“It was a big wake-up call,” he says. “I’ve been dealing with my weight forever. I’m from an Italian family: You get depressed,  you eat. You have money problems, you eat.  I finally said to myself, ‘You’ve got to do something.’ "

After talking with a number of patients at the Center for the Treatment of Obesity, DePascale had his gastric band procedure at UCSD on July 25, 2007. He weighed 340 pounds.

As of November  2008, he's lost 116 pounds through sensible eating, the monthly post-op support group, and an exercise program incorporating cardio training, weight lifting and yoga. He's delighted that he can still enjoy his favorite foods – in moderation.

"I’m a chef at heart," says DePascale. “I still love food and a good bottle of wine. But if I’m going to have a glass of wine, I’ll do an extra half hour of cardio.”

And, he values the support of fellow patients and the entire CTO team. “I can call Jill (the program dietitian) any time and I know she’ll call right back," DePascale says. "I feel great, and I think they’ve done a great job. "

Willie DePascale before gastric banding	Willie DePascale after gastric banding: 116 pounds lighter!

Larry Tupper

For Larry Tupper, the final straw in his lifelong struggle with his weight was a shopping trip. Before a vacation cruise through the Panama Canal in 2006, he’d had to purchase pants in a size 44 – a long way from the size 36 of his dreams. Looking at the trip photos of himself at 5’10’ and 265 pounds, he recalls: “To say I was shocked is an understatement.“

Tupper, who underwent gastric lap-band surgery at UCSD with Dr. Horgan on Feb. 15, 2007, recently went trouser shopping again. “My goal was to be in 36s,” he says. “Now, I’m in 34s.” He has reached his goal weight of 190 pounds, the same as he weighed in high school.

The band, he stresses, is a tool, not a magic bullet. “It’s a band for your stomach, not a band for your brain. You’re still going to want to eat the food, but you can’t. It’s much easier to listen to your body when it tells you you’re full now, than it was. This is the first time in years I feel in control.” 

To add to that sense of control, Tupper sees a counselor who specializes in eating disorders -- “Losing the weight is just one aspect. Why did you gain it in the first place?” -- and attends a UCSD Medical Center support group with other lap banders. Above all, he enjoys the continuing support of Dr. Horgan and the rest of the lap-band team at the center. “Everyone wants to see you succeed,” says Tupper. “I would definitely do this again.”

Larry Tupper on vacation before his LAP BAND surgery	Larry Tupper after his LAP BAND surgery

 

Want to learn more? Join us for a free seminar on your weight loss options.