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

Are any of you from the Beaumont area?? We are getting a little support group together here to just have some meetings and visit. Let me know if you are from the Golden Triangle Area.

Michele1951@sbcglobal.net

Hey Ya'll. Well im excited, yet nervous, to say im getting banded tomorrow morning by Dr. Spivak. I've never had a surgery so im a little jittery but im soooo excited and i cant sleep. My mom is getting her lap band on wednesday so were gonna be able to take care of eachother. But anyways, i bought 2 seasons of nip/tuck to keep me busy while recovering...what did all of you think of Dr. Spivak? I know hes like the best of the best but still....he seems REALLY nice so far.

Amy

Hey Amy,I am Amy too and am having surgery today also with Dr Spivak.Hope they do not get us mixed up! LOL He is doing 3 surgeries today and all 3 of us are on this board.Pretty neat.I am just trying to waste time before I make my 2hour trip.I am sooooo excited!!

GOOD LUCK!!!

Hi Amy!!! Good luck!! tell my valentine (hehehe) hello for me!!

Keep me posted!

Michele

Dr. Spivak

2.14.07

what did all of you think of Dr. Spivak? I know hes like the best of the best but still....he seems REALLY nice so far.

Amy

I absolutely love him!!! He seems to be the sweetest man in the world and is concerned about each of his patients. He is a wonderful, very caring doctor. Unlike some others, you will see him after your surgery.

Good luck to all of you who are having your life changing surgery today ~

Lynn

I love Dr. Spivak!! I had my surgery this morning and when he was in there he saw some scar tissue from a previoujs surgery that was pulling on my intestines and he went ahead and cut it out. Waking up without that pulling sensation was fabulous.

I am feeling so much better and I am only about 12 hours out from surgery. It went great!!

Hi, Amy, Amy, and Hazel,

I was banded by Dr. Spivak yesterday morning also. I think I was the first one in surgery yesterday. I am feeling great. I started burping as soon as I awoke in the recovery room, and did so all day long. Evidently that worked because I have not had any of the gas pains that so many on the site experience. All I have is a little stomach soreness which is easily treated with a little Liquid Tylenol. I slept well. I have had no problem eating, although I can't say that I have experienced any hunger yet. Dr. Spivak and all the staff at Park Plaza Hospital were great. I know there will be challenges ahead, but I feel ready to tackle them and look forward to learning from the experiences of others on this site.

Stephen - I think I saw you there yesterday. Did the nurse ask you what made you choose between the lap band and gastric bypass?

I was the second one in - Dr. Spivak was great. I had the burping all day yesterday and also haven't had the issues with the gas pains. I slept great last night too but I have a CPAP and it is easier to let go and just sleep because I know I have the machine on.

I haven't felt any hunger yet either which is different from any of my other surgeries - usually I would wake up ravenous. I have been trying to finish 4 ozs. of Carnation Instant breakfast this morning and it has been kind of hard. Water goes down great though.

Yes, I remember seeing you at the check-in station. I am glad you are doing well, too. I also use a CPAP machine. Today was my first experience taking my blood pressure / diabetic meds after having to grind them up. I mixed them with a little bit of sugar-free pudding and they went down fine. I also had a carnation instant breakfast and added some protein powder just a little while ago, and it went down just fine.

As for the nurse, it was the anesthesia nurse who asked me that question. She told me that she had attended Dr. Spivak's seminar last Saturday and was looking into it for a relative of hers. I just assumed she was just trying to gather information about why we chose the lap-band over gastric bypass as part of her research.

I am getting ready to go out for a very short walk (and burp) session.

....I had the burping all day yesterday and also haven't had the issues with the gas pains....

Hazel and Stephen - Don't be surprised if the gas pains don't kick in for a few days. Some people (including me) don't experience the gas pains until 3-5 days after surgery. If you do get them, try one of those Therma-Care Heat wraps for your shoulder. It worked wonders for me. Glad to hear you all are doing well.

did anybody go to the first Spivak support group meeting last night? I went begrudgingly and was pleasantly surprised. I got alot of good information and enjoyed myself. I think the man wants us to be ultra healthy party animals! He's having a Christmas party...sponsoring us in the Komen walk/run, and offering belly dancing, along with the usual educational stuff. I had heard that Speigel was making rule changes and wanting all fills done by him, etc....so I asked about that for Spivak, and he's not changing anything. I'm so glad.

Hazel and Stephen - Don't be surprised if the gas pains don't kick in for a few days. Some people (including me) don't experience the gas pains until 3-5 days after surgery. If you do get them, try one of those Therma-Care Heat wraps for your shoulder. It worked wonders for me. Glad to hear you all are doing well.

Does anyone know why these gas pains settle in the shoulder area? That seems very strange to me.

Betsyjane - I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed your meeting!! I wish I could go but it's impossible for me on Tuesday nights . I think this board will have to serve as only my support system....but hopefully that will be more than enough.

Does anyone know why these gas pains settle in the shoulder area? That seems very strange to me.

Betsyjane - I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed your meeting!! I wish I could go but it's impossible for me on Tuesday nights . I think this board will have to serve as only my support system....but hopefully that will be more than enough.

TerriDodle, I don't know why it was always my left shoulder. I used a heating pad, and found that if I laid down on my left side, it would improve. They gradually went away, but sometimes even 6 weeks after surgery, I'd feel some shoulder pain late in the evening. It was the worst in the first 2-3 weeks though.

Betsyjane, I wanted to go to the support center and planned to attend. Then I found out my daughter had out patient surgery yesterday, so I had to cancel. I want to go next week. I'm glad you found it to be worthwhile. How many people attended?

Terry

I'm curious about the support meeting also. I felt good enough to go even though my surgery was only on Monday, but was afraid I might be the only man there. Did many (any) men attend? I'm afraid it'll be awhile before I'm ready for any belly dancing, but I'm game if you are.

I'd say about 50-60 people. The scheduled speaker was in a car accident on the way there and didn't arrive (she's OK), so it was an open discussion, which was probably a good idea for the first meeting anyway....

Hi Everyone,

I was banded by Dr. Spivak on January 26, 2007. I had a WONDERFUL experience with Dr. Spivak and everyone at Park Plaza. Did not expereience much gas pain at all! The worst part for me was getting in and out of bed - that lasted about a week I guess. I have had two fills so far. The first one did not work, went back in a week after the fill and it was not there. They told me that was pretty normal for the first fill and she gave me another using the Omni Pak (?) thicker solution. Still not much restriction so going back for another fill next week on Thursday. I am pleased with the loss so far but want to feel that restriction so that I don't over do it. I am exercising every night and I know that helps a lot! Good luck everyone with your weight loss - I know we will all do great!

Kim

Banded 1/26/07

Spivak - Houston

236/212/165

First Fill 2/22 1.5cc

Second Fill 3/1 - first fill gone added another 1.5cc of Omni Pak

Third Fill - Scheduled for 3/22