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?

When I get fills, I have to be on a full liquid diet for 3 days, then one evening of pureed/mushies, and then I go back to regular food. Everyone's doctor is different, but mine's "full liquids" includes strained cream Soups, smooth yogurts, pureed scrambled eggs, and pureed cottage cheese, along with the usuals - sugar free Jello and popsicles, Protein shakes, broths, etc. We're still required to get in our protein and fluids.

Didn't your doctor give you a list of what you COULD eat? I'm always ready for solid food before they say, but it pays to stick to the rules as much as possible.

Jan

Rockbandster,

I've been reading you negstive posts about the Realize band for several days. The surgeon you are quoting for the Lap-Band clinical trials, Dr. Jaime Ponce, will be MY surgeon when my band is placed. He was also a surgeon on the clinical trials for the Realize band and he places both kinds (2000+). My consult with him was yesterday, and I asked him specifically if there was a difference in effectveness between the two bands. He said the only difference is the website and I could choose either one. You have to be careful with statistics. As they say, figures don't lie, but liers figure.

The bands DO NOT offer the same results. A band is not a band as much as BMW is not a KIA.You cannot judge by an individual result here and there as opposed to a clinical trial with over 1000 patients.

You cannot compare a product that came out in 1996 that Johnson and Johnson put in a new box and changed the name from Swedish band to Realize to a product that has been re-engineered 3 times that can be implanted with a prefill and has design changes to prevent erosion built into it.

Im not sayingthe Realize is bad, but it 12 years old and you cannot tell me the technology that went into making medical devices 12 years ago is the same as it is now-that just doesn't make any logical sense.

Interesting. Considering it has never been determined specifically what causes erosion I find it fascinating that you know, along with a band manufacturer, what causes erosion.

I also find it interesting that one doctor can have a 20% erosion stat and another can have a 0.005% erosion stat using the same bands.

New and unproven (long term) technology is not necessarily superior to tried and true technology. It means the current people are guinea pigs. Nothing more.

I personally don't believe erosion (with the US FDA approved bands) is due to the band. I think the majority of time it has to do with the doctor. Something the doctor is doing is causing erosion. Placing a band that is too small, injuring the stomach during banding, perhaps even the type of sterilization for surgical instruments. But considering NOBODY knows what causes erosion for you to make your silly claims makes you look... well, silly.

less complications as compared to what? Which complications are higher with Lapband?

You clearly do not have an understanding of Johnson and Johnsons agenda. There are 5 bands in Europe and the Swedish band is the least popular. If has been used 100,000 times vs over 400,000 times with the Lapband.

J&J wanted to enter the banding market so they acquired Obtech who distributes the Swedish Band, developed nothing but the website. This band is being used only to enter the market. 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

You clearly do not understand the Inamed/Allergan agenda.

Look, I happen to prefer the Allergan band. I wouldn't ever get another band of any brand but if I did it would be Allergan. That doesn't mean that smarmy, unethical, creepy company puts out a bad band. But to infer J&J has an agenda without mentioning the crappy things Allergan does is misleading. Something you do a great deal of yourself.

You know what you sound like? You sound like someone who parrots a very arrogant and egotistical doctor. You don't have enough information to be taken seriously by an actual medical professional but you have sure learned the lingo.

Perhaps you can bring your boss over and post for you. At least we can get the arrogance straight from the source. Along with a little better (balanced) information.

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.

Again, what is your license? Nursing assistant? PCT? CMA? Head floor cleaner? What area do you hold a license? Surely you HAVE an advanced license to be spewing the pooh that you spew, right?

Actually I was schedule to have the lap band but on the day of surgery my dr. decided to use the Realize band.

He stated I didn't have much fat around the stomach and I would have a less chance of erosion with the realize band.

My thoughts are that both bands are good or else drs. wouldn't take the risk of using something that would be considered less than.

My thoughts are that both bands are good or else drs. wouldn't take the risk of using something that would be considered less than.

That is a very interesting point. I had a choice on bands but when i spoke to the doctors they could not give me a solid preference either way. I then talked to nurses, other banded people and they could not give me a real preference either. I then tried some internet research and other than J&J thinks their band is best and Allergan thinks their band is best . . . I still could not find anything solid to base my preference on.

Therefore my final conclusion was that they must both be good bands and either one should get me to where I want to go. I went with Realize and have reached almost 100% excess weight loss. Would my current weight be any different with the Allergan band - I don't know but it would probably be similar.

Howdy! In 3 weeks I will celebrate my 1 year banday with my Realize Band. I have lost 4 or 5 clothes sizes, fast pulse rate & morbid obesity. Dr. Atkinson banded me 1/15/08. I had no idea of which band or size until July 08. Surgical Weight Control Center has told me that all my visits will be free. I have not had a fill yet. Lost over 140 pounds. I would like to Thank LBT, Doctors & support groupers. This trip has been fast, fun & lightning.Good Luck, Hasta Pronto, George:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup: