Nancy is a fellow member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, the Louisiana Academy of Physician Assistants, and the North West Chapter of the LAPA.  Her hobbies include tennis, cooking, and spending time with her family and friends.

In 2005, Dr. Merriman realized the growing demand for post-surgical care and adjustments for our Lap Band® patients, so he recruited and trained Nancy Pipkin, PA-C.  Today she leads Dr. Merriman’s Lap Band® adjustment program and sees 50-60 Lap Band® patients each week.  Nancy also assists Dr. Merriman in surgery and directs one of our monthly support groups. Dr. Merriman and Nancy both agree that lifelong follow up is the key for achieving optimum results after Lap Band® surgery. 

The Lap Band® System

• The Lap Band® requires commitment from both the patient and the health care providers. 
• Best results come from follow up every six weeks within the first year after surgery. 
• The adjustment process is individualized to each patient. 
• The more communication and interaction that we have with our patients, the better managed the Lap Band® System will be. 

Support Groups

• Support Groups are held two times a month in our office.  We also offer an online support group, as we know many of our patients live outside of the Shreveport area.  Support groups offer a unique opportunity to speak with others who are going through the same experiences.  We offer educational resources, tips on staying motivated, eating right and occasionally have group activities. This is a great time to receive the most current information on how to be successful after your weight loss surgery. 
• We will direct you through the surgical process from start to finish.  Nancy guides our patients through pre-operative weight loss counseling and supervision.  After surgery our team will provide you with resources you need to be successful.