I just listened to a speaker download on a run last night. It was on emotional sobriety. Essentially he was saying that until we are no longer dependant on other people, places and things for our happiness, we arent really emotionally sober.
I get that.
I also feel like its easy to find an excuse for bad behaviour, drinking or not. No spouse can make you take pills or make you happy.
The key is acceptance of that.

Oh and PS......if you are doing painkillers beyond what is prescribed and absolutely necessary, or any other mood altering substance, are you really sober at all?
I wouldnt consider myself sober if I smoked pot, or took percocet, or narco....for example.

thankyou stick and no I only take otc advil or store brand ibprofen. I dont take anything illegal, but what u said made alot of sense

It's not just your kidney's that will suffer from long term ibuprofen use, but your liver and stomach as well. Bob, you mention your Doctor doesn't want you to take it, but you still will. Does your Doctor know that you will continue taking this med, and does he know 'exactly' how much and how often you were/are.

I experienced chronic pain after spinal surgery and was very aware of a like for the way pain killers made me feel so discussed options with my doctor. Pain clinic, physio, aqua rehab and suppositories replaced pills and injections. Aqua rehab was what got me moving and making me feel good and the pain subsided and I've been kept moving since.

Mate, there's alternatives for chronic back pain that can bring relief, and your Doc should be able to discuss options with you to target your pain. Pain management clinics, periodic injections, and also the use of suppositories are just a few. If your Doc isn't up to speed with alternative pain assistance, then find another who is. But be honest.

I agree that liver is in jeopardy 2 because too much ibuprofen causes liver to die...I know someone whose child died of overdose of tylenol which she suffered to the end with liver death she killed her liver and it did take a few days for her to die but the overdose of that stuff is really bad...

I would see about Physical Therapy options and go to a pain management doctor...I did that because of my knee pain...four surgeries left me in constant pain in knees which comes to hieghts sometimes...but the medical doc wanted me to see pain management specialist...what his suggestion was is PT but I did not have insurance then...so that was out...so I still take tramadol PRN...not more than six in 24hrs....not more than 2 at time

yeah start loving yourself and juice, ibuprofen can damage the liver, becareful

There is a pamphlet on taking pills if needed at local AA meetings you may want to read. Not taking a pain med cause of paranoia or what someone says that is in AA is just wrong, they are not nurses or dr's. You are sober if you are not drinking so didn't listen to that bull either, usually the ppl that are against it, are not even in pain. I saw someone with fibromyalgia crying during a meeting cause her stupid sponsor said not to take meds, i was disgusted. Some things you may want to keep to yourself, AA is wierd sometimes and ppl have alot of feelings on the subject, but its just paranoia and most were taught that by their sponsors. AA has to come of age. People have chronic illness and has to be addressed. Personally i don't get addicted to pain meds, i take them as prescribed if needed, so far juicing seems to be taking most of my pain away. And yes i still consider myself sober, i am not going to suffer cause some nimrod says so. There is alot of bull going around. You have to learn to weed it out, alot of stuff isn't AA, just people's opinions. Take care of yourself and you know if your sober or not.

I am also for medical marijuana which is highly controversial but alot safer then pain meds. I challenge anyone to do chemotherapy without some type of pain med, that is totally insane. I am actively juicing Greens and off pain meds now, but i have flares damn straight i will go to the ER, would be stupid not too.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/19395-effect-ibuprofen-liver/

you may want to see a therapist to help you through the divorce, its hard stuff to deal with.

Remember alcoholics when they get sober, they get nuts, don't do this or that. you can stay sober through anything.

Some more thoughts ACoA and CoDA workshops helped me with the core issues. Sometimes AA alone is not good enough.

Remember also ibuprofen is more dangerous then pain meds, ppl die from abuse of ibrofen every year, it is very toxic on the liver.

I understand what you guys are saying and you are all right. The wife and her bf issues are eating me up inside and on the outside I am civil and congenial about the whole situation. I just told her I want her to be happy because I hate confrontations. I just wish she would leave and get it over with but it looks like this will be a long drawn out thing and I know I am being used as a relief valve in case things don't work out between her and him.

In the meantime I am looking for stress relief in the wrong places, I know that and I understand why. It's just so hard....know what I mean?

I guess I am just venting because I know this isn't the end of the world for me and the way my Higher Power works, this could be the beginning or bigger and better things for me, but kinda like quitting drinking and druggin, the first few months are the roughest. Can anyone identify?

if you are looking for natural alternatives, juicing can releve pain it did in me, I researched the gerson institute and fat,sick and nearly dead movie, where that guy had a rare disease and cured it by juicing, juicing is excelent on helping your body to recover itself. I am a non believer lately in western medicine, just cause they damn near killed me and doc's don't seem to care anymore. Try for 7 days fasting on pure green juice through a juicer and see what happens. you have to do 100 oz's per day of juice. I usually do kale, spinach, parsley then add celery and pear. JUst the kale and spinach alone with the parsely doesn't make much juice so you have to add a green that gives off more juice. But its worth it if you like to feel good. Think outside the box, so to speak.