Fill Doctor in Houston

Betsyjane · February 7, 2007

Dr. Spivak seems to be a nice guy who is enthusiastic about his work. He's also one of the more experienced at lap band surgery. You go to one of his group meetings and he explains everything and answers questions. then you talk with people who have been banded while you wait to have your meeting with him, all during the same evening. He didn't seem hurried, and asked really probing questions that got me thinking, and answered my questions.

All he needed from me was a copy of my old blood tests and a check for $15000.00, and we scheduled the procedure. The next, and only othe time I have seen him, was on operation day. He was reassuring, as was the staff at the Surgicenter. He also arranged for someone who also had Lupus, like I do, and was banded, to talk with me. Nice touch!

Since then, I've only dealt with the Surgicenter staff. I think he and Speigel and some other Drs. own the Surgicenter, so the care remains overseen by him.

I'm in no position to judge a surgeon, but he was helpful, informative, and his stats show very very few complications and no deaths.... I'm satisfied.

carriedba · February 7, 2007

I'm also trying to decide between Dr. Spiegel and Dr. Spivak. I had a consult with Spiegel last weekend and it kind of felt like rushed. He is very knowledgeable but I just didn't get a warm fuzzy feeling from him. I've heard through other postings that his aftercare and office staff leaves something to be desired. I'm going to the seminar and consult w/ Dr. Spivak this weekend and look forward to seeing the differences between the two. I have no doubt that they are both great surgeons but I'm just looking for the right fit.

HeatherGurl · February 12, 2007

Dr. Spivak is my Dr. and I wouldn't recommend any other in Houston. He is an excellent surgeon. The best in Houston in my opinion. Spivak has done all of my fills. If you want your Dr. to do your fills, you simply request it.

Good luck to you all considering the lap band. It was and is my life saver.

HJTx · February 12, 2007

enterprise01. I don't see why you felt the need to repost my information. Why are you looking up my posts? If I had wanted people to associate my bad experience with Dr. Spiegel I would have posted it all together. I wouldn't have figured that someone would research me in order to answer someone elses question. Seems to me that it would be my right to answer or not.

enterprise01 · February 12, 2007

I don't see why you felt the need to repost my information. Why are you looking up my posts?

Sorry, but I was under the impression that this is a public forum and posts are therefore public. You made an provocative statement that left a lot of people, including myself, curious.

I had my surgery with Dr. Spiegel but will never go back to him.:speechles

Why even make that statement when it would obviously prompt the question of "why wouldn't you go back to him"? I was curious, so I found the answer. If you click on any member's name, you can see all posts by that member. When I see that a member has posted something interesting, informative, or helpful, I often look at some of their other posts to see what else they have had to say about certain subjects.

If you don't want to reveal certain information, that's your perogative. But then don't post it anywhere here because this is a public forum. If I had taken information from a private email message, that would be a violation of your trust and your privacy. But quoting a public post in a public thread on a public forum is not a violation of anyone's rights.

HJTx · February 13, 2007

Never said you "violated my rights". Just thought it was nosey of you to "look around" to find an answer to a question that I didn't care to answer. It's not my intention to bad mouth a physician.

tltucker · February 22, 2007

I can completely understand why you would not use Dr. Spiegel. I was within one day of being approved with my insurance for him to do my surgery (and that is after the cattle call way he does his office) when he decided not to take my insurance anymore. So I found another Dr. in Port Arthur/Beaumont area. I was one of his first three lapband patients. He has been doing gastric bypass for years before he decided to do lapband. He has had to take out a lot of Spiegels bands because his patients were getting pneumonia because he was filling too much too quick. My dr. does my fills and I wouldn't have it any other way. I have recommended my dr to several people that have gone to him and feel the same way I do. He is very personable and talks to you alone.

Surgery: 8/2005

Dr. Stan Hahn - Groves,TX

Betsyjane · February 22, 2007

Just curious. why would restricting the stomach cause pneumonia?

tltucker · February 23, 2007

I don't completely understand it. But if I can remember right if you throw up alot and you aspirate that can cause pneumonia. I have heard of several people that this has happened to and once the band was removed their pneumonia completely cleared up or something like that.

HJTx · February 23, 2007

tltucker thanks for your input. I totally agree with your experience. I myself didn't have any problems with vomiting at all. I got post operative pleurisy. I had SO MUCH air left in my stomach. I looked 7 months pregnant and I'm not exagerating. The surgeon told me to take Gas X and I took a lot of that with no help at all. The surgeon's staff said "Oh it's just gas, get up and walk around" "You're just fine. Don't worry". Wrong! I wish I had been able to drive to his office. My husband had to call an ambulance and I was hospitalized. It was awful!!!

Karyn · February 23, 2007

I was lapbanded by Dr Spiegel on 12/11/06. I felt that his seminar and consultation was very informative and supportive of my problems. He answered every question and concern. I felt comfortable with him and his staff from day one. The day of my surgery Dr. Spiegel came in before my surgery to touch base and see if I had concerns. He returned after my surgery to follow-up. Today, I had my first fill since surgery with Dr Spiegel. He now does the fills at his office. He had several people there to get fills which I enjoyed!!! Dr Speigel met with all of us and answered cocners/questions as a group and also individually in patient room. I was very nervous for my fill and once there, I didn't feel alone. Everyone was going through it with me. We shared experiences and concerns together. Dr Spiegel met with me again after filling my band, making sure my Water intake was doing well. He was very patience and informative.

Dr Spiegel does do a large number of lapbands, so he does stay busy.....But I know that I asked tons of questions and researched him...and they all said he was the best. Appointments with him are be short and sweet or as long as you have questions, he will answer. I have never felt that he doesn't have the time to answer something.

If you like Dr Spiegel and feel comfortable with him, I say JUST DO IT!!!!