Dr. Felix Speigel

[kellymoos 4]

Hello! I was banded by Dr Spiegel. If I were you; I would contact the office manager and let her know what happened. She will take care of things. If they don't know they can't fix it. But, whatever you do, don't give up. Call back and get the questions answered that you have. Don't let that stop you. Hope all goes well for you and if you have questions, ask.

[GinnyWhite 0]

Hi there I was banded by Dr. Spiegel on 4/19/04 and I love him I think he did a great job of explaining everything to me and I felt like he really knew what he was doing. As fro the office sometimes it can get really crazy in there and there will be an office full of laughing, chatty ladies (and men) so I can see where they may get alittle short with us. But for the most part my experience has been great and so far no problems. Good luck to you both. Ginny

4/19/04

Dr. Spiegel

299/269/130

[suburban3 0]

Dr. Spiegel did my lapband surgery within the last week. He seems like a highly competent dr., but his office staff is really disorganized and haphazard. Do not wait for them to help you get approved by your insurance. I wasted a lot of time thinking they were going to handle that for me. I finally realized I had to take the bull by the horns myself. I had to make numerous phone calls to both my ins. co. and Dr. Spiegel's office to ever get any information and to get the ball rolling. He seems to have plenty of patients, but I wonder if he knows how many are just waiting or giving up because of the office staff.

[Guest setxhope]

Dr. John Schmidt, Port Arthur, is now doing the lap bands. I have FINALLY been approved and will have my first visit Thursday. I am so excited I can hardly sit still.

I never could get approval thru insurance for Dr. Speigel. Did see him once. Nice doctor. very helpful.

Is there a support group in Port Arthur yet?

Thanks and good luck to all pre/post bandsters.

[terriann50 0]

There is a support group in Port Neches on the first Thursday of every month at Dr Speigels office on Nall.

[heresminnie 0]

This Dr. Speigel that you are talking about, where is he located? Does there happen to be one in Orange? I had mine in Mexico but I need a fill dr. Could someone please help me?

thanks

Me

[TArnold123 1]

Dr. Spiegel IS in Orange, Tx but I'm not sure if he will do fills on patients who had surgery outside the U.S. You should call his office and ask that question.

[vixen2009 0]

someone just posted a comment on this doc you might want to read before you commit

[Tulip 0]

I can't speak from personal experience, but I do have 3 friends that had surgery by Dr. Speigel. They used him because of his extensive experience. But the price quoted on this thread is not the best one in Texas. Another doctor in Houston with as many if not more lap band surgeries offers the lap band for $12,900 (includes a year of follow-up and fills).

I don't think my friends would have gone with Speigel if they had investigated more about his staff and his fill practice.

[minpinmom 2]

I LOVE Dr. Spiegel - he now has an Xray machine in his Houston office for fills (so you don't have to go to the fill center for a barium swallow). I went with him due to his experience doing Lapband surgeries, also at the time he ONLY did Lapband, now he does other WLS too. I also liked Spivak, but at the time I was doing my research, Spivak hadn't done as many surgeries - so I went with Spiegel. I think they are both excellent choices - and 2 of the Very Best Surgeons in the US, not just Texas.

NOTE: In a couple of months, Spiegel will have a center in The Woodlands for all of us Northern' Houstonians :-)

[cgraham 0]

Honestly I would never let that man touch me again. He failed to tell me about what could happen with my port which is where they put your fills in to tighten your band. I had to have my port replaced after just 5 months after my surgery because of my weight loss. He never told me in his FREE SEMINAR that with alot of weight loss that your port can become to large and it would have to be replaced with a smaller one. I had to pay cash for my surgery because insurance would not cover the cost. I was a little upset to find out that I had to have another surgery at my COST and possibly another. Since that surgery I have had nothing but trouble with my port. The Good Doctor is quick to take your money but does little to help you when you need it. I tried to reason with him because I felt that my band should last a little longer than two years. It has now been 3 years and I have now gone a year with a faulty port that leaks out all my fills. I am currently looking for a doctor that will fix what he wouldn't stand behind. I guess you could say I don't recommend him.

[NieNie0323 0]

I understand your frustration as I am having issues with my fills. While I really like Dr. Speigel I think some things should be explained better. I have had problems with three fills and as a cash patient these are very costly. The last fill was this past Thursday and by Friday nite I was at the ER getting it removed. I called this morning to see if I could see him and was told NO due to it not being an ofc vist time. I am very very frustrated even one ofc worker told me that I should tell Dr. Felix to only give me small fills at a time. I was appalled is it my job as a paying customer to tell him that??? I think not.This is something that should be noted on my medical charts. At this point I do not know what to do or where to turn as I have no fills and have to start all over again for the 2nd time. This is very frustrating and the staff did nothing to help. They would not even ask him if he would make an exception to see me today... Does anyone have any suggestions???

[cgraham 0]

I understand your frustration as I am having issues with my fills. While I really like Dr. Speigel I think some things should be explained better. I have had problems with three fills and as a cash patient these are very costly. The last fill was this past Thursday and by Friday nite I was at the ER getting it removed. I called this morning to see if I could see him and was told NO due to it not being an ofc vist time. I am very very frustrated even one ofc worker told me that I should tell Dr. Felix to only give me small fills at a time. I was appalled is it my job as a paying customer to tell him that??? I think not.This is something that should be noted on my medical charts. At this point I do not know what to do or where to turn as I have no fills and have to start all over again for the 2nd time. This is very frustrating and the staff did nothing to help. They would not even ask him if he would make an exception to see me today... Does anyone have any suggestions???

Dear Frustrated,

I completely understand your frustrations. I to went through the same thing you are going thru just 2 years ago. As a cash patient with him I spent around a thousand dollars on fills due to various problems with my band with no help from him or his staff. I have not seem him in two years and I will not go back. I have been living with a band with no fills for two years and have gained about 40 pounds back. I hope to one day have my band fixed so I can get back to where I want to be. As for you I suggest that you find another doctor.....him and his staff are only out for the money.......

[minpinmom 2]

Wow,

I am surprised at your experiences. I love Dr. Spiegel and he and his staff work with me on my fills. He does the barium so that he can be more aggressive with his fills (and cost me less in the long run). I am sorry that you guys have had such bad experiences. I hope you find a Dr. that helps you work your band.