Hi all - I had my Lap Band on March 7,2005. I have visited OH for several months but just found yall. I have lost 27-30 pounds - depending on which doc scale they use. I had my third fill on Wed and I finally have restriction.

I have a few questions for those that have been on this journey for a while. I started out at 370 and want to lose 200- 230 lbs. Has anyone out there done that? How long did it take? How is the excess skin situation after the weight loss? Just need some living proof that this thing works for us bigger than life individuals.

Much thanks.

Hello...I can't answer your questions but I wanted to say welcome. I am fairly new at this but I will happen any questions I can. Good Luck. You are at the right place for help.....

Hi and Welcome to LBT!! You have come to the right place for getting your questions answered. I am sure someone here can answer them.

Hi Fab,

There are certainly people out there who have lost or are in the process of losing that much weight. For more first-hand stories you might try visiting extraordinarybandsters on yahoo.com. That list is made up of people whose BMI pre-surgery was over 50, I believe.

My starting BMI was 47 and I've lost 120 lbs so far. The answer to "how long does it take" is entirely up to oneself. Personally I have not been overly anxious about losing weight quickly; it's an enormous change to face the world as a non-morbidly obese person, and there are lots of adjustments to be made both mental and physical.

At almost two years out I'm taking a rest from aggressively trying to lose more weight, partly because of the loose skin situation. Everyone is different, but in my experience I didn't really have an issue with it until recently. I'm already uncomfortable with my upper arms and can tell that my stomach will be next if I lose much more. So I'm hoping that time and exercise will resolve things to a point where I will want to lose more weight.

But in the meantime, I'm thoroughly enjoying life in a size smaller than any in my adult life, and trying to free my inner athlete. The great thing is that when/if I decide to try for even lower numbers on the scale, my band will still be there and still ready to work with me.