Ohio State University Medical Center Hospital

Highly recommend Dr. Bradley Needleman with The Ohio State University Bariatric Program. Great surgeon and awesome pre-op as well as post-op experience with both the doctor and the whole team at OSU.

This surgeon is the most caring, compassionate surgeon I have ever had. I am so grateful and blessed to have had him for my RNY procedure. I would recommend anyone to seek him out at The Cleveland Clinic.

Dr. Brethaur and his staff at the Cleveland Clinic are outstanding! They take the time to really discuss the surgery with you and answer all your questions. The surgery went so well, and the aftercare was terrific. I would not hesitate to recommend the Cleveland Clinic Bariatric and Metabolic Institute to anyone contemplating weight loss surgery!

Dr. Needleman is the best! I'm nearly 3 years post op I've lost 220lbs with less than 80 pounds to hit my weight goal of 190! The care of the staff and the care of Dr. Needleman is unsurpassed. There are not enough words to describe how my life has changed and yes! I would do it all over again in a heartbeat! Dr. Needleman I hope you see this because I'm a life that is changed because of your care and skill! Continue to change lives one bypass at a time! Here's to the last 80lbs. I've killed fatty a full grown man of 220LBS no longer lives here! Now I"m off to get rid of his 5th grade son and then the journey turns the corner to a brand new life! Thank you for giving me a second chance at life and teaching and training me with the wonderful tool you supplied.

Sincerely,

John Butler

I was very impressed with Dr. Neddleman and his staff. I was treated with compassion and diginity through the entire process.

Dr. B put me at ease right away. His staff is awesome. The program at CC is first class. Weight Loss For Dummies outlines CC's program. It is thorough. I waited an hour for Dr.; but he had emergency surgery. So I didn't mind. If I have an emergency I would want him taking care of me, not doing clinic! Surgery May 8, 2012.

