when is your recovery birthday?

[Katherine]

Mine is August 21,it will be five years this year

[auntiedeb]

Congrats Kath. My recovery birthday is sept 10,1991.

[vm]

Mine is May 8, 1990.

[tigger_gal]

my husbands recovery date is 6/1/02......
brat
and I thank god daily :D

[jazz]

Hi
I just found this recovery section, am glad some of us are in recovery. My clean date in 4-17-1985.
I was diagnosed with IC when I was 20, now am 45 and i recovery. I have struggled over the years with the fact of taking pain meds. When I have a flare up I have to take something and I used to get Panic Attacks due to my anxiety over taking pain meds. I finally had to tell myself it was okay,and allow my self to accept IC and my symptoms. The worst thing I have encountered is to have a flare up on the weekend and no Drs around and hace to go to a "convienient care" type place. They don't know what IC is and look at me like am drug seeking. OH I hate that. This weekend I had a real bad flare up and went to the er, I was lucky to find an old er doc that knew about IC and he treated me great>
Jazz hi

[jazz]

Hi
I just found this recovery section, am glad some of us are in recovery. My clean date in 4-17-1985.
I was diagnosed with IC when I was 20, now am 45 and i recovery. I have struggled over the years with the fact of taking pain meds. When I have a flare up I have to take something and I used to get Panic Attacks due to my anxiety over taking pain meds. I finally had to tell myself it was okay,and allow my self to accept IC and my symptoms. The worst thing I have encountered is to have a flare up on the weekend and no Drs around and hace to go to a "convienient care" type place. They don't know what IC is and look at me like am drug seeking. OH I hate that. This weekend I had a real bad flare up and went to the er, I was lucky to find an old er doc that knew about IC and he treated me great>
Jazz hi

[jazz]

Hi
I just found this recovery section, am glad some of us are in recovery. My clean date in 4-17-1985.
I was diagnosed with IC when I was 20, now am 45 and i recovery. I have struggled over the years with the fact of taking pain meds. When I have a flare up I have to take something and I used to get Panic Attacks due to my anxiety over taking pain meds. I finally had to tell myself it was okay,and allow my self to accept IC and my symptoms. The worst thing I have encountered is to have a flare up on the weekend and no Drs around and hace to go to a "convienient care" type place. They don't know what IC is and look at me like am drug seeking. OH I hate that. This weekend I had a real bad flare up and went to the er, I was lucky to find an old er doc that knew about IC and he treated me great>
Jazz hi

[vm]

It is sad how much we feel we can't be open about taking pain meds when in AA or NA. I understand why and have probably never said in a meeting that I did after 3 surgeries...

Now that I will most likely be going on an antidepressant/antianxiety med I am hesitant to share it in a meeting. I gave a lead (spoke) last night and thought about sharing that - I prayed for God to have me share what He wanted me to and then I didn't really remember it once I got going... I need to think about sharing it, though, b/c it really may help someone else....

[auntiedeb]

grouphug grouphug grouphug Kim, I am on antidepessants, zoloft and I am sometimes I am so ashamed of my depression but I know tht I shouldn't be. I need to be on meds to help me get trhough the pain and the flares and depression. I know when I used to go to church I used to share about my depression. I don't know how to overcome it yet. You are not alone. When God thinks you are ready, he will let you share it. It will help someone else. Hang in there.There is hope. I love you.

[vm]

Thanks for your kind words, Deb. :)

I actually do share about my depression and anxiety and I try to be real up front about that. I cried at the start of my lead when I told them I hadn't been in a real good "space" lately. It's the medication issue I am hesitant about... Some seem to frown on medications in recovery, but I need to get brave and share sometime. I know it would help others. :)

[Teri]

Mine is March 29-1987. It was the year when my youngest was 13 (god! what a time to quit!) and he was getting into tons and tons of trouble and I asked him one day what would it take for you to stop getting in trouble. He answer floored me...he told me to get sober and I'll stop getting in trouble. Well. I will never forget March 29th because when I was driven home I felt like the lowest creature on the planet and prayed that he was truly sleeping and didn't know about the HUGE binge I went on. That's the thing that PUSHED me into AA. I knew then that I could't do it without help.
I had a WONDERFUL friend that talked me thru the process of the pain meds....she's gone now but God sent her to me just when I needed her most;)

One day and a time gals;)

