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Congratulations!! Yes I did - I take silica by Herbs of Gold - I could only get it from the health shop and a bit Xe but I think it is better than the cheaper ones - I also used caffeine shampoo which is supposed to stimulate hair growth - not sure if it helped but worth a try - if you use the more expensive hair growth products they only start to work after 3 months and usually the hair loss starts about 3 months after op and then tappers off and can start growing back after 9 months - so far this has been my experience - you might have to look into a hair piece for you wedding because I know my hair got quite thin - I don't think anyone else noticed as I had fairly thin hair any way and I got it cut a lot shorter - not what you probably want to do just prior to your wedding! I am sure you will look amazing and everyone will think you look fantastic and won't notice a few missing hairs! :-) Sent from my iPhone using VST

I was advised 2 weeks post op liquids only then 2 weeks purée foods only - after this I could try normal foods remembering to chew chew - I would not try a steak straight away! I am in Australia and even here different surgeons have different guidelines but this is the general one - I would still go back to your surgeon and check as he/she should have advised you what to do post op

Congrats to Scotty, Nessa and AussieLady - isn't it such a fantastic feeling to see that weight come off and the old clothes go out the door FOREVER! Kelli - great to hear that your stall broke - did the dietician help with that? I have an appointment next week for another swallow test ( still on the Nexium) and with the dietician - I need some help with food ideas that have calories but are not high cholesterol - I have got into this very bad habit of sweet things and although I am maintaining I know I need to improve my diet. I have to admit that maintaining is quite a balancing act that I am not confident that I have under control yet - just wondering if I will ever feel that I am under control as I was so out of control weight wise for years!

Almost exactly the same stats as me - I am 167cm and my start weight was 103kg - had my op on 18 July 2012 and my current weight is 63.9kg You have a lot to look forward to! My advise is don't spend too much on clothes on the way down as you only get to wear them a couple of times before they are too big! I have to admit I went a bit crazy as I hadn't been able to buy decent clothes for about 20 years so I was making up for it! All I can say is that St Vinnies loves it when they see me coming!

Lissa - looking really great- a changed woman! Dean - congrats on being overweight! Congrats to everyone else on your progress and journeys - i love witnessing everyone's life changing for the better! Thanks for the BFB article Dean - it does freak me out a bit when they quote things like 'after 10 years people who have had gastric bypass have regained half their weight'. Is this actually true?? I actually have a fear of waking up one day and all the weight has come back! Totally illogical I know so just putting it down to now maintaining and hoping that I don't gain!

Kelli - you have done so well and I am sure this new dietician will have some great ideas to get you off the stall - just keeping chipping away at it - I know that it took me a long time to be able to see where I had lost the weight too - has given me a bit more of an insight into how people who suffer from anorexia still persevere themselves as fat when they look in the mirror- it is obviously a body image that we have imprinted on our brains that is hard to shake. The whole psychology behind this weight thing has always intrigued me. Michele - please don't give up. You have done so much and made so many decisions and choices to get this far and I would just look at a new surgeon as another step in the journey. I think it is a good thing that you are not going with this surgeon that cancelled on you as you really need to feel comfortable and happy with who you choose. Obviously the choice to keep going with this is yours and I would never try and talk anyone into it... but speaking from my own personal experience it is sooooo worth it! Lissa - Good luck with the move and new job - I really get the sense that it is onwards and upwards for you - well downwards in weight of course!! Do you know many people in Moree or is this a real tree change for you?

I guess everyone has already figured it out - but my name is actually Sue! Wow - 3000 calories - I think those days for me were when I wasn't even counting - could have been 5000 for all I knew! Lissa - yes I seem to be able to eat a lot more now - I don't count calories but I have stayed the same weight for the last month now and I am happy with that. It will slow down but you are still losing - that is the main thing. My challenges are 1. Get my cholesterol down 2. Get my Iron up and 3. Stay the same weight! Hope everyone is going OK - welcome to all the new people on this thread - sorry I am not much of a cook so not so good on ideas for food other than I have just started drinking oolong tea with lavender which is supposed to be fat burning and relaxing! Also my husband swears by the Gojo berries (which I add to my muesli) - he was getting teased at work about going all new age and hippy with his gojo berries, nuts and fruit but has had the last laugh as they are all sick except for him! And not forgetting the chia seeds which I put on everything - thanks Dean for that one!

