DRY 17

[Loubilou09]

[This message is actually from Sober Sarah! She wanted this thread to start with links everyone will find useful. MNHQ]

If you're quitting alcohol for a brighter sober future come and join us here. A very welcoming bunch supporting ebach other every step of the way. smile
We have put together some helpful info and links, to help you do this Smile tiredofthinkingaboutdrinking.com

Tired of thinking about drinking, Belle's website filled with free stuff as well as subscription courses and an account of her four years sober.

joinclubsoda.co.uk/ Club Soda - to help you make the change you want.
www.sobersassylife.com Sober Sassy Life - A Selection of Articles, Blogs and Freebies to get you unstuck, and on the way to your Sober Sassy Life! Also has paid for courses.
thesoberschool.com/ - an online hub with the mission of inspiring and supporting women who are tired of feeling hungover

www.blogtalkradio.com/bubblehour - podcasts on a huge range of issues relating to addiction and recovery

www.smartrecovery.org.uk/ - an alternative to AA. Meetings nationwide and online.

Useful meditation or relaxation apps
www.headspace.com Headspace for calming the brain chatter
www.withandrewjohnson.com Andrew Johnson stop drinking app
Helpful blogs from people who are sober
sothisissober.com/ our own vxa's blog
www.alcoholfree2016.com our own Lily's blog
www.alcoholfree2016.com our own Lucy's blog
//www.sobergrowing/blogspot.co.uk our own Sober Sarah's blog

All of these blogs contain links to loads of other brilliant blogs.

Sobriety counters
meetnomo.com/index.html
www.pilanites.com/streaks/

Hope this helps you ! Love Sober Sarah and Vxa

[Vidorra]

Thanks for the new thread Lou.

Welcome Splurgle

Sorry keeping it brief, will post more later.

[LisaMumsnet]

[Message posted by MNHQ on behalf of Loubilou09]

Welcome all to our new thread.

Can someone please link to DRY 16 for anyone who would like to reference back to that.

I am now on day 33. I did three months before Christmas and fell off the wagon over the holiday season but didn't really enjoy any of the days I had a drink so decided to get back DRY on December 28th and feel so much better. I can't imagine drinking every day as I used to. I look at my husband fairly regularly and say "how on earth did we function" and shake my head.

I do find some days hard. Went out with the girls on Friday and had a glass of prosecco in my hand but quickly dusted myself down and passed it on to someone else and ordered a becks blue (thankfully they had some as I had checked on their website and they didn't advertise they had any).

So many things are improved, my blood pressure is so stable, in fact a tad low that I might even speak to my doctor about coming off my medication . Weight loss is extremely slow and to be honest a bit disappointing as I would have thought that not drinking 1,000 calories a day would have more impact, particularly as I have religiously counted my other calories and have not gone over 1,300-1,400 for over 4 months now but hey ho it is what it is and I am losing albeit slowly.

I am back to regular exercise which I haven't done for over 10 years and am really enjoying that. My skin is better, face is no longer red. Eyes are bright and white, I don't continually worry about my breath smelling, I can go and pick my children up any time they want. I have saved loads of £. I no longer worry about the recycling or who was serving in the local shop last night and if they are serving again tonight and might clock how much I am drinking. I don't get heart palpitations, I don't sweat as much.

Keep on keeping on everyone!

Vidorra - Homeland is a fantastic series!

[Loubilou09]

Nice one LisaMumsnet :) :) However could you edit your post to say it is my posting and not SarahSober's.

The bit where you say Posted by MNHQ on behalf of....just change it to Loubilou09.

Thanks

[Loubilou09]

You could change the very first post to say that one is from SarahSober.....:)

[Vidorra]

Dry16, last thread

Thanks Sarah, teething problems it'll be much easier next time with c&p

[SarahSober]

No problems :) Lou was v keen (thanks, Lou ! )and I didn't get home in time to start the new thread with the post we wanted - I should have said something yesterday and posted it on the old thread so it could be copied across ( smacks head with palm)

So I emailed MNHW. Thanks MNHQ for sorting this out
As you say, next time who ever starts the new thread can cut and paste (and add/edit, if we want - any further suggestions gratefully received )

Hope the top post proves useful :)

[Vidorra]

All fantastic positives Lou, especiallly the bp!! Well done on 33 days. Homeland it is. Dp recommended it too and I have a bit of a soft spot for Claire Danes going back to my angsty teenage 'my so-called life' days

That's a lot you have to deal with Splurgle Well done for taking the first step and glad to have you aboard. I too have a hiatus hernia and suffer badly with reflux at times. Have had it since I was 20 so nearly 20 years and I've had to take medication for it since then. Drinking definitely aggravates it big time, I notice a big difference being off the booze. Actually noticed a huge improvement when I went vegetarian as well as stopped drinking, lost too much weight though so had to back to eating meat. Tying to cut it down to not every night now.

