WHAT is your biggest challenge today? Lets all help each other!

I didn't have any major challenges today but I wanted to say thank you Patrece for this post.  Sometimes people, me included, think that our problems are insignificant and we should just be able to handle things on our own without help. 

I am a recovering alcoholic, sober for over 15 years in AA.  I have also been involved with Alanon (for friends and families of alcoholics) and also Overeaters Anonymous.  I have belonged to a lot of groups, both online and in the "real world."  I can say without hesitation that Bariatric Buddies is the most loving, supportive group I have ever belonged to.  I have been involved with groups where the people are just absolutely horrible to each other, fighting over stupid sh*t and just plain being mean.  I LOVE this group!  Maybe I share more than what would normally be expected for a WLS group but it just feels so good to be able to say what's on my mind without fear of judgement and this is a place where I want people to know the "real" me and hopefully feel comfortable enough to let us get to know them.

I can only say that if you don't feel you are getting support here then you aren't asking.  Everyone here is just terrific in my book.

Colleen

Colleen, I enjoy each and every one of your posts.  Congrats on 15 years.  Please continue to share and vent here, I take my turn too.  It is nice to 'let your hair down' and just be yourself.  You are right, the more you post and share, the more you get out of the support.  Hugs for my sewing friend.

Thanks Colleen. I felt the need to make this post, because it has been quiet around here and just felt maybe too many are trying to deal with too much alone.

Even as a WLS support group, our whole lives affect our weight loss life and our wls life affects the rest of our lives. It is a whole person approach. Every aspect of our lives affect the others. Share away! share on everything and anything you want to. Thats what we are here for. I know i appreciate your openness and sharing. I feel like I know you better all the time, and I love who you are!

Congrats on the 15 years of sobriety! That is a HUGE accomplishment, and I admire your courage and strength! You keep up all the wonderful good things you are doing to help yourself be a healthier beeter you, and most of all embrace and enjoy your life!
Hugs!

It's "tomorrow" for me by now, but I just saw your post. I don't have a problem I don't know how to handle, really, just problems I wish would go away! LOL It's a long list so I won't bother you with it. I just wanted to say that I appreciate BB very much. In the 3 months I've been here I've found this to be the warmest, most caring and most supportive group or forum in OH. Thank you all.

Amalia, thank you so very much for the kind words about this group. It is a pure pleasure tohave you as a part of us! If ever you feel the need to share your struggles, or lean on us, know we are here for you.
(((HUGS)))

 My struggle is smoking... I HAVE to quit and quit very soon or my doctor will not let me have my RNY. I have been in the pre-authorization part of this journey since the first part of November.  I am coming down to the wire here with only a couple of appts with my nutritionist left before getting my surgery date. I want to have the RNY so very badly.. so bad it hurts... so bad I could cry. I have been faithful to everything they have taught me. I jump every hoop and follow every suggestion even though not required as I want this to go as smoothly as possible and have as much knowledge as possible.  The smoking is a hurdle that seems to be stopping me. I cant help beating myself up for allowing such a rotten addiction come between me and my dreams/hopes and health benefits from having WLS. I feel very alone in this as I havent seen much of this talked about here... I suppose because it isn't the surgery or side effects of the surgery. But right now, this is my biggest hurdle. The scariest hurdle. The hurdle that makes me cry because i dont know if I can do it.

Thanks for letting me talk. It feels better just to say it.

Ohhhh Kimmie! You have NO CLUE the battle I face over and over on this very same subject! If you had a lot of time to look back in the posts here, you will see some from...yours truly! I have quit then restarted 3 times, just recently! Also quit prior to wls, and restarted (obviously) again after that. Smoking is so so hard to beat. I have never fought a habit so hard and still not won it over completely. So please do not feel alone. I smoke.. smoking is bad... BUT I can tell you with 100% certainty that it does not make me a bad person... (I just smell funny...lol).

Have you tried Chantix? Have you tried the patch? Have your tried the prescription inhaler? I have tried all 3 and have done it cold turkey. While I am still not victorious, I do better each time. I am certain one day soon, I will be victorious in it..  But of all the ways i have tried to quit, and the way that worked for me to quit before my surgery, was the prescription inhaler. It is nicotine contained in a cartridge, you pu it into the "mouth piece" and puff on it like a cigarette. You can literally feel the nicotine as you inhale. It is not a steam or a mist like the silly things they sell over the counter. This is real nicotine, and gives you the taste and feel of smoking, minus the smoke.  My surgeon who did my RNY told me he didn't care if I used nicotine replacement as long as I did not smoke beginning 30 days prior to surgery.  Ask your surgeon if nicotine replacement therapy is acceptable. They'll even give you the patch in the hospital after surgery if yo need it, or at least my surgeon did.  Another way that helped me, was by being somewhere neutral, away from home and all the "stuff" that goes hand and hand with my habit. Problem is, when I get back home and smell the smoke on my husband, it triggers me bad, and i succumb. Maybe I need the inhalers again too. I am going to a wls patient retreat in mid april, and would like to be smoke free again by the time I go to that. Last Oct when i went to one I was the only smoker, and of course there are those who had to make me feel really stupid over it. I don't want to be THAT ONE with the nasty habit again this year.

Maybe we can try this together! You can do it.. because you HAVE to do it to have your wls, and you will not let your chance at a healthy happy thinner future be snagged away from you by these doggone things. I can tell you too that I am sure Amalia understands your struggles as well, and a couple of others here. So know that you indeed are NOT alone in this battle either!...see I told you once you open up and share you may find there are more *****late than ya think!
I am here to support you and encourage yo every step of the way Kimmie!
As i am sure others will do too. Many of the great people here cheered me on and supported me. And I am sure they will again, until I beat this thing! Its no different than many peoples food addicition.. its an addiction and tough to beat.

(((HUGS)))  Feel free to PM me anytime, and to post here for help, support, to vent, whatever you need!

Patrece, I didn't realize you were a smoker too.  If you would like to try the online group please PM me and I'll send the link.

Hugs

Colleen

I will definately PM you. Thanks Colleen.

 Hi Patrece, I have done it all over the years.... lol Last week I called my primary doctor and she prescribed the inhaler for me. I have used that in the past and have succeeded the longest on that. I cannot be on nicotine replacements during the surgery... my nutritionist also told me nicotine replacement does not have much of a half life so I will be able to use till I am on top of my surgery date. I have the inhaler sitting on my counter just waiting for me to get the b*lls to attempt this again.  My hubby is awsome, he quits every time I quit. BUT.. we are each others best enablers with the smoking. If I cry or have one of those nasty withdraw fits that accompany us when we quit smoking, he will go get me smokes. We are the only ones left in both our  families that still smoke. We are odd man out lol so I know what you are saying about wanting to be quit before you go to your retreat in April. I am ready to quit again... I am just scared out of my mind to do it again.
~Hugs~