which one did you pick and why?

My doctor has asked me to think about it and choice. She prefers Realize because she can check on her paticents more. LOL, but that acount ablitly sometimes scares me.

It was a toss up for me and I actually switched my band choice right before surgery.

I selected the AP band because it has a longer track record. And I did not like all the posts I kept reading about Realize bandsters who were almost filled to capacity and had not achieved restriction.

Edited February 9, 200917 yr by TQUAD64

She prefers Realize because she can check on her paticents more. LOL, but that acount ablitly sometimes scares me.

How? It doesn't transmit anything? Just curious!

I have the Lap Band...AP It's what my surgeon uses and prefers.

with the realize band there is a website that you go to daily to type in everything you have consumed, daily blog and report your exercise for the day. The doctor has complete acess to it so she/he can send a message or just refer to it at the following appt.

I had a choice, and based my decision on my surgeons preference - he liked the Realize. I try to use my online program daily, and I honestly don't know if he has ever checked it, but I do know that the nutritionist checked it often before she moved. We don't have a new one yet. My surgeon liked it better, mostly because of the port. This one it a little bit bigger and flatter than the LB, he said it's easier for him to access for my fills. As for restriction, I've had two fills since my surgery in Oct, the first was 3cc and I had my second one 02/03/09 and I am good and restricted. He orginally added 2cc for a total of 5, but that was two much (I couldn't swallow any water in the office) and he took out 1 - total of 4 and I have great restriction for now.

Thank you for sharing. I appreciate it!

Well I also chose the relaize band due to the lower profile port...also it's true it takes much longer for restriction but do I regret getting it no I am at 8.7cc and I have total restriction...I liked it because it gave me time to learn my band and lose the weight slowly which is better "they say" right? I have no complaints with the realize band. I bet in the long run the lower port does have something good about it. Who knows.

If you do a search there have been lots of posts comparing the two. I did my research and ended up picking the LB, but I know the end results for both as far as weight loss are almost identical. The new Realize C is supposed to make them more equal, but I didn't have access to the new one and only a few surgeons have it right now since it's in the trial stage.

Thanks for explaining what that meant, Paxie. I think that would drive me nuts! Well, MORE nuts!

I went with the lapband just because I liked the look of it better....doesn't really mean it works better or is better.

My fill nurse likes the lapband port better, she say's she can feel when the needle has made it through easier then the other.

I do know that for most people the lapband does give you more restriction sooner, but in the long run does that really matter, maybe, maybe not?

Thank you all!! I appreciate it. I was thinking it over and then thought - as a military spouce and moving often, maybe I should go with LB instead since more doctors do that then Realize. I think I would of gone Realize otherwize, but I dont want to mess myself by moving somewhere a doctor doesnt have knowledge about that.

Thank you all!

I have kind of changed my mind. Someone who is extremely experienced seems to think that having very little restriction and not losing much after 10 months is a normal thing with the realize band. If that is true and I have no reason to believe it is not, then, I would want the Lapband period.

I thought I choose the other but seems I choose Relize band. I said the one made by Johnson and Johnson and thought it was the other one. hahahhahaahaha

Im just as glad now I got the Relize band I think, even though Im not sure either would work well for someone like me who is a nibbler and a snacker.

btw Im more than halfway to goal and 3 fills. My surgery was July 9th, about 7 months ago?? If im losing slower, folks posting here think it is because I have the Realize band? Really?? I thought I was doing ok for my age (58) so Im a slow loser compared to you younger ones.

Iv only heard of one Texas fill doctor out of all the ones I checked who doesnt fill Realize bands. I think you are worrying about nothing. I got my band in Mexico, so had to shop around Texas for a fill doctor, so Iv talked to a lot of them.

Edited February 10, 200917 yr by flowers

Congrats on making the half way goal. appreciate you sharing your story with me!! thanks!