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

Does he want us to have a certain BMI? At 25 or does he want it to be less?

I never really talked goals with him. My personal goal is to get to a little under 25 as that is the cutoff to be considered a normal weight.

I think that he deals more in percentage of excess weight. Apparently the statistics are that the average bandsters only lose about 50% of their excess weight in the first 18 months.

I thought that was a little discouraging, but take into consideration that includes everyone banded and some lose little or nothing. I think that is why his goal is that you lose at least 50% of your excess weight in the first year.

In reading many of the posts here, I have come to realize that many of the people that have been banded do not really understand the process and expect it to magically make the weight go away. I remember how adamant Dr. S. was about this point, in the information session that I attended. That this was not a calorie burning device and there was no magic to it. It requires that we use it as a tool, but we still have to make smart choices or we can "beat the band".

I for one intend on being on the right side of the averages and losing all my excess weight.

Mary, you are absolutely right! I sailed along for 3 months with the weight slipping off but the last ten pounds have been tough!

Naturally, I have found as I lose the weight I have had to really pump up the exercise to keep it coming off...at about 1 pound/week.

I am happy to say I am at 51% of my way....if you look at BMI. Still have 43 pounds to get to a BMI of 25 but I actually set my personal goal at about 10 pounds under a BMI of 25.

I don't think I could ever gain it back as easily as I did before. I guess what I worry about is that I may quit losing it some day.

Only time will tell. I am so much better off now than I was 6 months ago!

Mary, you are absolutely right! I sailed along for 3 months with the weight slipping off but the last ten pounds have been tough!

Naturally, I have found as I lose the weight I have had to really pump up the exercise to keep it coming off...at about 1 pound/week.

I am happy to say I am at 51% of my way....if you look at BMI. Still have 43 pounds to get to a BMI of 25 but I actually set my personal goal at about 10 pounds under a BMI of 25.

I don't think I could ever gain it back as easily as I did before. I guess what I worry about is that I may quit losing it some day.

Only time will tell. I am so much better off now than I was 6 months ago!

Lisalee you have done great. I hope I am as successful in 6 months. I am sure you will keep losing, just as a slower rate and that is always tough the tough part. But you sound really positive about your progess and I think that is so importent. That we not give up when the going gets slow.

I think that knowing that I will not gain back the weight is the biggest thing for me. I know I can lose the weight, I have done it numerous times, but had just given up because I was so discouraged after gaining back the weight after my last big loss. I just decided what was the point if I couldn't keep it off why suffer to take it off.

Now I really feel that my band will help to make this more permanent. Now if I could just get the exercise going, I would be much better off.

That has always been my special challenge.

Now I really feel that my band will help to make this more permanent. Now if I could just get the exercise going, I would be much better off.

That has always been my special challenge.

My sentiments exactly, Mary. I've never been very "athletic" :phanvan probably because I was overweight since childhood and was always picked last for dodge ball...lol!! (That's my story anyway!) Do you have any interest in going to Jazzercize? That might be fun.

My sentiments exactly, Mary. I've never been very "athletic" :phanvan probably because I was overweight since childhood and was always picked last for dodge ball...lol!! (That's my story anyway!) Do you have any interest in going to Jazzercize? That might be fun.

Talk about a stretch goal, that would be one for me! Although if they have one that will take an out of shape overweight woman, that will be wheezing in the back of the room. :faint: :faint: (I would have to be in the back of the room) it might actually be fun. Do you know anyone that is going? There is one at 529 and 6. Oh! do I really want to do this?????????? :)

Hello! I am going to the seminar an appt Sat!!! Does anyone know if he takes credit cards? I plan on paying for my surgery with a 0% interest card.And want to plan ahead of time.Thanks!!!

Hello! I am going to the seminar an appt Sat!!! Does anyone know if he takes credit cards? I plan on paying for my surgery with a 0% interest card.And want to plan ahead of time.Thanks!!!