Only 30 odd days in now, 36 I think so early days for me but improvements so far for me have been sleeping better, eating better, less stressed, more money, more time, less anxiety (big one of mine, alcohol kills me with anxiety attacks the next day), no waking up at 3am sweating with the horrors, no shame or guilt over what I've said or done the night before. I've done more time sober before and these improvements will only increase I know

[SarahSober]

I love the lack of shame fear and guilt not drinking brings :)

[AntiGrinch]

Hi. Nice to see you all, hi Spurgle!

[LisaMumsnet]

Ooops everyone - hope it all makes sense now!

[SarahSober]

Thank you LisaMNHQ

[Rrross1ges]

Hi everyone, just checking in to the new thread.

I can really relate to checking out who was serving in the corner shop. Only problem was I was often too drunk to remember!

Vidorra, I hope your head is feeling better today.

Time to clean the kitchen floor - all excitement here!

[BGJ42]

Hello #17.....

[Titsywoo]

Hi all,

Only checking in sporadically at the moment. Day 30 done (and day 22 of not smoking!). I'm also half a stone down in weight :)

Unfortunately been hit by a horrid virus this week so been in bed a lot so not feeling as healthy as I should! Am sleeping a lot better though which is great as I was turning into a right insomniac! Also having less digestive problems - used to get awful reflux and indigestion after drinking.

Anyway will keep forging ahead. Still keeping socialising to a minimum until I feel more confident that I won't be tempted! It's easier in the winter though!

[Vidorra]

I had a shop rotation, so as not to frequent one too often.

No, still suffering Rrross but thanks for asking. Judging where the pain is today it's my sinuses, always been very prone to sinus infections and headaches. I could use someone who likes that type of excitement here

[SarahSober]

oooh day 135 hello :)
night, all xxx

[Balibabe1]

Just checking in on the shiny new thread :). 27 days sober for me.
I definitely think this is the season of colds/virus and snottiness. I have a sore throat and ear, feel very run down and that feeling of exhaustion continues.
Thanks to Ross for your sensible advice to my last thread. The travel has certainly played a part to the lack of weightloss.
Wishing everyone who is suffering a speedy recovery.
Welcome Splurgle, i am New too, and this is the only place I have ever admitted to my bottle of wine a night habit with possibly more at the weekends, i have never been accountable before. I wish you all the support in your Dry New you.

[userformallyknownasuser1475360]

Ohhh it's all clean, and shiny and nice and has that brand new thread smell.

Hi splurgle and welcome, you are definitely in the right place

Stories of where drinking took me - it ended my marriage, made my whole family feel like shit, isolated me and basically left me in the verge of suicide, altered my mood and made me put in weight, affected my excercise and daily living. Left me that I arranged my work and social life around having drink....and even then I couldn't get enough.

Two thoughts keep me sober one day at a time - I'm not going to drink today, and if I don't lift the first drink I can't get drunk.

[HopesDaddy]

Day 553. One day at a time.

[Splurgle]

Thank you for the warm welcome ladies .

It's good to be able to hear others experiences and the positives of making the choice to live without booze.

I've currently got 'The Easy Way for Women to Stop Drinking' by Allen Carr on Audible and was listening to it whilst folding the washing. A few things really struck a chord with me.

Has anyone else read it?

[AntiGrinch]

Hi Splurgle,

No I haven't read that book. Sounds interesting because I think this is something really gendered - for some people anyway - for me my drinking is closely related to anxiety esp. social anxiety which for me manifests very much as to do with not being a good enough woman.

Anyway. day 7 here and feeling a bit better though very, very tired.

Very pleased to see all the big numbers on here... inspiring.

[SarahSober]

I have read both the Allen Carr and the Jason Vale books. Really good. Didn't finally do it for me but I know they have for others. I found Belle was what finally worked. To each their own and whatever works for you, works well xxx

[Rrross1ges]

I haven't but I did read his Fear of Flying one.

I had my first panic attack since I stopped drinking today. It was because I had nightmares about my mother last night (we're NC) and I've got work stress and I'm waiting to hear about a job I've applied for that I really want but I'm also procrastinating about it because it will mean working some evenings, every Saturday and all school holidays. At the moment I work in my kids' school so I see them all the time and I'd be giving that up. But I hate my job and the kids are refusing to go to sleep right now so maybe working longer hours would give me a nice break from them

[SarahSober]

Ross that all sounds really hard xxx. Butvdoing a job you hate sounds dreadful so maybe not doing it would be better?

[Vidorra]

Fantastic going Antigrinch, first week in the bag!

Rrross, only my opinion but I would take the job I wanted. Life's too short to be working in a job you hate if you can change it and circumstances are ok wrt childcare and that. I know I need time to myself, even if it is working Hope you're ok, panic attacks are hideous

No haven't read that one Splurgle, read his stop smoking book and the Jason Vale alcohol one seems very similar to his style. There was someone on here way back in the threads that used Carr's book and his seminar to stop drinking though.

Headache has finally shifted, hurrah!

Dp informed me she has booked us a night away this weekend. Was thinking about it today and have a touch of those 'missing out' feelings in the background. Probably what is in my head last time we did that it was a big drink fest as it incorporated pride weekend but was a total blast. In my adult life I don't think I've ever had an overnight stay in a hotel and not got plastered. New territory, it's going to feel really strange.