Hi, I'm a newbie to the OA board. I know I have a problem but I'm not sure if OA is what I need or not...Maybe you can direct me or give me advice. First I want to ask whether most of you go to the meetings and what type of diet regimen you follow.

Here's some history on me: I am 26 years old, 5'9 and weigh 378. I have been on WW several times, failing each time only to gain more weight back, I've tried Adkins for about a day, South beach for two weeks, and then the regular low fat diets. My weight just seems out of control. I never feel like I can diet or stick with anything. I am hungry ALL the time. I've even tried phentermine (prescribed by doc) to curb my hunger but it eventually quit working. I became pregnant with our first child last January and I developed pre-eclampsia (toxemia) during my pregnancy. This maybe could have been prevented or at least been less severe had I not been so overweight. This caused me to have my child 1 month early. She's fine but I blame myself about it. I lost weight while I was pregnant because of morning sickness. After I had the baby I weighed only 335, but I got Post partum depression and had to go on medication. Since then my problems have spiraled out of control again, and I no longer could eat whatever and not gain weight like I did when I was pregnant. I found myself getting up in the middle of the night to feed the baby, and then I would eat a bag of hershey's kisses, cookies, a mountain dew, etc. If sweets or junk are in the room, I have to eat it and usually I finish the whole thing. I often eat when I'm not hungry and I eat when I've had a bad day or I'm bored. The days that I'm able to eat whatever I want and pig out are days when I feel happier for some reason. Yesterday was my first day not scarfing down a whole bunch of sweets and things, but in turn I felt kind of down last night. I am not sure if its because I wasn't able to eat the junk or not.

I just feel like my weight has spiraled out of control and the cravings are just terrible.

Hi Megan,

Go to www.oa.org and you can look at OA info to decide for yourself if you are an overeater and want to get help.

With your history, sounds like you would do well with program. It's been said on this board before that program is not for wussies. It's a lot of work but sooo worth it. It's not a diet. OA has more to do with our lives than food.

I'm sorry you're suffering. I've been there as has everyone in OA.

Come back if you need more support. This board isn't extremely active but there're regulars who always check in.

Charlene

HI, I live in a place where there are no OA meetings (i'm a teacher in asia). I was just wondering if there was a way to do the program, where can i order the books, online, or? thanks for any info. I really related to megan's post b/c i got MORE obsessed with food on WW or atkins, and i think i need to work on life issues.

Hi there-

Are you in Seoul? There is a meeting listed there:

Wednesday, 6:30PM
DONJAK STATION

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
Contact: MR PARK
Phone: 82114714695
Website
Note: ENGLISH SPEAKING
Group#: 50087

I found it on the OA website. Lots of good information there. www.oa.org
I recommend calling the contact phone number and verifying the time and place of the meeting.

You can order literature directly from the OA website or from amazon.com

There are online meetings every three hours around the clock at:
www.therecoverygroup.org

Yes, you can work the program on your own. However, part of the program is learning to trust others, to enter into a fellowship so that you are no longer isolated, and learning by listening to other's experience strength and hope. So, I don't know how doing it by yourself would work out. You would be missing half the program. I highly recommend trying to make a face to face meeting, going to online meetings, and finding a sponsor. You could call the world service office and ask if they have a list of sponsors for folks in your area, or people who could sponsor you over email/ by telephone.