Sobriety and The Lap Band

[sandiburn 23]

I too am a recovering addict. I have been sober 7 yrs in October. I stopped drinking and using, then 4 yrs later stopped smoking, now I am ready to tackle my food addiction. I knew I needed help with the others and I also need help with this. My surgery is on 8-04-11 and I am looking forward to the help. I know it wont be easy, but neither was getting sober. Living life on lifes terms seams to elude us from time to time. But with your higher power, anything is possable. Good luck to you.

[jennypenny 6]

7 Years is awesome! Did you know that at 7 years they say your body is finally free of all the 'stuff' you did?! Some old timer told me that on my 7th birthday. Loved it. No, none of this is easy....peeling away those layers finally. Best of luck to you on the 4th, and keep in touch!

I too am a recovering addict. I have been sober 7 yrs in October. I stopped drinking and using, then 4 yrs later stopped smoking, now I am ready to tackle my food addiction. I knew I needed help with the others and I also need help with this. My surgery is on 8-04-11 and I am looking forward to the help. I know it wont be easy, but neither was getting sober. Living life on lifes terms seams to elude us from time to time. But with your higher power, anything is possable. Good luck to you.

[54Shirley 105]

I too am a recovering addict. I have been sober 7 yrs in October. I stopped drinking and using, then 4 yrs later stopped smoking, now I am ready to tackle my food addiction. I knew I needed help with the others and I also need help with this. My surgery is on 8-04-11 and I am looking forward to the help. I know it wont be easy, but neither was getting sober. Living life on lifes terms seams to elude us from time to time. But with your higher power, anything is possable. Good luck to you.

Congrats on the 7 yrs. of being Sober. If you have done all of that, then you and the band will go fine. Because the band kills your hunger, and you then have time to think of other things.

I drank when I went to a party ! That was the idea. I smoked for years. Haven't picked one up in 30+ years. I am looking at being banded this October for 5 yrs. , and I love it. This is my second time around with the same band, just do to a Surgeons screw up. But that's o.k..... we all make mistakes, and this is of and rolling with a new surgeon.

So good luck to you, and we are always here to try to help.

Shirley.

[Sistersue 12]

Hi Jenny, I have 15 years clean, I was addicted to Valium. I substituted food for Valium. Ive been ready to give up food for a long time but I needed the band to do it. I think the first post op week was sort of like getting clean for me. It felt like detox at times, without the DTs. It has taken all the coping skills I learned in AA to get through the first month or so. It is hard, you can't quit food, but you can quit all the things that trigger you. I don't eat bread and couldn't if I tried, because I did try and it hurt. That was a big trigger for me. I'm 3mos out and it's good now, not perfect but manageable. I didn't like OA but it works for some people.

[jennypenny 6]

Nice to 'meet' you! I'm so glad I started this thread because there are so many of us cross-addicted banders. food and cigs were my last hold-outs. So far I'm doing really good with my band (3 weeks) and I think it's because I finally see some results! I've lost 13 so far, and it feels great. I feel 'in control' although there are certainly days where it's not happening fast enough. Patience is not one of my virtues. I was addicted to cocaine mostly, but I certainly wouldn't turn away a pill or a drink. When I hit bottom I had it all goin' on. Sobriety has changed my life in more ways than I can name. I had so much shame over my food, and it really was my first addiction as a child, using it to deal with my crazy family life.

Where are you from?

JennyPenny

Hi Jenny, I have 15 years clean, I was addicted to Valium. I substituted food for Valium. Ive been ready to give up food for a long time but I needed the band to do it. I think the first post op week was sort of like getting clean for me. It felt like detox at times, without the DTs. It has taken all the coping skills I learned in AA to get through the first month or so. It is hard, you can't quit food, but you can quit all the things that trigger you. I don't eat bread and couldn't if I tried, because I did try and it hurt. That was a big trigger for me. I'm 3mos out and it's good now, not perfect but manageable. I didn't like OA but it works for some people.

[Sistersue 12]

Texas. I was a smoker too! The shame is a real kicker. That's one more reason I tell everyone I have a band. I will never let myself be ashamed again. There is nothing to ashamed of having the band so I won't act like there is. I see so many people out in the world trying to eat, drink, or dope up there feeling of shame. Usually the initial shame wasnt their fault, family issues or the like, but they add to that trying to be numb. We do silly things like closet eating that just adds up. At some point you have to start clearing it all out and dealing with it. I wonder if there is an addiction area in this place?

[jennypenny 6]

I also tell people about the band. It's nothing to be ashamed of, and I'm tired of hiding. I told people about getting sober too. Cigs are next.

There should be an addiction area. Maybe we could figure out how to start one.

Texas. I was a smoker too! The shame is a real kicker. That's one more reason I tell everyone I have a band. I will never let myself be ashamed again. There is nothing to ashamed of having the band so I won't act like there is. I see so many people out in the world trying to eat, drink, or dope up there feeling of shame. Usually the initial shame wasnt their fault, family issues or the like, but they add to that trying to be numb. We do silly things like closet eating that just adds up. At some point you have to start clearing it all out and dealing with it. I wonder if there is an addiction area in this place?

[sandiburn 23]

tks for sharing your story too. It has been great for everyone to know there are others out there just like me. Its comforting to know.