I try and weigh myself just once a week but I must admit I think we all tended to jump on the scales more than once a week in the early days as it was kind of like witnessing magic as the weight dropped off - not so good if there was a slight gain! Anyway, weight has stabilised and had my GP visit yesterday - she doesn't want me to lose anymore so all good on that, however .... My cholesterol is still at 5.6 (I am blaming my new found sweet tooth!) and I am anemic so I have to add an Iron supplement and try and eat more red meat - talk about a balancing act! It is actually quite hard to stay healthy when you actually start to care about it!! ???????? Sent from my iPhone using VST

Well I am happy to report that I think my weight has stabilised. I went from 63 kg last week up to 64kg this week - as long as I don't keep going up I will be happy. I guess it is impossible to stay exactly the same each week so I should expect a few 2kg fluctuations. I seem to be able to eat a bit more each meal so I am trying not to snack between meals now - I can see why the surgeon told be not to get into the habit of snacking on Protein between meals - it is a habit you then need to break once you can eat more each meal, HOWEVER, easier said than done (as you know Lila) when you can't eat enough in the early days. I will keep you posted on how I handle this and share my challenges on maintenance! I am really happy with wear I am at now but must admit it is quite easy to become obsessed with losing weight when that is all you have focused on for months and quite disconcerting when you see the scales do up!

Lila - you look fantastic in your skinny jeans! You look so young and trendy! You must have people that hardly recognise you now!

What great achievements! You must be wrapped!

Hey Sara - getting rid of the weight doesn't equate to getting rid of the idiots out of your life! :-) You will have that last laugh when the weight starts dropping off and you are looking tort and terrific - just smile and wave as you pass the class on the way to your personal training session!! Don't give up, the wonderful journey is only just starting! You have us all here to vent to!

Good luck everyone for your pending surgery! See you on the losers bench!

Angie - glad it all went so well. Onward and downward from here on in! Lila - you are looking fantastic. Isn't it great feeling to see the sizes going down as well as the weight! Good luck with your interview!

Hi Everyone I haven't posted for a while but I have been reading and it is great to hear everyone's progress and all the different stages everyone is at - Dean - those chia seeds are amazing - having them on everything! Well, as you may or may not know, I reached goal and I am still losing. I am not overly concerned yet as I am still within the healthy BMI but it is something I will need to keep an eye on. Not in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would actually be worried about being under weight!! To be honest, It is something I didn't consider at all as my surgeon told me that the weight loss would eventually stop - it really seemed like an impossible dream to reach the goal weight he had set! Has anyone else thought about this? What have you been told by your surgeons and dieticians? Just for those who aren't familiar with my journey, here is a quick summary Start weight: 102kg Start health issues: Fatty Liver, High cholesterol, elevated sugars Date of Surgery: 18 July 2012 Current Weight: 63kg Height: 167cm (5'6") BMI: 22-23 Total Weight loss:39kg Current Health Issues: Liver function completely normal, cholesterol still a bit high 5.7, sugars normal, hair has stopped falling and slowly growing back. Medication/Vitamins - Still on Nexium so have to go for another swallow test in March (yuck!) - I am also due another blood test so hoping no deficiencies rear their ugly heads - taking Multivitamin ,fish oil, Q10, and silica for nails and hair and supposed to be taking Calcium citrate that I keep forgetting to take!! Still taking Osmolax and struggle with my Fluid intake every day - probably drink too much tea and coffee but old habits die hard! I think that's about it! Just saw your photo Shell - you look amazing!