moriah

Hi, I live in Israel and have just started looking into doing this surgery. I am looking for anyone who has had this procedure done in Israel. Kupat Holim Meuhedet is telling me that there is only one doctor from Beer Sheva from Soroka Hospital who does it. Any information you have about procedure here and criteria for qualifying for approval would be helpful. Thanks!:eek:

Hi Susan, I was going to have the lap band and began tests etc. in Tel Hashomer Hospital. The doctor was very nice but he said that he didnt like the lap band and preferred doing the full gastric procedure. After his explanations, I had second thoughts and didnt go through with the surgery. Then I started a new job after being so long at home, and was mortified at how much weight I had gained - but....I really wanted this job. So I began to walk twice a day to and from work for 1/2 hour each and slowly reduced my food intake. Now, after 2 years I went down from 250 lbs to my current weight 195. I look and feel much better but I really want to lose more. It is so hard - but I feel that having a surgery was not really conquering my problem with food - I realize that food for me is totally connected to my emotions and if I am sad, depressed or bored I eat. I lose track of everything. I wish you well with your lapband - I am sorry I couldnt be of more assistance to you. Also, I am so excited for you to be making aliya! I also made aliya so if you have any questions about that too - I would be happy to help you Take Care - Tal

It seems to me that the best thing you can do is succeed with the lapband - for yourself. If you haven't told them anything, they will be so shocked after they see you have lost weight. You are doing this for yourself and for your health and not for them and let them know how much they hurt you all the time they criticized you. Every person has something - no one is perfect. We have problems with our weight - they obviously have problems with their personalities - being so insensitive and selfish instead of caring & supportive. Tell them that the best thing is for them to leave you alone and support you if you need it - accept you the way you are no matter how you look and that all those negative and condescending comments only make you feel bad. I know it is hard with the world's advertisement of thin is beautiful - but beauty (external appearance) is not everything. I know of many successful people who are fat. So what. What is most important is how a person is inside - how does that person interact with others and what does he think about himself. Don't let them bring you down - keep your head up high no matter what they say to you - and if they relentlessly continue to make comments, even after you have told them how you feel, just don't go there. Why to associate with them if they make you feel so bad? You sound like a wonderful, sensitive person and I wish you success with your lap band for a healthier, happier future - for good.

"Watching my life pass me by".....that is exactly my feeling....all that time being miserable and fat looking terrible and not doing anything.....I dont want it to be too late, then I'll just be fat and old the best of my younger years of my life were spent being miserable.

Hi Michelle, How did your September appointment go and what did they tell you? I went to my appointment like I told you before and now I want to see my doctor again to confirm that I am doing the surgery. But I have to wait until Nov 11. That is the first available appointment. I wanted to be waiting for the surgery already. It is taking time. How are you doing - Is your surgery scheduled? Have you done any other tests? I am happy to hear from you.Tal:smile2:

Hey Lizalee, Wow, thank you so much for answering. I can't believe how much you have lost it's incredible, congratulations!! Thank you for your information about the realize band - it was very helpful and now I will have what to ask my internist. All the things you have said are things that I hoped were true. In believing that this dramatic and extreme step is good, I've been telling myself that its just like going on a diet but without the hunger - that it's a tool to help lose the weight and keep it off. The keeping it off is my concern. I've been on diets before and lost and I was so happy, then little by little I gave in and returned to my bad habits, telling myself - just one little bite wont hurt bla bla - I always gained back the weight and more. Other things I wont miss: waddling:frown: knocking things over while walking in the house:eek: accidentally running into my kids and knocking them on the floor:blushing: chubby cheeks:embaressed_smile: not being able to wear my wedding ring:sad_smile: sore feet:cursing: Thank you for your supporting words, they give me confidence that I am doing the right thing for my health and for my family. Keep strong and keep losing.:biggrin:

I agree with you - willingly mutilating the stomach and that there is no going back is so scary. I saw a psychologist and dietitian.Then my internist referred me to the specialist in Tel Hashomer. I thought I was going to schedule, but the appointment turned out to be an educational one. And he had to tell me all the options and all the facts. Now I have to make another appointment to make it official, I guess. Then I suppose there will be tests. What tests need to be done - have they told you? At my appointment, all the people waiting had done either the sleeve or the bypass. No one had the band. I was surprised at that, really. I was reading about the realize band here in the support group - one person complained about the filling and I wanted to make sure that there is not a major difference between the two - also to find out what they use here in Israel.

