Found out some very stressful news
 

I have been dealing with really bad back pain for a long time now and it's only gotten worse over the past year. Got an MRI done and it shows 2 herniated disks pushing on my spinal chord. It explains why I am always in agony while walking standing or sitting. I am incredibly stressed about the crap news and was but 2 seconds away from drowning my sorrows with liquor to help me unwind and forgot for a couple hours. I didn't drink tonight. My will power won. However going forward I am REALLY worried that the stress of this health issue will lead to me drinking every day again like I used to. I don't want to go there again...but I am really stressed out about how I am going to get better and liquor always makes me forget and relax. Oh god what if I need surgery or something. What has happened to my life :( I just want to be pain and alcohol free. Panic attack on the verge too. Great!

Hey Scared ,
For me to deal with being sober now i had to give up worrying about tomorrow or next week .

Alcohol will make you inTOIXCated for a few hours , then you will be hungover and sicker for maybe the following 20 , you will also be poorer and not actually delt with anything .
You will then also have the problem of trying to claw your way back to sobriety , never a nice experience IMHO .

I'm sorry you're in pain, maybe asking for help and advice of a Dr as to how to deal with it in a non-addictive way would be the solution ? Most normal people with back pain do that , not drink till they pass out .

Bestwishes, m

Hey man! Physical pain/health issues is extremely stressful, I totally understand. but it will get better! Drinking will only numb the pain for a SHORT time and in the long run make things worse that is a given... You don't know if you will need surgery or not that is just your disease raising your anxiety. Hang in there

Speaking as someone with chronic pain...believe me Scared you'll soon get to a point where drinking doesn't make you forget and all you'll be is maudlin and full of self pity

There's good prognoses for back problems these days- at least see a Dr or two before you think the worst,

Bottom line is, you can deal with this sober - or not deal with it, drunk.

The way forward is pretty clear, really :)

D

I had a badly herniated disk in my neck. The pain was awful and constant. It radiated down my arm and led to weakened muscles in my shoulder, chest and arm. The doctor insisted on surgery. I didn't like the idea of carving away at my spinal cord with a scalpel and everything I read and heard suggested surgery was often a temporary fix that led to further issues down the road.

At the advice of a friend I spent a year undergoing chiropractic care, rehabilitative stretching and exercises, and Accupuncture. After 9 months my pain was gone and by a year I had all my strength back. It's now been over ten years. Now and again I get a flare up, but the stretches and a visit to the chiropractor sets it right.

Yes, that's scary and stressful but now you KNOW what is going on and can determine a course of action. I think knowing is the most important thing.

Don't let your AV use this. YOU know what YOU want.

What D & FreeOwl said

My husband and I both have had major surgery
not too long ago. Me with hip replacement and
my husband with back surgery. Both of us live
in recovery but we don't have to be miserable
and in pain.

We both with ESH, experience with pain,
had the strength to endure it following
up with recovery and now to pass on hope
to you that once we pass the pain and
recovery, life without pain is a blessing
and gift.

Having a recovery program filled with
lots of support so that we never have to
go thru anything in life alone by ourselves
again is pretty awesome. We can then go
thru surgeries and lifes everyday challenges
without killing or numbing our struggles
with poison or addiction.

Wishing you future relief from your
back pain. Hope and freedom from
pain is not that far out of reach.

Take care of urself in recovery. :)

Breath Scared, worrying about things soo far into the future is not helpful, Sobriety happens 1 day at a time.

In my experience, alcohol is not an answer to very much, only makes things worse, and when we're talking about health, alcohol is damaging rather than letting the body do it's thing with repairing and healing.

Hang in there!! :)