NurseShay

@minimoo I feel your pain! I has one yesterday as I was standing right over a patient... she had a horrified look like I had jus burped right in her face. SMH I wish mine would just come from the "belly" area so I could pretend they were regular stomach growling noises but nope... they come right out of my mouth! And if Im fortunate enough to predict ones arrival and shut my mouth it sounds off in my throat like fireworks. :ph34r: I've learned to live with it tho... beats that 100lbs which was much more embarrassing. I tend to talk about my band like it's its own entity with a personality and voice of its own... helps kill the awkwardness since she refuses to stay my own little secret!

I have many of the already listed songs. I choose different styles of music so I don't get bored some days rock does it for me others hip hop is necessary! Lots of base give me a much needed push and random songs that revive my motivation and make me go "Oh yea!"
A few I didnt see mentioned that I use are:
Workout Plan- Kanye West (a no brainer he even counts it off for you "1 and 2 and 3 and 4 get those situps right yea." haha)
Gonna make you Sweat- CC
Jump Around- House of Pain
Good Vibrations- Marky Mark (if the beat doesn't do it for you, jus picture Mark Wahlburgs Calvin Klein ads from the 90s. haha)
Breath, Stretch, Shake- Mase (Made for a warm up/cool down!)
All I do is win- DJ Khaled (motivating)
Go Girl- Pitbull (also motivating)
Break Stuff- Limp Bizkit (angry beat good for a jog)
Last Resort- Papa Roach (angry beat)
Vivrant Thang- Q tip (dance song)
Rock that body & Boom boom pow- Black eyed peas
Hell Yeah- Rev Theory (great jogging song)
Thunderstruck- ACDC
Testify- Rage against the machine
Enter Sandman- Metallica
Bawitdaba- Kid Rock
I can transform ya- Chris Brown ft. Weezy
Right above it- Lil Wayne
Im going in- Drake ft Weezy
Welcome to my hood- DJ Khaled
Intergalactic- Beastie Boys
You can do it- Ice Cube
Hot in here- Nelly
Get me bodied- Beyonce
Get outta your mind- Lil Jon (no better hype man than Lil Jon!)
Walk it out- DJ Unk (perfect for the cardio)
Run it- Chris Brown (RUN!)

I'm going to say something a lot of dieters don't agree with but IMO: If you're not hungry, dont eat. Before being banded I didn't even really know what "hungry" felt like because I was fixated on eating out of habit, finish the plate regardless when I was full, dont skip Breakfast or Ill "gain weight?? The band is a tool that gives a feeling of satiaty which is suppose to help us feel the need to eat less so we can actually lose weight. Why on earth would anyone want to change habits from overeating to eating on a schedule that doesn't coincide with their bodies needs? Sounds to me by your "not in the mood" statement like you're in the green zone and its doing its job. As an ex over eater it may feel wrong to not be eating 2 or 3... or 5 times a day, but that's what you got banded for. Now if its a case of avoidance because you are too tight or not eating correctly-- too fast, to large of bites or portions, eating the "bad" foods then its just a matter of loosening your band or learning to follow the band rules. The band is temperamental so even on your most well behaved days you may still get stuck but if so, just go to liquids until you feel comfortable back on solids. If it persists you may be too tight so go back to your doc for an adjustment.

