Lapbanded 3/21/08 and still have the five strips covering the incisions. I know not to pull them off, but how long before they fall off? My shirts are rubbing against them and at times they 'catch' which is a not so nice feeling.

I was banded 3/31. In my doctor's orders after the surgery, it said that the strips would fall off in 5-7 days. Mine haven't fallen off yet. I see my doctor on Wednesday and if they haven't fallen off by then, I'll let the doctor take them off.

mine came off in the shower within 4-6 days

My strips were only stuck in the middle, each side was coming up. So, about day 6, after a shower, I took them off. My incisions were practically healed by then.

I was banded 3/25/08 and the strips stayed on for over a week. They were half on and half off, so I took off the top ones at first, then a day or two later gently took off the ones over the incisions. I was going crazy with an itchy rash (reaction to the tape) and my skin felt so much better. Everything looked healed, so I soap it good in the shower, and a couple times put anti-itch cream or lotion on the rash but not over the incision. That and an occasional anti-allergy pill (Chlortrimeton) that is used for itchiness. It is getting much better. That is the only big problem I have had.

so funny, because i just reread my discharge instructions to see if they said anything about the steri-strips, and they didn't. i am occasionally a bit OCD, and today I picked at my strips all day long, until I finally pulled them all off tonight. I started with the little ones, and when they seemed to be healed up tight, i said what the hell and pulled the big one off. I'm glad to know that others had their strips fall off in the same time frame as I pulled mine. I haven't taken many showers, so maybe that's the difference.

If the loose edges are bothering you (like they definitely were me), just trim them off with scissors.