Hello. I've just started researching and have lots of questions. Has any one had the procedure from Dr. Spiegle in Houston? I'm 34 & need to lose 100+. I'm not sure what my BMI is...need to find a place to calculate it. I have United Health Care Insurance...am hoping the approval time is quick. Would appreciate any information you could give. Thanks!:help:

Hi DJ, welcome to LBT!

I attended Dr Spiegel's seminar in March 2005, I waited several months for a call back.. I tried twice to call for an update and got the run around. Somehow I got lost in the fray.

A few months later, after hearing people here who raved about Dr Hadar Spivak, I went to his seminar (with my mom for support). I was sold.

For several more months I researched the procedure, it took me awhile to convince myself the band was the tool I needed to help me take the weight off and maintain. I was only kidding myself when I briefly thought I could do it on my own (knowing my diet history).

I finally made the decision and had surgery 10/10/05. My highest weight was 255, I did high protein/low carbs for several weeks before surgery and was down to 234 day of procedure. I'm at 162 now, still have 25-30 more to go.

Here's a link to help Calculate BMI Welcome to Dr. Spivak's Web Site

All the best,

Karla

hi dj,

i cant say enough good things about dr spivak and his staff. they are wonderful and very knowledgable.

in my opinion the aftercare is as important as the surgery itself and spivak has a comprehensive program.

i went to his seminar and had surgery 2 days later (i was self pay)

good luck in your search

I think it all depends on what you want in a surgeon. From what I hear Dr. Spivak is hands on, and has great follow up. Dr. Spiegal has the most experience and surgical skill, I'll be the first to admit your treated like cattle at the office. HOWEVER, I've been very please with my band and I'm losing great, I don't like to be micro managed so Dr. Spiegal was the choice for me. I had to have emergency gall bladder surgery this week and he referred me to an excellent surgeon, and there were no complications. Surgical skill and competence is what was most important to me in choosing a doctor.

I am about ready to use Spiegel and also am self-pay, hopinng to get it done this Friday. Any advice on working with his office? I've found them pretty good so far. Thanks

MM

make sure you are clear about his fill procedures and compare them to spivak's

Dr. Spiegel is a great surgeon. No problem with the surgery or the band. His office sucks. His aftercare program is just as bad. I go to the surgicenter for my fills. He insists on giving them now so the schedule is not as flexible as before. I would look around. Dr. Spivak, Dr. Mathew St. Laurent, and upcoming Dr. Garth Davis. Davis does more gastric bypasses, but has gotten into the lapband.

There are many fine surgeons in Houston. You need to match your personality with theirs so that aftercare goes well. Its not like other surgeries where you have the surgery and you're done with the surgeon. They are with you for a long time through the process.

I'm a Spivak baby and have never been micromanaged. He was sweet before and during surgery and go for fills when I need them..so far by the Surgicenter and not by Spivak directly, although I could ask for him to do them. The support group is not required, but I have gone. The pre-op and post-op diets are the most lenient I've heard. Not sure where the micro-management comment came from....

Hello. I've just started researching and have lots of questions. Has any one had the procedure from Dr. Spiegle in Houston? I'm 34 & need to lose 100+. I'm not sure what my BMI is...need to find a place to calculate it. I have United Health Care Insurance...am hoping the approval time is quick. Would appreciate any information you could give. Thanks!:help:

I call Dr. Spiegle's office when I was looking for a doctor. Staff sucked cold never get in for seminar. So found Dr. Spivak went to his seminar very nice man Staff is SUPERB. You have no worry u are well taken care of. Not to mention after surgery was over and I woke up he was the first face I saw. In general he is the best by far. And as far as his experience he worked with the team of surgeons that got the LapBAnd approve for US use. So he is very skilled. My suggestion is try him also try to go to one of his seminars and just compare the two

Wow! I was feeling good about Spiegel & his staff after the seminar. I was very happy with his experience. Think I'll look into Spivak too. Thanks for all the information!. Oh, found out my BMI is 43.

Wow! I was feeling good about Spiegel & his staff after the seminar. I was very happy with his experience. Think I'll look into Spivak too. Thanks for all the information!. Oh, found out my BMI is 43.

Another option is Dr. Adam Naaman in Houston. He practices at the Houston Memorial Hospital on I10 and is AWESOME! I cannot tell you how thrilled I am with the experience and his expertise. His office runs like a well-oiled machine, no snags, no guesses, no waiting...here is his link to his web site. You can register for the seminar there and also download any forms you might need. I have Cigna, and had absolutely no problem getting approved. Good luck!

Doctor Adam Naaman - Houston Laparoscopic Surgery and General Surgery

hi dj,

when i was researching someone suggested i look up the various doctor's names in the search mode on this site and it helped alot. there are reams of info on here

as was suggested below...you may want to go to other seminars to compare doctors.

1 correction in regards to "most experienced"...spivak was the only doctor in texas in the FDA trials before it was an approved surgery in the USA. so he taught many of the doctors doing the surgery today in texas including spiegel.

also it's not a matter if you want to be "overmanaged". if you get into trouble after the surgery.....the lapband doctor must be involved or it could mess up your system. i did encounter a problem -asperation pneumonia (i caused it by eating too fast, too big bites) and thank god i had great support to solve the problem

anyway....there's lot of info on the website that can help in your search

good luck

I haven't had any problem with my fills, I've had two so far, At the first fill someone told me to schedule an appt. a month later for my second one, and it was good advice because I needed another. One can debate doctors all day long, the most important thing is who are you most comfortable with.

How do you know if your gall bladder is in trouble? It happens to so many of us and I don't know the symptoms....

Dr. Spiegle has a great reputation. I have UHC too but I had to go out of Network. They covered it but don't cover my fills.

Well, I have already set up going with Spiegel so that's my plan! I know women who used him and Spivak (maybe two biggest practices in Houston?) both and had good results. Anyhow, I'll be posting a fair bit about my experiences so check back with me. Band date is 7/6/7!:eek:

I wonder if I can ask Spivak's practice about attending their support groups? I am a self-pay and want to make sure to try out all the great aftercare options - including this board.

MM