New game plan
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Jacksonville FL
Posts: 164
New game plan
I have a new game plan. Tomorrow I am going to focus on getting to work on time. Thursday is one of my days off so I am going to go to a meeting and pick up a white chip and make that day 1. And I will start looking for someone who could sponsor or temporary sponsor me.
I am not going to worry about whether I am considered truly sober if I am still taking my prescribed phentermine for weight loss. As long as I take only 1 per day, as prescribed, then I will consider myself sober. It will only be a relapse if I drink, smoke marijuana, take any other drug that is not prescribed, or take my medication in a way that was not intended. The same will apply to when I get my wise teeth taken out. I know I will be prescribed pain medication for the healing and I am not going to let that make me feel like my sobriety is not legitimate. If I take it the way it is prescribed and for the intended purpose, then I will still consider myself sober. It will only be a relapse if I abuse it.
I know that sobriety is ultimately and ideally not taking any mood or mind altering substance. And I believe that the longer I stay sober, the more I should gravitate toward that goal. For example, tobacco and coffee are mood altering substance. And yet, it is so common place for people to consider themselves sober even tho they smoke cigarettes and drink coffee all day, everyday. That is just how it is in early sobriety. You have to focus on what the biggest problems really are. And then when you have achieved sobriety and are in the maintenance phase, you might decide to quit smoking cigarettes too or limit your coffee intake.
So I am just not going to beat myself up about being prescribed phentermine for weight loss when I am obese and truly need to lose weight. Or about taking pain meds when my wisdom teeth are removed.
Maybe if I was much further into sobriety I would hold myself to a higher standard and choose to address my weight problem or manage pain in alternative ways. But for right now, I just need to stop drinking. That in its self would be a major accomplishment.
I am not going to worry about whether I am considered truly sober if I am still taking my prescribed phentermine for weight loss. As long as I take only 1 per day, as prescribed, then I will consider myself sober. It will only be a relapse if I drink, smoke marijuana, take any other drug that is not prescribed, or take my medication in a way that was not intended. The same will apply to when I get my wise teeth taken out. I know I will be prescribed pain medication for the healing and I am not going to let that make me feel like my sobriety is not legitimate. If I take it the way it is prescribed and for the intended purpose, then I will still consider myself sober. It will only be a relapse if I abuse it.
I know that sobriety is ultimately and ideally not taking any mood or mind altering substance. And I believe that the longer I stay sober, the more I should gravitate toward that goal. For example, tobacco and coffee are mood altering substance. And yet, it is so common place for people to consider themselves sober even tho they smoke cigarettes and drink coffee all day, everyday. That is just how it is in early sobriety. You have to focus on what the biggest problems really are. And then when you have achieved sobriety and are in the maintenance phase, you might decide to quit smoking cigarettes too or limit your coffee intake.
So I am just not going to beat myself up about being prescribed phentermine for weight loss when I am obese and truly need to lose weight. Or about taking pain meds when my wisdom teeth are removed.
Maybe if I was much further into sobriety I would hold myself to a higher standard and choose to address my weight problem or manage pain in alternative ways. But for right now, I just need to stop drinking. That in its self would be a major accomplishment.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Jacksonville FL
Posts: 164
Originally Posted by lesly 
Justme, u are not alone and you are at the right place. Not sure why you are second guessing the pain meds? Do you have a problem with opiets? If so tt your Dr they'll figure something else out for pain management.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Midwest
Posts: 9,029
Going to a meeting sounds like a good plan. You're right, there are people who do question if you're taking some substance. If you are honestly taking your medication as prescribed and know to look out for potential pitfalls, I'd continue to take them as prescribed.
I still smoke. Drinking was causing far more immediate problems than the smoking. I've now at long last started taking chantix to start the process of quitting the smoking. And that's what I'm comfortable with now.
Keep going with your plan.
I still smoke. Drinking was causing far more immediate problems than the smoking. I've now at long last started taking chantix to start the process of quitting the smoking. And that's what I'm comfortable with now.
Keep going with your plan.
You can have reasons, or you can have results, but you can't have both.
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Syracuse, NY
Posts: 1,232
Originally Posted by ItsJustMe89
So I am just not going to beat myself up about being prescribed phentermine for weight loss when I am obese and truly need to lose weight. Or about taking pain meds when my wisdom teeth are removed.
Maybe if I was much further into sobriety I would hold myself to a higher standard and choose to address my weight problem or manage pain in alternative ways. But for right now, I just need to stop drinking. That in its self would be a major accomplishment.
Maybe if I was much further into sobriety I would hold myself to a higher standard and choose to address my weight problem or manage pain in alternative ways. But for right now, I just need to stop drinking. That in its self would be a major accomplishment.
A few weeks ago in Atlanta, I stood up to some AA browbeating about pain management. They tried to tell me that if I ever use a pain med after a surgery, I am not really in recovery. I told 'em my doctor prescribes my meds, not them.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 8,637
For me.... I've used and put down a lot of substances over the years. Drugs have come and drugs have gone. Some of them, I've used in clearly addictive / abusive ways. Some I've used that way at times, moderately at other times.
But alcohol was the constant. There since I was 14. There causing trouble. There getting worse. There..... always there... unshakeable.
As I deepened my sobriety I also put down all other substances. I've had no prescriptions in sobriety that would be potentially threatening... just my daily reflux medicine. If I did have a surgery or an accident or a significant pain requiring narcotics - I would probably take it as directed, though I'd talk with my doctor about the potential alternatives and find the least likely medication to have addictive impact.
I see people wrestling with this issue at AA. Some of them are worrying over it in my view needlessly.... some of them are rightly concerned and still others are blindly ignoring what appears to be the obvious addiction they have to other drugs besides alcohol.
Only you can determine what room in your life you may have for any other substance - but if alcohol has been a consistent struggle, start there. I have discovered that focusing on sobriety from alcohol and taking the steps necessary to deepen my sobriety ultimately led me to recognition of other addictions and how they've worked in my life.
Start where you are. Don't judge. Take the necessary steps to work on yourself and your sobriety, the rest will follow
But alcohol was the constant. There since I was 14. There causing trouble. There getting worse. There..... always there... unshakeable.
As I deepened my sobriety I also put down all other substances. I've had no prescriptions in sobriety that would be potentially threatening... just my daily reflux medicine. If I did have a surgery or an accident or a significant pain requiring narcotics - I would probably take it as directed, though I'd talk with my doctor about the potential alternatives and find the least likely medication to have addictive impact.
I see people wrestling with this issue at AA. Some of them are worrying over it in my view needlessly.... some of them are rightly concerned and still others are blindly ignoring what appears to be the obvious addiction they have to other drugs besides alcohol.
Only you can determine what room in your life you may have for any other substance - but if alcohol has been a consistent struggle, start there. I have discovered that focusing on sobriety from alcohol and taking the steps necessary to deepen my sobriety ultimately led me to recognition of other addictions and how they've worked in my life.
Start where you are. Don't judge. Take the necessary steps to work on yourself and your sobriety, the rest will follow
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
