MamaJava

O....M.....G. NO, Isuzu, we do not need to see your pic of a Realize band inflated, because as most of us have told you, we've already seen that from our Surgeons. By the way, as a MED STUDENT you should know that when something is inflated when nothing is inside of it, it can be triangular shaped. Yes, it looks that way. However, stomach muscle is stronger than that saline balloon. What happens when you put it around a ROUND stomach, is that the balloon rounds out also and evenly distributes the saline (or whatever fluid is in your band) throughout the tube and around your stomach. Honestly, it does not take a genius to gain this type of knowledge. It's simple, really. So please just keep your pics of inflated Realize bands to yourself and enjoy gawking at them on your own time. We all understand and most of us with the band already know what it's all about. I would think you should be studying and not wasting your time running around here and stomping your feet like a big baby.

Oh...and I also saw that YouTube video...that is definitely NOT the same band that is in my stomach. It's all weird looking and it doesn't look like what is around my stomach at all. Not in the least.

Yeah, I saw a bunch of this Isuzu's/redstarr's "research" and notable quotables were pulled from Wikipedia and I literally laughed out loud. Told my husband, and he laughed out loud as well. Anybody who tries to use THAT as a reliable source or to support their own arguments has got to be a flunky...definitely NOT a med student. Puh-leez.

Potatoes. I can eat mashed potatoes, but it has to be very, very slowly. Baked potatoes and home fries, on the other hand, are evil little beasts. I've gotten them both stuck twice since my fill last week. I've not PB'd anything, but I get the huge lump golfball in the chest feeling and DANG that hurts! I need to avoid potatoes completely depending on how they are cooked.

I think you're fine. From what my surgeon explained to me, they aren't worried about the drinking too soon after meals until you have a fill and until you have a pouch. If you've not had a fill yet, then you don't have a pouch yet. Plus, the "pushing through" they are worried about it to cause you to be hungry too soon. What problems, exactly, are you worried about? Plus, if it was almost 30 minutes after you ate like you said it was, then don't fret...even if you do have a fill and a pouch already.

I got my first fill yesterday. I got 3cc in a 9cc band. I think I actually have restriction for the first time ever! By that, I mean that I healed so fast after my surgery that I was wanting to eat the back off of an elk less than 12 days after surgery. I'm glad I healed so fast, but those 6 weeks dragged by so slowly. I'm glad I got a fill, I'm glad I feel something. I had 1 packet of Weight Control oatmeal for breakfast at 7:45am. It's 12:31 now and I finally feel like having lunch. Time will tell if it's real restriction or just a fluke. At any rate, I'm thrilled! *insert happy dance here cuz the smilies aren't workin' while the website is being updated*

My hubby and I are big pumpkin fans, so I'm definitely going to give this one a try! Thank you! New recipes rock.

I'm right where you are! I had my first fill a couple days ago, and I can't believe how easy it was. I laid flat, he had me tighten my abs, one tiny little stick (barely felt it), then I heard a small "pop" noise (I may have been feeling it and not hearing it, you know what I mean?), and before I knew it the needle was out and he was helping me sit up and placing a bandage on it. I was like, "are you kidding me? That's it?" Great stuff. Good for you, too! :biggrin2:

I just can't believe I'm feeling restriction after my first fill! At first I thought it was a fluke, but it's not. Every food I eat, I can feel it. I just had oatmeal for lunch and I ate 3/4 of a cup before I stopped and I thought "Oh my god, I'm full". I know 3/4 of a cup sounds like a lot, but that's so much less than what I was eating pre-band. Also, I realize now that I definitely ate too much. I feel a bit too packed in there. I'll surely stop earlier at my next meal. It's all a learning process, right? I'm just dancing over here! I'm so excited for this to finally be happening for me.

Yay, for the Mister of the house! So thrilled for him. You will be the perfect cheerleader for him (heck, you can even don the uniform and steam things up, eh?)! Keep us posted...and let him know how happy we are for the both of you.

I'm happy to report that it was not just a fluke...I have real restriction! Every meal yesterday made me feel my band. Food kept me full for very long periods of time. Today, I tried to eat a Weight Watcher brand bagel with light cream cheese, and I made sure to extra-toast it (very crispy) and I was full after 5 bites. I had a large coffee a little while after that and I haven't even thought about food until just now and it's nearly lunch time. I'm having some oatmeal and I'm taking it slow. 3 bites in and I can already feel it sitting in there like a little lump. I'm so excited! Thanks for all your comments. I can't wait to lose weight, have my stomach shrink and to need another fill. Hopefully this will stick with me for awhile. I'm thrilled, to say the least.

