Hi everyone,

I'm finally off sugar, dairy and artificial sweetners and am on my fourth day today. I stayed abstinent for 5 months from March-August 2006 by following the OA-HOW eating program. The food program caused gastritis, and I also found I had a lot of pain with interstitial cystitis after following that particular food program. I got extremely ill and ended up in the hospital. When I went back on sugar in August I thought I could handle one mini-serving of candy every day. It took three days of that for the insanity to start. By that I mean sugar and food binges of magnificently miserable proportions. Along with the binging came the depression.

It's amazing how much better I feel not eating those three things. God gets me through each day and I went into this with Him. The withdrawal really hasn't been that bad. Last week I just got to the point where I realized I could never eat sugar, artificial sweetners or dairy again. For once I didn't get off of them to lose weight or just until I get to a certain weight. Monday will be my weekly meeting. Without some human support I can't do this at all. So here I am, after hanging out on this website for 3 years, on the forum I really belong in. Wishing you all peace today-

LeAnne

Hi LeAnne,
'Glad the withdrawl hasn't been too bad and that you are doing this for your health. Sounds like you've been through a lot.
Is Monday your first meeting?

Good luck on you Journey!
Come back and motivate me again tomorrow!

Welcome, LeAnne! I look forward to witnessing you travel this path.

Hey Leanne-

Wow, that's a lot to give up all at once. That's a huge change that definitely will require a lot of support. So, I'm glad that you're here.

Thanks Mabela, Sidhe, and Marny, you three are sweethearts to take the time to resond to my message. I am doing great, I can't believe how much better I feel, it unbelievable. So I am on day 6 off sugar and 5 off dairy. I quit dairy because I have allergies when I eat it and tested allergic to it at the Drs. Actuaally I don't eat much of it anyway unless I am binging which includes chocolate and ice cream. I have quit sugar 100's of times since the age of 20 and will be 47 in August. I quit the artificial sweetners back in August 2006 for the most part. I tried to use them for 3 days at the beginning of June but it they caused me a lot of pain, so I quit again right away. I am on the third day of a food plan now. It is a modified OA-HOW plan, 3 meals daily, no snacks. Mostly I eat measured fruit, vegs and protein with starch added back in after the first 30 days. I'm sleeping well again and gosh it feels good. The sugar gives me insomnia.

My physical pain level is down to next to nothing most of the time. Most of my pain has been emotional from long-term eating disorders and being back in the food again. I have been to many various meetings in the past 17 years. My experience with OA-HOW was not a good one and I am not sure but I am thinking a regular OA group may be my best bet for staying abstinent. My friend and I didn't go to the meeting last night, it was raining and she was depressed. It was a TOPS meeting and most of them eat sugar.

Here's wishing you three a splendid day. Chat with you soon!

LeAnne

Good job, and good luck!!