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Alcohol support

Cutting down

19 replies

candlesrme · 08/01/2019 12:46

Hi all ,
Myself & the hubby regularly drink wine 5 times a week ( the other 2 nights I'm at work ) . I really enjoy drinking wine , I find it relaxing & something to look forward to for the evening. However, lately I'm feeling so sluggish the next day , I have no energy & often lie in bed until midday. I can't remember what we watched on tv the evening before & don't remember going to bed . I have permanent headaches , my face has started to break out & look red & blotchy Angry.

So, yesterday we took the plunge to cut back . I don't want to give up but definitely know I need to cut back . We've decided to drink only at weekends & also reduce the amount of wine we have. When my husband came in from work at 7pm we both could have easily poured a glass , especially with our dinner . That initial hour was difficult. However, we had iced water & following dinner I had a long bath . I then sipped tonic water with sliced lemon & watched a drama .
I had real trouble getting to sleep & my sleep was broken . However, this morning I have no headache & I remember all of the previous evening !
I'm going to keep updating on here as a sort of diary for myself, if anyone can offer advice/ support please feel free to comment 😊

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Daysofpearlyspencer · 08/01/2019 12:52

I'll join you. My alcohol intake has increased and I am putting on weight and looking bloated. I too, don't want to give up completely, will try for half bottle on Friday and the other half on Saturday and drop wine from Sunday nights and rest of the week. Quite like a hot milky drink instead?

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pyjamama · 08/01/2019 12:57

Was it a bottle of wine each time?

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candlesrme · 08/01/2019 13:32

Daysof, welcome! We'll cut down together 🍷👍

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candlesrme · 08/01/2019 13:33

Pyjama, embarrassed to say we would easily share 2to 3 bottles of wine on weekdays & weekends 3 to 4 😱

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Gracey88 · 08/01/2019 18:53

Hi I really would like to join you guys I love my wine but its taking too much of a toll I feel so unhealthy and want to cut down. Also I easily drink 1.5 bottles on a weekday so don't be embarrassed atleast we are trying to cut down

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candlesrme · 09/01/2019 18:02

Welcome Gracey88 , we sound like we're in a similar position, enjoying the wine but we don't want it taking us over . I've had 2 dry evenings, last night was easy as I was at work . Usually I'd have poured a glass now whilst cooking dinner but today I'm having iced water . I am missing my 🍷 but I'm really going to try hard & think about how good I'll feel tomorrow without the sluggish head all day . 👍

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Daysofpearlyspencer · 10/01/2019 10:35

I don't have alcohol in the house on a dry night, it's too tempting, also going to try going to bed earlier, that helped when giving up smoking. The problem with drinking is that if it does get truly out of hand you have to give up completely, if we work at cutting right back we still get to enjoy it. I would hate to live life totally abstaining it would make socialising really grim.

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candlesrme · 10/01/2019 11:37

Hi Daysof, I agree with what you said & I enjoy my wine so I certainly don't want to give up completely. I have been going to bed earlier & it does help , plus I can remember what I'm reading on my kindle 👍
I'm struggling with the sleep though , I guess the wine used to knock me out . I bought some herbal sleeping aid pills so I'm trying them . My skin is starting to look a tiny bit less blotchy so at least that's something.
Having 3 dry evenings has been ok with both of us , it was habitual drinking wine every evening. This evening will be our fourth 😮

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iamyourequal · 11/01/2019 23:37

Hi All. I would like to join too if that’s ok. I’ve been drinking far too often. I am hoping it’s just a bad habit I can change. I reckoned dry January would be a little over ambitious for me. Instead I’ve given myself a limit of 14 units per week absolute max. I’m managing well on my week 1. I had nothing mon-wed, one glass of wine last night and 2 tonight. I will have 2 tomorrow and 1 on Sunday. I was drinking nearly every night for the past year so this is real progress for me. I would often have a g&t followed by a glass of wine or a bottle of beer with dinner and another one after , maybe 2 at weekend (so 3-4 drinks most nights) . So this is progress. I hope you are all doing ok on this first Friday night!?

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candlesrme · 12/01/2019 17:24

Welcome iamyourequal, let's support each other in our cutting back mission 🍷
Yesterday evening the hubby & I had our first wine in 4 evenings , we're only drinking at the weekends & Friday counts as the weekend 😂 I loved that first cold glass of wine . However, today I woke with a headache again & had a slow start , I did sleep so much better though as I've been struggling all week to sleep .
This evening I'm going to have a glass of water alongside the wine to prevent me from guzzling 👍
How are you all getting on with cutting back ?

