Old Band out -- New Realize Band In

[rockbandster 0]

Also, you should change the name of this thread from "old band out,new band in" to "Old band out, Older band in"; The Realize Band IS the Swedish Band made by Obtech in Europe from 1996 in a new box with a new name. J&J bought them for 150 million and changed the name of the product and decided to dupe people into thinking it's a brand new device.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

ok so anyone who finds an error, other than an accidental typo, please provide some data and prove me wrong.

The latest Lapband AP data released this week is from a Landmark trial including 50 different sites with 500 patients:

The results were 34% Excess weight loss at 6 months and 50% Excess weight loss at 11 months

The Realize Band is 43% at 3 years

Unless someone has some proof they are the same thing it might be a good idea to stop writing that on here.Its like saying a BMW is the same as a Kia because they are both cars. It's just not true.

In addition ,the new LapBand Website completely leaves Realizemysuccess in the dust.

Who cares? To compare 6 & 11 month stats with 3 years is like comparing you to a person with no agenda, the two do not compare.

Regain, Rockyboy. It's a big issue with ANY WLS.

Can't you go troll somewhere else?

[Elisabethsew 50]

Rock,

At this point, you're beating a dead horse. People are not going to go to their surgeons' offices using your words and your statistics to demand one band over the other. Aren't you a PACU transport aide for Dr. Geiss?

The bottom line is that ANY band will "fail" if the person who has it fails to follows all the rules that go with the band such as drinking, exercise, etc., guidelines. You gave your opinion and people are looking for SUPPORT. Either be supportive or seek a new topic to post on. There are MANY for you to choose from.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Rock,

At this point, you're beating a dead horse. People are not going to go to their surgeons' offices using your words and your statistics to demand one band over the other. Aren't you a PACU transport aide for Dr. Geiss?

The bottom line is that ANY band will "fail" if the person who has it fails to follows all the rules that go with the band such as drinking, exercise, etc., guidelines. You gave your opinion and people are looking for SUPPORT. Either be supportive or seek a new topic to post on. There are MANY for you to choose from.

Maybe it's time someone clues Dr. Geiss in on this person. ;o)

[Elisabethsew 50]

I am a friend of Dr. Geiss as well as his patient. I am going to discuss this matter with him and ask him to do a search of posts bearing his name related to the Realize band. He uses both bands and I'm sure he would not appreciate someone who works at Syosset Hospital speaking FOR him.

[rockbandster 0]

You people keep thinking of yourselves...this information is for people considering surgery to know the differences between the products so they can make an informed choice.

Instead of being pissed at me reporting information, why don't you try supporting someone considering this life-altering surgery and help them get educated so they can make the right choice.

This is a support site remember.?..don't blame me, I don't do the studies,I am just telling you what the results are. Most intelligent people would like to know what is currently going on before having surgery.

[MacMadame 81]

You people keep thinking of yourselves...this information is for people considering surgery to know the differences between the products so they can make an informed choice.

Except you post misleading stats and things that aren't true so instead of helping people make an informed choice, you are just muddying the waters. And doing it in a way that makes it difficult for people who are already banded to get support.

Btw, I haven't got a band at all -- the EWL for either band are too low for me -- so I'm not taking any of this personally as an affront to my own choice. In fact, when you tout a carefully selected study designed to "prove" that Lap-band is so much better than Realize band, it just make me :thumbup: because neither is showing very good EWL compared to bypass, sleeve or DS. You are arguing over inches when the difference between lap-band (either one) and another WLS is miles.

Then again, do you see me jumping into every thread about which band to get saying "don't get either! they suck! get a sleeve instead! it's the best!". No, you don't. First, that isn't helpful to someone who has done their research and decided the band is the right WLS for them. Second, just because the sleeve is right for me, doesn't mean it's right for everyone. I'm not so arrogant that I think whatever I've decided for myself is right for the rest of the world.

Instead of being pissed at me reporting information, why don't you try supporting someone considering this life-altering surgery and help them get educated so they can make the right choice.

That's exactly why I respond to your posts. I don't want you misleading some unsure pre-op because you've got some sort of hate-on for a band you have no personal experience with.

This is a support site remember.?

So be supportive. Go to another forum and ask a question about something you are going through. Offer advice to someone having trouble with something you've mastered.

[rockbandster 0]

None of these studies are direct comparisons, I never stated that in any thread- I am merely presenting data in order to help people make a decision. I am sorry you are all taking this the wrong way and don't appreciate the data I have found online. I have spent many hours researching Weight loss Surgery because I care about people and want them to be in the know. I assumed people would want to know as much as they can before deciding on surgery. There no point in sharing this information if you're going to spit it back my face.

I don't recall directly speaking on behalf of any surgeon - If you can find a thread where I stated im speaking on behalf of a surgeon please let me know. That is not the case and I would never assume that role.

My opinions are my strictly my opinions. PERIOD. They are not that of any surgeon so I don't understand where that's coming from. If you want to bother your surgeon about this nonsense be my guest. I don't care what devices any surgeon uses or what surgery you have or don't have. I care about people looking at this website and being supported with the right information to make an informed choice weather or not to have this surgery or another WLS.

