Chicago Institute of Minimally Invasive Surgery Bariatric Center

8/07 Hi everyone!! I had surgery with Dr. Frantzides and his team a little over 3 years ago. My starting weight was almost 470 pounds, and as of today I weigh 220. So I have lost 250 pounds and have kept it off for awhile now. I am eternally grateful for this surgery and for Dr. F.'s surgical expertise. I never had any problems with anything after surgery, except for some fluid buildup which needed to be drained and is fairly common (as long as I followed the rules!!) and it has been a lifesaver for me. How else would I have been able to go on rollercoasters, ride a horse and climb the Great Wall in China??? My life has turned around. I have to say however that this is not an easy way out. It required an excellent surgeon, extensive follow-up and counseling, following the rules strictly (especially in the beginning), and exercising alot!!! I feel this is a lifelong \"Disease\" and requires constant effort to get the results you want. But what in life that is worth anything comes easily?? Thank you again Dr. F and team. I will forever be grateful for all your help.rnrn rn

I had surgery 4 years ago and I was recommended to Dr. F from other patients. The experience has been fantastic. His knowledge blows me away. I always had a high level of comfort with him. I've lost 160 pounds. He also did my abdominoplasty, which ended up looking fantastic. He is a very personable doctor. Most doctors may not remember you 4 years down the road, but he always remembers me. He's straightforward, to the point and he doesn't beat around the bush. He's honest. He gave me my life. I didn't really have much of a life before I had the surgery and now I've made a 180 degree turn for the better!

From the first visit to today has been nothing but wonderful. This was the best decision I ever made and everyone at Dr. Frantzides's office is sincerely nice and caring. I have lost 72 pounds in 3 months!!!! I have been able to stop taking my water pill and I found I don't need it any more. I can move around better and chase my kids around. I'm going to take the kids to Great America by myself. I would have never done that before. The surgery has boosted my confidence. This has been a super great experience and if I had to do it over I absolutely would.

I had ovarian cancer three years ago and my oncologist and I were concerned about if I had a reoccurence if I'd be able to get enough nutrients in if I had the surgery. Dr. Frantzides explained that once I had surgery I'd be able to eat whatever I wanted, but in limited amounts. THat was my main concern in the beginning. Then I met Dr. F and he was very personable and he answered all of my questions. It was very quick. Everything happened within 6 weeks and I had surgery. Everything was good. I had had previous surgeries and overall it was a very good experience. The staff at the hospital was wonderful. Even though I had excess scar tissue from my previous surgeries, Dr. F removed it and was able to do the surgery laparoscopically. I probably had a little more pain because of that, but other than that I've had a smooth recovery. I held off doing this for at least four years because I thought it was an easy way out and this isn't the easy way out. It certainly helps you and makes things easier, however. I would recommend it to anybody.

As you will read from the many other reviews, Dr. Frantzides and his staff are the best in the business. They made everything easier: getting through the red tape of insurance approval, pre-op physical work, the actual surgery, and post op care. I cannot say enough about how this has changed my life. I am 10 months post-op, have lost 90 pounds, have just completed my first triathlon, and am training for another. I can run 5 miles (I can't even believe that), and am a size 8 (smaller than I was in high school). Do not have second doubts about this surgery -- it is wonderful to have my life back and not think about food all the time. rnHere are the top things that I've learned since my surgery: rnI love being thin and active. There is nothing that tastes as good as being thin feels. I love shopping in normal stores, and not having to wonder if they have plus sizes. rnI can eat just about anything I want, and I don't miss food. I was so afraid before the surgery that I would somehow \"miss out\" on the food experience -- that has not been the case. I still enjoy food, just in smaller portions. rnIf I eat too fast, or anything that is dried out (dry meats, pasta without enough sauce, some things that have been microwaved), I will throw up. Yuk. It's certainly taught me to slow down and think about what I eat. I have thrown up alot, but still would get this surgery again without a second thought.rnEven though I ate as much protein as I could, I still lost tons of hair. I was getting panicked about it, but things seem to be turning around and I've got some new hair growth. I had thick hair, so it hasn't been noticeable to other people, but I probably lost about 1/3 of my hair. rnI had laproscopic, and the incision on the left side of my body was very painful. I had underestimated the recovery time, and went back to work 6 days after surgery. I would not recommend that!rnI felt somehow that by getting the surgery I was \"cheating\" ... we are taught to feel guilty about being fat, why should I get to take the \"easy way out\" with surgery? If you have those same thoughts -- get them out of your head! Who cares how you lose the weight -- just do it for yourself and your health. I've worked through those feelings and am just now so happy I've done it. rnGood luck on your journey, I hope this feedback helps. rn