Just make sure you are listening to your body and eating for the purpose of nutrition and only nutrition until you're at maintainence. No one can really tell you what your body is need of other than your body. We have reserves of fat that we are trying to get our body to use or else we wouldn't be banded so if your band has allowed restriction and you're not feeling hungry dont force it. When you do eat, make sure you start with and get your Protein down first. Eat Fiber if you can but if you're not hungry just take fiber supplement (ie: metamucil), since you're not eating much stay away from empty calorie foods. Stay hydrated-- but again drink what you feel you need to. Don't go by generic numbers go by your own body. Take a Multivitamin every day-- this replaces all the nutrients you are missing from meals-- and probably still would be missing even if you did eat, as chances are you can't eat much. You don't need to see a doctor or nutritionist to get a multivitamin they are over the counter. Just make sure it's got 100% of everything including folic acid and Vitamin B12 as some do not. If you have any other conditions like anemia or arthritis then other supplements like Iron and Calcium pills should also be taken but if you have other conditions your doctor should be letting you know what supplements to take. But despite what many people will say theres no reason to force yourself to eat XX calories a day. You're under doctors supervision by being banded-- if they thought you were starving by the band they wouldn't fill you and by ethics they would be removing all the saline. We as overweight people are in no risk of starving to death so long as we have reserves! They would not have banded someone who would be at risk with lower calorie intake in the first place. Listen to your body-- when its hungry or dificient in a nutrient it's going to speak up. Going against your bodys signals and trying to force eat out of habit or because it's just "time for breakfast, lunch or dinner" or any other reason other than actual NEED is what got us into the band in the first place. Eat your protein when you can-- if not- drink it, take a multivitamin, stay hydrated and listen to your body. Good luck!

I'm guessing she meant she was new to this side of the forum (LGBT). Relax people...
...I think everybody is just hungry. j/k

Feeling energized and renewed. I had surgery two years ago and only lost 40 pounds. Having been in an abusive relationship didn't allow me to work on me, now that I am out, I feel like I can finally work on me. Everyone's posts give me inspiration and motivation that I can do this. I recently learned I was banded too tightly and caused my esophagus to dilate and had fluid removed. I am seeing my dr in two days and hope all is well and can get a fill, as I get soooo hungry and have no restriction. Went from .7 to .4, big reduction. Good news is tht though weight loss is slow I have not gained any weight since the surgery. I started walking and jogging 3 miles daily mixed with tae bo, hopefully that will help me along. Having PCOS doesn't help either, but I am happy that I am not where I used to be. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!

I'm going to say something a lot of dieters don't agree with but IMO: If you're not hungry, dont eat. Before being banded I didn't even really know what "hungry" felt like because I was fixated on eating out of habit, finish the plate regardless when I was full, dont skip Breakfast or Ill "gain weight?? The band is a tool that gives a feeling of satiaty which is suppose to help us feel the need to eat less so we can actually lose weight. Why on earth would anyone want to change habits from overeating to eating on a schedule that doesn't coincide with their bodies needs? Sounds to me by your "not in the mood" statement like you're in the green zone and its doing its job. As an ex over eater it may feel wrong to not be eating 2 or 3... or 5 times a day, but that's what you got banded for. Now if its a case of avoidance because you are too tight or not eating correctly-- too fast, to large of bites or portions, eating the "bad" foods then its just a matter of loosening your band or learning to follow the band rules. The band is temperamental so even on your most well behaved days you may still get stuck but if so, just go to liquids until you feel comfortable back on solids. If it persists you may be too tight so go back to your doc for an adjustment.

Just make sure you are listening to your body and eating for the purpose of nutrition and only nutrition until you're at maintainence. No one can really tell you what your body is need of other than your body. We have reserves of fat that we are trying to get our body to use or else we wouldn't be banded so if your band has allowed restriction and you're not feeling hungry dont force it. When you do eat, make sure you start with and get your Protein down first. Eat Fiber if you can but if you're not hungry just take fiber supplement (ie: metamucil), since you're not eating much stay away from empty calorie foods. Stay hydrated-- but again drink what you feel you need to. Don't go by generic numbers go by your own body. Take a Multivitamin every day-- this replaces all the nutrients you are missing from meals-- and probably still would be missing even if you did eat, as chances are you can't eat much. You don't need to see a doctor or nutritionist to get a multivitamin they are over the counter. Just make sure it's got 100% of everything including folic acid and Vitamin B12 as some do not. If you have any other conditions like anemia or arthritis then other supplements like Iron and Calcium pills should also be taken but if you have other conditions your doctor should be letting you know what supplements to take. But despite what many people will say theres no reason to force yourself to eat XX calories a day. You're under doctors supervision by being banded-- if they thought you were starving by the band they wouldn't fill you and by ethics they would be removing all the saline. We as overweight people are in no risk of starving to death so long as we have reserves! They would not have banded someone who would be at risk with lower calorie intake in the first place. Listen to your body-- when its hungry or dificient in a nutrient it's going to speak up. Going against your bodys signals and trying to force eat out of habit or because it's just "time for breakfast, lunch or dinner" or any other reason other than actual NEED is what got us into the band in the first place. Eat your protein when you can-- if not- drink it, take a multivitamin, stay hydrated and listen to your body. Good luck!

I answered the phone at work today - just after having a drink - and out came a noise - that can only be described as a darlek -
Sooo embarrassed!

I'm going to say something a lot of dieters don't agree with but IMO: If you're not hungry, dont eat. Before being banded I didn't even really know what "hungry" felt like because I was fixated on eating out of habit, finish the plate regardless when I was full, dont skip Breakfast or Ill "gain weight?? The band is a tool that gives a feeling of satiaty which is suppose to help us feel the need to eat less so we can actually lose weight. Why on earth would anyone want to change habits from overeating to eating on a schedule that doesn't coincide with their bodies needs? Sounds to me by your "not in the mood" statement like you're in the green zone and its doing its job. As an ex over eater it may feel wrong to not be eating 2 or 3... or 5 times a day, but that's what you got banded for. Now if its a case of avoidance because you are too tight or not eating correctly-- too fast, to large of bites or portions, eating the "bad" foods then its just a matter of loosening your band or learning to follow the band rules. The band is temperamental so even on your most well behaved days you may still get stuck but if so, just go to liquids until you feel comfortable back on solids. If it persists you may be too tight so go back to your doc for an adjustment.

Just make sure you are listening to your body and eating for the purpose of nutrition and only nutrition until you're at maintainence. No one can really tell you what your body is need of other than your body. We have reserves of fat that we are trying to get our body to use or else we wouldn't be banded so if your band has allowed restriction and you're not feeling hungry dont force it. When you do eat, make sure you start with and get your Protein down first. Eat Fiber if you can but if you're not hungry just take fiber supplement (ie: metamucil), since you're not eating much stay away from empty calorie foods. Stay hydrated-- but again drink what you feel you need to. Don't go by generic numbers go by your own body. Take a Multivitamin every day-- this replaces all the nutrients you are missing from meals-- and probably still would be missing even if you did eat, as chances are you can't eat much. You don't need to see a doctor or nutritionist to get a multivitamin they are over the counter. Just make sure it's got 100% of everything including folic acid and Vitamin B12 as some do not. If you have any other conditions like anemia or arthritis then other supplements like Iron and Calcium pills should also be taken but if you have other conditions your doctor should be letting you know what supplements to take. But despite what many people will say theres no reason to force yourself to eat XX calories a day. You're under doctors supervision by being banded-- if they thought you were starving by the band they wouldn't fill you and by ethics they would be removing all the saline. We as overweight people are in no risk of starving to death so long as we have reserves! They would not have banded someone who would be at risk with lower calorie intake in the first place. Listen to your body-- when its hungry or dificient in a nutrient it's going to speak up. Going against your bodys signals and trying to force eat out of habit or because it's just "time for breakfast, lunch or dinner" or any other reason other than actual NEED is what got us into the band in the first place. Eat your protein when you can-- if not- drink it, take a multivitamin, stay hydrated and listen to your body. Good luck!

I'm going to say something a lot of dieters don't agree with but IMO: If you're not hungry, dont eat. Before being banded I didn't even really know what "hungry" felt like because I was fixated on eating out of habit, finish the plate regardless when I was full, dont skip Breakfast or Ill "gain weight?? The band is a tool that gives a feeling of satiaty which is suppose to help us feel the need to eat less so we can actually lose weight. Why on earth would anyone want to change habits from overeating to eating on a schedule that doesn't coincide with their bodies needs? Sounds to me by your "not in the mood" statement like you're in the green zone and its doing its job. As an ex over eater it may feel wrong to not be eating 2 or 3... or 5 times a day, but that's what you got banded for. Now if its a case of avoidance because you are too tight or not eating correctly-- too fast, to large of bites or portions, eating the "bad" foods then its just a matter of loosening your band or learning to follow the band rules. The band is temperamental so even on your most well behaved days you may still get stuck but if so, just go to liquids until you feel comfortable back on solids. If it persists you may be too tight so go back to your doc for an adjustment.

