Hello everyone, I am looking into the Lap Band. My friends ex-girlfriend was recently Banded here in Houston by Felix Spiegel and she has had great results and this was my finally bit of motivation to look into this, especially when I found out that some insurance will cover it.

Did any of y’all get banded by him? Any advice or suggestions on what I need to know? I am attending his seminar this Saturday and consultation.

I have Cigna HMO, for those that have them as well did you have any issues getting approved? I’m hoping that I can, being that I’m 5’4” and 220lbs and according to my height should be 124-138.

Any and all advice would be more than fabulous!!!

I was banded by Dr. Spiegel on Tuesday! I am home and doing great. My advice - do it!

I was banded my Dr. Speigel and I am sooooo happy. He and staff are GREAT. It has been the best thing that I have EVER done. It is a new way of living for me and I know look forward to go shopping and going new places. I say do it. I did not have any problems. DO IT DO IT. YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT.

Skinny2B

10/26/07

256/221150

Dr. Speigel

I looked at Dr. Spiegel and was unsatisfied with the coordination and organization of his office. I had signed up for the consult and they "lost my name" and then when I cancelled the called me the day of the (cancelled) consult and wanted to know why I didn't show up. Then they called me a few days later saying the same thing. The right hand obviously did not know what the left hand was doing and I have heard that from more than a few people. I have heard that it is more like a cattle call there. Dr. Spiegel is not known for his bedside manner, which of course many people could care less, but I want a LITTLE TLC from my doctor. I opted to go with Dr. Hadar Spivak. He was the first doctor to do the band in Texas and has done thousands of bands. His staff is very courteous, his nurses knowledgeable, he has a fantastic bedside manner and does BEAUTIFUL work. I highly recommend him. He operates at Park Plaza hospital over on Binz. I've never had to wait to get in or not be able to get a quick appointment.

Well I went in for the seminar and consult today. I expected the office to be a little different than it was, but was pleased over all with everything, I was told I am a canidiate for the procedure and we started the paper work. I heard Cigna is a pain to get approved through, but I'm praying that they'll cover it. Thanks all for your advise.

Yeah, I was Cigna too, and I knew I would be denied because I was borderline BMI (38) even though I had the co-morbidities. I opted to self-pay and it sure made my life easier.

Well I went in for the seminar and consult today. I expected the office to be a little different than it was, but was pleased over all with everything, I was told I am a canidiate for the procedure and we started the paper work. I heard Cigna is a pain to get approved through, but I'm praying that they'll cover it. Thanks all for your advise.

Asherje,

I don't know if you have been banded yet, I was banded 08/11/08 by Dr. Felix Spiegel. Things could not have gone better. I was up and walking the same day (and you should to). The more you walk (within reason) the better the outcome. I was not concerned with bedside manner. I went for experience. There's nothing wrong with good bedside manner but I would go with experience first.

Texas Pork

Please be careful with Dr Spiegel. I had lapband surgery and for 2 years vomited every time I ate. When I went to the cattle call to see him I was told everything was ok. This happened over and over for 2 years. I moved to Chicago and was admitted to the ER. I was malnurished and my band had been done wronge! It was completely flipped and I had to have emergency surgery to repair. the surgeon I have now is amazing and cant believe the mess he saw when he operated on me. Believe it or not, I would recommend the lap band but only with a great surgeon who is caring and will give you the time after surgery is complete at your post op and fill appointments. good luck and choose wisely.

Hello everyone, I am looking into the Lap Band. My friends ex-girlfriend was recently Banded here in Houston by Felix Spiegel and she has had great results and this was my finally bit of motivation to look into this, especially when I found out that some insurance will cover it.

Did any of y’all get banded by him? Any advice or suggestions on what I need to know? I am attending his seminar this Saturday and consultation.

I have Cigna HMO, for those that have them as well did you have any issues getting approved? I’m hoping that I can, being that I’m 5’4” and 220lbs and according to my height should be 124-138.

Any and all advice would be more than fabulous!!! :confused:

Dr. Spiegel is not so great....find another doctor...even if you've already used him....find another doctor!

I have been banded almost 2 years and have done the same thing. I have thrown up almost everytime I have eaten anything. He tells me its my fault and that i am not doing the right things. Even though I throw up all the time, my weight remains the same. I have only lost around 25lbs. I dont know what to do.

Hello everyone, long time since I've been on here. I wish I would have listened! Just like you guys been having nothin but problems since I was banded march 2008 with Spiegel. Have a new doctor now who's great. Is trying to help me. I had given up on the band in 2010 after Spiegel kept telling me it's my fault I can't lose weight and that apparently I can't count calories. I dumped him and went to a new Doctor that would take me on. First visit was told I as gaining because my band was so tight the barium couldnt even pass. So that I wa having to eat more food to push it through. The lossened it and seeing a nutritionist was able to loose a little weight. Didn't go back (I was too upset when they told me I should have had gastric not Lapband for the results I wanted and that they see this all the time with Spiegels clients) until I had sever complications that led to me vomitting for 8hrs. Turns out my band slipped and they told me at that time that Spiegel doesn't implant them at the correct angle. Ugh. So now unfilled, have a GI next Thursday. So hopefully the slip has corrected its self. If not I dont know what I want to do next.

I had the exact same problems with spiegel. Who is your new Dr? I'd like to try again with a better Dr.

Hammer

Omg please don't go to him... I went to see him in Port Neches TX he as an office there that man is Rude rude and has no bed manners at all ... All he wants is ur money don't care about you! I'm glad I did not go back to him after knowing he was being sued by someone in Louisiana for medical negligees don't go to him please save ur self I went to Dr. Reilly in Houston he is the best I was banded on the 1st and feeling great!

Good luck!

Omg please don't go to him... I went to see him in Port Neches TX he as an office there that man is Rude rude and has no bed manners at all ... All he wants is ur money don't care about you! I'm glad I did not go back to him after knowing he was being sued by someone in Louisiana for medical negligees don't go to him please save ur self I went to Dr. Reilly in Houston he is the best I was banded on the 1st and feeling great!

Good luck!

Yay! I love seeing nothing but good about Reilly. He's banding me tomorrow at 7:30am!

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using LapBandTalk

Yay! I love seeing nothing but good about Reilly. He's banding me tomorrow at 7:30am!

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using LapBandTalk

Yes great doctor ...you will do great! Good luck!