Hi everyone,

After about a year of trying to decide on whether or not to get a lap-band, I have finally gone to a Gastric Band Institute seminar here in Chattanooga and chosen Dr. Ponce to do my surgery. My insurance (BCBSTX) will not pay anything on the lap-band, so my family is helping me pay for it. I'll be 54 next month with a BMI of 45, type II diabetic, hypertension and sleep apnea. My father died at 70 with congestive heart failure and his father died of a heart attack. My grandfather on my mother's side died of complications from diabetes. So the clock is ticking and I need to something soon to resolve my weight problem.

I'm having an upper GI tomorrow and my first consult is 10/14 (I leave the next day for a cruise). I'll be scheduling my surgery at the consult (hopefully for early November). I'm having my surgery in Dalton, GA.

I hope to get alot of info on choosing the correct band (Realize vs Lap-Band) and coping skills. This is going to be a major change in my life, but I'm ready to succeed (not try). As the famous philosopher Yoda says, "There is no try - there is only do or not do". :thumbup:

Famous philosopher Yoda LOL

This might help you decide:

Compare Adjustable Gastric Bands - LAP-BAND vs. REALIZE Band

I really think it's just personal preference. My surgeon only places the lap band but he said it's because its what he's used to using.

Welcome, enjoy your cruise, and good luck! :thumbup:

My surgeon said there wasn’t much difference in the bands, so I choose the Lap Band because he had more experience with it. But at my last fill he was having trouble finding my port and he sort of mumbled how he liked how the Realize band is easier to locate. Had I known it would make the fills easier, I would have gotten the Realize Band.

I would ask you surgeon if he also feels this way

Thanks - Dr Ponce apparently was one of the surgeons on the Realize Band trial, and at the seminar he didn't state a preference, but I'll ask him about which one is easier to fill. Also it looks like the Realize Band has a slightly lower slippage rate.