Happy66

Hi Sadie, I have been reading these boards for several months and am partway through the pre-op process with lots of questions and trepidation. I saw your thread, ordered the book and found it really, really incredible. I have spent many (mostly good) years in Overeaters Anonymous, and was suspicious - perhaps another "eat all the foods you love just in moderation" approach that has *never* worked for me, but instead it just clicked for me and the way I see my overeating. Thank you.

OK, this might sound weird, but one of my biggest fears about the Lap-band® is how it will affect my doing Pilates. I have been taking classes 2 sometimes 3 times per week for 2 years. It is the only exersize I've ever done that I truly love, and I am terrified that I will have pain at the port site that will prevent me from doing this exersize (long term - I realize there would be recovery). Do any of you guys with bands do Pilates? Will I still be able to curl up and work those abs? I'd like to actually see them one day...

Hi Karen, I have been in OA for a long, long time. It really worked for me when I was younger, and it really changed how I looked at my relationship to food. I lost 120 pounds and kept 100 of it off for 7 years after I lost it (9 yrs total). Then I relapsed and gained it back over 3-4 years and have struggled ever since. I lost 60 pounds after coming back in 2004 but have since gained 30 back. I understand completely. I am about 75% sure I am going to be banded. I have been through the initial consult and have the testing the week after next. I have lots of mixed feelings because I have been so successful in OA in the past, but I also feel the clock ticking (I'm 50) and right now I don't feel I have time to lose weight and gain it back again. I haven't been to my regular meetings in a while since starting on the lap-band® journey and don't think I would ever tell anyone. There is an online 12-step listserve for COEs who've had weight-loss surgery and that has been helpful to me.

I have been a long-time OA member - since 1986 with a 9 year absence in the middle. The first time around I lost 120 pounds and maintained 100 of that (plus or minus) for 7 years. Had big relapse in 1995, eventually gained all the weight back, and never have been able to get in the groove again - even though I came back in 2004. I have lost 60 pounds, gained 35 and now am considering the lap-band®®®®. But I am scared silly on many levels, and having a lot of OA anxiety (easier, softer way) even though I know rationally that I shouldn't. I am having a good period of abstinence, but *losing* abstinence for me at this age (50) is 1200-1300 calories per day which is hard for me to maintain long-term. I find I am hungry and less able to tolerate it than I used to be. I am having knee problems and really, really want to be smaller. Nothing unrealistic. Really working my program is energy intensive, but I have learned that WLS is too. On the plus side is that I have been off sugar since 2004, which is a very huge trigger food for me. My problems now relate primarily to portion control. I would be interested in hearing from an OA'ers that had WLS and how that has affected their program. I know no one in our f2f meetings that has had WLS and those that come and say they have had surgery usually don't end up staying. I don't think we've been unwelcoming, most newcomers don't stay. It's sure not for everyone.