Just make sure you are listening to your body and eating for the purpose of nutrition and only nutrition until you're at maintainence. No one can really tell you what your body is need of other than your body. We have reserves of fat that we are trying to get our body to use or else we wouldn't be banded so if your band has allowed restriction and you're not feeling hungry dont force it. When you do eat, make sure you start with and get your Protein down first. Eat Fiber if you can but if you're not hungry just take fiber supplement (ie: metamucil), since you're not eating much stay away from empty calorie foods. Stay hydrated-- but again drink what you feel you need to. Don't go by generic numbers go by your own body. Take a Multivitamin every day-- this replaces all the nutrients you are missing from meals-- and probably still would be missing even if you did eat, as chances are you can't eat much. You don't need to see a doctor or nutritionist to get a multivitamin they are over the counter. Just make sure it's got 100% of everything including folic acid and Vitamin B12 as some do not. If you have any other conditions like anemia or arthritis then other supplements like Iron and Calcium pills should also be taken but if you have other conditions your doctor should be letting you know what supplements to take. But despite what many people will say theres no reason to force yourself to eat XX calories a day. You're under doctors supervision by being banded-- if they thought you were starving by the band they wouldn't fill you and by ethics they would be removing all the saline. We as overweight people are in no risk of starving to death so long as we have reserves! They would not have banded someone who would be at risk with lower calorie intake in the first place. Listen to your body-- when its hungry or dificient in a nutrient it's going to speak up. Going against your bodys signals and trying to force eat out of habit or because it's just "time for breakfast, lunch or dinner" or any other reason other than actual NEED is what got us into the band in the first place. Eat your protein when you can-- if not- drink it, take a multivitamin, stay hydrated and listen to your body. Good luck!

Too funny! Thanks for a morning laugh!

It's a joke in my household that the band is just saying hello! I have had the loudest, most bizarre sounds coming from my belly since the band was placed two years ago. We just laugh it off... I keep thinking that it's better than the extra 55 lbs I was carrying!

I'm guessing she meant she was new to this side of the forum (LGBT). Relax people...
...I think everybody is just hungry. j/k

Thanks nurseshay that was some good advice

I am 2 & 1/2 years out and STILL experience this from time to time. It never really gets easier to eat the unforgiving foods when you're tighter (unless of course you force it/ stretch your pouch or "prime" your pouch by drinking alot first-- all of which are bad habits.) Once you've PB'd the first time for the day figure your band wasn't ready for whatever it was you ate-- even if its your usual diet foods, and jus go to liquids for at least the next 8 hours to give it a chance to recover. PBing can easily become forceful vomiting if the gag reflex kicks in (experienced this at 2yrs out) and this wreaks havoc on the band for days to come and in some cases cause band slips. Good job paying attention to your body and your band.