Dr. Frantzides forced me to smile when I did not want to. And I am glad he did. I have been so impressed by him and his entire office. I think he is so assured of his work, and his ability to change people's lives. He has a great attitude, and made me feel very comfortable. I really enjoy speaking to him, and appreciate how he explains how the surgery works, and what his expectations are. I feel very lucky!

It's been a year since I had surgery with Dr. Frantzides and I feel great! I've experienced no dumping at all and I can eat anything I want, of course I eat healthy, but nothing makes me sick. I can now keep up with my 14 year old. We exercise together. I had a great pre-op and post-op experience. Everything went perfectly fine, no complications or problems at all. Dr. Frantzides is like a friend. After the surgery, he doesn't just throw you to the side. He listens to all my issues and everything is taken care of. If you are considering surgery, just do it. It's made me a whole different person. I feel like I'm 20 years younger and I'm actually a functioning person now.

Post-Op: 7/18/04rnJust wanted to update my surgeon section to say that I'm now 5 months post-op, have lost 107 pounds, and feel GREAT! I've had ZERO complications from the surgery, largely due to the expertise of my surgeon and his team. Retrospectively, I never cease to be amazed that I was able to have this done laparoscopically with such a good outcome. With a pre-op BMI in excess of 66, many, in fact MOST surgeons would have laughed at me if I asked about laparoscopy. But Dr. Frantzides is the reigning King (or should I say Greek God??!) of laparoscopic Roux-en-Y. If you think you can't have this done laparoscopically because of what you've read, or heard from other patients or surgeons, stop right there and RUN, don't walk to consult with Constantine Frantzides. It will change your life. Dr. F told me in my first appointment that he would give me my life back. He wasn't kidding.rnrnPost-Op: 2/14/2004rnThis surgeon and his team are the BEST! The combined skill, experience and follow-up of these people is phenomenal. Back in October when I had my surgical consultation, the docs told me that even though I am very large (66 BMI), I was still a good candidate for laparoscopic surgery because of the way I carry my weight down low. In reality, however, when they got inside me in the O.R., they experienced some unusual difficulty because of the way I’m built and distributed inside. The operation took about an hour or more longer than usual. They had to use longer than normal instruments and in Dr. F’s words ‘had to use more torque than normal.’ I don’t know about you, but to me using the words ‘surgery’ and ‘torque’ in the same sentence doesn’t paint a pretty picture. Bottom line, however, here’s the thing: they were able to complete the procedure laparoscopically and very successfully. I asked Dr. F if at any point he considered converting to open. His response: ‘Not really, but I would describe it this way. It’s like a mountain climber who’s just made it up a very challenging precipice and looks down and thinks: How did I get up here? And how am I going to get back down?’ I am absolutely convinced, without a shade of a doubt, that in the hands of many or most other surgeons, I would have been converted to an open incision. I cannot adequately express in words how grateful I am that I have 6 small ports instead of a long incision. These guys are absolutely the best! Thank you, both Dr. F and Dr. John, from the bottom, middle, and top of my heart. If any of you pre-ops are reading this wondering about whether of not Dr. Frantzides is the right choice, stop wondering. Assuming you’ve already made the decision to have the surgery -- run, don’t walk to your consultation and get on his calendar!!! Beyond the surgery, they visited me in my room the night of my surgery, twice the next day, and again on the day I was discharged. They took the time to answer all my questions and allay any fears. What else can I say? Other than again THANK YOU!!rnrnI met with Dr. Franzides, his associate surgeon Dr. Zografakis, and his registered nurse, Karen Thomas on Halloween Day, 2003. Fortunately, it was NOT a scary experience! Everyone in his office was very cordial and helpful. Both doctors have a friendly, comfortable manner with their patients and took their time to answer my questions thoroughly. Karen is a valuable asset to the office since she herself has had surgery and is very qualified to answer questions and give advice.rnrnI was initially surprised when Kathleen, Dr. F's administrive coordinator, came in and told me that she had scheduled me for a date. At that moment it seemed premature since I hadn't even met with the doctor yet. But, retrospectively, I realize that they are very busy and in high demand -- there were 4-6 other patients there at the same time I was. I guess they assume that once you've taken the step to contact a surgeon, you've done all your research and are ready to go. This was, in fact, the case for me, but I just didn't realize it would move so fast!

