Bariatric Surgery Results: Pleasanton, San Ramon, East Bay-area Patients of Dr. Nguyen
Dat T. Nguyen, M.D., has changed hundreds of lives with bariatric surgery at his Pleasanton practice, serving residents of San Ramon and the entire East Bay area. We invite you to browse this before-and-after photo gallery to get a clear idea of the kind of results our patients routinely enjoy after bariatric surgery with Dr. Nguyen in Pleasanton, then read over some testimonials submitted by many of our pleased patients.
September 2002
Dear Doctor Malstrom:
I came to know Doctor Nguyen in July, 1999 when he joined the Kaiser South San Francisco Department of Surgery. I worked with him intimately until he moved to your community in March of this year.
We scrubbed together consistently, almost every week, and I came to know Doctor Nguyen very well.
He is a highly skilled bariatric surgeon, not only for the open procedure but also for the laparoscopic procedure, which he mastered very well. He is a conscientious, dedicated physician and he is an outstanding colleague.
As so often is the case, the student outstrips the teacher and Doctor Nguyen is now ahead of me in the field of laparoscopic gastric surgery which, as I mentioned above, he has mastered very well indeed.
... I doubt if there is anyone in your department who could match his skills in that field.
B.R. Meyerowitz, MD
FACS, FRCS
Weight loss surgery patients:
Hi,
My name is Susie Brown. Dr. Nguyen was my surgeon on two different occasions. The first one was an emergency. I was in a lot of pain at that time and he was very patient with me. He explained everything in simple language to me and my husband. The day that I was to leave the hospital, the nursing staff checked my temperature and I had a fever. They called Dr. Nguyen and he responded right away. I received antibiotics and stayed another night. I went home the next day feeling sore, but well.
The next time I saw Dr. Nguyen was in his office and again I was in a lot of pain. He examined me and sent me back to the hospital for testing. He consulted with a GI doctor and a diagnosis was made quickly. Antibiotics was ordered and I left the hospital feeling much better. But unfortunately, the infection would not leave. I had many courses of antibiotic therapy and the infection persisted. The only treatment would have to be surgery. Many things happened before I could have surgery, because Dr. Nguyen is thorough with his pre-op work-up. One of the pre-op thing that I remember was how well Dr. Nguyen explained everything to me, what to except before surgery,during, and the possible outcome of the surgery. He also explained what kind of pain medication he would order for me during my hospital stay. He gave me a prescription for medications after my discharge, so I knew I would have something for pain when I got home, if wa s comforting.
The day finally came and I went into surgery early morning. I woke up in my room and everything went well. I stayed ing the hospital for 4 days. Dr. Nguyen saw me everyday. The day of discharge Dr. Nguyen came in and asked if I wanted to go home, we decided to wait til later in the day. I finally went home that evening and everything was fine. During my follow up appointment, Dr. Nguyen explained how I should be feeling and what to expect my bowels to do from now on.
It has been over five years now and I feel great. No problems. Thanks to Dr. Nguyen.
Sincerely,
- Susie Brown, May 2008
Hello Dr. Nguyen, I wanted to let you know that I am doing absolutely wonderful since my successful weight loss surgery performed a little over two years ago, in August of 2005. To date, I now weigh in at 145lbs and I feel fabulous! As you can tell from my before photos, I was almost 300 pounds, and had been dealing with high blood pressure and arthritis in both knees. I was at a point in my life where I didn’t know what else to do because I had tried every diet in the book, and was unsuccessful. I can’t tell you how much this surgery has changed my life. Since I now have more energy, I am able to keep up with my 5 year old daughter, and I enjoy waking up every day, only to feel lighter and healthier. I am watching my diet and I exercise at a minimum of 3-4 days per week. This has been the first time in my life that I have been so motivated to keep up with an exercise program. I now watch what I eat because I never want to go back to the old me. Again, thank you so much for helping me and I will keep you updated on my progress.
- Andreya Nobles
This surgery has changed my life. Already I can see and feel the difference in my health, my energy level. I have more vigor, more desire to go out into the world and live my life. Dr. Nguyen is a very talented surgeon, and a caring one at that. He made certain that I knew all of the risks and complications of the surgery, and was right there to help me determine which option was right for me. He explained very clearly to my family and I exactly what would occur every step of the way, and was by my side in the hospital making sure I was doing well.
