hey ya'll..i was wondering if there is a difference between the lapband and the realize band? The place where i wanted to go is in the out of network part of my insurance and they do lapband. the one that is covered by my insurance they do the realize band..was just wondering if there is any difference?

The design is similar, but where the Allergan lapband is made of (I think) seven segments, the Realize has fewer (maybe it's three?) segments. So if the lapband makes a circle, the Realize makes more of a triangle. In practice, they are functionally the same, but I believe the Realize band accepts smaller incremental fills. There are many Realize bandsters here who are doing just fine.

As a band patient, both deliver the kind of performance that results in good weight loss. If one is available and the other isn't, you can still get the results you're after. I'd say go for it.

Good luck!

Dave

And the Realize Band is becoming known for it's erosion faster according to Dr Alvarez!

I asked the same question, the Allergen band is the older one, and I think that one has more slippage potential if I'm remembering correctly our conversation, this one also came in 2 different sizes whereas the Realize band is made by Johnson and Johnson and is one size fits all. Google the difference/comparisons!

The way that the port is attached to you is different with the Realize band which makes recovery a bit easier. Both bands have very informative websites, but if my insurance only covered one, I would go for that one. In the end they will both work for you if you work with them.

I will admit upfront that I might be a bit biased towards the lapband since that is what I have...

The lapband is configured with several individual "pillows" that hold the Fluid. In theory, if one pillow leaked, the others would maintain and you'd still have constriction of the stomach.

The realize band is a continuous tube (or maybe a more than one tube), a leak might seriously alter constriction.

lapband the port is sutured in place. Realize, the port is "clipped" into the muscle. The realize band comes with a low-profile port, I think it might be possible to use a low-profile with the lapband, but it's not standard to do so.

It's not uncommon for the realize band to take a little more fluid on average to reach good appetite suppression.

All that being said, if you are having to make the choice between insurance covering one and not the other.. go with the insurance. As an earlier poster said, they both work if you work them.

Over all the two bands do the same thing. They help you with the battle of the extra weight. Neither are a better or worse TOOL in helping with this but I do believe though they are the same they are also of course a little different.

I started my journey with the SAG band which was the generation BEFORE the realize band ( same company) and I lost it due to erosion 4 months post op.

After 5 months without a band I got the lapband ap small size ( third generation) and I noticed that this band is so different when it comes to fills, foods etc

The SAG band I got bigger fills, but ate less and didn't have many restrictions on what I couldn't eat ( breads and things in small portions was ok)

The lapband is much more picky. When I get a fill even .3cc, I go through 24 hours where I can't eat drink or even swallow my own spit. If my doctor didn't let me leave unless I could swallow Water, I would be at the hospital more than once a week requesting another fill. after the 24 hours of hell, I can always eat like I had no fill at all.

The lapband cuts out many things in my diet. Breads, Pasta, chicken, eggs etc are so much harder to eat and I get stuck so much easier with this band.

In my experience, I wish I got the SAG band again ( same one baffle style as the realize) or never removed my first band in the first place ( could have stitched the erosion), but I am also glad I tried the lapband because I would have been thinking what if's if I hadn't.

I guess the grass is always greener on the other side. I don't regret the lapband switch but I always wonder where I would be if I stayed with the other kind.

THough they are different they are kind of the same and vise versa. Really it is your choice, what you want to get.

I have a "new" Realize band. I think it is called Realize C? It is 11cc's and I went for this option because of the lower profile and that I've heard recovery is a bit easier with this band because of how it is attached. Honestly, I had hardly any pain with my port...the worst pain for me after surgery was the massive headache I got from the gas about 4 days post op and it lasted for another 4 days. Horrible.

Anyhow, my doctor didn't have a preference and would have done either. His words to me it is an instrument that we use, they both do the same thing. It is up to me to use the band. Neither is going to be better or worse. He said it is 95% you and 5% the band.

I researched both sites and went with the Realize because of the things I've read....but it is a personal decision and if my surgeon only placed Lap Bands, that is what I would have gotten. I wasn't thrilled with the "continous balloon" and maybe like the idea of the baffles of the Lap band, but I liked that this had a wider band and they have done changes to it so it is a low pressure band and helped with the erosion issues. Erosion according to my doctor is not a super duper common issue so really shouldn't be a deciding factor...either can erode and the %'s are about the same.

Good luck...I like my decision.