All of us should be trying to help those considering surgery make the right choice - this is not about us anymore, we had one surgery or another -its the about the person who is scared, hopeless and looking for help. Those of us who had success with the band, Bypass or Sleeve should contribute and help them.

I would really like it if we can all "band" together and try to help someone who can use a hand.

[bassriley 0]

Most intelligent people would like to know what is currently going on before having surgery.

It's good of Rocky to help us all to understand that we lack intelligence because we don't appreciate his/her diatribes. I'm pretty happy with my 104 pound loss so far with Realize, but I also understand that any band can fail. Rockbandster-you keep posting the same stuff over and over and over. Do you really think it becomes more persuasive with repetition?

[Elisabethsew 50]

"Banding Together" is the name of the newsletter that Dr. Geiss emails to his patients. I believe I know who this person is and had to report him when he violated HIPPA laws. My advice to people with the Realize band is to listen to success stories like bassriley.

[rockbandster 0]

I am happy for bassriley's incredible success with the Realize Band and in no way and insinuating anyone lacks intelligence. I am sorry you interpret sharing online clinical results that way.

On the contrary "Band together" is from this: Country Bands Together - Homepage

Last time I checked moderators were supposed to remain unbiased. You are practically organizing a witch hunt.

[StartingOverNJ 0]

Last time I checked moderators were supposed to remain unbiased.

Another area in which you could use some clue.

[Elisabethsew 50]

I am happy for bassriley's incredible success with the Realize Band and in no way and insinuating anyone lacks intelligence. I am sorry you interpret sharing online clinical results that way.

On the contrary "Band together" is from this: Country Bands Together - Homepage

Last time I checked moderators were supposed to remain unbiased. You are practically organizing a witch hunt.

Please the read the PM I sent you and stop accusing people of things they did not say. I never insinuated "anyone lacks intelligence" and will not reduce myself to arguing with you.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

You people keep thinking of yourselves...this information is for people considering surgery to know the differences between the products so they can make an informed choice.

Instead of being pissed at me reporting information, why don't you try supporting someone considering this life-altering surgery and help them get educated so they can make the right choice.

This is a support site remember.?..don't blame me, I don't do the studies,I am just telling you what the results are. Most intelligent people would like to know what is currently going on before having surgery.

You are comparing short term weight loss in your most recent post. Who cares about short term weight loss? Long term is key here and you know what? I don't believe you are going to keep your excess weight off long term with any band. That's my personal opinion. Too many things can and do go wrong with a band. People battle band issues for a long time. The puking, esophageal damage from hurling, slips, erosion, esophageal dilation, pouch dilation, esophageal spasms, stoma spasms, infections from fills/unfills, band intolerance, the extreme fluctuations in restriction due to time of day, time of month, stress, food temp, weather, etc. Then you have issues such as the time you spend on liquids as after each fill, weeks of liquids after a slip, each time you get stuck and swell... more liquids. Top that off with the fact that the band is the hardest WLS to succeed, has the slowest weight loss, the lowest weight loss, and the rate of complications and revisions are skyrocketing. There is a lifetime of aftercare required for a band for more reasons than fills and tweaking fills. It's to correct the medical problems the band causes. Oh! Let's not forget mechanical problems with the band such as leaks, faulty bands, etc.

Did you know that your beloved Inamed company is calling surgeons asking them why they are not buying as many bands as they used to? They want to know if their sales are down because of the economy or what. The doctors are telling them they are as busy as ever but they are doing more sleeves, bypass, and revisions than bands.

Why do you suppose that is?

So instead of running around insisting that your silly band is better because weight loss is fast in the beginning, why not look at the long term data on bands period. Inamed boasts of 5 year stats showing a 55% loss of excess weight. That's barely considered successful when you figure that 50% is considered successful for excess weight loss. For higher BMI folks when they reach their 50% weight loss they'll still be obese.

Look at my posts, look at your posts. You regurgitate the same sorry crap time and time again and then you slam others for not being supportive? Why not get out there and post something from personal experience vs. parroting what you hear actual medical professionals say? Why not show SOME support somewhere? Why not show stats of all procedures, why not show risks and complications with ALL procedures including your own?

I may not believe the band will be great for most people long term (short term it is usually great) but if that is any person's choice in WLS I will support them all they need. I will provide any information I can for them. Not biased information but personal experience, stats, tips, tricks, a shoulder, anything. So don't you dare sit there and infer that only you are helping with your crap load of information.

Cheers.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

"Banding Together" is the name of the newsletter that Dr. Geiss emails to his patients. I believe I know who this person is and had to report him when he violated HIPPA laws. My advice to people with the Realize band is to listen to success stories like bassriley.

You know what will be interesting? Rocky claims that he has more education than MacM and I together. I would love to know why such an educated person is sticking with a transporter position.

Violating HIPAA laws is no minor matter. He could have gotten the entire hospital in a world of trouble.