Losing weight is hard when you don’t have the support you need to be successful. Fortunately this hard-working mother/daughter duo had one another, the incredible care team at WakeMed Cary Hospital, and one of the nation’s most renowned endobariatric weight loss doctors on their side — and their story of weight loss success is one to inspire.

Tenetha and LaNita are a mother/daughter team from Durham, N.C., who decided they were tired of yo-yo dieting and not feeling their best — they were ready to lose weight safely and for good. After doing some comprehensive research, they found that Dr. Christopher McGowan of True You Weight Loss and the WakeMed Cary Hospital Weight Loss program had non-surgical options to offer. This was great news since neither of them wanted to undergo bariatric surgery.

The pair was immediately intrigued to learn about the endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) procedure, which is a non-surgical, outpatient weight loss procedure (with no incisions) that allows a gastroenterologist to permanently reduce the size of your stomach to promote rapid and lasting weight loss. It’s a one-time procedure that takes under an hour. Both mother and daughter elected to undergo the procedure just weeks apart, and just seven months later — they’re now celebrating a combined weight loss of 100 pounds.

The History Behind LaNita’s Weight Loss Struggles

In the years leading up to 2021, LaNita spent her time as a busy mom to five children, wife, and clinical trials executive. It’s safe to say she rarely carved out much time for herself, yet her outgoing and positive attitude and personality often hid her personal struggles. Like many, LaNita’s challenges with weight began in 2006 after the birth of her second child. As the numbers on her scale kept rising, she lost motivation to commit to a long-term weight loss program.  She also disliked exercise and would become frustrated with slow results.  However, LaNita continued to try new things, from workout DVDs like P90X® and Walk Away the Pounds, to the Atkins® Low Carb Diet and Nutrisystem®.

“It was so discouraging to work so hard to lose weight but never really see results come through on the scale,” LaNita relates. “During those years, I didn’t feel like I could miss out on family time or outings to focus on a diet and exercise plan — and the weight just kept piling on.”

While she’d had some success losing weight in 2016, it eventually came back after years of birthday parties and vacations. By February 2021, LaNita had reached her all-time heaviest weight of 320 pounds, and she was finally ready to make a change.

In June 2021, LaNita connected with the True You Weight Loss team to learn more about ESG, and she was immediately convinced this was the procedure for her. By August 2021, she was arriving at WakeMed Cary Hospital for her procedure.

“The WakeMed team and Dr. McGowan were both incredible – everyone greeted me with a warm welcome and I was ready for the next stage of my life. By this point, it felt like the procedure was really just a formality,” LaNita says. “I was so ready and excited for the life-changing weight loss that would follow that I felt like my journey began the day I learned about ESG.”

Following her ESG procedure, LaNita didn’t experience any pain – and just took a few days to rest. From there, LaNita started losing weight effortlessly during the first few months as she transitioned from the prescribed liquid diet to soft foods and then small portions of regular foods. After a slight stall at the five-month mark, she came out on the other side and rediscovered her willpower. During this time, LaNita found a new love for exercise using her new Peloton® bike and weightlifting with her husband and son in their home gym.

This time around, LaNita’s hard work is paying off. To date, she has lost close to 50 pounds, and she can’t help but share how great it feels.  After wearing the same clothes for the past five years, LaNita is having fun shopping for clothes in her smaller size. Additionally, she’s enjoying relief from the joint pain and fatigue she felt prior to the procedure due to excess weight.

“As I like to say, I no longer feel like I’m dragging a wagon! I have more energy, which helps me exercise more, and I feel less tired and weighed down.  I also have more confidence, and thoughts about being overweight don’t crowd my brain anymore,” she says.  “ESG gave me that extra boost I needed to commit to my weight loss.  I will always have this tool with me, and it has allowed me to accomplish something I never could have done on my own.”

Tenetha’s Journey

A military wife and all-American mother and grandmother, Tenetha raised three children while managing a busy career in clinical trials.  When she became an empty nester, she began reflecting on her life and health. Tenetha struggled with her weight for decades, and up until 2021, never had the time to focus on getting it under control. Tenetha’s many attempts at weight loss over the years included Weight Watchers™, joining a gym and trying different workout DVDs at home.  But like LaNita, it was hard for Tenetha to stay consistent and focused.

