I'm Jeff and I'm an alcoholic.

Good to hear, Cyndi! I'm plugging along at it, praying it will get, not easier, but more palatable with time. Jeff Clean and sober 11 days

Jeff, you should know by now that this board would be as supportive as any tight knit group could be. We are all changing here. And we are ALL battling our own food demons. This is, unfortunalty another demon you must face. You are a strong willed, and very empathetic man. I know you can take on this challenge and finish victorious!!! If you need help, we are all here to give you support! Ileana

Thanks so much, Ileana! I know now that I am not alone in my challenge, just a different drug of choice than some. Your support and kindness is greatly appreciated. Jeff Clean and sober 11 days

Hi Jeff Congrats on your brave first step to recovery. Don't you wish there was a surgery you could have to make you not want to have that drink? I am not an alcoholic, but I have my own addiction problem (food, of course). I am so glad that WLS was here for me, or I would have ate myself to death (slowly, but it would have happened). Even with the surgery results, I still wonder if my addictive probelm has not completely gone away (magically) on its own. Why do I eat when I am not hungry? I love food and how it makes me feel. It is the first thing I think of when I'm bored. Why does food have this power over me? I know that it will take me years to "beat" food at it's game. Have you ever seen a person with oxygen running up there nose taking the O2 tube off to have a cigarette? That's how I feel about food. Here I am, wanting desparately to lose more weight, but still eating things I have no business eating. I'm sure that there are times you have similar feelings towards alcohol dependency. I wish you the best of luck in your journey. Although I may not fully understand alcoholism, I do understand addiction. Mostly, I understand that it isn't easy. But, then again, anything truly worth owning is never easy. Fight for this, Jeff. You are worth it. Diana

Diana, thank you my friend, for your understanding and compassion. Your analogy is spot-on. We all have addictions, dependencies, etc. to deal with. The concern, obviously, is replacing one with another. Now that I can't turn to food as I did in the past, and certainly not drinking, I do often worry about what else I may become addicted to or dependent on. MAN, if only I could get addicted to the gym like Ileana! ;0) Hang in there, we'll all get through our issues one minute, one day at a time. Jeff Clean and sober 11 days

hi jeff my name is stacy and im a recovering alcoholic and drug addict and have been attending aa meetings for the last 7 yrs religiously... i shot dope ate pills smoked crack and drank my brains out for the better part of 20 yrs now im proud to say with the help of my 12 steps of a.a. i am clean and sober for 7 yrs in reality i should be dead but i took it one day at a time and im alive and well .... take baby steps and if you need to you can email me annnnny tiiiiiime you want i have sponsered many many people and i am very active in my surgery world and my aa world .... its ok to have support its what keeps me alive ... keep up the good work 5 days is an awesome acomplishment and you should be very proud... love you bro Stacy 232/139 at goal!!!!!!!!!!!

Stacy, my love, thank you so much for replying...certainly you know how tough it is, but how necessary. I have been to 7 AA meetings in as many days, and no matter how "bad" some of the meetings are, it beats the alternative which is, as we know, sitting in the bar. Congrats on your many years of sobriety, from alcohol and the other drugs. Your life has to be so wonderful...I'm happy that God has blessed you, and you've turned your life over to Him. It is minute by minute for me now, but soon I know it will be day by day. Take good care. Jeff Clean and sober 11 days

Jeff, Very brave post! Thanks for sharing and know that you have support. We all have our own addictions and demons. It helps when you know you are not alone and you can see from the boards that you are not alone . Hang in there! Michelle (your cort buddy in md)

Thanks Michelle! I was thinking of you yesterday...I was at the CTSF office here, picking up Paul and Lloyd (they were making their annual visit to my district). This has been TOUGH. Though the visit went well, all I could think about after was gathering up some of my crew and going to the bar to celebrate. Instead I found an AA meeting...if any company could drive a person to drink, it's ours, right? Ha ha. ;0) Jeff Clean and sober 11 days

Dear Jeff, Sober for one day is remarkable...and you have gone five! While it is difficult and there is no surgical tool to help with that addiction, you DO have the strength to stay away from alcohol. It is heroic to do this for yourself. Coping with any addiction, be it food or alcohol, is something that requires internal focus and the understanding of others. Stick with the therapist. You've lost one monkey already (-119)....now it's time to live the BEST life you possibly can. Keep on it Jeff. Mary (-100) New Jersey