I know that there was a post about this before...I remember seeing the title; but I can't find it.

So, my question is, what is the difference between the lap band and the realize band? And how did people choose which one to get? :thumbup: I'ed love to hear what everyone thinks. Thanks!

Hi!

I have the realize band. what the realize band folks say is their band is like a tube inside a bike tire and it molds around your stomach. The other types of bands are in sections and the stomach must mold around the band. The realize band folks are claiming the their band will have less slippage.

I asked for the band. I think it is something you should discuss with your doctor. Personally, I am the type of person who will try new stuff. Realize also has a cool website for you to keep track of your food, exercise and gives you motivational tips. My doctor, his office, the dietician and coordinator all have access to my information and can make helpful comments to me.

I hope this helps!

The surgeons I'm seeing use the Lap Band, but the J&J are coming to their office next week to do an inservice on the Realize band..hopefully by the time I get a band I'll have a choice--a smaller flatter port sounds good to me!

I'm glad you asked this, because I've been wanting people's opinions on the same thing. I signed up for a trial account on RealizeMySuccess.net, so I could poke around and see how much I'd benefit from their forums. My surgery is scheduled for 4/17 and my last pre-op appointment is in two days, and I'm still trying to decide which band to go with.

I didn't realize there were any other band but one. I am not sure what band they use in NY, It seems like we use the one that sounds like the realize band but I am not sure. I am going to talk more about it with my surgeon.

My surgeon changed from the old band to the realize band only. He passed around both during our group meeting yesterday. The realize band has a smaller, lower profile port and a wider band. The band is softer and completey encircled. He said that it is a low pressure band- meaning that it puts less pressure on the stomach= less slipage, less erosion. He also notes that it allows for more comfortable eating in terms of meats and other similar textures. The trials indicate that the weight loss is the same between the bands. The port has an attachment system to lock into place= less port flips, less trama at the port site. The old ports had to be sewn into place.

Hope this helps

My surgeon changed from the old band to the realize band only. He passed around both during our group meeting yesterday. The realize band has a smaller, lower profile port and a wider band. The band is softer and completey encircled. He said that it is a low pressure band- meaning that it puts less pressure on the stomach= less slipage, less erosion. He also notes that it allows for more comfortable eating in terms of meats and other similar textures. The trials indicate that the weight loss is the same between the bands. The port has an attachment system to lock into place= less port flips, less trama at the port site. The old ports had to be sewn into place.

Hope this helps

thanks this helps a lot...i'm going to ask my surgen if i can see and touch both of them.

I received confirmation yesterday that the Proctor was scheduled and I'll be getting the Realize band (I'll be the first one at my Surgeon's practice to have it).

I asked if I'd be eligible for a discount since I'd be his guinea pig. I don't think he appreciated the humour.:thumbup:

-m

I left it up to my doctor although I researched both. For me, it came down to the fact that I have trust that once he sees my insides, he'll know which will be best. He thinks he'll use the realize band. Basically he told me that larger people tend to have a "thicker" stomach and the old band is more rigid so is better for those situations. It's less likely to slip. The realize band is wider but more pliable and he said it may be a bit more comfy and less likely to cause food to get stuck. He said at my weight, I am a good candidate for either. I told him to hold off on deciding until he takes a look inside, lol!!

Glad to see this thread. I saw my doctor yesterday and he mentioned the Realize, although they aren't using it yet. I am not planning to have surgery until some time in June, and they will be using it by then, so he said I could be contacted to be one of the first they use it on. Sounds good to me!

there's been a lot of debate about the realize band vs the lap-band. i've got the newest band made by allergan, the AP which comes in a small (10cc) and a large (14cc).

while it's new to the u.s., it's not exactly new. the j&j realize band has been in use abroad for many years. it remains little changed, tho it does have a slightly modified and lower profile port which has "teeth" that anchor into your abs. the biggest difference between the realize band and the lap-band brand is the amount of money spent on marketing and the design of their respective websites. the realize's site is far more user friendly and chock full of features and info that the lap-band's site just doesn't have.

but i do take issue with the realize band's comparison to the lap-band on its website. i asked my doctor about it and he said that the realize's promo material is comparing itself to previous versions of the lap-band and not the more latest AP models.

my surgeon showed me both models and described the differences between the port and anchoring systems. while it was ultimately my choice, i decided to go with the AP model. why? well i was kinda annoyed that j&j would compare apples to oranges on their site. why didn't they compare the realize with the AP? that seemed a little dicey to me. also, i liked that the AP had a full 360 degrees of coverage around the entrance to my stomach and was also somewhat taller than the realize band. as my doctor explained, the more contact area with a band's "balloon" the less likely a slippage is to occur.

again, a lot of people here have the realize band and are quite happy with it. my advice: talk to your doctor and ask what s/he prefers, which model they have most experience installing and why they think one band may be better for your individual anatomy than another. also, you might want to kindly ask if they're receiving any incentives to install one brand vs another. it's easy enuf to ask that question without being accusatory and any reputable doctor shouldn't be offended by it.

good luck.

