am i right in thinking the only difference betwen the allergen band and the realize is the way its sutured in there? is there any other difference?

Guys i am really confused

Is there a difference between Swedish band and the LAp-band AP? or are they the same?

i cant find an official website for the Swedish band , only for lapband .... can some one plz help me out here ?

The Swedish band is now called the Realize Band (made by J&J) so maybe that's why you can't find a site for it. Lap-band AP is a competing system made by Allergen.

I got a Realize Band put in 4/10/09 so far so good my Dr. is very conservative on post fill diet that the most distressing thing for me right now.

I'm a year out with my realize band and I have not had any complications except once when it was too tight. I am not a my goal weight yet but I know I will be and could not have done it without the band.

Wow, now I'm really confused. I'm being banded in August and the doctor showed us both the Allergan and J&J but said he now goes with the J&J unless specifically requested by patient. I thought the J&J looked pretty good and I liked the flexibility of it rather than the harder material on the lap-band. Anyone else have any information?

I just got home from the hospital for the third time. I had my surgery on 4/3/09. Everything went fine as far as I could tell. I went into the surgery at approx. 252 lbs. I was there one day no complications and was up and around in another day. I followed my doctors orders and stayed on liquids for 3 weeks. I then moved on to mashed foods after about 2 days nothing would stay down. I called him I went to see him they did an upper GI and told me to go back on liquids for a week then try mashed foods again. I did as I was told. After about 1 1/2 weeks same thing happen only this time I couldn't even keep down water. I had to be put in the hospital for a week, I was dehydrated and my throat was irrated what ever they gave seemed to clear up the problem for about 2 or three weeks. But guess what it started again this time I only waited 2 days, called the doctor and again he put me in the hospital and had to open me up and he found I had an infection, the band had erroded and my throat was inflamed. So to say the least the band was removed, I have not eaten a solid piece of food since the last week of March. All the hopes I had are gone and I'm back on my own. I do not blame my doctor. But I do blame the Realize company. It is to me the same thing that would happen if you had a breast repair and the bag erroded on the implant it's not the doctors fault its the manufacter. The only good thing is that I lost 66 lbs. since this started

I have the newer Realize band. My doc switched to those and uses only Realize bands now. Aside from all the differences above, he says there is also higher success rate and less difficulties with the Realize band. He mentioned something about needing less fills and it being more effective at curbing hunger. Not sure if it's true, but he is a teaching physician of lap bands specifically around the world, so I think I'm inclined to believe him. :thumbup:

Hi THere, I'm getting the realize band, can you tell how its been? how was your post op, weight loss etc? Any info would be appreciated

I really didn't REALIZE there was a difference. So much for me paying attention. I have the REALIZE band. I know because I got the little card with my serial number, etc, on a card saying what band I got and it's maximum fill etc.

I was just banded less than a week ago. Doing fine so far. The gas was the worst thing...

I love my Realize band, when I woke from surgery had a little gas pain not alot, but I think that had alot to do with the anesteologist (sp) I was up and walking the halls 1 hr after I got to my room, could drink everything they gave me with no issue, was up and walking in the park day 3 from hospital, 2.5 miles a day, took pain meds first day only, could sleep on my back when I got home, seriously I worried for nothing..........it was the easiest surgery, weight loss has been slow but I gained a pound during my second fill which was like 2 months after surgery, but I'm losing inches, I'm working out and I feel with my next fill in three weeks I'll feel it...even with the fills its been easy its been great

My wife and I both got the Realize band on the same day, 12/19/09... we're home from the hospital, and have just started our Phase 2 diet, full liquids...

We haven't had anything go wrong yet... my wife suffered from bad nausea for the first several hours after waking up, but the nurses suggested it was her reaction to the anasthesia, rather than the band itself... and they were right... after about 12 hours, she was fine...

I haven't had any problems yet, other than soreness and gas... I'm told that's normal... but we won't be eating mushy foods for another 3 weeks... I'll keep you posted on how that goes...

I got the Realize band 12-22-08 and the Realize band has been a blessing to me. I have lost 81 pounds since surgery and I'm very happy I have like 25 pounds to go but I'm truly happy and couldn't have done it without my band!