Hi ya'll! I live in Katy, TX and just had surgery on 10-18-06. My doctor is Felix Spiegel. The surgery went OK with very little pain afterwards, just very tender and sore. I did have alot of difficulty swallowing liguids without feeling like I was choking, but that is getting better. I am having pretty bad acid reflux which I also experienced before surgery. I was told by Dr. Spiegel that this would go away after surgery and that I would no longer need to take medications for this. So far, not true. I have lost about 15 lbs so far, but what can you expect with a liquid only diet and difficulty swallowing. I have to admit that I wanted the band removed after the first day because of the ball in the chest, choking sensation. Has this happened to any of you? Does it get better? Also, does anyone have any feedback about Dr. Spiegel, how well he does fills or any complications after surgery? I have found so much information on this website so far. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences.