Through earlier conversations in a separate thread, it was suggested to have a specific thread for Spivak's patients to share experiences. Please feel free to join in.

Lynn, Terry and Deb hope to see your updates here.

Take care,

Kim

*To be banded Monday, February 5th

Hi!

I'm a new patient of Dr. Spivak's. My surgery is scheduled for this Friday (4-27-07). I'm getting a little nervous. Why are we asked to bring a pillow to the surgery center?

One more question...

Do any of you live in the Clear Lake area? I'm in Webster and would like to carpool to the Tuesday meetings if possible.

Thanks...

hi

ictexas: i havent heard of protein pills but i just got the protein "test tubes" i havent tried them yet....but they definitely have alot of protein with fewer calories

rho_z: i brought a pillow and blanket for the ride home. it was VERY helpful to have as i was sleepy and nauseous

dont worry.,..dr spivak makes you feel VERY comfortable. are you having it at park plaza? the staff there is great. you will meet nurses that had surgery with dr spivak

good luck and keep us posted

JosieB- I was curious about the protein test tubes, you mentioned.... Where do you get them and how much grams are they?

Thanks

JosieB...

My banding will be at Park Plaza Hospital.

This is real exciting, but also scarey.

Food has been my best friend for so long.

I know I can lose weight...I lost 100# dancing with Richard Simmons.

Then I fell in "love" and gained all my weight back plus some.

Dating is bad for diets...lol

I'll keep ya posted on my progress.

hi karyn,

they are called "new-whey" liquid protein.

stats are: 176 cals

42 gms protein

0 gms fat

2 gms carbs

i ordered them online from vitaminshoppe.com

hi rho_z: GREAt re: park plaza.

i know what you are saying about the emotional side. i have to tell you i was VERY concerned about that. but something is different so far...i dont think about food like i used to. it may have to do with the physiological change due to the band. i read on a doctor's website they way it works is...the hunger receptors that tell our brain we are full...are at the top of the stomach. so being our stomach is banded at the top...we stay "full" longer. i thought most of my eating was psychological. but now i'm thinking some of it was physical. it sort of explains it.

the other thing i'm learning....i could get on a diet in past...but i couldnt keep my resolve. the band doesnt allow me to change my mind when i get weak and want to gorge myself.

of course you can just eat milkshakes all day and gain...

but in reading posts on this web...i've found some of the people that complain they dont lose...never hit the gym and sit in taco bell. the ones i've seen being successful....follow a healthy plan and exercise. so i'm keeping those people in my mind as my "mentors"

the hardest things thus far for me has been not drinking while i eat...and also taking small bites and eating slowly....very "learnable" but harder then i thought.

anyway good luck and keep us posted

Hi there Rho_z I live in Friendswood. I would love to talk to you and see if you want to hitch a ride with me to the meetings. You can contact me and let me know. Stacey

I am not banded, but have been considering it for over a year now. I attended Spivak's seminar and loved him. I have since relocated and am considering traveling back to Houston to get banded. My question is this: what is his pre-op protocol and what type of testing should I expect to undergo. I do have several co-morbities; type II diabetes, high cholesterol, and sleep apnea. I am only 35. I'm concerned that I won't qualify by his standards or that I'll have to undergo months worth of testing and/or dieting before he would perform the surgery.

hi stephanie,

dr spivak had the easiest pre-op plan. i went to the seminar on wednesday, had my mtg with him immediately after the seminar and had surgery on friday.

they told me just to not have meat the day in between.

i have mild high blood pressure....

he will make a plan for you that is appropriate for the issues you describe

the one thing i can say is...Dr spivak is very practical in his approach. what i mean is he doesnt overdo it or underdo it.

in addition to spivak..his staff is great and sincere

how far are you moving? their aftercare is great as well.....

Wow, thanks for the information! He definitely has a warm genuine spirit about him...We already moved to North Carolina. There are only 2 doctors I would trust performing this procedure, although they are the only 2 I met...and they're both in Houston. sigh...Since you were so kind to respond, do you mind sharing your story? Why you decided on the lap band and what you've experienced (both miserable and extraordinary) since the band?

hi

actually i started investigating this back in 2002 when i lived in NYC. a friend of mine lost 85 lbs in 1 year. i went to the seminar of Dr Christina Ryn.

i decided against it. i probably wasnt ready for it....my excuses were "i may not be able to eat steak" ...funny i dont even like steak ha!

also the idea of a foreign body in my body grossed me out.

but someone explained to me that the material they use on the lap band is same as a hip replacement.

if i needed one of those to walk...i wouldnt give it a second thought

also i thought i should be able to lose the weight on my own.

fast forward 5 yrs....many many lbs gained and lost...and i basically didnt get anywhere with my diets.

so my brother was watching a discovery channel show where some really hot celebrity (he still doesnt remember his name) had gained mucho weight and lost by lapband.

he has seem me try and try...so he mentioned it and i brought out all my old materials and went forward pretty quickly

the operation was pretty easy for me. the left shoulder pain and nausea (for only 10 hours) were my major issue and they arent major

but i did cause some issues for myself. i was eating bites too big and too fast. so i was having problms keeping food down. but i truly think this was of my own making

i've lost 22 lbs so far.

i have seen on this site the people most successful exercise and follow a good plan. and there are quite a few winners on here

there are people i've read about that dont understand why they dont lose weight...they dont exercise, taco bell is their mainstay fast food joint.

i started walking the day after surgery. i started spinning class 3 weeks after surgery. so i plan to keep this going

2 things i've found. i used to blame my eating on me and my emotions. and this is partially true. but there was a physical reason for the overeating.

the receptors that tell your brain you are full are at the top of the stomach. when we get banded...the food fills the top faster so we are full faster and if we eat properly (proteins first)...longer

this made me feel better....

i am not hungry at all. but i have had a separate issue with a touch of pneumonia.

but i am happy i did this and feel this will allow me to succeed.

oh one thing...i usually go gung ho on a diet for 3 weeks then lose my resolve. the band doesnt allow me to fall too far off the wagon.

you may want to call spivak's office and see if he can recommend someone in NC. he was part of the initial trials and knows many Drs. also i know he trained in georgia for some part of his education.

anyway let me know how you make out

Did you experience nausea post-surgery? I read somewhere here that someone said something about the "anethesia being used in Texas" causing that or something. Did you ask Spivak's office for phenergan before surgery?

Did you experience nausea post-surgery? I read somewhere here that someone said something about the "anethesia being used in Texas" causing that or something. Did you ask Spivak's office for phenergan before surgery?

I get very nauseous with any kind of anesthetic - I don't know that ours is any different in Texas. I got a shot of zofran after my surgery and it fixed me right up.

I was banded by Spivak on 4/11 and I got motion sick on the way home, but that was it...thank god!!!:clap2:

Stephanie,

I was just banded by Dr. Spivak on 4-27-07.

When I went to his Sat seminar (3-17-07)he suggested the bypass for me. I did not want my digestive tract rerouted and the fear of complications, post-surgery or way down the road, made me chose the Lap-Band. He told me to lose 10#, get some blood work done and scheduled my surgery for 4-27-07. I have high bp and one functioning kidney. I was also a self-pay because my insurance excludes any type of gastric surgery for weight loss.

Dr. Spivak is wonderful. You can't go wrong with him.