New Question on LapBand vs Realize - Help?

[rockbandster 0]

there is no way any surgeon could make that statement. The Realize band has only been out in the United States since January and that is not enough time to say they "perform equally" in real life.

I would ask where he is basing that statement from. If you compare the clinical trails it clearly shows superior short term weight loss with the lapband. The trials are real world, they don't hold a bunch obese people in a lab for 3 years when doing gastric banding trials. They're real patients like you and me.

[knickerbocker 0]

After talking it over with my doctor, I have decided to stick with the realize band.

roackband - you seem to pretty much hate the realize band which is your decision, but I feel more comfortable with it. My doctor implants both empty and is able to fill the realize more aggressively and sooner than the AP. So that is what I am going to do.

[rockbandster 0]

It's your weight loss journey. Your doctor is doing the exact opposite of what the latest research states determines sustained and faster weight loss which less aggressive fills.

[knickerbocker 0]

It's your weight loss journey. Your doctor is doing the exact opposite of what the latest research states determines sustained and faster weight loss which less aggressive fills.

Well, he stated that his aggressive fill is 2.5, which in my mind is not all that aggressive. I think it is a relative term.

I also clarified with him and he does place the lap band in empty.

[JASON R 0]

on the realize band, the scare where the port go's is not that big. mines under a half inch. and the port is more then just small/thin. it is wder like you said rockbandster, but it is made out of metal where the lap is not (i believe) at least the one i seen wasnt. and they can x-ray the realize port to look at it where they cant the lap band port. and when i was showed both bands the realize band is a little shorter the the lap band. and i almost didnt get the realize band for that. im a big guy i weighted over 400 pounds before surgery. and my doctor which has done over 450 bandings himself and was the first one in alabama to do it is very inform about both bands. i have alos lost 25 pounds since my surgery on the 26th of aug.

now i do say search search your but off before you decide which one you want. and talk to your doctor and other docotrs about it.

[e60 0]

my surg. nurse said it looked stronger and more plyable and the port was better formed and my realize band was put in empty and stiched in

[rockbandster 0]

The Lap Band ports have titanium chips inside them to see under flouro.

Do you really think The Lap Band was improved 3 times and they forgot that little detail? You have to remember the Realize Band is the Swedish Band from 1996 in a new box. The Lap Band AP came out in 2007. Your comparing old technology to new technology. Im not saying you won't lose weight or it's bad, but it is old, there's no argument for that- call Johnson and Johnson and ask them, they have to disclose that fact.

[MacMadame 81]

there is no way any surgeon could make that statement. The Realize band has only been out in the United States since January and that is not enough time to say they "perform equally" in real life.

remember the Realize Band is the Swedish Band from 1996 in a new box.

Your two statements contradict themselves. But first to correct some misinformation (again) -- the Realize band has been available in the US since Oct. 07 and some surgeons have been using them that long. Some were involved in the clinical trials and were using them even longer than that. But, since it's the same band that's been in use in the rest of the world since 1996 -- as you say yourself -- then there is other information available as to its performance, not just a surgeon's own experience.

Also, the LapBand AP hasn't been out long enough to have significant long-term clinical data published in a peer reviewed journal as to how effective the changes that were made are.

In the end, most surgeons that use both seem to think they perform the same and that individual differences in weight loss are due to other factors such as patient compliance.

Edited September 15, 2008 by MacMadame

[rockbandster 0]

1. It was approved In Oct/Nov but not available for commercial use until Dec Jan

2. LapBand AP has been out for over a year and again the published short term excess weight loss is over 60% in 12 months, roughly double that of the Realize/Swedish Band

3. Just because the band was available you can't just go order it and use it. Your doctor has to go away for 2 days of training and then another doctor has to go in there in watch him view 2 cases where he practices which can take months to set up. Therefore again unless your doc was involved in the clinical trials in which only a handful have, they have no way of comparing short term (12 months) weight loss based on their own clinical experience. That's like saying a BMW is the same as KIA because they're both cars, it's ridiculous.

4. Even the old Lapbands when comparing similar trials have better weight loss than the Realize band 62% in 36 months vs 43% in 36 months.

[Pegsinthewoods 8]

One of the benefits I liked about the Realize Band was the software that came with it. I know the Lapband is developing its own software but it isn't available yet. I track everything I eat, with complete nutritional break down, all of my exercise, my weight loss, my measurements, they supply recipes, advice, plus my surgeon's office can track my progress if I allow them access. The software was the selling point for me.

Also, everyone is different. I had the Realize band installed w/o any Fluid and I am having excellent restriction. I am six weeks + out from surgery and I am very pleased. I am averaging 3 pounds/week loss but I expect that to change as my body gets used to the lower calorie input.

Bottomline, talk with your surgeon. They "should" have the best advice as to what is the right band for you.

[MacMadame 81]

That's like saying a BMW is the same as KIA because they're both cars, it's ridiculous.

Interestingly enough, my surgeon does use the car analogy. He says Realize and LapBand® is like Ford vs. Chevy. That sounds about right to me based on my own research.

The mechanism of both bands are the same. They give you a pouch or pre-stomach and a stoma. This allows your vagus nerve to stimulate your brain to tell you that you are full with a small amount of food. As long as you get proper restriction, this will happen.

The idea that slight varations in design would have a dramatic impact on Excess Weight Loss is not sensible and is not born out by the scientific literature. These design changes may have a slight impact on complication rates but even that doesn't appear to be the case when you look at big studies and meta studies rather than hand picking one study for each band that supports your case.

Even the old Lapbands when comparing similar trials have better weight loss than the Realize band 62% in 36 months vs 43% in 36 months.

This is not true if you look at all the studies. A quick search of Medline shows that the Swedish band performed similarly to the LapBand in the FDA trials. In addition a meta-analysis of all studies of Swedish vs. LapBand came to the following conclusion:

In the gastric banding meta-analysis, 129 studies (patients n = 28,980) were accepted (33 SAGB/104 LB studies).

In 4,273 patients (36 treatment groups) in 33 SAGB studies, and in 24,707 patients (111 groups) in 104 LB studies, mean baseline age (39.1-40.2 yrs), body mass index ([bMI] 43.8-45.3 kg/m2), and sex (females 79.2%-82.5%) were similar.

Three-year mean SAGB/LB excess weight loss (56.36%/50.20%) was significant, as was resolution of type 2 diabetes (61.45%/60.29%) and hypertension (62.95%/43.58%) (P < .05).

Adverse event (AE) rates appeared comparable, and early mortality was equivalent (< or =.1%).

CONCLUSION: In a systematic review of the published world SAGB and LB data, at 1, 2, and 3 years, the weight loss, resolution of diabetes and hypertension, and complications appeared comparable.

Note that in these studies, the mean EWL for the Swedish band was 56%, not 42%. Lapband was 50% (not 63%) but I don't think that's significant enough to scream from the roof-tops that Realize is better. :biggrin: There were more LapBand studies and the more studies you have, the more you see the impact of regression towards the mean.

Btw, to make it clear where I am coming from: I do not have either band. (I am getting a gastric sleeve next week. Whee!) I started out thinking I wanted a band and did my research into both bands and concluded that they were 6 of one and half dozen of another. There are things I like about the Realize band and things I like about the LapBand (and things I don't like about either), but in the end there were things I liked even more about no band at all. :thumbup:

[AnnieMae 0]

Why are you so anti-Realize band??