In every post-op visit I have had with him so far, Dr. Nguyen has taken time to answer all of my questions. He’s been attentive and compassionate, genuinely concerned for my well-being and success in taking on this new lifestyle. When I’ve had a problem, he’s made himself available without delay to ensure my health and safety. Until Dr. Nguyen, I had never had a doctor personally call to check up on me before, just to make sure I was doing alright.
In my experience, many doctors seem somewhat robotic – looking at their computer screen while jotting a few things down, without appearing to actually be listening at all. Dr. Nguyen is one of the exceptional ones, showing more humanity and care to his patients than most others I’ve encountered. Surgery can be frightening, but he truly made me comfortable and calm going into it. He has been a blessing ever since. I feel so privileged to have had such a great experience with this surgery, and even more so to have had Dr. Nguyen as my surgeon.
- Danielle Adams, age 21. 9 weeks post-op. Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass.
My name is Robert Alonzo. I am 42 years old. I was 41 years old and 350 pounds when my daughter informed me that she was getting married, and that I needed to do something drastic so that I would be around for my grandchildren. I was referred to Dr. Dat Nguyen by my medical doctor, Dr. Cheney. I was accepted into the Valley Care Bariatric program. I received a lot of education through a variety of classes covering diet and nutrition. Other classes included the psychological, physical & mental changes that would be required for this surgery to have long term success.
I had the surgery on December 13, 2006. I followed the program guidelines to the letter and tracked everything. I maintained my new habits after returning to work and here it is 10 months later and I was able to wear a tuxedo smaller than the one I got married in 14 years earlier. I have lost a total of 155 pounds to date. I am very impressed with Dr. Nguyen and the Valley Care Health Systems Bariatric program. Without their assistance, education and follow-up support, I would not be where I am today.
- Rob Alonzo
I have been over weight my whole life. I have tried dieting on my own, eating healthy and NutriSystem. I have lost as much as 30 pounds within a month and gained it right back and then some. I even changed my habits and went on a 1200 calorie diet and starting exercising with a trainer on a daily basis and never had any success. I was 335 pounds at 30 years old. I was miserable and felt ugly and was the heaviest I’ve ever been in my life. When I met Dr. Nguyen he was very kind to me and explained that I had to lose 18 pounds before the surgery and explained to me the reason why. He explained to me that the weight that came off would make room for him to go in and move around to conduct the surgery. Everything that I needed to do was advised and given with an explanation. He was always very thorough in explaining to me what was going to happen/ what to expect and what needed to be done. I went through 3 months of Nutritional classes which were very beneficial to me. And I can go back at any time as a result of having the surgery through Valley Care with Dr Nguyen. I have lost over 150 pounds and look and feel great! After my surgery Dr Nguyen was available any time I needed to talk to him. A couple times I even paged him at night and he always responded in a calm/ polite and timely manner. He has never been rude or short with me. He was always willing to take the time to answer my questions as silly as they may have been. And he always took the time to talk to me at my post op appointments and ask how I was feeling, if there were any problems, etc. I have never felt rushed when talking to him. He has always been very kind and always asks how I am and most important do I have any questions about what has happened or what to expect, etc. Dr Nguyen has been nothing but kind, professional and patient with me and I owe my life to him. I have lost over 150 pounds and am still losing. It has been 2 years now and I have kept off the weight and continue to lose at a slow pace. I am able to go out with confidence and do fun activities with my daughter now that I feel I didn’t have the energy to do before the surgery. I just recently met with Dr Nguyen again and asked for a referral for plastic surgery. Dr Nguyen is an angel that I was lucky enough to have come into my life. Thank you Dr Nguyen!
- Jennifer Rowe,2 Years Post-Op, Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass
My physician highly recommended Dr. Nguyen, who has extensive experience and is extremely qualified, when I began to consider having GBS. Throughout this process, Dr. Nguyen has always been very helpful and informative. Prior to the surgery he spent the time necessary to review the procedure and expectations with me and my family in detail, in a way that was easily understandable. The illustrations provided during that time were especially helpful. He is very kind and was able to easily address any questions and/or concerns I had.