I have not told many people about my band to this day and its been over 2 yrs for me so keeping the band a bit of a secret isn't so hard. I explained my 3 days of sick leave (combined with my normal 2 off days) as having hiatal hernia repair-- which my doc did do at the time of banding, so I consider it not a lie but an ommitance . At 6 weeks out you will not be in any acute pain from the surgery itself that would be noticable to anyone but you. Some sensitivity at the port site is a possibility but as long as no one plans to hit ya in the abdomen you should be fine there. However with the idea of having a week to recover, everyone is different. IMO you should be fine as I was back to work after a week- on my feet but avoiding heavy lifting again, understood by my boss as the s/e of hernia repair. But your ability to do this depends on your pain tolerance how fast you heal. The wonderful gas pains you may have read about diminished completely by about 2 weeks out. I believe at 6 weeks I was already eating pretty normal food, but in smaller portions, not because I had ANY restriction but because I was trying to stick to my doc's diet plan but I could eat ALOT more if I tried. Also I celebrated my bday 3 weeks after banding and was able to eat in a restaurant with ppl without incident and no one questioned my diminished appetite. Smaller portions is something that will be typical for the entire time you're banded, getting progressively stricter as you gain restriction so if you're afraid to eat small portions in front of people in 6 weeks you're going to have a rough next few years anyways-- so might as well get them use to the idea of seeing you refuse those big stadium size portions!! In the begining I just told people who questioned my eating habit changes that "I am on a diet". Seeing my progressive weight loss people just equated it to my previously mentioned "diet". I think saying nothing at all and having massive weight loss suddenly is what would lead to suspicion and questions. The main drag you will deal with early on at the superbowl will probably be the inability to drink beer, if thats at all an issue, but again its something you would be giving up anyways no matter when you're banded so doing it earlier or later won't change a thing. Something I have learned is putting off the band, fills or other associated weight loss interventions is a sign that I am not fully committed and need to regain my focus on my ultimate goal. I have in the past purposely rescheduled fills when I knew I planned to go out with friends and eat or celebrate and knew if I got a fill I would be tight and unable to eat or drink "normal" and in doing so I was usually disappointed after the event when my weight loss hadn't progressed or worse yet I had gained. So if you find yourself doing things like this try to evaluate your reasons and decide if they are beneficial to your goal or if they are one of the habits that have helped cause your need for the lapband in the first place? Also, before starting this journey, as for some it is not as easy and straight forward as it is for others, be ready to put YOURSELF first and do what's best for you and let everyone else and other events in life take the backseat for a while, at least until you've adjusted to your new lifestyle being banded. Change your perspective on how food impacts you daily life and social situations. Don't stress over the band and the changes you will be making in terms of life or other people, this is a time that should be about you-- sometimes its OK to be self absorbed. I would say go ahead with the band whenever YOU are READY. But 1 week back to work should be fine if you dont have to do much bending or lifting-- for me being busy was a curb to my appetite returning in full force a week post op. And 6 weeks out for superbowl, you are perfectly healed enough to watch a football game amoungst friends. Just keep in mind if you have to fly to the superbowl many people report tightness in the band after flying or even just walking to higher altitudes. So be mindful when you eat and drink no matter if its 6 weeks out or 12 weeks out from surgery. The band is temperamental and not always predictable. If you're worried about PBing in front of people avoid eating at the game, do NOT use a straw, no carbonated drinks and sip slowly, chew long. Talk more at the dinner table, move your food around and people usually don't notice that you're not eating much. Best of luck!!

Good topic! I'm 28 and have had the crunchy knees (mostly on the right) for quite a few years but then again I was almost 400lbs. =/ I feel a lot less strain on my knees now 100lbs down but still find the high impact excercises to be too much for my joints. Stairs wreak havoc on my knees so while I choose to live on the second floor and take the stairs at work I never do the stair master in the gym. Ellipitical and treadmill are much easier on me, walking is much better than jogging when you're still heavier also. You can still do your zumba my trainer recommends just subsituting alternative movements for the jumping up and down. At the end of the day you just want to burn calories and strengthen your muscles and you don't need to high impact excercises to do that. Bad knees can eventually undo all the success you've had in weight loss. As a nurse in a rehab I've seen countless people come in who have waited to lose weight and get knee replacements and find the new sedentary lifestyle and slow progressing physical therapy that follows crossed with sudden stress of the trauma of surgery and change in diet to be the catalysts for the return of old habits and worse, rapid weight gain. Talk to your doc about treatments for cartilage loss and inflamation. Try using proper body mechanics at all times, wear good shoes, continue losing weight and pay attention to the warning signs that your activity is doing more harm than good. Go easy on those joints, don't replace the waddle for a limp!

