Hi everyone,
I'm glad that we have this board and that everyone has been so open and so honest. So many people have shared their feelings and fears regarding their eating disorders. A lot of people even post that they need help and want to become "normal", or that they know what they have to do to get better.

My question is this...is anyone having even a little bit of success in beating her eating disorder? Please believe me when I say that I know what it's like to be anorexic/bulimic, and I know the pain associated with it. I hope I'm not coming across as harsh, but has anyone even tried to get better? It hurts to see so many posts in which people realize what they have to do, but can't seem to do it.

Most people experience a series of failures before success. But, the most important thing is trying! Please give a little update on any attempts to beat this! We can gain from each others' strengths and learn from each others' experiences.

Hi Tricky,
Thanks for asking about me (and the others). After spending so much time in the bathroom this morning I can say that so far today I have not taken any laxatives.
I did call my ARNP last Friday and was so discouraged when I felt like I didn't get any help. I really don't know what I expected her to do. Anyway, next week I have an appointment with I dr. I saw several years ago that was more active in working with me on this. I'll let you know how it goes. I also see my therapist this Wednesday and I plan to let her know just how bad it is really getting.

Thanks again,
Gail

Hi Tricky
Thank you for your message I agree with you. I'm getting some success, I've been having quite a long board chat with Caz which I have found very pleasant and illuminating, which indirectly has helped my compulsive eating habits. I recommend posting on the boards when you are feeling happy and are successful in managing food, as well as the nightmare out of contol bad times that we all have. Working on the" what you put you get out" principle.

Anyway I wish everyone who posts here the very best.

Gail and goldfish42, thanks for posting how you're doing. I like to come here to share experiences (even the bad ones), but it's so nice to hear some good news now and then! Please continue to let me know how you're doing.

Anyone else? Bueller? Bueller?

Just bumping this to the top... anyone have any good news to share?

Tricky,
you are so far from harsh. You are a source of tremendous strength, you are an inspiration to us all because you speak with positivity and hope. You speak with integrity and an unfailing honesty, and I know that you are admired by so many who read your words of wisom.


You are a star, keep on shining!!

Ally
xx

I

Tricky Hi,

I do so know how you feel. It is hard to watch people who so want to get better continue to suffer BUT there is hope and it is possible for people to turn around their lives. I didn't believe that it was possible to recover from anorexia, I had lived so many years with the illness over 14 and I didn't know what normal eating was any longer. Looking back now with two years of recovery behind me I can see what a terribly sad situation I was in. I wouldn't take any risks, not even to change one item of food in my diet. I did the same things at the same time every day and every day of every week was the same. This was safe for me and in this safeness however lonely, isolated and scared I felt I also felt secure.
Finally the loneliness became too much for me and I started chatting to a man over the internet. E-mails led to letters which led to phone-calls which led to visits which led to our engagement. With Simon's help I started to take steps out of the coccoon I was hidden away in. They were tiny steps at
first, really minor things that other do everyday like making a phonecall or returning goods to a shop or eating something spontaneously without it being a planned item on a diet plan and each time I did something new it was so frightening. BUT there was such a tremendous sense of achievement when I did take a risk and 'expand my comfort zone' (a Susan Jeffers phrase) and nothing terrible did happen to me, the sky didn't fall in, I didn't get
struck by lightening and nobody died. Gradually overtime I took greater and
greater risks, I started travelling on trains alone over distances of 400 miles to see Simon. I stayed in his house with his parents and ate different foods. And then the biggest risks of all started I began to write my book and risk sending it out to publishers. Once that was accepted then even
scarier things happened I had to talk to journalists and even a BBC producer who wanted to make a documentary about my life. It was all terrifying for me but also exciting. If you had told me two years ago that I would be in the position that I am in today I would have thought you were out of your mind and would have just laughed. Now I can see that by just making tiny changes
I have altered my life totally and it is now an exciting, fulfilled life. I get to meet so many new people and I am given the chance of trying to help some of those people who are suffering as I was which I feel is a great honour and I am now spontaneous. Nothing is planned anymore, anything can happen at any time. Yes, it is still scary at times and I feel out of control at others and as though everything is happening too fast for me but then I stop and think. I am
still in control here, if I want to stop the ride and get off I can but I don't want to.

This has turned into a very long rambling mail, I'm very sorry for that but I wanted to offer hope to other sufferers. The trick really is to take baby steps. DON'T try changing too much at once otherwise you will get scared and will scurry back to your ED. I wanted to say too that if anyone feels that they want to contact me at all over the board or privately I would love to hear from you. My e-mail is anna@anorectic.fsnet.co.uk I feel so lucky that I am now in a position to help others, it is a priviledge to share their stories and help in any way I can even if it is just by offering support and understanding.

Take care

Love

Anna

Ally, thank you for your words. It was so wonderful to read that today! You made me smile.
Annateff, congratulations on your recovery and finding Simon along the way! It sounds like he made a big impact on your life. I have some one like that too,-- don't let him go!
hippie, I can totally relate. Congratulations to you too!

Still wallowing in self-pitty here.

Don't even know if I really have and ED. I just eat...eat...eat....eat and am getting real fat.