“As soon as I didn’t see results, I would become unmotivated,” Tenetha says.  “I had all of this information in my head about health and weight loss, but I didn’t know what to do with it. I was tired of being the largest person in the room.”

Then came the answer Tenetha had been searching for when her daughter told her about the True You Weight Loss endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) option — and that she could have the procedure performed right down the road at WakeMed Cary Hospital.

Calling it a tag-team partnership, Tenetha supported LaNita during her ESG and recovery, and just one month later, on September 2, 2021, she was arriving at WakeMed Cary Hospital to have her own ESG procedure. LaNita accompanied her mom and gave her helpful advice from her own experience.  Tenetha’s procedure went smoothly, and she felt encouraged by the supportive staff at both  You Weight Loss and WakeMed.

Tenetha has consistently dropped weight since her ESG, and she feels like her entire life has been transformed.  She was able to discontinue her medication for hypertension, she no longer experiences the joint pain she felt when she was overweight, and her sleep patterns have vastly improved.  Tenetha has also discovered a new appreciation for exercise and feels her best on days when she can work out.  She enjoys walking on her treadmill, biking, and taking Pilates.  She is also enjoying her new relationship with food and has discovered creative ways to substitute healthier ingredients into her old favorite recipes.

Additionally, Tenetha and LaNita go food shopping together, so they can collaborate and keep each other in check — and it is all paying off. Just six months after her ESG, Tenetha is down 57 pounds, from 311 to 254, and she is thrilled.

“I feel great!  I have more energy, and it’s gratifying to look in the mirror now,” she says. “I finally feel like I can set goals and actually achieve them.”

Like Mother, Like Daughter — United in Weight Loss Success

“My daughter has been my number one supporter throughout my entire journey,” Tenetha says. “Plus, I have been inspired by her success. I admire her because she is doing this as a busy mom, and I am so proud of her.”

Meanwhile, LaNita, who has watched her mom struggle with weight for years, is excited for Tenetha’s success and has been thrilled to see her finally doing something for herself.

LaNita says, “We are a very close mother/daughter combo, so I knew this process would be more impactful for her if she was doing it with me.  My mom has been very motivating to me as well.  I joke that I work even harder because I want to make sure she is not outdoing me!”

Moving forward, both LaNita and Tenetha plan to continue working toward their weight loss goals while enjoying time with family and friends. LaNita is excited to serve as matron-of-honor in her best friend’s summer wedding in St. Lucia, and she plans to use that event as motivation to lose even more weight.  Both women are also looking forward to a July cruise to the Bahamas with their family to celebrate LaNita’s son’s 16^th birthday.  They are both very grateful for the care they received from True You Weight Loss and WakeMed, and for the jumpstart it gave them to lose weight for good.

Tenetha & LaNita’s Weight Loss Stats at a Glance

Stats at a Glance — Tenetha

Procedure date:  9.2.2021
BMI: 47.3
Weight: 311

As of May 2, 2022
BMI: 38.6
Weight: 254

Total Pounds Lost to Date: 57

Stats at a Glance — LaNita

Procedure date:  August 5, 2021
BMI: 43.9
Weight: 297

As of May 2, 2022
BMI: 37.5
Weight: 254

Total Pounds Lost to Date: 43

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About WakeMed Cary Hospital Advanced Gastrointestinal Center and Christopher McGowan, MD, MSCR

According to Pam Cowan, Manager of the WakeMed Cary Hospital Advanced GI Center, “Christopher McGowan, MD, MSCR, is a nationally-recognized leader in the field of Endoscopic Bariatric Therapies. He partnered with WakeMed Cary Hospital in 2018 to launch the first comprehensive endoscopic weight loss program in North Carolina, and was the first physician in the state, and one of the first in the nation, to perform the endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG).

“ESG is a same-day, stomach-reducing weight loss procedure performed entirely through the mouth with advanced endoscopic tools. As it is completely incisionless, there is no hospital stay, minimal downtime, and less risk of bleeding, infection, or other complications.

“WakeMed Cary Hospital Advanced Gastrointestinal Center remains the only facility in the state to offer a comprehensive endoscopic bariatric program, with offerings including ESG, gastric balloons, and endoscopic revisional procedures for patient who had prior bariatric surgery.

“Patients have travelled from 48 states and more than 10 countries to receive this degree of specialized care with Dr. McGowan and the Advanced Gastrointestinal Center at WakeMed Cary Hospital.”