Yes, he takes credit cards. I put the cost of my surgery on my Discover card for that cash back bonus.

Thanks!! I plan on buying some new clothes with my cash back bonus:Banane01:

I just talked with a friend here at work who attended Dr. Spivak's seminar last Saturday with her husband. The surgery would be for her husband, not her. She said that he had 2 successful band patients there talking to all the potential bandsters. They basically scared her husband away from the surgery. Did any of you have a similar experience? I attended the Wednesday night seminar, not the Saturday one. We had a very beautiful black woman (I can't remember her name) talk to us, and she was very encouraging.

Just wondering what everyone else's experience was.

I did not have that experience at all. But I had the sassy-pretty black lady you did. Bless her heart she stayed late with me and anwered all my questions. She is amazing! I owe her a huge hug if I ever see her again. She gave me such wonderful and supportive advice, encouraged me to put my health first and take care of myself. Wish I remembered her name.

I wonder what they said that scared him away?

I think her name is Ferdita . . . she was a sweetheart, and so pretty. I do recall being a little freaked out about all of the things she said she could NOT eat, but I have a friend who had the surgery two years ago also with Dr. Spivak and has done great! So, I just called her and she calmed my fears. I can understand how someone would be overwhelmed if they didn't have someone else to talk to about the procedure to get more information.

I had my second fill yesterday and am amazed at how restricted I feel. Hopefully, I'll lose some serious weight now!

I can not wait to be banded. My insurance denied me 2 weeks ago so now I am collecting alot of data and medical history. The only thing I do not have is a 6 month history of dieting. I am from Austin and willing drive to see Dr. Spivak. I just trust him.

What a great thread! I am scheduled for surgery on April 4th and I am nervous but excited. I am doing surgery on a Wednesday and hoping to return to work (office job) on Monday. Does anyone think that is too ambitious of a plan?

I did not have that experience at all. But I had the sassy-pretty black lady you did. Bless her heart she stayed late with me and anwered all my questions. She is amazing! I owe her a huge hug if I ever see her again. She gave me such wonderful and supportive advice, encouraged me to put my health first and take care of myself. Wish I remembered her name.

I wonder what they said that scared him away?

Well, I was at the exact same seminar as that couple (last Saturday)! The girls that were giving their experiences were wonderful, but I was kinda freaked out about the foods she wasn't able to eat as well....no chicken breast , no eggs , no lettuce:eek:, no bread:eek: ???? That was her experience...and everyone is different. She also talked about trial and error and spending the whole first two months carrying around a barf bag! I can see how if you hadn't done more research, or had the advantage of a place like this forum, or wasn't prepared to make real changes to your eatiing habits that you could spin on your heels and walk right out of there! That guy was probably looking for a magic bullet.

Shine On -- Dr. Spivak told me that the average is probably about a week before you feel like going back to work. So that's what I told my boss...that I was having some minor surgery and I expected that I would be out about one week. Maybe more, maybe less.

What a great thread! I am scheduled for surgery on April 4th and I am nervous but excited. I am doing surgery on a Wednesday and hoping to return to work (office job) on Monday. Does anyone think that is too ambitious of a plan?

I had my surgery and returned to work on Monday, but I work out of my house so was able to plan on staying home for the first 3 days of the week. I think it depends on several things, one your age, and two what type of work you do. If it is sedentary you should be OK, just plan on being very very tired. If it requires much activity I would plan on being out a couple of more days.

Unfortunately, it is hard to predict, I have read of those that have surgery and are out shopping that evening and feel fine. And there are some that are still having problems the second week. It is very individual, so I would advise go with the averages.

I agree that I was a little taken aback by all of the foods that "Ferdita?" said that she could not eat. But she was so positive abour her results it was hard to be put off. But after reading on this site I knew that it was also very individual. Enterprise, sorry that your friend was scared off, but maybe he just wasn't ready. It would be a shame if Dr. Spivak had negative people at his seminar. Guess it is hard to tell if you weren't there.