Lite & Smart DIMENSIONS™ Patient Blog

It is no surprise that weight loss is usually at the top of the list when people make New Years resolutions. Don’t let another year go by with out attaining this goal. Our team has performed more than 7000 surgical weight loss procedures. Now is a good time to contact the office to begin your journey.

Orange Coast Memorial and Fountain Valley Regional Hospital have both just been recertified as Centers Of Excellence in Bariatric Surgery by the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. This recertification also includes our four surgeons, Doctors LePort, Chin, Ali and Francis.

Centers of Excellence certification means that our facilities, doctors, equipment, education materials and surgical outcomes have been inspected and scrutinized, and meet all the benchmarks required.

We are very excited to inform our patients all over Orange County, LA and the inland empire about a new cash price for lap band surgery.  In the past, most patients spent one night at the hospital. Now that almost all of our lap band patients go home the same day, our hospitals have reduced the cash significantly. 

 Our cash rate is now competitive with most surgery centers, with the peace of mind of knowing your surgery will be performed in a hospital with the ASMBS distinction of “Centers Of Excellence” in bariatric surgery. Please call the office to find out more on this new cash pricing

Physical exercise plays an important role to maintain or increase your physical well being.  This is especially true if you have a chronic illness, like morbid obesity. We are very excited to let our patients know about the Goodwill Fitness Center which was designed exclusively for people with chronic illnesses and disabilities.

Many morbid obesity patients feel intimidated in the usual fitness center setting.  Because of the unique population that the Goodwill Fitness Center serves, most patients who attend find the facilty comfortable and non threatening. Regular exercise is one of the most important  lifestyle changes needed to be a weight loss surgery success!

Each new member is required to have a fitness assessment. Based on the individual’s capabilities and goals, an exercise program is developed. Physical therapy sessions are also available with a prescription from your doctor.

Please call the office and speak to Ellen if you would like more information about the Goodwill Fitness Center. 714-966-2009.

You can also visit their website at ocgoodwill-fitnesscenter.org.

I wanted to let our past and prospective patients all over Orange, Los Angeles  and Riverside counties  know about some additional services and weight loss tools we provide through Lite and Smart Dimesions.

Every third Wednesday of the month we hold a post op nutrition class at the Center For Obesity at Orange Coast Memorial Hospital.  This class is faciliated by a registered dietician, Mary Sierson, who has been working with our patients for years. The topics vary from month to month, but include guidelines for weight loss plateaus, changing your eating behavior, healthy cooking and restaurant eating and more. She even plans a field trip to the local supermarket for  “hands on” experience on label reading and healthy shopping.  Please contact the office if you would like more information about the “A New Weigh of Life” Class series

One of the most important aspects of continuing to be successful after bariatric surgery is follow up.  Scheduling routine appointments with your surgeon will help make you more accountable.  It is also important for our practice to see our patients on a regular basis. Our program is certified with the Surgical Review Corporation as a Center of Excellence in bariatric surgery.  With this certification comes the responsibility of following our patients at least once a year for five years.  Please call to make your appointment to see your surgeon!

The patient eligibility criteria for adjustable laparoscopic bands is changing!  Our practice is now accepting patients with BMI 35-40 without serious comorbidities.  This change will allow more people access to this powerful weight loss tool.

  In the past, our practice required a BMI of 40, or 35-40 with either hypertension, sleep apnea or diabetes. Please call if you are interested in lap band surgery. We take patients and insurance companies from all over Orange, Los Angeles and Riverside counties!

I have been working with  bariatric surgery patients in Orange County for more than 25 years. Recently, I have had several past gastric bypass patients who were 7-10 years out from surgery contact me to thank us for helping them make the long lasting lifestyle changes that are necessary to be successful after weight loss surgery. It is the most gratifying part of my job to know that I have helped people lose weight and do things in life that never would have been possible before surgical weight loss. New careers, new loves, children when pregnancy was not possible before surgical weight loss ! The list goes on and on.

Remember, we take insurance contracts from all over the state of California, Los Angeles, Inland Empire, Santa Barbara and Ventura county. Even patients as far north as San Luis Opispo and Paso Robles. Keep us in mind for friends and family needing surgical weight loss any where in southern California.

I had the surgery in 2001.  I have since moved to the UK and having incredible problems convincing the Drs.  here of my need for B-12.  They insist that since my levels are showing OK…………I don’t need the shot.  One Dr made me wait 2 years until the levels became dangerously low. 

The problem is the test showing I am OK.  Each time I have to convince the Dr.  or go without the shot for months to prove it.  I suffer something awful,  with all the symptoms.  When they do finally allow me to have them,  it is only once every 3 months.  I have since taken to my husband giving me shots with the medicine I get from the Internet.  This makes me very angry and upset.  After my shot,  I am a different person, until the next time.  Why won’t they just believe me?  I have showed her all kinds of evidence,  but none really explain why my levels show “normal” and I am still symptomatic.    Now I have to go fro another blood test as the one Dr.  rescind theother Dr’s.  order to change it once every 2 months.  She has even accused me of being “psychologically” dependent on the drug.  Funny,  the sores in my mouth and on my tongue,  the tiredness,  the muscle spasms are not a figment of my imagination.

If you read this,  Dr LePort can you help me?  Can you send some kind of research to show her that I need it,  even though the tests are “normal”.

Thanks for listening-