Anyway - good idea Robin, we can set up our own thread and quit monopolizing my super size thread. But I can't post in here anymore 'cause I'm in MO.

Scheduled for another fill next Friday! I'm at 2 in a 4, so I'm going to see about 1/4 cc or so. I have restriction, just not enough... but don't want an overfill either.

OK I hesitated posting this here because I didn't want to sound like an advertisement. But since someone else suggested I post it as well I figured I'd go ahead.

If anyone is interested there is a local Kansas City group called KCBandsters that is going to have a city-wide support group meeting tonight.

The meeting will be at 6:30pm at the Antioch Library on the North West corner of Shawnee Mission Parkway and Antioch (Just East of I-35) It is open to all bandsters regardless of doctor and was founded by a local woman banded in Mexico 7+ years ago. I found it fun and useful to me to get out and meet as many bandsters as possible instead of just limiting myself to just those banded by my doctor. For over a year until my schedule didn't allow it I went to both support groups regularily.

Sorry for such a short notice. If anyone is interested in coming but can't make it tonight let me know and I'll post a reminder for next months meeting with a bit more notice.

Diane,

The support group definately sounds like a great idea. Is it open to pre bandsters as well? I can't make it tonight, but would definately be interested in future meetings. Thanks for letting us know.

It is open to anyone. I know one gal that came each month for over a year while battling her insurance company.

You can also google "KCBandsters" to find a link to the Kansas City Yahoo Group.

FYI - I am always pushing LBT on the KCBandsters as well. Honestly I probably get more out of LBT considering its size but I still love being able to make the local connections and friendships that KCBandsters offers.

Hi all,

I am in the process of jumping through the insurance hoops. I am two months into the six months of doctor supervised weight loss. I am concerned about losing too much weight and then having insurance deny the band. I meet the criteria currently (BMI and wt), but if I lose 15 or 20 pounds I would not have the required ratios.

Please share your wisdom...Thanks!

Good news! I met with Dr. H and am set for surgery on March 25. I am so excited! I wanted to know about the options I have as far as the brand of bands. Do you guys have the Johnson and Johnson Realize band or the one from Allergan (LapBand AP?). Does anyone have any opinions or knowledge of differences between the 2? Dr. H said he uses both and will do whichever we prefer. I just thought I'd ask!

Congrats on your surgery date. I also found out my surgery date a couple of days ago, it is March 21 and I am very excited. I also asked Dr. H about the 2 different bands, he said he didn't think either of them were better than the other, but I'd like get more information on both in case I decide to do one over the other.

Hey there you two. Congratulations on the surgery dates. How exciting!

I Did a little digging out of curiosity myself and found the following thread that might interest you. There is another one I saw before that showed pics of both.

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/realize-vs-inamed-50722/

- Realize's port possibly smaller than Allergan's

- Realize's port attaches differently some sort of hook device vs stitching in place. Maker claims will reduce risk of port flipping but only time will tell.

- Realize band appears to lock a bit differently. I'm no doc but my first opinion is I'm not sure I like how it locks. Allergans port tubing threads through the locking device and locks a bit like a zip-tie. Realize's doesn't thread through but has a similar hook like thing that locks it in place.

- Allergan's band has these waffle like compartments that the saline fills up inside the band where Realize doesn't. Some claim the waffles reduce chance of slippage.

- Some have said Realize has a wider band which is supposedly to help reduce chance of slippage and pb'ing (productive burp - a bit like throwing up but not the same)

- Realize also claims to have a better interactive site to support bandsters after their surgery although I have heard that Allergan is also doing a major revamp of their website so that difference may become mute soon.

Again, I don't know the validity of many of these comments or how much of the claimed benefits are unproven hype or just flat misinformed comments by other bandsters. I hope this helps. Personally I suppose I'd tell him to use whichever band he is most comfortable with. I know he has more experiece with the Allergan band but not sure if that matters either.

Actually the band that interests me the most out there is a new hydraulic band they are marketing in Europe. It has NO PORT at all and the doc adjusts it using a radio controlled device. Sadly it isn't available in the US yet and even if it was its not like I'm going to ask them to go in and replace the one I have already. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"

Good luck to the two of you.