I have not told many people about my band to this day and its been over 2 yrs for me so keeping the band a bit of a secret isn't so hard. I explained my 3 days of sick leave (combined with my normal 2 off days) as having hiatal hernia repair-- which my doc did do at the time of banding, so I consider it not a lie but an ommitance . At 6 weeks out you will not be in any acute pain from the surgery itself that would be noticable to anyone but you. Some sensitivity at the port site is a possibility but as long as no one plans to hit ya in the abdomen you should be fine there. However with the idea of having a week to recover, everyone is different. IMO you should be fine as I was back to work after a week- on my feet but avoiding heavy lifting again, understood by my boss as the s/e of hernia repair. But your ability to do this depends on your pain tolerance how fast you heal. The wonderful gas pains you may have read about diminished completely by about 2 weeks out. I believe at 6 weeks I was already eating pretty normal food, but in smaller portions, not because I had ANY restriction but because I was trying to stick to my doc's diet plan but I could eat ALOT more if I tried. Also I celebrated my bday 3 weeks after banding and was able to eat in a restaurant with ppl without incident and no one questioned my diminished appetite. Smaller portions is something that will be typical for the entire time you're banded, getting progressively stricter as you gain restriction so if you're afraid to eat small portions in front of people in 6 weeks you're going to have a rough next few years anyways-- so might as well get them use to the idea of seeing you refuse those big stadium size portions!! In the begining I just told people who questioned my eating habit changes that "I am on a diet". Seeing my progressive weight loss people just equated it to my previously mentioned "diet". I think saying nothing at all and having massive weight loss suddenly is what would lead to suspicion and questions. The main drag you will deal with early on at the superbowl will probably be the inability to drink beer, if thats at all an issue, but again its something you would be giving up anyways no matter when you're banded so doing it earlier or later won't change a thing. Something I have learned is putting off the band, fills or other associated weight loss interventions is a sign that I am not fully committed and need to regain my focus on my ultimate goal. I have in the past purposely rescheduled fills when I knew I planned to go out with friends and eat or celebrate and knew if I got a fill I would be tight and unable to eat or drink "normal" and in doing so I was usually disappointed after the event when my weight loss hadn't progressed or worse yet I had gained. So if you find yourself doing things like this try to evaluate your reasons and decide if they are beneficial to your goal or if they are one of the habits that have helped cause your need for the lapband in the first place? Also, before starting this journey, as for some it is not as easy and straight forward as it is for others, be ready to put YOURSELF first and do what's best for you and let everyone else and other events in life take the backseat for a while, at least until you've adjusted to your new lifestyle being banded. Change your perspective on how food impacts you daily life and social situations. Don't stress over the band and the changes you will be making in terms of life or other people, this is a time that should be about you-- sometimes its OK to be self absorbed. I would say go ahead with the band whenever YOU are READY. But 1 week back to work should be fine if you dont have to do much bending or lifting-- for me being busy was a curb to my appetite returning in full force a week post op. And 6 weeks out for superbowl, you are perfectly healed enough to watch a football game amoungst friends. Just keep in mind if you have to fly to the superbowl many people report tightness in the band after flying or even just walking to higher altitudes. So be mindful when you eat and drink no matter if its 6 weeks out or 12 weeks out from surgery. The band is temperamental and not always predictable. If you're worried about PBing in front of people avoid eating at the game, do NOT use a straw, no carbonated drinks and sip slowly, chew long. Talk more at the dinner table, move your food around and people usually don't notice that you're not eating much. Best of luck!!