[ICNJess]

Although I am not an alcaholic, I have lost to alcoholism. My grandmother died of psirosis of the liver; my father has painful memories of his father drinking and having to go pick him up at a tavern with his brothers and bring him home, only to be yelled at and berated; and my father-in-law, by far the worst. He has tore into my husband emotionally and physically; he has stole money to drink; went into the rehabs and made my husband miss a semester of our sophomore year back in high school because he would disappear, come back, and promise to dry out; I've seen him go off on binges and disappear for days on end, and I've seen the pain that my husband has felt; I've seen my husband struggle for money when we were teens and dating, and he would ask his father on payday, and already the money would be gone, to booze; I've seen too much pain that the disease causes, and it hurts me. He has moved away and cannot hurt my husband anymore, but I know, it is his father, and he misses him because it's his dad. But anyway, that is why I have the AA prayer on my quote, because I think it rings true for trying to cope with IC also, and it is for my husband, too. He has tried to change his father and he couldn't, and he gracefully accepted it and moved on.

Hugs,
Jess

[vm]

Jesse and mvfwd - thanks for posting here. I am glad you felt comfortable doing so. :)

I did not grow up with an alcoholic, but my dad is bipolar - seriously bipolar like, break from reality type stuff. It was scary at times and certainly unpredictable. Learning about alcoholism and its effects on the family helped me in terms of my father. The AlAnon program helped me even more with stuff like that.

Anyway, thanks for sharing. I had a woman call me once on the AA hotline b/c her father was an alcoholic and she was at her wit's end dealing with him and worrying about him. We talked for about 20 minutes. I hope it helped.

[auntiedeb]

I feel comfortable to share this with you all now, When I was 18 years old, I lost a dear friend, she adopted me as her third daughter and we were very close, she was like a second mother to me, she was an acholic and she died of liver chirosss. sp? My mom was very sick as back as I can remeber. Mrs.Forrest had me sleep over and take me out to lunch and she always hugged me.Before she died, she told her husband, tell Debbie that she is very special and that I love her and to remeber that Jesus loves her too and she died with a smile on her face. Now, she has 3 children, Kathy, Steven, Chrissy. She remebered me. I vow not to drink since then, I have tried wine, kaluaha and milk, but can't drink it gives me headaches migranes. Not worth it. I never knew Mrs. Forrest drank. I always thought she loved tomato juice. LOL. I miss her, she has been gone for 24 years now, she was only 35 years old.

My grampa was an acholic and so was my mom's mom. and her father and step father. It is in my family tree. My aunts and uncles too. I thought I would share this with you all.

Thankyou.

[ICNJess]

Deb--

grouphug grouphug grouphug grouphug kissing

Jess

[Katherine]

I grew up with a Dad who drank the first five years of my life.Dad got clean after almost getting killed, in a knife fight.
His five sister and brothers died from Use of
alcolohic beverages.
I also have a brother who used drugs and alcohol
who is now clean.For nine years.
I got started using narcotics when I had surgery
The doctor ruptured my bowel and I was in constant pain he keep giving me stronger stronger meds, by the time he stoped giving them to me I had found some other doctor who would.
I was bad addicted 20 a day God is the only reason I am alive and clean today. It has been along road, some days still are a struggle other days I breeze threw.
Today is a day that is hard, AIm is my sponser and she is great and we go to her sponser when we can come up with a plan together, so on.
together we fight I am not alone she is not alone.
My spouse said that he knew that it took team work. he is great.
Katherine

[ceilidh]

My recovery anniversary in 5/19/2000 from Compulsive Overeating. I am involved in a 12 step recovery group for food addiction. I saw a urologist last Tuesday and he floored me with the thought that I had IC. I had no clue. I thought maybe my bladder was out of place from the weight loss during recovery. I was afraid my recovery would be threatened when I read about the food sensitivities especially when there are so many potential limits on the foods that I do have choices over (fruits and veggies and no cal beverages) I was freaked out for several days. In a real panic. Thanks for having this recovery section and for letting me get this out. grouphug

[vm]

Welcome! Glad you found us. You may find some veggies you do OK with and even some fruits. It's so individual - even when I was really diet sensitive I could do bananas and pears. And lots of veggies. You'll have to experiment around a bit - carefully. But you may find your diet isn't as limited as some.

