Mellis

Maybe I am just out of it--but since when did patients tell docs which tools to use? As a nurse who has worked in OR's--I don't recall that ever happening. My husband is a mechanic--people don't tell him which tool to use-they just want their car fixed. I didn't care which band my doc used(as long as it was a good product--don't put a rubber band on there!)--I wanted him to use the band that HE was most comfortable using and that in HIS experience had the best results.

Anyone notice that all the posts from "realize support" are gone? Kinda makes it look like I'm argueing with myself!!! My "personal" opinion about why docs won't do followup on other peoples patients is because as a species--generally surgeons don't like to do follow-up on their OWN patients--much less someone else's! They are the docs who don't want to do patient care--just slice and dice!! (US docs that is--I know my doc is great!!)

I have the new Realize band--my first(only) fill I gotr 5 cc put in--BUT--that was with flouro by my surgeon.

That's the way I feel also--I closed out a mutual fund(that wasn't growing anyway--figured I should be the one losing instead of it!) I have now paid $500 per pound I have lost! My goal is to get it to $80 per pound--or at least less than $100!!

I KNOW I have a realize band--and I am very happy with my band and my surgeon. My problem is with the short-sighted and prejudicial attitude of J & J and their discrimination against ALL people not done in the US--not only Mexico-but Canada-Australia-and European countries--and anywhere else that uses J & J products. It has absolutely NOTHING to so with the price I paid or didn't pay--J & J got the same amount!

My band was put in 12/28--and "approved"?--My doc is a J & J proctor!! I have recieved 1 fill so far--and I went back to Monterrey for my dr who uses flouroscopy for all fills, so I could get an adequate fill to start, rather than "sneak up on it". No, I don't think I should have to pay for the support. My research shows that J & J charges ALL docs the SAME price. so you are saying that because Mexico dr.'s and hospitals don't gouge their customers like US hospitals do, J & J is supporting that. And if you will look earlier in the responses, you will see that it is not only Mexico--but also Canada(and I'm sure other countries also) that is being discriminated against by J & J. And as I have said before, it does seem strange--the patients on your site giving testimonials ARE people who had their bands done in Mexico over a period of several years-so you could have people at all different stages. One of the excuses I was given by the realize support line was that you don't have the "reporting abilities" that you do with US docs. That is fine with me! If Docs in the US were as responsive and supportive to their patients as my dr in Mexico is--you wouldn't have to report! And yes, I do have some experience with what I say--I am an RN and have seen the US medical community in action for years!! And NO, I am not promoting socialized medicine--just a medical community(including the products manufacturers) be more responsive to their consumers

Realize also offers the my sucess program for free, which is an as will help added bonus, this will help you track your sucess BUT--only IF you live in the US and had the band put in by a US doctor. Never mind the fact that docs from other countries have been putting them in longer than any US doc--and of course Realize uses the patients of docs from other countries for their success stories-and uses docs from other countries to teach US docs how to do it! I think J & J should re-evaluate their position and realize that ALL their patients are equal!!

Kinda short-sighted on J & J's part--don't ya think

Maybe if enough of us email them, they will "realize' the mistake they have made in that decision. They told me it is because they can't offer the direct contact with the doctors outside the US that they can inside. I told them I didn't NEED their support with the doc--I have my doc's cell phone # and get a lot better support than I have from any doc I have ever had surgery done by here. I was just interested in the other aspects of the site--the diet & exercise information, etc.

But ( I found out!) the Realize Band site only offers it's support to US patients who had their band placed by US doctors. I have written them about how short-sighted their action is, since there are far more who have the band from outside the US--INCLUDING the patients who are shown on their site!

i cashed out a mutual fund that was just sitting there. It was the only thing losing!!

Dr. Arturo Rodriguez in Monterrey is an absolute dear. His entire staff is genuinely caring and great! I went back last week for a fill and had exactly the same feeling with both Dr. R and Gina. I will also say that I got more personable care there than with anything I have ever had done here. If you look on the realize band site--those are his patients!

I have the realize band. was put in 12/28 got first fill last week (5cc). I think you may just be confused by the terminology. Lap--means it is applied by laporoscopy--band-. each company that makes it gives theirs a different name. Realize is J & J's newest band that just got US approval a few months ago--but has been used in other contries for quite a while under the name of the Swedish Adjustable Gastric Band. The newest version does have a low profile port

I have the Realize band--was placed 12/28 and I had my first fill last week. The frustrating part is that the MySuccess program is ONLY offered to people who had their bands done in the US. I think this is very short sighted. And considering the people who give testimonials on the Realize band site are patients of Dr. R. in Monterrey--and he is a proctor for J & J, it just doesn't seem right.

I do think each person has to decide for themselves what is best for them. I had no problems. My doc does all fills under flouro--laying down, standing up--swallow barium, then drink a whole glass of water. I knew when I left there I was in good shape. By doing it that way, he is more aggressive with fills--because he can see it--and so therefore I don't have to go as often and don't have to sneak up on restriction.

I had my first fill last thursday and got 5cc also. I was told to do liquids for 3 days which I did. I started eating yesterday and had no problems(knock on wood!) Mine was done with flouro also and since i fly to my doc(even though the fills are included for 2 years)--the airfare isn't--i told him i wanted him to be very aggressive. Maybe if you just do some liquids for a couple days--let your stomach"rest" then start back soft and slow

Not only does he know my weight--He(and I still can't believe I did this) did all my pre-op measurements! Actually the weight # slipped about a year ago--we went through airport security and my bag got searched--and the tsa agent was a real be-otch and I was po'd and made a statement that yea right-this 200 lb grandmother really looks like a terrorist. He just looked at me and commented that that was the first time I had admitted it. then i did the ns program and gained more!--and part of it was that i didn't want any "try this" when I decided to do the surgery

I went from DFW to Monterrey on Friday morning -had the surgery friday afternoon and came home on monday. could have come home on sunday without any problems. Believe it or not--it was a shorter flight(and cheaper) to go from dfw to mont, than dfw to denver! I just had my first fill(my doc includes 2 years-with flouro) and flew in and out the same day. Used miles to get the ticket-so it was freebie!

I know!! My doc is the one who did most of the patients on that site!(though the site doesnt tell you that)

Your initial topic was "Realize vs Inamed". It is strange to me that a patient would "chose" which band they want. In my humble opinion, I wanted the doc to put in the band that HE was most comfortable with and that HE thought would do the best job! He's the expert, not me!--I see it like the diff in driving a Chevy and a Ford--both will get you from a-b-c--just personal preference what you want to get there in. I have the Realize band--because that is the one my doc likes the best. He said it provides him with more flexibility. AND yes, he is a proctor for the band. The way I look at it-the easier it is for him-the easier it is for me!!

tried ns last year--3 months lost 25--next three months--lost 0--then started gaining all back +5--quit that!! it has tons of soy in it and gave both hubby and I bigtime heartburn Mary

if you open your excel and go like you are going to open a new spreadsheat--then the Microsoft Office Online--the template is called "Women's Fitness Chart"--and there is a Men's Fitness chart also. for the measurement graph, it has 3 or 4 measurments--I added a few more measurements--haven't worked with it enough yet to add the extra measurements to the graph

there is an excel spread sheet on the MS site that you can download that has 3 or 4 different pages with graphs, etc.--all the formulas are already in it--each time you put in your weight, it changes the bmi, etc

30 cc = 1 oz

30cc = 1 oz Mary