Thanks for posting that link Ghost about the 2 bands. I think after going to the support group the other nite and finding out that the new Realize band has only been put in once so far by Dr. Hoehn or Hitchcock and that #2 is being planned sometime soon, that I might go with the Allergan, but the juries still out here, lol. Now that I'm less than 3 weeks away, I'm beginning to get a little more nervous, but I'm still excited and can't wait for it to be over with so I can start using my new tool. This website has been a godsend for me and I'll continue to post even after surgery!!!

Would someone please post information on the local lap band support groups, dates, times, locations, and if they are open groups that welcome people who are pre-band and significant others...I am starting my third month of doctor supervised weight loss and preparing to schedule my other pre-surgery appointments. I am eager to get involved in a network of support. I like in downtown Kansas City, MO, and will be working with SMMC and Dr. Hohen (pending insurance approval!)

It's on the website, click on News and Events......

then Support Group Info.

Its usually there each month.

Thank you so much!

Hi all :blushing:

I finally have appointments set up for my 1st 3 pre-surgery items. Can anyone give me an idea of what to expect from Dr. Sabapathy and the 1st meeting with a dietitian?

I am excited, but nervous to finally be moving on this.

John

Hopefully this has changed, but when I met with the dietician she went on and on about what eating was like after RNY, but represented it as though I should expect it with the band. Nice, eh? All about how my stomach would be reduced to the size of an egg, that eating more than 2-4 oz at a time would cause me to vomit, that it would be 6 mos+ before I could eat red meat, eating sugar would cause me severe pain, etc. So my experience would answer, "You can expect a lot of inaccurate and incorrect information" -- but like I said, *hopefully* that has been changed.

As for Sabapathy - loved him. I don't know if he still does but he used to make us do deep breathing exercises after the session. I always hated that. But as a clinician I think he's great. I would imagine you can expect a sort of intro session - he will ask you questions about your life, behaviors, etc. and maybe make a few suggestions, and maybe give you a preliminary go-ahead for surgery, even if he wants more visits. (I've yet to meet anyone who gets by with just one)

Actually the band that interests me the most out there is a new hydraulic band they are marketing in Europe. It has NO PORT at all and the doc adjusts it using a radio controlled device. Sadly it isn't available in the US yet and even if it was its not like I'm going to ask them to go in and replace the one I have already. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"

That whole idea makes me nervous and I really don't know why. Both would require a surgery if they "broke", but I just have visions of something going wrong and someone getting blocked off. Plus - fills don't bother me. I'm the same way with any mechanical implant that you don't have some type of access to, they creep me out. Like I said - I picture getting home, putting up my garage door, and starting to slime. :tongue:

To answer the question I have the Inamed/Allergan band. I don't think I'd care which manufacturer's band I'd have, my only care (were I to be facing surgery again) would be the model, e.g. the 10cm v. VG. I have my own little theory about those model differences and complications, but haven't tried to actually research it yet.

Would someone please post information on the local lap band support groups, dates, times, locations, and if they are open groups that welcome people who are pre-band and significant others...I am starting my third month of doctor supervised weight loss and preparing to schedule my other pre-surgery appointments. I am eager to get involved in a network of support. I like in downtown Kansas City, MO, and will be working with SMMC and Dr. Hohen (pending insurance approval!)

Besides Dr Hoehn/Hitcocks support group which is only open to their patients. There are 3 groups I know of that meet locally and are open to patients of all doctors.

There is a yahoo group called KCBandsters that meets at 7:30pm on the 3rd Monday of each month at the Antioch Library of Shawnee Mission Parkway & Antioch. This group was founded by a woman that was banded in Mexico 7+ years ago before it was FDA approved in the US. It is a peer based support group.

There are two other groups I know of open to all patients one is held at the New Hope Bariatric Center at 435 & Nall at 10am on the 2nd Saturday of each month. It is run by Dr. Malley's staff but is open to all patients and does draw in quite a few bandsters that were banded in Mexico and at other docs around town. The other is held across the street from the one just mentioned at Heartland Spine & Specialty on the 3rd Saturday at 11am. This one is also supported by a local doc but is run by a local bandster.

My husband thinks I'm a bit Bandster crazy but I like to go to two support groups each month. I go to the KC Bandster Group at the Library as well as one at New Hope. There are unique positives to both groups. If I had to chose only one though I would pick the KCBandster group. The Doctor based support groups are great but there is an undefinable sense of freedom at the KC Bandster group. I've always been one to be open and speak up but even so sometimes at the doctors groups it's hard to not get the feeling that people are holding back on there questions and there answers for fear of being corrected or judged by the non-banded staff, no matter how great the staff is.