I have not told many people about my band to this day and its been over 2 yrs for me so keeping the band a bit of a secret isn't so hard. I explained my 3 days of sick leave (combined with my normal 2 off days) as having hiatal hernia repair-- which my doc did do at the time of banding, so I consider it not a lie but an ommitance . At 6 weeks out you will not be in any acute pain from the surgery itself that would be noticable to anyone but you. Some sensitivity at the port site is a possibility but as long as no one plans to hit ya in the abdomen you should be fine there. However with the idea of having a week to recover, everyone is different. IMO you should be fine as I was back to work after a week- on my feet but avoiding heavy lifting again, understood by my boss as the s/e of hernia repair. But your ability to do this depends on your pain tolerance how fast you heal. The wonderful gas pains you may have read about diminished completely by about 2 weeks out. I believe at 6 weeks I was already eating pretty normal food, but in smaller portions, not because I had ANY restriction but because I was trying to stick to my doc's diet plan but I could eat ALOT more if I tried. Also I celebrated my bday 3 weeks after banding and was able to eat in a restaurant with ppl without incident and no one questioned my diminished appetite. Smaller portions is something that will be typical for the entire time you're banded, getting progressively stricter as you gain restriction so if you're afraid to eat small portions in front of people in 6 weeks you're going to have a rough next few years anyways-- so might as well get them use to the idea of seeing you refuse those big stadium size portions!! In the begining I just told people who questioned my eating habit changes that "I am on a diet". Seeing my progressive weight loss people just equated it to my previously mentioned "diet". I think saying nothing at all and having massive weight loss suddenly is what would lead to suspicion and questions. The main drag you will deal with early on at the superbowl will probably be the inability to drink beer, if thats at all an issue, but again its something you would be giving up anyways no matter when you're banded so doing it earlier or later won't change a thing. Something I have learned is putting off the band, fills or other associated weight loss interventions is a sign that I am not fully committed and need to regain my focus on my ultimate goal. I have in the past purposely rescheduled fills when I knew I planned to go out with friends and eat or celebrate and knew if I got a fill I would be tight and unable to eat or drink "normal" and in doing so I was usually disappointed after the event when my weight loss hadn't progressed or worse yet I had gained. So if you find yourself doing things like this try to evaluate your reasons and decide if they are beneficial to your goal or if they are one of the habits that have helped cause your need for the lapband in the first place? Also, before starting this journey, as for some it is not as easy and straight forward as it is for others, be ready to put YOURSELF first and do what's best for you and let everyone else and other events in life take the backseat for a while, at least until you've adjusted to your new lifestyle being banded. Change your perspective on how food impacts you daily life and social situations. Don't stress over the band and the changes you will be making in terms of life or other people, this is a time that should be about you-- sometimes its OK to be self absorbed. I would say go ahead with the band whenever YOU are READY. But 1 week back to work should be fine if you dont have to do much bending or lifting-- for me being busy was a curb to my appetite returning in full force a week post op. And 6 weeks out for superbowl, you are perfectly healed enough to watch a football game amoungst friends. Just keep in mind if you have to fly to the superbowl many people report tightness in the band after flying or even just walking to higher altitudes. So be mindful when you eat and drink no matter if its 6 weeks out or 12 weeks out from surgery. The band is temperamental and not always predictable. If you're worried about PBing in front of people avoid eating at the game, do NOT use a straw, no carbonated drinks and sip slowly, chew long. Talk more at the dinner table, move your food around and people usually don't notice that you're not eating much. Best of luck!!

I felt no physical hunger immediately post op, I often times felt really full from nothing or just a few sips of fluid. I think it was the swelling for me. I imagine the last thing the body is worried about is food while its still recovering from the trauma of surgery. But indeed mental hunger returned first especially once I moved into the mushy phase- my mind wanted to CHEW!haha

Sorry to hear you're having a difficult time losing weight! People with and without the band face the same issues so I tend to look at what the common factor is and thats the person and not so much the diet or tool they're using to lose weight since the band can only do so much and be filled so far but you on the other hand can do several things to boost your weight loss. Sometimes you have to get creative and find out what works for your body. Its great to get tips from other bandsters but we are all different and what works for one doesn't always work for another so dont give up just because you dont have the same results as another. Talk to your doctor, as with each fill he should be noting some concern with your lack of progress if its actually an issue as in 6mts he could only expect u to have lost 20-48lbs if you were losing a pound or 2 a week. Have you lost any weight at all or literally none? If you've lost some (but maybe not as much as you wanted to) then maybe you're just a "slow loser" and will require more effort on your part if you want to have some of the extreme results you have read about. If you've lost nothing at all I would think the problem lies more in what you're doing or not doing because the band requires certain nutritional changes be made and even someone without the band would lose something if they followed the dietary guidelines.
From your description of how you feel when you're eating there's a good chance you actually are adequately filled if you find yourself choosing a diet of soft and liquid foods just so they will "go down" without pain and satiate your feelings of hunger. The pain you refer to may indicate that you're either eating too big of bites, not chewing thouroughly enough or eating foods that your band doesn't allow you to tolerate- these foods are different for most bandsters or just overeating. But either way getting a stuck feeling suggests you definitely have some restriction going on. How many fills you have had doesn't really matter so much as how full your band is (you could be getting 2ccs at a time or .2cc which is a major difference). Not to mention every bandster reaches their green zone at different points and some people prefer to be tighter than others so judging what efforts you need to make to achieve some weight loss based on how many fills you've had may be null.
I find myself stuck on plateaus too more often than not these days and it can get extremely frustrating and its very easy to blame the band. But something to remember is that the band is not actually meant to get us to stop eating but to feel satiated with smaller quantities. We still have to choose the right foods and the right portions and stop eating when the measured food is gone. The hope is we'll feel satiated but not actually "full". If you're waiting for the "full" feeling everytime you eat you're doing yourself a disservice and the band will not work for you because you're not eating objectively you're still eating subjectively- with how you feel rather than whats enough for the purpose of eating. Eating a high content of "slider" foods is tempting when you're hungry and dont want to feel the pain the band causes when we're overeating, but for me personally I consider this one of those times when Im being bad and eating "around the band". I have figured out ways to eat the quantities I know I shouldnt and even almost every kind of food that supposedly "won't go down" when I want to. Its not easy and it doesnt always feel comfortable but theres a fat girl still inside me and sometimes shes louder than the skinny girl I want to be!! But doing this doesn't help my weight loss so its something Im learning to control, and at 18mts out its still doesnt come naturally. A big indicator to me would be the answer I secretly have when I ask myself why I am eating? And what kind of hunger do I feel? Is it a mental/emotional want or actual physical need?
So I would suggest taking a good long honest and objective look at your lifestyle- what you're eating, how much you're eating, count calories, what times of day are you eating, are you drinking enough Water and getting enough Protein? Are you falling back into old habits? Are you excercising or at least burning more calories a day than you consume? You dont have to be a gym rat but if you naturally burn say 2k calories a day and you're eating 2k calories a day its a given you're not going to lose any weight you're just maintaining. Do the pouch test over a weekend or go on liquids for a week. Try to retrain your mind to eat for purpose and not pleasure. Avoid high caloric slider foods. shake up your routine with different low cal foods and a little more excercise. This band takes a while to get use to and weight loss doesnt come effortlessly for most of us but if you put in the work Im sure you'll find things that work for you in the long run. Talk to your doctor and nutrionist if possible and tell them exactly what you're doing and they can give you more personalized and concrete suggestions. Dont be too hard on yourself, this doesn't have to be another failed attempt at weight loss. You can still do this! Stay positive, motivated and dont give up! The band is there to help you just take the time to learn how to use it to your advantage. Best of luck to you!

How frustrating this must be for you! I can only imagine the range of emotions you must be feeling. On the bright side tho you did it once before with the band surely you can do it again. But I think first you've got to forgive yourself and make up your mind to commit to changing your habits the way you did the first time around. The good thing is that you above new bandsters can trust that your band can work since you've already learned how to work with it and meet your goals before. If I was you I would go all the way back to basics as if the band was new, maybe even get a fill if necessary. If you've been over eating chances are you have stretched your pouch so do the pouch test for a week and go back on your liquid diet and replace meals with protein shakes. Start excercising, you can start small like parking in the back of the parking lot of stores and walking to the mail box instead of stopping on the way in driving and such. Go on walks with your baby and use her nap times to work out. Get rid of all the things that you weren't eating when you were losing weight. Sort of give your body the shock it hasn't had in a while surely that'll kickstart your weight loss. Im sure once you start seeing progress again you'll start to feel motivated to do more. Set mini goals instead of looking at the daunting task of trying to lose all the weight at once. Make it a true lifestyle change, we all know diets although sometimes they work- the results dont last. Stay in the support of people who understand and can relate with your battle and dont punish yourself any longer. You can do it again and be an inspiration to people who are in your shoes or afraid they will be. Best of luck and stay strong!! You can do this!