Edited April 12, 200818 yr by hungry4help

Very informative. Thanks for sharing your experience.

Edited April 12, 200818 yr by kathystrick

but i do take issue with the realize band's comparison to the lap-band on its website. i asked my doctor about it and he said that the realize's promo material is comparing itself to previous versions of the lap-band and not the more latest AP models.

Exactly! I get really frustrated with that too. The new Lap Band brand model (the AP) is the newest model out there and has improved on those things that made the Realize Brand band a more competitive model. It's like Ford saying that they've got the better car, comparing their 2008 model it to Toyoda's 2004 model, while ignoring Toyoda's 2009 (more or less).

To me, it seems that the Realize and the new Lap Band are basically the same and it's up to the surgeon and his/her experience and opinion.

well once I am approved! I went to my eval yesterday and was given the opportunity to compare the AP and the realize band! There is definitely a difference! The Realize band is very soft and pliable ! Whereas the AP was more rigid and not pliable at all! Also the Realize band completely encircled the stomach (like there is no break once closed) and the balloon inside extends past the outside of the band so the plastic on the outside does not touch the stomach. Not to mention the Realize band is actually 18 mm wider than the AP which is said to give better restriction, even at the time of surgery without the fill. Also u can start out with larger fills in the Realize band. And according to research the avg. Realize band patient only need 4 fills for the first year and 2 for the next two yrs! Which to me is awesome because that means less money to be spent on fills, and hopefully finding the sweet spot sooner! My dr. gave me a whole book on the realize band that I just can't put down! I haven't even been on the site yet, but soon I will! LOL!

Sorry I am rambling but I am so excited! If anyone as a ? I would be happy to answer if I can.

well once I am approved! I went to my eval yesterday and was given the opportunity to compare the AP and the realize band! There is definitely a difference! The Realize band is very soft and pliable ! Whereas the AP was more rigid and not pliable at all! Also the Realize band completely encircled the stomach (like there is no break once closed) and the balloon inside extends past the outside of the band so the plastic on the outside does not touch the stomach. Not to mention the Realize band is actually 18 mm wider than the AP which is said to give better restriction, even at the time of surgery without the fill. Also u can start out with larger fills in the Realize band. And according to research the avg. Realize band patient only need 4 fills for the first year and 2 for the next two yrs! Which to me is awesome because that means less money to be spent on fills, and hopefully finding the sweet spot sooner! My dr. gave me a whole book on the realize band that I just can't put down! I haven't even been on the site yet, but soon I will! LOL!

Sorry I am rambling but I am so excited! If anyone as a ? I would be happy to answer if I can.

well once I am approved! I went to my eval yesterday and was given the opportunity to compare the AP and the realize band! There is definitely a difference! The Realize band is very soft and pliable ! Whereas the AP was more rigid and not pliable at all! Also the Realize band completely encircled the stomach (like there is no break once closed) and the balloon inside extends past the outside of the band so the plastic on the outside does not touch the stomach. Not to mention the Realize band is actually 18 mm wider than the AP which is said to give better restriction, even at the time of surgery without the fill. Also u can start out with larger fills in the Realize band. And according to research the avg. Realize band patient only need 4 fills for the first year and 2 for the next two yrs! Which to me is awesome because that means less money to be spent on fills, and hopefully finding the sweet spot sooner! My dr. gave me a whole book on the realize band that I just can't put down! I haven't even been on the site yet, but soon I will! LOL!

Sorry I am rambling but I am so excited! If anyone as a ? I would be happy to answer if I can.

Are you sure it was the AP and not the older model Lap Band? My doctor only uses Lap Band--the old models sound like what you are describing but the Lap Band AP he had in his office and I got to look at it and it was pliable (almost like those plastic bracelets people wear for different causes) and went all the way around the stomach.