New To The Gastric Sleeve Surgery Board, Looking For Other Recovery Minded People:)

[Mary Gordon 3]

hi welcome to the forum!!!

[SinDLou 4]

Hi, my name is Cindy, and I'm an addict. I'm additcted to "more" fill in the blank. God removed my compulsion to drink and use drugs. food is another addiction I pray will be removed. I'm waiting for insurance, and a date - all other requirements are completed.

God, grant me the serenity....

Looking for others in recovery.

Hello...are you out there?

[marciab30 2]

Hello My name is Marcia,

I use to be addicted to drugs but got clean and then got married and never realized until yesterday that I had an addiction to food. I have WLS tomorrow July 13th and the pre-op liquid diet showed me just how addicted I was. I talked to my therapist on Monday and she told me what I was describing was a food addiction. It's about control for me. Just like drugs were and then you realize you never were in control I come from a family with a lot of addictions; Drugs, Alcohol etc. A lot are clean from one thing and then substitute a new addiction. I am hoping that now that I know this and can have help from my therapist I will be able to succeed in finally losing the weight I have packed onto my body.

[Daisymay 0]

Hello My name is Marcia,

I use to be addicted to drugs but got clean and then got married and never realized until yesterday that I had an addiction to food. I have WLS tomorrow July 13th and the pre-op liquid diet showed me just how addicted I was. I talked to my therapist on Monday and she told me what I was describing was a food addiction. It's about control for me. Just like drugs were and then you realize you never were in control I come from a family with a lot of addictions; Drugs, Alcohol etc. A lot are clean from one thing and then substitute a new addiction. I am hoping that now that I know this and can have help from my therapist I will be able to succeed in finally losing the weight I have packed onto my body.

Hi,

What a timely mail. I have had a real munch day.....a day when I remember who I am and what I do. I am in touch with OA ers and seeing a counsellor. I have not visitedthe site in an age. I am glad of the mail...it has helped .

I am into spending money at the mo!!!!!!! transferring as usual.

Take care,

Daisy

[Daisymay 0]

Hi,

What a timely mail. I have had a real munch day.....a day when I remember who I am and what I do. I am in touch with OA ers and seeing a counsellor. I have not visitedthe site in an age. I am glad of the mail...it has helped .

I am into spending money at the mo!!!!!!! transferring as usual.

Take care,

Daisy

[Lisalu 89]

I'm hoping we can get this thread up and running again. I've been going to OA for the past 6 months or so. The sleeve ended the physical part of my food problem but the emotional/spiritual difficulties are still there. I don't have other addictions---apparently food has always been my drug of choice, but since VSG things have been changing. First, I developed bulimia. It wasn't too bad by bulimia standards: I'd find myself purging (barfing specifically) about 1X a week, usually because I ate too much and was uncomfortable. The first 1 or 2X I did it, I thought, "No big deal. I just need to learn how much I can eat." The thing is that the problem didn't go away after a few times; it kept up on a pretty regular basis. The other thing is that after purging, I'd want to eat more. Now that's insane. Never really had bulimia before the surgery. I tried purging several times in college but it seemed so painful and not worth it, so I quit. It was a surprise to see it surface after the surgery. It was also a blessing because it was sooo dysfunctional that it promptly led me to OA. I can justify a lot but it's hard to rationalize throwing up. So here I am in OA and am really grateful to be there.

Other addictions seem to be creeping up but they are relatively mild, so I'm just keeping an eye on them for now. I used to hate to drink alcohol but now I enjoy it. I don't think I have a problem with alcohol but I see that I could develop one over time. It's so weird because I used to drink about 3 -4 times per year. Now I have a beer or 2 about 1X a week. Quite a change. I'm also spending more. Now I was a real tightwad before so it isn't all bad for me to be spending more on everything but it is kind of alien to me. Before I was really controlled with money and alcohol and really crazy/reckless with food. Now I'm controlled with food and looser in the other two areas.

[jennifer6791 18]

hi and welcome to the site! my name is jennifer and have been sober since june 7th, 1991. i am a food addict as well; had my sleeve done on 7/20/11. glad y'all are here!

Don't be shy, or use an alias-if your in recovery (12 step group) post so we can get to know each other. Remember: The broader the base, the higher the point of freedom!

I'm Robin, and I'm an addict and addicted to "more" of everything, but drugs took me down. I'll be celebrating 2 years on Sept 21! I look forward to getting to know anyone else in recovery:)

Love and Light to All!

[dominique 34]

Hi! I'm Dominique and I'm an alcoholic. My sobriety date is 10-31-11. I was "forced" into AA by the social worker at the weight loss center. I was really angry when she made me go in order to get surgery. I had to get a form signed and faxed in to her every 2 weeks. I felt like a convict or something. BUT, now I'm grateful. It took me 2 months of meetings to make the decision to stay sober. I decided I wanted a healthier body more than alcohol. I'm looking forward to an all-around better and healthier life!!

