Am I replacing one addiction with another?

I'm 10 months post op and have lost 90 lbs. No complications and I am within about 30 lbs of my goal weight. In the last three months or so, I have been craving red wine and generally have about 3-4 glasses a night between 5 p..m. and when I go to bed. Lately, I have been feeling the urge to have a drink earlier and earlier. I have woken up in the middle of the night feeling half hung over. I'm embarrassed and don't feel like I can talk about this with anyone. I do this at home and still am able to function. Certainly I'm not driving or making a scene in public. Is it possible that I am replacing one addiction with another without realizing it? Have any of you experienced this? What have you done?

I gave up drinking years before my surgery, but I was a functioning alcoholic. Never missed a day of work, only drank at home. Never drove under the influence. If you think you have a problem, you probably do. You may want to attend an AA meeting and listen for people to share what you do with alcohol. The only requirement for membership at an AA meeting is the desire to stop drinking. There are open meetings for anyone to attend who is interested in learning about AA. Hope it helps. Hugs, Trish

You do not have to be a "gutter drunk" to have a problem with alcohol. I certainly can't speak for you as to whether or not you have a problem, but I CAN offer you my own experience. In the beginning of my disease, I drank like you describe and experienced what you experience. Eventually I got to where I'd have a drink in the middle of the night or morning when I woke up with that half hungover feeling. Eventually (much later) I got to where the only reason i BEGAN drinking each day was to hush the hangover, but then I'd end up overdoing it yet again and starting it all over again the next day. *I* have a problem with alcohol that began fairly innocuously and progressed into something very icky. If you dont' feel like attending an AA meeting at this stage in your self-discovery, I do encourage you to read a bit of the "Big Book" and see if you can relate to any of the stories within: http://www.aa.org/bigbookonline/ Yes, I've experienced it. What did I do? I drank. and drank. and drank some more, eventually losing a job, getting a dui (and causing a multi-car accident with injuries to otehrs), harming my health (3 ulcers), driving my emotionally disturbed son over the edge (he's in an in-patient facility right now himself) and alienating everybody I loved. Then I found my way to sobriety with the help of good people, my Higher Power and the AA program. There are many paths to recovery; this one is working for me. I am sober TODAY.. and I can honestly say it beats the worry and fear I had when I was "afraid" that I might have a problem. I'll be thinking of you. I encourage you to just take a good HONEST look at what you are doing. There *are* low bottoms, but you can choose to get off the elevator on any floor you choose. Love, Michelle

You sound like me. Unlike a lot of posters here I didnt drink before surgery. I only discovered it after the weight loss. And I do realize it is a transfer of addictions in my case. I didnt realize how often I turned to food, and now that I can't do that, I found myself turning to beer. It's getting to be a big media thing too, which is promising. I see more articles on it and tv shows. The awareness is a good thing I think.

wow....i do the same ...but i turn to wine..red wine .....at least 5 oz per night.....

I too have a drinking problem. I am 3 1/2 years out from surgery and did not see it coming, I replaced one addiction for another. Like you I drank at home, but I did it at 10:00 in the morning, would pass out and try to be functioning by the time my significant other came home (which is a joke because they always know). When I was going to lose everything I checked myself into an Intensive Outpatient Program and of course attend AA. It has been almost 6 months and so far is working (not easy). I did trade one addiction for another and because of the surgery was well onto my way to destroying everything. You should not be embarrassed, it takes a lot of intelligence to recognize that you may (and if you think you do you probably do) have gone from one to another. Do try an AA meeting. I personally would suggest a closed discussion meeting because that is only available to those who have the desire to stop drinking. The issue I have with the surgery is that it does, or at least in my case, address the true problem, and that is, that some of us. have addictive personalities. I am learning a great deal about it and recognize that it has gone on all of my life, going from one addiction to another. I wish you luck.