The surgery has certainly changed my life for the better. Prior to the surgery I had several health issues including High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol, Thyroid, and Pre-Diabetes. Although I was taking medication for most of my health issues for some time, they were not being resolved and I continued to gain weight as a result. In addition, I had very little energy which affected the quality of my life and time spent with my family. Just a few short months after the surgery my health issues have been eliminated and my energy level is much higher. Although before the surgery I did not consider myself an unhappy person, I know now that my life and happiness was very much affected by my weight and accompanying health issues. Even though I only had the surgery a few months ago, and am still working and looking forward to meeting and maintaining my ideal weight, I am already reaping the rewards of my short term success. I am very pleased with the pre and post op services provided by Dr. Nguyen, my weight loss to date, my ability to successfully transition to this lifestyle change, and with my quality of life which has improved significantly.
- Ista Pinon, age 36, 12 weeks Post-Op, Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass, has lost 55 pounds
I am very grateful to Dr. Nguyen & the surgery for giving me a new life. I have been amazed how the surgery has positively affected my health in such a short time. In less than five weeks I am completely off both oral medications and both forms of insulin for my diabetes. It is a miracle since I was on close to 300 units of insulin alone. Thank you so much to Dr. Nguyen for helping me to live a healthy life. I now have hope of living a long, healthy life.
- Kim Keppel, 5 weeks Post-Op, Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass
When I started this journey at my primary care physician office, I weighed 298lbs wearing a size 26W. Today I weigh 175 lbs and wear a size 12. (Sometimes I can wear a 10 too, that’s exciting). My body has found its comfort zone at 175. My husband keeps telling me how great I look but I tell him the funny thing is I really don’t feel like I look that different until I look at pictures. I now look how I felt before. I love being able to shop in any store I want. I can buy clothes because I like them not because they will fit.
The weight loss surgery that I had on June 25, 2005 has changed my life. I have had a weight problem all my life. I was put on Weight Watches when I was 8 years old because I weighed over 100lbs in the 2nd grade. I was successful in my weight loss at such a young age. I was also successful in keeping it off through most of the school years until I went off to college. As soon as I went to college, I began to gain weight and over the following 20 years I had gained 170lbs. Not all at once, just over time. I tried so many diets; you name it I can tell you about. Some I tried more then once thinking this time it will work. After having my first child my weight had ballooned to just shy of 300lbs. Being that I was only 5’4”, that was considered morbidly obese. I was very fortunate that I did not have any major medical issues to go along with my obesity but I knew if I did not get it under control it was only a matter of time until I did. I began to research gastric bypass surgery. I have an acquaintance that had the surgery and she looks great. I talked with her at great length and asked many questions. She had major complications during and after her surgery. When I asked her with all the complications she had, would she do it again and she said YES, no hesitation. She is a nurse so I figured she knew what she was talking about.
I went to my primary care physician who was very supportive. She helped me work the insurance red tape in order to qualify so they would pay. It took awhile to get through the red tape but I just felt if I could get the surgery, it was what I needed to start my new journey. It took me about 6 months to fulfill all my insurance requirements and get approved to see Dr. Nguyen. I remember the day I got to meet Dr. Dat Tien Nguyen to discuss the surgery. I came with my questions, my husband came with his.
I was full of joy but no one knew why. I kept it very secret only telling my immediate supervisor and a few close friends right before surgery. People are funny about gastric bypass surgery. Everyone has their own opinion, even those who know little about it. If people only really knew, they would not judge.
The classes that were required to attend at Valley care for the Weight Loss Program were so beneficial. Valerie was so helpful and the information they gave us was right on. We learned a lot about nutrition and how to eat after the surgery. The most beneficial was the stages I would go through and how I might feel. The classes covered what would happen from surgery to after the weight loss. For example, they talked about plateaus in weight loss after surgery. That was so helpful because I knew all too well about weight loss plateaus. I did not believe that as I ate my three 1-oz cups of food that I would plateau; it did happen. I was so glad they covered that because then I knew this was just a phase.
Let me go back to my surgery. I remember the day of my surgery, it went so well. It was the day to my new beginning. I did not have any complications and was able to leave the hospital in 2 days. I followed the program and did exactly what they said. I took a month off work to learn to eat differently. I put an exercise program into my life. The month I took off from work was critical to learning a new way of life.
Until I experienced what it felt like to eat 1 oz of apple sauce and feel so full that I have to stop I did not understand. During all the classes they talk about eating small amounts and stopping when you are full. I also did not have the cravings I had before the surgery. After the first 6 weeks of liquids and soft foods I was nervous about eating real food again. The part I loved more then anything is I did not crave sweets; I did not care to have the chocolate anymore. Food was different for me now. My life did not revolve around what was for Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner. This was an adjustment for my family also. I did not care what we ate. It changed the family dynamics. My husband decides more often than I do what we have for dinner now.
