Here's my story. I would like some input and support as I am just about to give up on ever losing any more weight...

I was banned in mid April with the Realize band. I have gone in 3 times for fills since - 4cc for the first fill, 2cc for the second fill and 2cc for this last fill. If my calculations are correct, that's 8cc in a 9cc band - RIGHT???

So, if I am already up to 8cc and not really feeling a whole lot of restriction and my weightloss is almost non existant, what's next for me? Am I at the end of the road and this is as good as it gets? I've only lost a total of 32 pounds since pre-op and I have another 50 to go.

I asked the nurse while she was doing the fill to please check and make sure everything looks right on the screen and she says it does. I even saw the barium crap go thru the band and it looked OK to me.

Realize bands only hold 9cc and I'm at 8 with barely any restriction. What's next?

Have any of y'all gone to the max fill and finally felt restriction?

You're telling me to get a life yet you voluntarily jumped into this thread attacking and making judgements when you clearly have no knowledge of Gastric Banding or advances in medicine. The bottom line is you cannot produce a study which shows superiority in EWL for the Realize Band because there isn't one. I'm sharing with you information that most people don't know and you're making me sound like I'm doing something wrong.

You're telling me to get a life yet you voluntarily jumped into this thread attacking and making judgements when you clearly have no knowledge of Gastric Banding or advances in medicine. The bottom line is you cannot produce a study which shows superiority in EWL for the Realize Band because there isn't one. I'm sharing with you information that most people don't know and you're making me sound like I'm doing something wrong.

While I don't agree with how the other poster made his/her point, I think they have a valid point. I agree with providing information, but you seem to be very aggressive in your distaste for the realize band and just hang out in this forum saying everything you can against it. Sometimes I think you work for Lap-Band.

You made a choice and I am making the opposite choice. Your so called evidence comes from one source - it reality, there needs to be more studies done to come to a clear conclusion. I think both bands offer advantages and it all depends on what a patient is looking for.

Maybe you should just town down your comments.

isn't what the patient looking weight loss? What other things are you looking for?

isn't what the patient looking weight loss? What other things are you looking for?

Weight loss is a given with either band if you do what you are supposed to do. I feel that I will lose a comparable amount of weight with either band. So it is the smaller things that make the difference to me.

I have provided you substantial clinical proof that your odds of losing more weight faster with the new lap bands is greater than that of the Realize Band - yet for some reason you insist on ignoring it- Im not wasting anymore of my time to trying to help anyone on this site because you people are way to close-minded and stubborn -good luck

Im not wasting anymore of my time to trying to help anyone on this site

Please let this be true!

I have provided you substantial clinical proof that your odds of losing more weight faster with the new lap bands is greater than that of the Realize Band - yet for some reason you insist on ignoring it- Im not wasting anymore of my time to trying to help anyone on this site because you people are way to close-minded and stubborn -good luck

BYE! Have a lovely Realize band-free life! :dita::hurray::tt2::cool2::party::cursing:

People come here for advice so if your not an advanced laproscopic surgeon which who knows what they are talking about, you really should stop saying these products are equal unless you have clinical proof to back it up, comparing apples to apples-not a reprint which compares different pressure bands and the way they were implanted.

Hi rockbandster,

Just curious, as per your direct quote above, can you please state what your medical background is that qualifies you to give advice on the different types of bands available? I am assuming from all your posts and your statement that perhaps you are an "advanced laproscopic surgeon"?

Thanks.

Susan, LBT moderator and administrator

I don't think we are close minded. I just think you seem so militant about hating the Realize band, that you show no one any grace if they disagree with you. We don't mind your input, but you seem to want us to listen to you but won't listen to anyone else. This site is to offer support and friendly discussion, not to tell people how wrong they are. Most of us listen to our doctor's who have had 9 years plus of education past medical school, and while they are not perfect they have much more experience than in judging what is best for us on an individual basis than some person on an internet site that hasn't seen our medical charts

It makes me sad when threads descend into bickering.

Everyone has different opinions and there can be many different opinions on any given topic, and I like to hear different opinions myself . . . but I can't stand when the tone starts to sound like a free for all. Can't we be a little nicer to each other???

Their next generation band will be out next year to if this old technology was so good that wouldn't be happening would it? y

So I guess that means when Lap Band updated their technology 3x it was because their band was no good... :tt1:

Technology advances and changes are made. Many of the changes made to the LapBand AP system were made precisely because the Realize band was introduced into the marketplace and had improvements that the LapBand lacked. Now Realize is going to improve their band in an attempt to be the clearly superior band. If they succeed, LapBand will update their bands again.

The consumer wins because neither company can rest on its laurels or the other company will put it out of business.

Just another thought here about the Realize band technology.

It's been stated repeatedly that the Realize band is the same one as the Swedish version in 1996, but according to the FDA, which approved its use in this country, it has been modified even since the US clinical trials in which it was tested. Anyone interested can go to the US government's website for the approval posting and summary letter, or I can post here. So basically, Endo-Ethicon, which makes it, didn't just slap on a new label over an old product.

There, I've had my say.

My qualifications are I am a Lapband patient and work in hospital where many lapbands are performed and have close interaction with all the surgeons who do both Realize, Lapband and Gastric Bypass.

and further - the main modification vs the clinical trial which my doctor was a part of was they tied a piece of string to the end of the band to pull it through around the stomach-the design of the band is unchanged.

I do not hate The Realize band or anyone else- I do feel it's important that if your going to go through these significant life changes and the pain of surgery you have all the correct information of which J&J is not out there providing. Most people dont get to interact with Surgeons daily -it seems like my help is unappreciated so adios.

I am six weeks out of surgery (Aug 4) and I am going in for my first fill today. I am going to request that I do NOT get a fill. I can only eat small portions and certain things I cannot eat at all. I can't believe I have so much restriction w/o any thing in my band (as per my doctor) and most folks need 8 cc to feel restriction. I have lost 17.5 pounds, which isn't great but I am a slow loser. I was feeling lucky I have so much restriction but now I'm thinking there might be something wrong? Has anyone else had their "sweet spot" immediately?