I am scheduled to have the surgery on the 31st of January - just two days away. I'm nervous as well as excited. My biggest fear right at this moment is the anaesthetic risk. Everyone keeps reassuring me that I will be fine, and logically I know that I will, but I suppose it's just a case of fearing the unknown.

My next fear is that I won't be able to lose weight. I'm still on the shake diet at the moment and my weight loss plateaued at a 6kg loss! I've been exercising every day, following the very strict diet, and nothing. My husband has also decided to diet, not that he's very overweight, but he just cuts out a few cookies and the kgs fall off him. Isn't it always the way? :rolleyes2:

I think 20kg is a realistic achievable goal, well thats what I am hoping for also, anything more will be a huge bonus. Sometime I forget what I have become until I am walking down town and suddenly see this huge woman stalking me, then I remember oh its me.

I'm fortunate, where I work are 3 other women with weight issues and everyone else is very supportive of efforts to lose weight. They all know I'm going for the surgery and the only ones who haven't made positive statements about (or negative either) are the younger ones, under 25. Everyone else is very supportive.

As for socialising, the group I go out with are all accepting as well. Many of the women and some of the men are "larger than life" so there's no issue at all.

I tried curves, but got quite bored with it. I did the Terry Ferguson diet and lost a grand total of 900 gms the first week! Everyone goes on about losing 6+ kilo the first 2 weeks. I was lucky to make it to 1.1 the first 2.

I don't have clothes hanging up because I won't have the op til October, but I have bought a couple of items in smaller sizes with the full intention of wearing them in roughly a year's time.

Nat36, I think 20kg will be easy for you to lose... I would imagine you'll get the whole 30kg off by the end of the year, especially if you are exercising as well.

I'm now at the 2 1/2 weeks point and fully immersed in the liquid phase. I'm finding that I'm quite hungry throughout the day and starting to long for something to chew. My doctor has said that I can't start eating any mushies until after 3 weeks, so I'm hanging out for Thursday!

I've had a bit of a head cold during the last couple of days and all the sneezing and nose blowing has resulted in a little tenderness at my port site (or at least where I imagine the port is located). It's not too bad and I really only feel it when I'm bending a certain way.

On a positive note I'm finally noticing a difference in the way my clothes are fitting. There seems to be more room in my pants! At the start of this process I thought I would be at the mall enjoying shopping for smaller items, but to tell you the truth, I'm actually enjoying how it feels to have loose clothes on. And maybe, just maybe I'm still a little nervous about buying anything smaller... just in case.

I wonder if that feeling of "here comes another failed attempt at weight loss" ever really leaves.

Mrs M. How's the progress to mushies going?

I know how you feel about clothes. It's a nice feeling when you no longer have to squeeze yourself into something you used to wear so easily! I have only been on opti for a week and I have lost 4kg and my clothes are already looser. Funnily enough, my tummy (which is small anyway) hasn't reduced, but my legs and midrif have. Things are a little more comfortable now.

Keep up the good work everyone.

I'm now 3 1/2 weeks post surgery and chewing again! Yay! My weight loss has stopped, which I knew would happen and I'm fine about, but I'm not gaining anything either, which is a bonus.

I went to see the doctor today for my (early) 4 week appointment. It was pretty much a formality. All he did was look at my wounds, put me on the scales and asked me a few questions about how everything was going. So far he's happy with my progress but warned me that I might start to put on a bit of weight again until the first fill in another four weeks time.

I'm feeling really good about myself lately. I still have LOTS of weight to lose, but just getting a bit off the top has made such a big difference. I imagine that the exercise is also helping me, as much as I hate it! Nevertheless, I find that I miss it if I skip a day so that's really good.

I am noticing a little bit of restriction, in that I get full a lot faster than I used to. My challenge is to now STOP eating when I am satisfied rather than when I'm full. But it's very hard to do, especially when the food tastes so good! But the fullness seems to really sneak up on you with just a couple of extra bites. Definitely something to keep my eye on.