ok I have been researching and getting a headache can someone tell me in simple terms what the difference of lap and realize bands are? thnx

I don't have anything terribly helpful to say - I think that there are quite a few types of bands from different manufacturers - Realize and Allergan/Inamed and maybe more. The bands come in different sizes - I believe your doctor will decide once s/he sees the size/shape of your stomach which size is appropriate for you.

Just curious - why are you trying to understand this? I would think you just need to find a surgeon - and the type of band is something that they figure out.

Basically, they work the same. The differences are subtle and not really earth-shattering. The realize band is softer, the realize band's port is thinner, with a bigger port access area, the realize band is wider, the lap band comes in sizes...

The realize band forum (1/4 of the way from the bottom of the forum homepage) may be more helpful. I'm being banded with the realize band in oct...because that's what my surgeon uses.

If you can get ahold of the last issue of Obesity Help magazine (or possibly their website) there's an excellent article on this. One of the biggest differences, I believe, is the Lap band has several pillows on the inside that fills with saline to give restriction and the Realize is one continuous ring.

I don't have anything terribly helpful to say - I think that there are quite a few types of bands from different manufacturers - Realize and Allergan/Inamed and maybe more. The bands come in different sizes - I believe your doctor will decide once s/he sees the size/shape of your stomach which size is appropriate for you.

Just curious - why are you trying to understand this? I would think you just need to find a surgeon - and the type of band is something that they figure out.

I had to make this dission at my pre-op appointment. I did not care and told them do whatever they wanted and they said I had to do this and they do not have a favorite. I felt like flipping a coin, They did say there is no differance between the Inamed and realize and they were the only 2 they use. good luck on your choice.

Ps My doctor did say Realize has a lot of web based aid for people using their band i picked Inamed I cant tell you why.