jobelle

Has anyone had lap-band with this Dr.? His site offers hands assisted laparoscopic procedures????Any comments?

Anybody got the goods on PS in Arkansas or Missouri? Thanks

Hey LisaMc, I live in Central Arkansas and drive 8 hrs for Dr. Spivak. I was banded May 24, 06 and am 8 lbs from goal. He is great, I researched alot of Drs over a 6 mo period before choosing Dr. Spivak. At least, attend one of his seminars before you make a decision. He has a very calm, laid back manner. His staff is great too. Jobelle

Hi ya'll. It's been quite some time since I've logged in. My dilema: I'm 13 lbs from goal-(banded May 24, 06.) It was my choice to travel 10 hours to this particular surgeon. I'm happy with that! :thumbup: I've had only 4 fills to get this close to goal. BUT I would love to give up the 10 hours for a closer doctor. Last time I made the trip, I asked the nurse what she thought. Her reply was that she would not want someone else messing with what's working. Should I stick it out till I make goal and then find someone closer or go ahead and do it now? Any thoughts? Thanks! (Oh, I can't remember how to place a ticker. Any help there?)

Hey I just found this thread...this is hilarious..

Randi, I was banded by Dr. Spivak in May. My low profile port was placed right at the band of my bra and was so irritating (sore) I wore a huge bandaid over it. Dr. Spivak told me it would get better as I lost weight. I was a 40DD at surgery and now a 38DD-so not that big of a change, but enough of a flatter stomach to make it feel better. I don't have any problems with it now. I really feel it at night(back sleeper) and my husband tries to cuddle with one arm over that area, but that bugs me, so he has adapted.

40DD - 30 lbs later-38DD and getting looser

Hey Gummiebear...I get them too and then alot of times I get this "gurgle" or growl like sound from my esophagus. People close by can hear it. I know I'm eating right-tiny bites, chew, chew, chew and then some. I was banded in May and my last fill was Aug. 31. They told me I was tight and slow to empty and had a tiny bit of reflux with the last picture they took at the fill appt, but thought I would do fine. ( I drive 10 hours to see my Doc for my fills-Spivak) I asked them to get me tight so I wouldn't have to go so often...I'm still tight. Sometimes it late in the day before I can get anything down. Like tonight, I started trying to get a 3-4oz hamburger patty down about 6pm and just accomplished it. And that's all I've eat!!! The disappointing thing is I've been at a standstill for about 5 weeks now-no loss. Just thought I'd comment. Thanks

I'm 3 weeks out, when can I have a diet coke? Do I ever get one again? Anybody???

Hey KP-I drove from Central Arkansas to Houston for Dr. Spivak. Made the trip for the seminar/consult and then back for the band (May 24) and I'm going next week for my first fill. It's quite a drive but I would do it again, well I'll keep making the drive. Research him and compare, I think you'll find he has the best track record and reviews.

Hi Freeradical-I didn't have any problem with pain med. I got a script for liquid on my discharge, so it's flavored pretty good too. I had my last need for pain med on Mon..I did go back to work the following Tues. after my banding on Wed., but I was miserable with side and low back pain. I did take a little "swig" of pain med on Fri. 4:45am. I wished I had waited another week, but I only work 1 day a week right now anyway-poor me, huh :girl_hug:. I'm a dental hygienist so it's still pretty physical though. Personally if I were you, I would take that extraweek. Talk to ya another time....

Hey Freeradical- I'm doing better, discomfort is subsiding. It's only occasional now. I'm down 11 pounds since banding last Wed (5-24). I usually jump on here two - three times a week just to see what's going on, see how everybody's doing. Thanks for asking...jobelle:)

I'm in Jacksonville. I drove to Houston and was banded by Dr. Hadar Spivak on the 24th of May. I know it's early but I'm still having some discomfort at the port site and what feels like extreme reflux. I was very slow to wake up from anesthesia, so maybe I'm just going to be a slow healer?? Though I didn't use a local Dr. I would be very interested in a local support group. Hope everyone can add me to their contact list. Thanks all!

This is my 3rd day post-op. I'm looking for advice, encouragement, etc. I read a post about getting 60 gms of protein in a day. How and what foods can I possibly eat to get that much in 3 days post-op. Also, I'm having what I would describe as extreme reflux. It feels like I haven't taken my Prevacid in 2 or 3 months. I can feel my milk go all the down. I haven't had vomiting though. I'm not eating a lot of food, mostly broth, milk, water, unswt decaf tea, soup after food processing-about 3 ounces at a time only. I've had a constant terrible headache since surgery. There ya go, all my complaints thus far. Any advice greatly appreciated.....jobelle

Well-I'm totally in denial....What a shock to everyone I think....Chris going home??? You could read the disbelief on Simon, Paula...well all their faces. I think I've lost my understanding of the voting public.(What the h...were they thinking).:think Anyway just thought I would throw it in...I finally have my date 5/24 with Spivak... Jobelle

Hi everybody???I haven't posted in a while but have a question now. I was scheduled for consult w/Dr. Spivak(Houston), it's a 14 hr drive for me, so I called the day before to ask if they saw anything in my paper work that might be a problem for denial w/ins..(UHC-100% w/pre-d approval). My BMI is acceptable(low end). I am on bp med, borderline diabetes, GERD med, cholesterol med, tx for anx/depression...pcp documented joint/muscle aches and pains, slight swelling in one leg. (I feel like a basket case) I was told that I needed 2 co-morbidities for which I was taking meds. That to be on diabetic med, along with bp med would get the approval. Since it's such a long drive, I cancelled. My pcp said I should have went anyway, that most of these surgeons have ways around the co-morbidity issue. Does this sound like the norm? Or does anyone know what the chance of approval would be, with only 1 co-morb??? Thanks!!!

Thanks for input. I'm scheduled for my consult on 3/17. I suppose my paperwork will get started then? and go from there.....

Hi everyone. I delayed my consult w/Dr. Spivak on 2/15 because they told me 1 co-morbidity probably wasn't sufficient with a BMI of 36(good candidate for Dr. but not good enough for ins.???) I thought high cholesterol (on med), GERD (on med), IBS, elevated blood sugar, blood pressure (on med) would surely be enough. My pcp told me I should have went for the consult anyway. So now I have to call and get on the schedule again ASAP. Anyway, I'll go chance it.....and see what happens with the Pre-D.

Hi All-My husband is freeking because I really had planned on MX (Dr. Ortiz), but if I could get some input from anyone having good experiences with excellent surgeons in a closer proximity to Central AR, he might feel better about all this. Plus anyone knowing anything about United Healthcare (Railroad Health & Welfare Plan) benefit for lapband. ......Or any input on who to avoid in AR, TX, KS, MO or TN?????At least I could rule out who not to consider....Thanks for everything. P.S. :nervous It seems like there are so many doctors to choose from and so many bandsters go their own route....how do you finally choose???????this is a scarry process to me.

First-Somebody respond if I'm doing this right. First timer!!!!! I guess this would be my intro. I researching getting ready to make the lapband a reality.

Hey tempest-I'm kinda where you're at with the BMI (35.1), but I am being treated for HBP, high cholesterol, GERD. As a Registered Dental Hygienist, I've also been under treatment for musculoskeletal disorders. So that factors into the weight issue also. That has qualified me on several of the pre-qualification forms with several sites for various surgeons. But I have not had a consult yet, I'm just hoping all the info I'm getting will hold up when I make the move to consult with the surgeon I plan to use.

I'm here to get as much info as possible. When I do this, I've decided to use Dr. Ortiz La...in Mexico. I'm really looking for all you banders that can tell me what this has done for your ability to control the "want" to eat-forget hunger-I always laugh and say "I don't know what hunger is" I eat out of boredom, or to procrastinate doing something that is productive (ok-I guess I'll call that laziness:(). When I do eat, I have that "need" to eat just past full. Can anyone tell me if it will help with this type of food problem?