Hey everyone! I got my band in August of 2008. I have currently lost 107 pounds. Starting weight was 267 pounds as of today I weight 160.

I have noticed that I have a lot of excess skin that will need to be removed. What I am not sure of is this. Exactly how much do I need to weigh before I meet with the Doctor I have choosen? I am 5'3. I think I am suppose to weigh around 135 pounds but I am not sure. Hopefully someone out there reading this will know the answer for me.

Thanks in advance for answering!

Stacy Deering

First of all. Congrats on the awesome weight loss!!! I was banded Oct of 08, and am down just 80 pounds. Just 8 pounds to Onederland and I just cant get there! Aurgh !!!!!!!! :cursing: Oh well, it'll happen when its supposed to.

About the excess skin - I have it too, so I talked to my surgeon about when I can start to prepare for removal, and he suggested to wait until I make goal ( 150 - 175 ) and then maintain it for 2 years ! That seems like an awfully long time for me, especially since its been a year and a half already.

Anyway, thats what I was told. Let me know if you hear anything different, ok?

Keep in touch :-)

Bobbie

I have lost over 90lbs and i currently weight 195lbs and i have a plastic surgery consult in two weeks. I still have 30lbs to goal but because i have such a bad amount of skin (completly covers my pubic area) That he said that it needs taken care off. But he did say it can take up to 3 months to get approval from my insurance company so by then i hope to be at goal. It never hurts to start now and see what a plastic surgeon will say. I would never be able to go two years with this skin not because i want to look good but because it gets in my way gives me rashes ect.

Renee, I didn't wait that long and I don't think it is necessary. I was 30 pounds out for my first consult at the PS and it spurred me on to lose more and workout harder. I wish you the best.

Mimi

I honestly don't think I could wait 2 yrs or even another year to have this excess skin removed. Not only is it embarrassing to have it, not only am i having to wear a body suit to pull it up when I wear clothes, but also, I don't want to end up getting rashes and other things that come along with having it.

I am going to call my surgeons office first thing Monday morning and see what I can get started. I have to admitt though, I am nervous about having it done. I hate going under and having surgery, I actually cried the day I had my band placed. I cried from the time I got in the van until the put me under. I had a 2 hour ride there and then it was about another 2 hours before I was put under. 4 hours of crying and being scared that I wouldn't wake up.

But, like I was told, I have had several surgeries in the past and I had no problems going under or coming out of it so I should be ok. So I am just going to face my fears and have this done.

This is the last step in my weight loss journey and I am not going to let that little thing called "FEAR" stand in my way!!!

Won't you lose some weight with having the excess skin removed? Perhaps it would be enough to hit your goal if you are under 20 lbs to go.

Awesome loss!

I've already talked with a couple of plastic surgeons, and I'm nowhere near goal! (I just plan ahead :frown:)

I've been told that they like for weight to be stabilized for a few months prior to surgery.

It used to be recommended that you wait 12-18 months (after reaching goal, when you're maintaining weight) to see how things "redistribute." The thinking was that this might change the need for surgery or change the surgical approach.

Now that WLS is more common, they are finding that the long wait is not necessary. If you need skin removal, you need it--and all the waiting in the world won't change that!

I'd start narrowing down your surgeon choices now, and go in for interviews/initial consultations to see who you like. Once you've made that decision--have a surgeon you really trust--then you can get the answers specific to your needs.