[n2theswim 1]

Hi, I'm Leslie & a food/sugar addict. Beginning week 4 Post-op. I go to local OA meetings & have for 20+ years w/ a lot of emotional, spiritual recovery over the years, but the physical always alluded me. I am following the diet rules as best I can. My main veer is mixing the Protein Shakes w/ milk.. I did well w/ wt loss the 1st 2 weeks, but have lost only 1 lb this week.. I don't want to focus on the wt, but I went thru this to lose it & I am frustrated by this early stall... Thanks for starting this forum thread... I am grateful to be among folks who are in the fellowship...

[ProudGrammy 8,322]

Hi, I'm Leslie & a food/sugar addict. Beginning week 4 Post-op. I go to local OA meetings & have for 20+ years w/ a lot of emotional, spiritual recovery over the years, but the physical always alluded me. I am following the diet rules as best I can. My main veer is mixing the Protein shakes w/ milk.. I did well w/ wt loss the 1st 2 weeks, but have lost only 1 lb this week.. I don't want to focus on the wt, but I went thru this to lose it & I am frustrated by this early stall... Thanks for starting this forum thread... I am grateful to be among folks who are in the fellowship...

hi leslie - was interesting reading this thread starting in 2009 - but we all are food addicts, what ever year it is.

In my case, give me Cookies, donuts,etc. and i'll be your friend for ever! Some people (DH) love all the carbs like bread etc.. i don't know why we just cant't limit ourselves from eating the consumption of food that we do eat with. ) Most peoplec can eat a regular portion of desert or plain amount of dinner or whatever, but us food additcts-well wd just ca't stop. The temptations are too strong. Similar to alcohol yet food addition doesn't count to "normal people"

Therefore we become' food addicts" don't eat properly, and can't stop eating when we should - ADDICT, ADDICT,ADDICT

Oh well - i didn't answe any question, just getting some feeling outs - thanx - welcome leslie

Kathy

DOS 12/15/11

[duhjovijr 1]

Hey there fellow addicts! I'm Sarah and I'm an alcoholic/addict.

I am starting my journey towards surgery and if I've learned anything from the rooms is that I don't have to go at this alone. So, that brings me here to these boards.

A little about me. I'm 23, been overweight since elementary school and have never been able to keep off my weight. For a long time I gave up trying and looked for that head change.

I finally realized I had a major problem and went to rehab, blah, blah, blah. Today I have ALMOST 21 months (on the 14th). And am actively taking my meds and going to therapy. (Did I mention that I'm bipolar?) This is not something that i could EVER say that i was doing.

I now think that is time that i start on this journey. I feel strong emotionally, spiritually (it could always be better, of course), and now i want to finally BE strong physically.

Any tips you guys/gals have would be greatly appreciated!

[dominique 34]

Well, VSG surgery is a big change and a lifelong commitment like any other big change and lifelong commitment. It’s a journey you take in steps. Since you already have sobriety under your belt and are taking your meds, you have a great beginning. This site is a wealth of information and support. There is another site, www.gastricsleeve.com , that is also helpful. It seems to be geared more towards younger people (I’m 52) so you may like it better. The good thing about recovery programs is that you learn to accept life on life’s terms. This can be applied towards VSG surgery. In fact I apply many of the recovery principles toward my VSG journey. I have been sober only since 10-31-11. But as time goes on it becomes more and more apparent that I SHOULD NOT DRINK with this new stomach. Especially not the way I drank. It would be caustic for me and cause more health problems than I would have had with a regular stomach. That being said, it is overwhelming to think that I can NEVER drink again. Luckily we have the one day at a time principle to help us get through things so that they don’t seem too overwhelming. I apply the recovery principles “in all my affairs” including my VSG journey. You’re probably luckier that others because you have a recovery program to help you with your VSG journey. Good luck!

[Michele T 48]

Hi Everyone,

I'm Michele T addict, alcoholic, cancer survivor, and friend of Bill's celebrating 7 years sober today. What a gift! I'm getting sleeved on Aug 16 and really aware that my disease can manifest is many other places. Today a cute guy on a motorcycle smiled at me and I was high for an hour (oh and for that hour I almost forgot I was married) Everything is a drug to me so I've stepped up my meetings and when I read the BB I am always reading it and putting food, shopping, men, ect in place of alcohol. I'm in the midst of a deep 4th step right now to try to clean out the cobwebs and be ready for this next phase of my amazing journey. Nice to know there are others here.

Hugs,

Michele

[jillb5 21]

The only sustained weight loss I have ever had was in O.A, specifically the H.O.W program. I weighed and measured my food, no white flour or sugar. I lost 100 lbs and maintained for 3 years. Many factors contributed to my leaving O.A. I do not think that this surgery would be as effective for me, if I had not learned what I have in the 12 step program. I would love to be a part of a recovery minded forum. Thank you and congratulations on your 2 years.

[Jammil0411 17]

_{I'm Jackie, addict. I've been attending 12 step meetings for 15 years. I stated food, mostly sugar, was my drug of choice. I followed FAA for 5 years until they re-wrote the basic text and changed the food plan. Only newcomers would do that. I will be sleeved on August 28th. I'm 13 days away. I'm choking in these Protein drinks. I will do it.}