There's my post where I stated that I have seen it inflated, and that I saw it inflated next to other types of bands. I don't know. It seemed like a great little device to me and IMHO, it appeared to be better technology. That is strictly my opinion, though.

Not me! I still love it all just the same. I have a couple cups a day, just as I did pre-band. I also still drink it with caffeine. Now that I've stopped drinking soda, I figure I'm doing pretty well. It tastes better than ever for me, in fact. I've always just had mine with cream...I hate sweet coffee. Maybe that's the difference? I dunno. Nothing has changed in the coffee department for me. :thumbup:

Oh yes. That's a very mature attitude. You know most Med. students don't have time to pick fights and throw tantrums on website boards. They also usually don't use childish comments like that. The more you kick and scream, the more foolish you appear. Keep it going...you're winning! You are a star! You are throwing out flawless arguments and research! We are all changing our minds and having our Realize bands ripped out because of YOU! Woo hoo!!! Gold star for you, darling. I'm sure you'll be teacher's pet one day soon.

I've seen it inflated as well...in fact, it's MORE rounded than all the other bands that I saw inflated next to my Realize band. The other bands are creased also! Are you freakin' blind? Also, the Realize goes ALL the way around the inside of the band. Some other bands do not. Did you miss that day in class?

Again, redstarr you have no CLUE what you are talking about. My port site incision is small. It's only about 1/2 inch longer than my other incisions, which are all only about 1/4 inch in length. You need to just pocket the money you're getting from another lap band company to run around bashing the Realize band and go on some vacation to a far off land where you can soak up some sun and CHILL OUT. You're really running around all these Realize band threads like some crazy nut case. Why do you care so much about the band differences? All the bands are fine. That's why most doctors still use at least 1 or 2 different kinds of bands. Holy crap you're a loony toon.

Obviously redstarr completely ignored the post by the doctor responding to and disputing all of this freak's claims. What has peed in your Cheerios that has made you such an angry person? I also have seen an inflated Realize band and it doesn't look anything like what you are describing. I've held one. I've inspected one. I've seen it inflated, I've seen it not inflated. We obviously live on different planets. Go on about your own business and stop this absurd and obnoxious vendetta you have against Johnson & Johnson. You are really acting like some crazy person.

Sorry to ask such a silly question, but I honestly can't find any instructions anywhere regarding my first fill in my paperwork. So should I stop eating a certain amount of hours before the fill? I did have a couple very small things to eat this morning (2 slices of wheat toast for Breakfast, some pureed bananas for lunch when I was feeding my baby and a couple chocolate-covered strawberries left over from Valentine's Day). It's 11:40am now and my fill is at 4:00pm so I'm not going to eat anymore. How about fluids? Can I drink anything and should I stop drinking beforehand? How long before the fill should I stop drinking? I'm really thirsty right now. Thanks in advance.

Sorry to ask such a silly question, but I honestly can't find any instructions anywhere regarding my first fill in my paperwork. So should I stop eating a certain amount of hours before the fill? I did have a couple very small things to eat this morning (2 slices of wheat toast for Breakfast, some pureed bananas for lunch around 11:00 when I was feeding my baby and a couple chocolate-covered strawberries left over from Valentine's Day). It's 11:40am now and my fill is at 4:00pm so I'm not going to eat anymore. How about fluids? Can I drink anything and should I stop drinking beforehand? How long before the fill should I stop drinking? I'm really thirsty right now. Thanks so much...:wub:

Oh...I see. So the ONLY surgeons using the Realize band are hacks or guys on the take? So you know every surgeon in the Nation? In the world? The Realize has a fantastic success rate. It's been used for years upon years overseas. It's just renamed over here. The Realize band is a complete circular band. So it has creases and that makes it more prone to erosion? You really need to redo your research. My doc is a proctor. He's NOT getting paid by J & J...the other 3 docs in the practice still offer their patients a choice. My doc refuses to offer a choice. The wider band covers a larger surface area of the stomach (PROVEN, by the way) and this has shown to cause less slips, and to REDUCE the instances of band erosion. Weren't they called Swedish bands or something overseas for all those years? They are standing the test of time...they aren't being tossed aside and replaced like the lap bands and Allergen bands are. That is peace of mind for me. So you can degrade the Realize bands around here as much as you want. Your stats and info are bogus and your reasoning is bunk. You can believe what you want and you can run around flailing your arms and screaming about conspiracy theories and buyouts and payoffs all you want...it just makes you look bloody pathetic. If anything, I think you are the one being paid to bash the Realize bands. It really doesn't matter what you say. My surgeon is one of the highest ranked and successful band surgeons in the United States. He's a proctor. I'll trust his knowledge, education, success and expertise over your silly little rant and unsupported "facts" any old day of the week.