My name is Keith A. Harris, age 47. I began my journey toward Bariatric Surgery, back in 2008, trying to get approval, through Riverside Hospital's team in Columbus, Ohio. I suffer from a Spinal Cord Injury, which drastically impedes my ability to exercise, which, sadly for me, is MANDATED by the program. However, due to my severe chronic pain, specific, standard exercise routines are nearly impossible for me. Unfortunately, after paying my $600, non refundable deposit, to begin the B.L.A.S.T. Classes, even after explaining my inability to do standardized exercises, I still failed to make them understand, and I was completely ineffectual, and thoroughly unable to get THEM to modify the classes and exercise routines, to fit my limitations!! The $600 I paid was my ENTIRE SAVINGS! And, I never did get my money returned to me either! So, I don't have anything POSITIVE that I can say, in regard to Riverside's Bariatric Program!
I had to stop working in 2004, due to the severe, chronic pain, which severely impeded my ability to concentrate and focus on my duties, as Administrator, for M.O.T.A. (Mid-Ohio Transit Authority) I loved my job!!
From 2004, to 2010, I went from an approximate weight of 270 lbs, I gained 134 pounds, simply because I was getting absolutely NO exercise, spending 24 hours a day, in a contoured fetal position, on my couch! I have not been able to sleep in a flat bed, for almost 20 years, as I injured my spine on August 16, 1993! I am thankful that I was able to maintain gainful employment, for as long as I had... Despite the fact that I had to adjust my skills, to go from a position as Working, Hands-On Maintenance Supervisor, for 9 McDonald's Restaurants, to jobs that were completely sedentary, after 13 years in the McDonald's Maintenance field. I also endured 11 Spine related surgeries over these painful years since the injury... A nightmare!!
As for Riverside... Ultimately, I gave up, waiting, for yet another year, before I admitted to myself, that I was facing death soon! My Diabetes was WAY out of control, taking 170 Units of Insulin a day!! But, in December of 2010, I knew that the last I had weighed myself, months before, had me at a disgusting 404 lbs! But, I knew I probably weighed much more, even, than that, simply because I KNOW I had gained even more weight over the holidays! But, I just couldn't bring myself to get on the scales, even at doctor's visits, to face reality. So, my "official" top weight was 405 lbs!
On December 28th, 2010, I contacted OSU Medical Center, with intentions of trying again, through a different facility, requesting that THEY would modify the classes to a "One-On-One Course, with the Dieticians and Nurses, in a room WITH A BED, and, an exercise program that I could control, based upon my limitations!" They told me they would discuss it with the team and get back with me at the first of the year... Well, THEY AGREED!!!
I was set up to begin the program, starting with the MANDATORY, Free MONTHLY Informational Seminar, held at the Martha Morehouse facility on Kinney Road, Columbus, Ohio. Then, in late January, 2011, I had my first Initial assessment and the first of the Dietician's BLAST Classes was scheduled for late February. Back in January, I had already begun to adjust my diet, DRASTICALLY, as though I had already undergone surgery!
At my FIRST Weigh-In, in Late February, I had already lost 28 lbs, dropping from my RECORD HIGH of 404 lbs, down to 376! I already had an excellent knowledge of proper nutrition, which was beneficial, but I whole-heartedly, believe that the BLAST CLASS should be MANDATORY for EVERYONE!! The reason for my knowledge of Nutrition was already advanced, was due to another serious health issue I suffer, which is "Chronic, Acute Pancreatitis", which I have suffered 11 times since my back injury in 1993! This was due to an underlying GENETIC Hyperlipidemia condition, which had not surfaced, until my activity level had been reduced, when I began "light duty" work at McDonald's, before my first back surgery, in 1995... I have actually had Trigliceride levels, tested at OVER 28,000, as apposed to the 160 Maximum that it should be!
Being prepared for life AFTER Bariatric Surgery is VERY important!! The surgery, however, is NOT the end all and do all, PERMANENT, MAGIC ANSWER to our weight problems!! It is ONLY a helpful TOOL, that will offer a SHORT TERM of difficulty over-eating, which allows us a couple of months, where we can develop the NEW, PERMANENT, EATING HABITS that we NEED to establish, by causing some pain and nausea, IF you were to attempt overeating!! (BUT... The ability to over eat WILL return pretty quickly!) So... Being prepared, with the VERY important, willingness and motivation, to make PERMANENT CHANGES to our diet BEFORE SURGERY. It is definitely the BEST practice! If you can't have enough discipline to lose weight BEFORE the surgery, don't waste your time and money having the surgery! Because, you can bet, if you don't make those changes and face the fact that they MUST be permanent habits, YOU WILL FAIL in the long term!!! (Maybe even quickly!)
Portion control and nutritional BALANCE must be your new best friend, with close attention to getting sufficient PROTEIN and VITAMINS... This is a MUST do, especially AFTER surgery. But, like I said, start practicing your new habits BEFORE surgery! This is the REASON for the BLAST Classes anyway... To get you on the right pathway, to NEW habits.

****I LOST 80 POUNDS BEFORE MY SURGERY, and, I am quite proud of that! It also assured myself, and the Bariatric Team, that I had a much better chance of being successful in the program and especially, in life AFTER surgery.****