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iamyourequal · 13/01/2019 00:01

Hi candlesrme. I hope you did okay tonight? and everyone else on the thread?. I had half a bottle of white wine tonight (the second half of last night’s). I would normally have preceded this with a couple of g&ts or beer, so I’m happy I’ve cut back. This means I have exactly one 187 ml mini bottle of prosecco left for tomorrow night and that’s my 14 units done for week1. I know this probably all sounds like quite a lot to those who don’t drink, but it is a drastic reduction for little lush me. I am now realising I must have been drinking like a fish in past months! 14 units seems nothing! Blush.

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StarlightIntheNight · 14/01/2019 14:33

iamyourequal, are you keeping the drinking for the weekend only? Yes, 14 units does not sound like much! I found myself drinking too many nights a week (just a half bottle of wine, but 5 nights a week!). So now I have cut back to just 2 nights a week of drinking and feel so much better.

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iamyourequal · 14/01/2019 20:14

Hi StarlightIntheNight. You are doing much better than me - 2 nights a week is very virtuous. Well done on that! I am doing 14 units a week, so far as follows: 1 glass red wine Thursday; 1/2 bottle white wine Friday, 2nd half Saturday; 1 mini prosecco on Sunday. I decided to make it wine only as I was kidding myself before by having spirits, beer and wine!
But..... I have already failed, as last night I also had a 330ml bottle beer with dinner (chilli). I am going to plan this week out better with no beer-associated meals!. Lower % wine might be the way forward! I have been feeling better only having one or two a night. I’m so cross I was weak last night. That beer put me from 14 to 16 units for the week. I will try harder this week. Good luck everyone!

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scruffybarnsley · 15/01/2019 15:47

Hi everyone, please can I also join in?

I've been generally overdoing it over Christmas (that started in Nov, right?!) and if I'm honest it was actually quite a while before too. My issue is that when I'm focused I find it fairly easy to not drink in the weekdays but weekends are literally impossible- I don't think I've not had a drink on a Fri, Sat or Sun for at least 3 or 4 years. And if I'm on it, I'm on it and will enjoy the 'sod it' feeling and won't be monitoring what I have in any way. My main issue is that I enjoy it!

Anyway, mainly due to this I've put on a fair bit of weight and am working hard to lose it. Having to face, though, that I'm not going to lose it without tackling my weekend drinking. Especially when my 'weekends' run Thursday-Sunday.

Any tips?!! Well done everyone for staying focused by the way!

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candlesrme · 15/01/2019 17:47

Welcome Scruffy 👍
How's everyone doing ? I never had a drink last night & don't intend to until Friday night . Last night I went to bed about 10ish and read , I'm struggling to sleep still , that never happens when I'm drinking.
I'm working tonight & tomorrow night so that'll be easy . Tbh, I'm doing ok in the evenings without my wine . I find it most difficult early evening when DH gets home from work . He usually comes home and pours us both a glass ..... problem is we keep that glass topped up all evening ! But , I've been determined to cut back , I'll keep trying .
I hope you're all doing well x

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scruffybarnsley · 15/01/2019 19:02

"He usually comes home and pours us both a glass ..... problem is we keep that glass topped up all evening"

That's also exactly my problem. In my previous relationship, my partner drank at home very rarely and never liked wine so I didn't bother opening a bottle just for me. Now things are different and even when I feel my will power is high, it can be easily broken by a bottle being opened in front of me!! Confused

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candlesrme · 25/01/2019 16:29

Hi all , how's the cutting back going ?
I'm doing surprisingly well . Have had dry days Monday to Thursday for past 2 weeks & enjoying my wine at the weekends. There have been evenings I've struggled, yesterday early evening I'd had loved a cold glass of wine. I'd had a busy day & by the time I could relax I really wanted a vino . However I resisted & I'm glad I did .
The biggest issue I'm having is I still have trouble sleeping without the wine 🤔 but I'm sticking with the herbal pills & hope that they will eventually be effective.
I hope you're all getting on ok 👍

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CabbageHippy · 11/03/2019 09:35

@candlesrme - have you tried herbal tea? I've been having a cup of pukka bed time tea each evening & it knocks me out a treat

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ThespianTendencies · 17/04/2019 13:57

Can I join in please? I am always trying to cut down. I don't drink that much tbh. which I think makes it harder, as I kind of write it off as being OK - even though I am way above my weekly units! I have around 2 glasses - half a bottle of wine a night. I drink alone as it's just me and my youngest ds here. Today I went and bought alcohol free prosecco and wine as I am convinced it is just habit with me as I don't even like getting tipsy, so I choose not to in the week. When my partner visits then I;ll probably have a bottle or just under, but that is only once a week or fortnight. it is still too much though and I want to break the habit.

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