Curves is fantastic. I am re-joining again March 3rd when our local one begins their food drive for free registration. This time, I won't quit after several months. The workout you get is individual, and it totally depends on YOU and how much YOU work the machines. It is effective as long as you operate the machines effectively and as long as you work it, girl! You have to really get on each machine and work as hard as you can. Your success depends on how hard you work...the machines and the facility are not at fault if it doesn't work for somebody. It's great. I highly recommend it. :wub:

Sounds like you all have WAY more restriction than me. I'm almost back to eating my normal sized meals again...although I'm making really healthy choices, which I never did before. You all get full around 1/4, 1/2 or even 1 cup of food?!?? I wish I had that sense of fullness. I eat slooooooowww, too. I always have. I think something is really, really wrong with me. I easily ate almost 2 cups worth of food for dinner yesterday. I felt crappy afterwards, but it just doesn't hit me until about an hour after I walk away from my food. Until that kicks in, I'm pacing around wondering what's wrong with me, I'm trying to find some Jell-o or pudding to finally feel full, or I'm getting a 2nd helping of what I finished 30 minutes ago because my stomach is still growling. So...none of you are eating too much, but I certainly am. I can't figure it out, and I'm beyond jealous of all your responses. I'm also not losing anything. I'm stuck at the original 13 I lost the first 2 weeks after surgery. I've gained 4 of that back, and I've gained 3 inches overall. I get my first fill Feb. 18th. It can NOT come soon enough. I'm pissed. I hope I get restriction because I don't feel like my life has changed at all.

I handled it a bit differently. I had intended on not telling anybody at all beforehand except my hubby and a couple of my closest friends, because one of them was trying to schedule her surgery on the same day as mine. She got in sooner than me, and we were banded 6 weeks apart. Then everything changed. I realized I needed help with my baby during my healing time. I needed my mom for that because my husband had to keep working. My daughter and stepson also had to know why I would be in rough shape for a few days, and they needed to know why they had to help me with extra stuff around the house. I'm so close with my family, that I needed for them to know about this life-changing procedure because I needed their support for many reasons. I also saw myself becoming a great advocate for the band, and decided I was then going to tell everybody. I only tell people when I feel the time is right, and I be sure that when the conversation is over, they have a newer understanding of the procedure and the fact that this is still a VERY difficult road for me. Everybody I know has been educated properly...and I've been happy to do that. Nobody has judged me because I won't let them. I've always been a very strong, straightforward kind of gal, and people know that about me. I have no problems with explaining myself, I don't feel this is a private thing for me anymore because I don't want it to be. That's just me, though. I'd rather be a poster child for this procedure...it makes me feel like I'm giving back to the band, which is going to be giving so much to me. That's just me, though! :mad: Do what makes you comfortable. I'm not embarrassed, I'm not ashamed, and I'm definitely not afraid to tell people how it is. For others, that's not easy stuff to do. I like being the person to set people straight, and I enjoy educating others. This lap band gives me an excellent platform to be able to do such things.

I just visited your site and I'm confused about something...folks over there are talking about how excited they are to be on a drama-free board and whatnot. What drama? I've lurked here forever before I finally signed up after my surgery back in January. I've never seen anything horrible enough to cause the creation of an entire new site. Plus...a little drama is everywhere if the posters on your site are referring to receiving a disagreement now and then with a statement they've made. That's not horrible...that's human nature. It will happen on your board eventually as it grows also. You aren't free from "drama" anywhere in life. That's just my 2 cents as well. Good luck to ya, though! You website looks good.

I'm confused...I have the Realize, and my doc said it was a 9 cc band. I read the website and all official information from J & J Realize direct, and they all say the band is 9 cc. The nurses on the Realize telephone support have also confirmed they are a maximum of 9 cc. They are all the same. I'm really confused as to why several of you are saying it is 10 cc. It's not.