Getting the Band - which one?

So today I was told that they are having extreme difficulty in getting approvals for the Gastric Sleeve procedure. I was still up in the air but I think I somewhat baked on the sleeve. So after talking to SBC and being told that getting approval is next to impossible... The Band it is!

Then she asked me which type! I have to read up and decide by next wednesday if I want the Realize band or the other one.

So I am curious if anyone has had the Realize band, why did you chose that particular "brand"


My husband just scheduled his surgery, for august so I will probably follow suit roughly sometime between september and december.

Hey there Jody,
The band is a great tool but if your heart was set on the sleeve (GREAT procedure) then why not do a bit more research?  Dr. Chiassom and Dr. Burpee have post-ops in the Tucson area who have had their sleeve covered by insurance.  Maybe you've got a crummy insurance, though???  SBC knows their stuff so I'm sure they are right....but.....how about posting on the Sleeve forum of O.H. to see if others have had their's covered by insurance and how they did it?  Or, call Burpee's office in Tucson and ask their office about your insurance.  Sometimes the road less traveled leads us to the right place!!!  If your insurance just needs a peer phone call from a surgeon to say YES then it's worth fighting for, right?

Good luck!  Hang in there!

I agree with Joyce.... give your insurance a call and see whether or not they'll cover the sleeve if it's what you have your heart set on! :)

Personally, I chose the realize band over the lap-band because they have a really neat support system website that I'll have access to for life. 

My surgeon said he was more than willing to do either (lapband or realize band).... but that he really liked the realizemysuccess site.