Most important, my weight loss has given me the confidence I did not have at 298lbs. I am and was a productive person but the weight loss has re-newed my confidence. It’s funny how people treat me so differently now. In the beginning, after I had lost weight and people were treating me different I was angry. I felt I was the same person as before the weight loss. I decided to let that part go and enjoy the new me.
I have such a great time with my kids now. For the first time in over 15 years I was able to go on a roller coaster. I can ride the rides with my 5 year old and not worry about the weight limit. I even go bike riding with my 5 year old. You would not have caught me doing that at 298lbs. I go to the pool and feel good about how I look. I don’t feel like a whale anymore at the pool. I feel like I am just like all the others there.
I have learned to love the new me and enjoy my new life. I feel and look better today at 42 then I did at 30. This has changed my life.
THANK YOU DR. NGUYEN
- Tammy Kyle
Colon and rectal surgery patients:
Dr. Dat Tien Nguyen is a very personable and experienced colorectal and cancer surgeon. In addition to providing excellent surgical care, he is also very interested in the total well-being of his patients. It is difficult to find a doctor like Dr. Nguyen today.
I came to Dr. Nguyen after being diagnosed with a colon cancer. I was pleasantly surprised to find that he spent more time than most doctors would today to assess my problem. In addition, he explained all the options for treatment of the cancer. I was happy to find that Dr. Nguyen could perform the surgery laparoscopically. Apparently, he has done many colon and rectal surgeries this way since 1996. Because I am a Jehovah’s Witness, I do not believe in blood transfusion. Dr. Nguyen respected my belief and reassured me that he would perform surgery with minimal blood loss to avoid transfusion. True to his words, he performed the surgery laparoscopically without blood transfusion. I was amazed by the rapidness of my recovery after this surgery. I subsequently had chemotherapy as part of the treatment for cancer. The doctors at UCSF were astonished at the excellent result of Dr. Nguyen’s surgery.
I would highly recommend anyone with colon and rectal cancer to see Dr. Nguyen because of his excellent surgical care and his genuine interest in the patient’s well being.
- D. Steele
Dublin, California
Dear Dr. Nguyen,
I would just like to thank you for everything you’ve done for me. In 2004, you accepted me as a patient with a very complicated history and circumstance. You willingly reviewed all of my history and evaluated whether or not, and how, you could help me. I appreciated the honesty with which you spoke to me. When taking on my case, you involved the appropriate doctors, who in your opinion were the best in their fields, to help make my surgeries as successful as possible. You also did not allow me to believe the surgeries would be easy nor had a high success rate. My chances for success were 30% and although it was difficult, you kept my expectations realistic.
I am so glad I put my trust and faith in you! You not only performed the surgeries expertly, I can also say that I am one of those 30% success cases! And it is all thanks to you! Without your careful, methodical, and patient ways, I know I would be on a whole different playing field today. You not only performed your medical expertise, you shared an incredible bedside manner that is unmatched in my opinion! Of all the hospitals and surgeons I have met over the last 10 years, you by far, surpass them all in ALL areas. Not only did you take care of me and my many needs, you also took care of my family, in particular my mom. You were always considerate of her needs and feelings as being my primary caregiver. She felt more comfortable with you as my surgeon then anyone up at UCSF. You took the time to listen to our questions and concerns and always gave an honest answer (even if it wasn’t what I wanted to hear).
I know the surgeries you performed on me were difficult and rare, and because you took a lot of time planning and preparing, we all can smile today! There are not enough words or ways to thank you! You have not only given me my life back, you’ve given me a quality of life that is wonderful to look forward to!
THANK YOU, THANK YOU!
- Staci Levine
Contact Dr. Nguyen
When patients work with Dr. Nguyen and his bariatric surgery and support team in Pleasanton, they can be assured of receiving the very best in personal care. Our entire team is dedicated to working with patients to help them reach their weight loss goals and begin a healthy, happy lifestyle. If you or someone you love is obese and would like to learn more about bariatric surgery, contact our Pleasanton practice, delivering results to patients from San Ramon and the East Bay communities.
Contact Dr. Nguyen to schedule a bariatric surgery consultation in Pleasanton.
Dat T. Nguyen, M.D., Inc.
5565 W. Las Positas Blvd. Ste. 360, Pleasanton, California 94588
Phone: (925) 460-3205
Fax: (925) 460-3795