Dr. Constantine Frantzides performed a gastric dypass surgery on me - Oct. 31, 2006. Getting to the point of having the surgery is one story and my life since is another story. I actually had been considering bariatric surgery for at least five years and had visited a couple of well-known and respected bariatric centers in my area before seeing Dr. Frantzides. My weight kept creeping up over the years, but I was afraid to have surgery and the original places I visited felt cold and distant - I left feeling more afraid than before I had arrived. I must say that I have a deep feeling of gratitude for Dr. Frantzides for several reasons:rn1. He was the first actual bariatric surgeon who took the time (at our first appointment)rnto sit with me for as long as it took for all of my questions and fears to be addressed. He was honest, direct and supportive about the risks and benefits of all forms of bariatric surgery, which helped me to make the best choices for my own situation.rn2. Dr. Frantzides has an extensive and successful track record in laproscopic surgery (not to be confused with just lap-band surgery). He has actually helped to developed new techniques and is known world-wide as a physician competent in his field. I originally found him on the internet and was thrilled to discover that his office is near where I live.I strongly feel that finding the right surgeon is critical. Having the surgery laproscopically, made my recovery go faster and left me with 5-one-inch external scars on my abdomen. My situation was complicated by the fact that I had a hiatal hernia and damage to my esophagus that was the result of years of reflux. This also had to be surgically corrected and it was good to know that Dr. Frantzides could do it all at once since he has a broad range of experience in laproscopic surgery - not just limited to bariatric surgery.rn3. Since Dr. Frantzides does his surgeries at a hospital, I felt confident that if anything else went wrong, there were cardiologists, pulmonologists, etc. right around the corner. Having my surgery at a hospital instead of a specialty clinic was a decision that I made prior to my search for a surgeon. As it turned out, everything went fine, but I personally felt safer in the hospital environment.rn4. I unfortunately read many books and internet postings prior to my surgery that really scared me. Dr. Frantzides and his staff were reassuring and kept me going. I have to say that I have had none of the scary after-effects of bariatric surgery that I previously read about. Especially notable is the frequency that 'dumping syndrome' is mentioned in relation to gastric bypass surgery. I have never had dumping syndrome, or any other complications. Of course, recovering from any major surgery is no picnic in the park, and losing huge amounts of weight in a short time (I have lost about 90 lbs. in the 7 months since my surgery and still have around 60 to go to reach my goal) is unsettling to the body, but by following the simple and clear guidlines given to me by Dr. Frantzides' staff and a recommended nutritionist, I have had an uneventful recovery and successful weight loss so far. rnGuess there is no more space- Sincerely, Kay

When i first met Dr. Frantzides i immediately felt at ease, he was warm and friendly and seemed to be truly interested in everything i had to say and paid close attention to my concerns, but the thing that impacted me the most was his caring nature with his staff! i know that sounds strange but you can tell a lot about a doctor by how they treat there subordinates, he was very helpful to them and that let me know right there that he would take care of me.