I had originally considered going to Dr. Felix Spiegel to perform my lap band surgery. After reading some of the comments on these pages. I have begun thinking twice about him. I have read good comments about Dr. Hadar Spivak. If you have had him perform your lap band surgery, please let me know about your experience. Also tell me how long after you called for an appt. did you have surgery if you were paying cash? Thanks for the information.

I was banded by Dr. Spivak, Tues., Aug. 21. Self-pay, it was two weeks between first appt. and surgery. I am doing well. I had a choice between Park Plaza Hospital and Physicians Surgery Center. I had mine at the hospital and they were very nice and professional. Let me know if I can answer anymore questions, although I am just at the beginning myself. Pray about it.

The more information I look at on the forum, the more convinced that I want to use Dr. Spivak for the surgery. Does he have seminars that you must attend before you schedule the surgery? Did he put you on a liquid diet before the surgery? I wish I were you when it comes to having the surgery already. Good luck with your recovery time and hope the weight comes off quickly.

I used Spivak. I give him top marks for his staff, his demeanor, his helpfulness and accessibility and his expertise. I am so glad I chose him. As you'll see on this forum, he gets top marks period!

I just went online and will try to go to his seminar on September 8th. I haven't read anything negative about him but have heard horror stories about the relationship Dr. Spiegel and his staff have with his patients. I want to be treataed like a human being and not a number. It is wonderful hearing from patients that have used Dr. Spivak.

Sharigout:

Yes, he has seminars to attend: Wed. and Sat. and you can have a consult with him afterward, first come, first serve. Call his office if you want to sign up or check in on-line. NO liquid diet before surgery, I was glad too. Oh, no tests either, due to my age and overall health and being self-pay. I understand about wanting the surgery part to be over, this was my first time to be under general anesthesia.

Here's how it went for me last November as a self pay. I went to the free seminar and saw a presentation by Spivak, met some banded people, asked a bunch of questions, and then I paid $100 to have a private appointment with Spivak that same night. I brought a current set of blood tests with me...His staff had asked me to since I have Lupus. We scheduled the surgery and he gave me a packet of information to take with me about pre op, op, and post op stuff.

I came back to the Surgicenter the morning of surgery, and he had arranged for a banded woman who has Lupus to be there and hold my hand and answer questions...nice touch! They prepped me for outpatient surgery, and then Spivak came in, all calm and supportive,answered any last minute questions and then said "Ready to

go?" I said yes and they knocked me out. When I woke up I was banded.

I've always had my fills done at the Surgicenter by Joy rather than Dr. Spivak, but I know I could request him at any time. And there are weekly support meetings in his office if you want them.

Couldn't have been smoother or sweeter....

Oh, I'll tell you what I also liked.... When I met him the first time, I was asking about the pre op diet and saying that I have no confidence in my ability to stick with ANY diet. He said that he figured if we could stick with it we might not need to be banded....and that the only pre op diet he would ask of me is to not act like it's the Last Supper and try to eat everything in the world as if I never will be able to again. He said a weight GAIN before surgery would not be a good sign. That was all. Now I'm sure if he thought I had a fatty enough liver that it would get in the way of surgery, he would have asked me to do things...or if an insurance company had required it....but I liked it that he understood.

thank you so much for the information. i think that I am making the right decision by choosing him as my doctor. i have a few more questions.

1. How long between your private meeting with him compared to the surgery date?

2. Did you have to spend the night in the hospital after the surgery?

3. If I drive 4 hours to get to the hospital, how soon will they let me come back to Louisiana?

I saw him first on 10/25 and had the surgery 11/13....My choice of dates.

I did outpatient at the Surgicenter and loved it. You have to have someone with you to drive you away. I got there early in the morning and probably left ...I forget...maybe 5 hours later? You WON"T feel like driving yourself anywhere, let alone to Louisiana. You'll be too groggy from anaesthetic.

Do you have someone in La to do your fills or will you travel back to Spivak? If not Spivak, then get somebody lined up who says they are willing to do fills after another Dr. did the surgery.

If you do it at the hospital, they'll keep you overnight.

Are you going to do this alone or is someone coming with you?

My husband will be driving me to the Houston. I will call Dr. Spivak's office to schedule the seminar tomorrow morning when I have a break at school. Thanks for the helpful information.

Great! Then you'll be able to go back to La quickly if you want to. Welcome to the journey. Oh, take a pillow to surgery. You'll want it in the car going home. It feels good to hold your belly tight to a pillow over railroad tracks!

hi shari,

ditto to everything betsyjane has said. it has been a great experience working with both spivak and his staff. the aftercare has been super.

i was self-pay too.

i went to his wednesday night meeting on march 28th. my surgery was scheduled for friday march 30th. i was in good health so i didnt have to have any tests.

obviously i wasnt on a pre-op diet. they just asked me not to eat meat on thursday between the 2 days.

my surgery was at park plaza. i think it just depends which day you do you surgery as to where he schedules your surgery. to be honest...i probably would try for the Surgi-center so i could do fills there. the wait for fills at spivak's office has consistently been 1-2 hours for me. i understand surgi-center does a great job scheduling fills with little wait.

surgery day i was in by 6:30 and out by 1:30 same day. he made me walk around the hospital floor 4 times and urinate and then i could go home.

as betsy said..definitely have someone driving you. the ride home for me was a blur.

anyway glad you found spivak....

good luck

I am getting so excited talking to all of you. I will try to go to his seminar on September 9th and hopefully have surgery the next week. I am ready to lose weight. Today while I was floating in our pool, I looked like a beached whale and I couldn't help but thinking how I will look next year at this time. I have 120 pounds to lose. I will also try to have the surgery in the surgery center and if I feel good enough, I will let my husband drive home and I will probably sleep the whole trip home. Keep sending helpful information my way. I will call him tomorrow and let all of you know when is my seminar.

I am getting so excited talking to all of you. I will try to go to his seminar on September 9th and hopefully have surgery the next week. I am ready to lose weight. Today while I was floating in our pool, I looked like a beached whale and I couldn't help but thinking how I will look next year at this time. I have 120 pounds to lose. I will also try to have the surgery in the surgery center and if I feel good enough, I will let my husband drive home and I will probably sleep the whole trip home. Keep sending helpful information my way. I will call him tomorrow and let all of you know when is my seminar.

Good luck to you Sheri. You are making the right choice with Dr. Spivak. I went to a seminar in July saw Dr. S. the same night and scheduled the surgery for Aug. 1. That was my choice. My seminar was on a Wednesday and since I was self pay I could of scheduled for Friday of that same week. I chose my date because of other commentments. I also chose (it is your choice) the surgery center over the hospital. My friend chose the hospital and she went home the same day. About 6 hours after her surgery. I also went home the same day about 5 hours after my surgery.

I really respect Dr. Spivak and his approach to both the pre and post op period. As I said I had my surgery on August 1 and have called the office several times with questions. Every time they are patient and helpfull and two times Dr. Spivak was there when I called and he came on the line and talked to me without me even asking to talk to him. The first time it happened I almost hung up on him. They put me on hold for what I thought would be his nurse. When his voice greeted me I almost forgot my question I was so shocked. Anyway didn't mean to go on and on but if you choose Dr. Spivak you will not be sorry.

Good luck to you and let us know what you decide.

Am wondering how much it costs with Spivak for self-pay? And will he do BMI of 34?

Thanks