NYU Langone Weight Management Program Bariatric Center

It has been a long time since my last review of Dr. Ren and her staff. I had the surgery in 2004 and, when I first entered her office, I weighed 487 pounds. It is now 2018 and I weigh 268 pounds. To lose 200+ pounds and to keep it off for 14 some odd years can, I think, be called real success. I cannot tell you how hopeless I felt when I marched into her office for the first time. That was changed by Dr. Ren. She changed my mental outlook, as well as my body. I cannot say thank you enough to her.

I felt extremely comfortable in Dr. Fielding's hands. There haven't been many recent reviews for this doctor, and I really have literally no idea why. The entire process to learn about surgery, get approved by insurance, and then recover successfully is beautifully curated by their entire team, and I continue to look forward and visit them as necessary. Thank you, Dr. Fielding!

I chose Dr. Schwack to do my lap band after I saw him at the initial required seminar. He seemed uber knowledgeable, kind, and personable. Happy to say it was the best decision of my life! After years of struggling with obesity & the joy that comes along with the territory, I'm pleased to say the pounds are coming off thanks to this amazing surgeon who true to his word encourages me, guides me & patiently instructs me what to do. Always professional with stellar bedside manners, he is most certainly the best in the field. I would recommend him to everyone who asks...

First of all I want everyone to know Dr. Schwack saved my life and I describe him to everyone as my personal super hero. I have been a patient of his for over 4 years. I came to NYU after another doctor totally botched my lap band and to this day I have a flipping port - and yes that means my fills are extremely hard to do and it can protrude out of my stomach and is very uncomfortable.
Dr. Schwack takes his time with my port entry site - he takes his time , he gets it to flip back in place and just recently I had to go to the emergency room and needed to have fluid removed ( I recently had a baby and I am testing my proper fill levels now post par tum)and when the attending ER doctor could not work my port, the hospital called Dr. Schwack at my request and with in 15 minutes he was there and helped me. That was an amazing gesture and it goes to show how much this Doctor will go out of his way for his patients.
I see Dr. Schwack in either his Brooklyn or Manhattan locations and have never had an issue. The office staff is always polite and no long wait times in the Brooklyn office. I ALWAYS get a call back and am treated with respect.
For new Banders: ( a golden rule)
Lap Band is a tool and it work if you use it correctly, other underlying medical issues should be constantly addressed and brought up by the patient, you are responsible for your well being and success and blaming an entire office, team or singe-ling out a doctor is just a sign of weakness and neglect upon yourself. You will not be skinny and healthy and back to 100% after surgery and in no way are you being forced to have surgery, its ELECTIVE. This is a struggle, a life change and being honest with yourself, your doctor, your team and support system is the only way to succeed. This can be the best thing you can do for yourself to lead a happy, HEALTHY life, but ITS UP TO YOU!

Good luck everyone and remember to chew your food and no drinking while eating! ;)

Dr. Schwack - if you do ever get to read this - Thank you for all you have done for me and the chance for a better quality of life you gave me.

An absolutely AMAZING doctor. He was very helpful and informative through out the whole process, covered all the bases and patiently STILL answers any and every question i have had. Great bed side manner, amazing surgeon, very personable. I've never seen a doctor care so much about his patients and their success! Even the office staff is helpful, the Nurse Practitioner has returned a call for me in the past as well. I would recommend him 10000%!

I choose Dr Schwack after the required seminar.He seemed very kind and knowledgeable,what a mistake.He is at NYU in NYC.The whole process in there bariatric program is rushed and there goal is getting approval for surgery not education or any preparation for life postoperative.My postoperative experience was a nightmare.My physician forgot who I was and what we discussed at our very brief preoperative visit.He forgot I was disabled needed discharge planning,possible inpatient rehab and blood thinners due to immobility.My surgery was on Friday,like all his surgeries are,he saw me 14 hours after surgery and said you only get 2 days for a sleeve and lap cholecystectomy or get your check book out and left.I had not even been out of bed yet,nor did they get my forearm crutches from preoperative area so I could try to walk.Go elsewhere I have been nauseous for 2 months,freezing cold and my blood sugar running 50 to 70 off meds.I called there office spoke to a nurse practitioner who never got back to me with an answer.

As soon as i walked into her office, my first honest thought about Dr. Ren was "she looks too young to know about any of this". But as soon as I took a seat and spoke to her with my mother, everything changed. She was really confident in what she was doing, she focused mainly on my concerns and goals. She was very specific and we talked about all my options - she wanted to make sure i knew what i was getting myself into and that this was no joke. She was very blunt about things and their consequences if the rules weren't followed. She gave me a folder with instructions and how i should eat pre-op and post-op. this packet also included a list of vitamins, safe foods and when i could eat them. The office staff was awesome! really nice and just a comfortable feeling overall. After my surgery, i received some more papers with numbers i should call in case of anything. They have also been very helpful. Oh, and the surgical competence and bedside manner are both great! I definitely recommend her!

Dr. Marina Kurian is an amazing woman, doctor, surgeon. She is so warm and caring. She truly does this surgery because she cares about obesity and wants to help people. She is only of the doctors who went into medicine because of her passion. I have nothing but great things to say about her. I have been her patient for the past 8 years and have had 5 surgeries with her. She has supported me on my weight loss journey, through two revisions, a gallbladder, two pregnancies and esphogus surgery/motility disorder. I never feel like I am bothering her and she is available all the time if you have a problem.

Her bedside manner is top notch. She will remember you and your family. She sees all her patients for follow up care and does not just do surgeries and then send you to a nurse or PA for follow up. Her office is busy and there is often a wait for the appointments, and she is often rushed because there are a lot of patients, but come with your questions written down and you will have everything answered. One of the reasons there is a wait is because she will answer all your questions.

Dr. Schwack is AMAZING! Since no one has written a review yet, here I go! After years (yes YEARS) of struggling with my lapband (done by another doctor) I was having a really hard time finding a surgeon who would see me. Dr. Schwack was more than willing to take me on. He is friendly, great bed side manner, and professional all rolled into one. He has been so supportive and helpful with my decision to get a revision. He removed my lapband in one surgery and did my sleeve as well as a hernia repair in another surgery. I have healed great, had no post op troubles to speak of, and seeing him for maintenance appointments is easy and a great source of support. I couldn't ask for a better surgeon!

Dr. Fielding performed my surgery, he was not my doctor initially. I'm very happy he was the one to do the procedure for me. He was kind, attentive, and professional.