This is unrelated to this thread - I see you had a realize band - do you know what is the difference between realize and lapband? I am thinking about doing this surgery - I read somewhere that the realize band has different fill system and sometimes causes problems. Have you had any problems?

Things I wont miss: not wearing white struggling to get dressed not recognizing the fat person (me) in the window reflections not going to the beach or pool people staring not having sex wearing the same clothes (that all that fits) being tremendously hot in summer wearing clothes that cover my fat my double chin huge breasts that suffocate wearing two bras underwear that cuts into the skin the list is endless Sometimes I think it's too good to be true. Could it be that it really works?

I am also planning to do this surgery and I don't plan on anyone knowing except my husband and mother. I also thought - how to hide it because the portions are so little - I like the idea to say change of diet habits and smaller portions etc. exercise. No one else needs to know I think many people have a negative attitude towards surgery to lose weight. I know it shouldn't bother me what other people think - but it does - I have such low self esteem. People can be the nicest and wonderful and smart and they are overlooked because of their appearance. Good luck in your journey I cant wait to start mine. Moriah

Hi Swisskaese, I saw the doctor in Tel Hashomer and he said that the lap band helps to make the person feel uncomfortable if they eat too much and the biggest enemy is head hunger. Head hunger he said is the feeling a person would feel if they ate a ton of lettuce - he would feel full but not satisfied and want to eat more. Still, I prefer the lap over the gastric sleeve or bypass because it is safer. What about you have you been to a "deciding" or "educating" appointment yet? Now I just have one question - what is the difference between the "lapband" and the "realize band" Do you know?

Great that you are proceeding. How did you make the appointment - through Kupat Holim or through Ichilov? I saw Dr. Scott at my Meuhedet Branch who is an Internist working in Tel HaShomer. He referred me to his team in Tel Hashomer who do this procedure. My appointment is for next week. Why is your appointment so far away? Do you want to take it slow or are they booked up so much? How did you get the pre surgery appoint to show up in pink at the bottom of your messages?

Hi Nava, Just reading through and found your messages about Israel. I live in Ramat Gan and am waiting to do the surgery. I am so happy to see others have done the surgery here and am interested in how you are progressing. Who was the surgeon who performed your operation? I am waiting to have my preliminary meeting with the surgeons in Tel HaShomer hospital. I have met with the dietician, internist and the psychologist. I would love to know of your experience here in Israel - by the way are you with Meuhedet? Did you get full coverage or did you have to pay partial? Thanks Tal

Hi Michelle, So happy to hear someone close to home who is going to do this procedure too!! Meuhedet told me first to see an internal doctor, psychologist, dietician and the surgeons who will do the procedure. So far I have seen the internist, dietician, and the psychologist. The psychologist's job is to make sure that a person who wants to do this surgery is stable and is doing it for the right reasons and that people dont have unrealistic expectations. My next step is to meet with the surgeons in Tel HaShomer who do the laproscopy surgery. I am nervous and excited. I would love to follow up with you on your progress. Please get back to me and let me know how you proceed. Who are the doctors who do the surgery in Ichilov? Tal:smile2:

Hi Salsa1877, I am waiting for approval for my band surgery and I was reading through the threads and I see that you were my weight now 250lbs and you lost so nicely!! You are now at my target weight. I would love to know how it was for you, not even 1 year and you lost 100lbs!! That is so wonderful. I wonder - did you also exercise? If so what was your routine? Was it hard to adjust? Were you hungry? What was the hardest thing for you? I would love to hear from you and I wish you a continued success in your journey. Moriah