what has helped you stay clean

[Katherine]

prayer
reaching out
I thought this would help me and others get ideals to use when they are struggling
thanks. grouphug

[auntiedeb]

Prayers, reaching out, calling a program friend or getting to a meeting. Sometimes I come here too. It helps. I sometimes go to online meetings if I am really struggling. I belive in God. What a great question Kathrine. Thanks so much. Hugs to you.

[vm]

Prayer
Meetings
Reading the Big Book
Doing the "next right thing"
Calling my sponsor
Getting out of myself to help someone else
Thinking in terms of one day at a time

[Teri]

On March 29th it was my 16th year without a drink but I no longer consider myself clean. I take so dang many drugs that how could I sit at an AA table and talk about sobriety? My husband is recovering and we talk alot about it but I feel that as long as I need these drugs to keep me alive, I have no business considering myself "clean". I worked SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO hard that first 5 years and I fought till the bitter end with regard to using pain medication but after 2 very long years on the couch, I chose the drugs

I AM still proud to say that I haven't picked up a drink in 16 years............

[Katherine]

Teri you are clean unless you are taking the medicine in a way the doctor has told you not to.
Do not be so hard on your self . Don't let others.
Take care
Katherine

[auntiedeb]

Teri, Kathrine is right. You are still clean. You need the meds to survive. Unless you aren't taking them as the dr prescribed. Please don't be so hard on yourself. Congrats on your soberity. It is hard work. Hang in there . there is hope.

[vm]

Yes, Teri. If you are taking them as prescribed by a doctor you are still clean. Many people in AA DO recognize that and those who don't are severely misinformed (and a couple of other things I won't say here... wink ) They have an entire pamphlet devoted to the subject - but some people missed that one.

We do not have to live in pain. I was just telling a new girl I sponsor who is recovering from surgery that she is absolutely allowed to take the pain meds her doctor has prescribed.

I wish you had a couple of people in meetings who you knew are aware of this and accept it. I hate to see you miss out on the love and support of the fellowship b/c of someone else's opinion.
frown

[Susan2]

Hi Teri,
I am so proud of you for going 16 yrs. and no drink!
Teri, please don't take this the wrong way, but...
I don't even believe the drugs you take to live a normal life, should even be used in the same breathe with the alchoal you used 16yrs ago!
You go to a meeting and HOLD YOUR HEAD UP HIGH, b/c you have every right to do so!
GOD BLESS YOU
SUSAN

[Teri]

You guys are really a bunch of angel
My sponsor died a little over 3 years ago and she helped me so much when I stuggled with this. She knew how to crack a mean whip and she knew how to give the greatest hugs in the world. When she left this world she took a piece of my heart with her.....we had the same sobriety date, she was quite a bit older than me, everyone said having each other as a sponsor was a BAD idea....she died sober

[lildarling]

hi teri hi ,i agree with what these ladies are saying, i have 8 years clean and sober. and in my time i have been told twice that i don't belong because i take meds.well without some of my meds i would die, for real.what the the people that told me this are negleting to see is that there is infromation (in times of illness-NA info)i dont know the name of the AA info. but if we need to take meds and we are taking it the way the dr says to take them then we are fine.so please don't bet your self up you have helped me alot in here and i have a lot of respecpt for you and you are being way to hard on yourself,please don'tgo there. so hats off to you for your 16 years, and many more to come.
grouphug caroyn

[liz2]

I agree that you are still clean. You are clean so long as you are taking the meds as the doctor prescribed. I have watched one of my sons walk this same road with NA. He has developed back problems and occasionally has to take a muscle relaxer. He was hestitant at first, until the doctor explained the difference to all of us.

--------------------------------------------------
Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all. --Emily Dickinson

[graceimnot2096]

Teri, please don't be so hard on yourself. As long as you aren't taking your pain meds to get high or hide from the world you are clean. I'm having trouble with my b/f, he thinks that the pain is a mind over matter thing and if I get my weight and anxiety under control then the pain would be managable.
I was clean and sober for 12 years before I went back out. Be proud of yourself for staying sober and CLEAN for 16 years. That is not an easy thing to say when you are inflicted with a disease like the one we have. Since I went out in 2000 I have not put more than 9 months together. I know the program works I'm just not doing what I need to on a daily basis. I don't blame my relapse on ic, I know that it is me not using the tools I was given. I'm trying again and have 6 months now, and I'll keep trying. It is a really good thing that we don't have to be perfect in this program.