[Iris]

Hi and welcome, I am glad that you found this great board. Thank you Deb and Katherine for sharing your personal stories, I know that you must feel comfortable in this IC family to tell us about your personal lives, I have a great respect for you and what you have been through. You know that this is a great place to come to, and find support and give it as well, hugs Iris hi grouphug

[Katherine]

Hi welcome to all the new comers I am so glad your here.
Prayers and hugs.
Katherine

[Dianne]

Dianne, alcoholic/addict sobriety birthday 7/4/86. Just turned 17 :) My dad died "dry" but at least not drinking. My mother died drunk still hating me for having gotten her to treatment. She didn't make it and relapsed soon after she left treatment. My brother died sober from AIDS. He and I shared a sobriety birthday. I'm very active in AA in my town.

[auntiedeb]

Iam also addicted to junk food and did oa for many years. when I go to aa or alanon meetings I just use their words and it works. If you work it works. Keep coming back. thanks for this board also.

[vm]

Welcome, Dianne. How neat that you and your brother shared your sobriety date. :)

[Teri]

If everyone would take the time to read the big book and only practiced 1/2 of what the book is all about, this world would be in much better shape than it is.
I KNEW my mom was a drunk and I KNEW I wouldn't end up like her. Well, the only difference from my mom and I was that I worked 6 days a week and paid all my bills on time. She did die sober, even tho we thought if she had a drink it would calm her on her really bad days. She said, "I ain't leaving this world drunk" She was in so much pain we begged her to try smoking something illegal and since she had quit smoking before she quit drinking you answer was the same. It was the booze that killed her. She had quit drinking, just not soon enough.
I believe that alcohol ia a disease and we just keep passing it down, kinda like the gift that keeps on giving......
Now that I've hit middle age I can see how many of my relatives (and I have a HUGE) had one or more parent that was using and it's just something that got passed on to us.
Took me at least 2 years in AA before they finally convinced me that being a drunk did NOT just affect me I was like duha banghead how could I have been so stupid :confused: Denial is a pretty wicked thing~

There have been many many times since 1995 when that uro ruined my life that I wanted to drink but I can still say I never picked up and mean it blink

[auntiedeb]

grouphug grouphug grouphug :cool: Teri wtg without picking up. thanks for sharing.

[marsha24]

I am Marsha and have had 4 years June 25, 2003. I came from a family tree of alcoholics and addicts and was determined not to do the same. Went to college, got my BA in Psych, got married, had a little girl. Then my dad, who had been sober for 20 years started drinking again after his brother had committed suicide. About the same time, my marriage was breaking up, then my dad had a heart attack but continued to drink and was dead within 10 months. I was 28 years old then. And so I fell into the family trap and discovered crack cocaine...pure **** :mad: Lost custody of my then 7 yr old daughter, got with a drug dealer, ended up pregnant, had a miracle baby who by the grace of God, was born without a trace of crack in his system even tho I used up until I went into labor. Gave him up voluntarily to Child Protective Services at 3 weeks old cause I had no one to take care of him while I recovered. Went to a 28 day treatment, 10 months in a halfway house spirtual/NA/AA program. Got full custody of my son back at 1 yr. old and have now been back in my daughters life with joint custody for 4 years. I have a good job, back with family, have my children, have a car that half works but life was great...until IC hit. But, you know, if crack can be beat then I can survive IC too!!! bunny angel
Sorry, I get so long winded with my posts but it sure has helped me keep my sobriety thru this IC stuff so far. Congrats to you all also on your years. Keep on working it..I know I have to...especially now. :cool: Thanks for letting me share.

[Teri]

{{{{{Marsha********** You are dang right...if you can beat crack you can do anything. The sky is the limit for you.
We can still have IC and be mothers. Doesn't mean we will be the mom we wanted to be but we can give it 110% when we are feeling good so that you don't have to hear that whine from your kid that goes like this {real nasle here** "but you said no matter what we were going to do it today".

After 10 years of meetings and 6 years of basically being in bed....I NEVER say I will do something with anyone tomorrow. I always say we will have to see what tomorrow brings.

I am very grateful for my AA background because there are so many things in the big book that help's the chronic pain patient......

tons and tons of gentle hugs~

[auntiedeb]

WTG Marsha, thanks for s haring your story with us. WTG. You are an inspiration to me. Yes, this ic can be beat.