[Patrick]

So it is not just me?

Laura,

You have hit the nail on the head. I am eating because of the depression of my situation and it gives me a short feeling of satisfaction. I also feel that if I can't go to the club and drench my shirt in sweat, then my exercise is not helpful. It is just difficult when a casual 10 minute walk around the block turns into the need for another pain pill.

After a terrible day yesterday in the pain pill abuse department, today I am going to try and make some changes. Would it hurt me to maybe cut a couple pain pills in half today...NO! Would it be helpful to take a 5 minute walk a few times a day rather than just just getting in the recliner and saying "I give up"...YES! Is it that hard to say no to "Mr. Sugar" once in a while...NO! As all of you have stated, I will start to drink alot more water too.

Some of these things seem so easy to do but when the medication, pain, and depression set in, everything appears to be a bigger struggle than it is. You would think after being approved for ADR in this new study that my depression would go away...not hardly. I guess until I wake up one day and realize that the pain is gone and I don't need all these pain pills, I will always feel depressed to some degree.

I will get off my soap box now and cut the pity party crap, LOL! I will give you an update with my progress. I have to start doing something or I don't feel I have the strength to survive back surgery.