My Surgeon was:
Dr Bradley Needleman. He and his entire team MUST certainly be the BEST in the country!
I would love to believe that I might be able to go back to work again some day... If so, I intend on asking Dr Needleman, first, to add me to his staff, as a "Patient Liaison". Currently, they don't have a team member, who can physically travel to the homes of the patients. Both PRE Surgical, and POST Surgical. I think this position really would add something to their team, even though they are already great, just the way they are! This Patient Liaison, would assist the patients in their initial grocery shopping, showing them how to select the right foods, by coaching them, from the perspective of one who, as a former patient, DOES UNDERSTAND what the patient IS experiencing or, WILL experience directly afterward!!
Again, I MUST say, that Ohio State University Medical Center's Bariatric Surgical Team, with Dr Bradley Needleman, has to be the BEST in Ohio, if not the best in the world!!
I had my surgery on October 3rd, 2011. I started with a high weight of 404 lbs, and, I can proudly say that I had lost 80 lbs before my surgery, with the help of the Team and Dieticians!
Today is March 25, 2012, and I weighed 248 lbs today!! This is a total loss of 156 lbs! This means I have lost 76 lbs since surgery, with only 63 pounds left, until I reach my goal of 185 lbs! I am still losing, slowly but surely! I am getting ALL of my needed proteins and an excellent balance of nutrients! I could certainly lose it much faster, but, my primary concern is HEALTH, now!! I used to live my life, starving myself to take weight off, then gaining it all back, and even more! But, now I simply REFUSE to starve my body. Food MUST be eaten, to stay healthy! 4 to 5 small meals a day, with small, natural foods, for between meal snacks... This routine (New Life's HABITS) have kept me losing... And, for the FIRST TIME in my life, I am losing weight AND eating healthy at the same time!! I am so proud and very happy, that I am REALLY doing it RIGHT!! And, I have OSU MEDICAL CENTER'S Bariatric Clinic, with Dr Bradley Needleman to thank, for helping to make it all happen for me! I welcome emails from anyone who might want to write me, with questions about the program, at: [email protected] Or, at: [email protected]. I wish you ALL a healthy future!

Dr. Needleman is a wonderful surgeon. He really takes the time to explain things to you. He is also genuinly concerned with your well being. I would recommend him to anyone considering weight loss surgery.

This was my first time ever at OSU hospital - and need I say I was extremely impressed. they have the surgery pre-op down to a science - there was hardly a moment to breathe let alone think before you were moving on to the next. everyone made me feel welcome and very throughly explained what was happening.
The surgery room was state of the art! I felt like I was on an episode of Gray's Anatomy or something! I was relaxed and relieved. It made me feel good knowing I had the best surgeon and he had the best equipment!

After my surgery I had a private room with the most awesome dyson fan - I wanted to take it home. Ok so it is the little things. I blame the pain meds :)

The night nurses were not the best and were a little short fused. But the day nurses were fantastic! Really great and motivated me to get up and get dressed and walk and just be present and not sleep. I really think that helped to minimize the pain. Don't get me wrong there was discomfort but I was never in excruciating pain.

My discharge from the hospital went smoothly. It was great that they have an onsite pharmacy so at 8 pm on a Friday night I didn't have to go drive around to find one to fill my perscriptions.

Parking is great - my parents could valet park as early as 5 am. OSU also has a few parking garages in close proximity to the hospital as well. Visiting hours were great. My mom even met a former VSG patient in the waiting room - she said talking to her helped to ease her stress about my surgery. All in all - great experience with OSU. Just wait till I get the bill LOL

Dr. Needleman is great! He is the best surgeon in Columbus for VSG/RNY and he knows it! I don't mind a Dr. that is sure of himself - I wanted no one but the best if I was going under the knife. My mom didn't like him at first - she didn't think he was personable and very cocky. But then we went for the follow up visit and she said he was much better and she changed her mind. Plus hearing from other people that he was the best surgeon made her feel better about me having surgery.

First impression was from a photo - he looks nice and like he cares about his patients. The office staff at OSU is great - they are understanding of bigger peoples needs and are just as excited as I am when we see the scale move!

OSU bariatric has a great before/aftercare program - they really help you step my step to know what to expect after surgery. I didn't have many questions during my pre-op, thanks to OH I had a lot of answers already. However the few questions I did have - he was already telling me the answers- which was great. Dr. Needleman and his team have great bedside manner and he is more than surgically competent. I had NO complications after surgery (knock on wood) - so far things are going great 1 month out! He was honest with me about meds and when I can and can't take certain pills. OSU has a support group once a month - I will go to the September meeting.

Overall I have had a really good experience and wouldn't have changed anything. I was very fortunate to live close to OSU to be able to experience this great program. I am very happy with my decision to chose OSU!