Has anyone tried the weighted hula hoop for fitness?

In looking for a good home supplement for the gym, I’ve done it all from “Sweating to the Oldies” to walking with Leslie Sansone to Billy Blanks’ Tae Bo to Belly Dancing for fitness (which I just bought & haven’t tried yet). My GYN highly recommended to me a weighted hula hoop with which she said she lost pounds & inches quickly, but I’m still wondering if it is worth the money or is it just another gimmick? Does anyone have any feedback from personal experience? Here is a website to check out to see what I’m talking about:
http://www.sports-hoop.com
Thanks!