February alcohol free/moderation thread - graduates and flunkies of Dry Jan 2023, new members welcome!

[MeinKraft]

Dry January has come to an end (sooner for some of us than others ) but the alcohol free fun doesn't have to stop there!

Whether you're wanting to extend your drought, moderate your drinking on an ongoing basis or are thinking of going dry for Lent and want to prepare why not join us to discuss all things alcohol free!

This thread is brilliant- it’s so interesting seeing how everyone is dealing with alcohol post-DJ.

Im still dry, but have been almost constantly ill since early Dec so not really feeling any benefits. Absolutely hating work at the moment, always think I’d love a glass of wine, but I know that doesn’t actually help. In fact, I think drinking has been masking how unhappy I actually am. Guess I need to make a few changes.

Lots of interesting reflections on damp Feb drinking and the challenge of moderating. I'm definitely in the moderating is challenging camp, so sticking with dry Feb for now. Others doing dry Feb - as of midday you are 16% of the way through. If you are doing Dry Jan and Feb that's 60%. And if on the 60 days dry goal that's 59%.

Hi all,
DP and I broke DJ at home on Friday night with a g&t for me and a glass of beer for him. Felt OK about that though it didn't seem that special or buzzy so was almost wasted units IYKWIM.

We made up for it last night, not in a good way, with a big night out. Had a fab time but far too much alcohol. Positive were that we started with a 3 mile walk, my first drink was soda and lime, and I had small or medium glasses of wine rather than my standard 250ml large. We also had food out, and had a lovely time in each other's company.

Still too much alcohol though, and I did feel fuzzy this morning, a bit anxious too, and had to have a quick mental run through as to whether I had done or said anything regrettable - I hadn't but it was horrible having to think about it.

Plan for this week is AF til the weekend, probably Saturday, and thinking about how not to drink so much on one occasion, as yesterday was a binge I guess and obviously not great.

I have listened to the podcast mentioned upthread. It has some useful tips on moderation and ways of thinking about alcohol. Would recommend giving it a listen

I've stayed dry this weekend so far. I had an AF beer last night but that was it. I'm really surprised at myself, but like others I think I'm nervous of backsliding really quickly. I'm trying to make the most of it whilst my head is in this zone, which is predominately about looking after myself better.
I have finally noticed my skin seems to have improved, which is a bonus. No joy on weight loss as I'm still hoovering up chocolate but at least I'm not putting any on.
@FlyingPandas I've found Belvoir cordials and fizzy water with ice are great. I love the raspberry and lemon one, as well as the ginger others have mentioned.
@freshstart2023 I hope today goes well and you feel able to stick to your planned 3 glasses

@lemonsaretheonlyfruit

What you said made total sense @HPLikecraft about one more episode, one more wine !!! OMG. Lightbulb moment. Thank you for summing it up so succinctly. On the flip side, I watched a based-on-true-story film last night (dry) & got so overly emotional I was sobbing. I know I would have been just as upset if I was on my 2nd (3rd) large wine too, but different awareness and level of emotions. Very nearly poured a GnT to settle me down, but I'm glad I did. And contrary to thinking otherwise, I did manage for the upset to not bother getting to sleep.

Resist this evening if you can!

@FlyingPandas re fever Tree, I liked the Clementine one and have enjoyed the elderflower one in the past. Tbh ithink any tonic with lemon and ice is quite a nice option. I've found myself ordering ginger beer in the pub recently, which was always my go-to back when I had patches not drinking in my yoof.

DH has admitted to feeling tired and actually said that the fourth drink was a mistake (this is breaking new ground for him) He has also been suffering slightly with a dodgy stomach, presumably because of the beer.

So we're firmly AF until Valentine's Day when we are going out for dinner. We don't usually buy into that sort of thing, but it's a new venture and we want to support them. We will probably drink then, but in far more moderation than last night.

Really relating to the scared of falling back into habits. Haven't drunk this weekend and now I'm not on a day where I would 'let' myself anyway.

On the flip side, I watched a based-on-true-story film last night (dry) & got so overly emotional I was sobbing. I know I would have been just as upset if I was on my 2nd (3rd) large wine too, but different awareness and level of emotions.

Ah, yes indeed @buzzofthebumblebee . Being sober is far more conducive to an awareness of subtlety, nuance and implication, and evoking sympathy and empathy. In real life as well as TV/film.
Drink dulls a lot of special moments.

I may have to rewatch other things I've enjoyed before but that parts of just washed over me. May start Game of Thrones again... though I don't think there's a lot of subtlety in that!

It sounds like those of you who’ve had a drink aren’t enjoying it and/or are regretting it. I’m really looking forward to a drink when I eventually do have one. Will be interesting to see how I feel afterwards!

My DH works away a month at a time. When he’s home it’s easy for the two of us to slip into holiday mode. He was away for DJ, so I didn’t have that temptation. This weekend my DH had a drink on Fri & Sat, but I stayed sober! It’s the first alcohol free weekend I’ve had with him home in years.

Thank you for the cordial and tonic recommendations - will give those a go.

Very nearly caved and opened a bottle around 4 this afternoon - classic Sunday triggers, weekend nearly over, preparing dinner, twilight darkening the garden, kitchen warm and welcoming - it would have been so easy to just pour myself a glass of chilled white. I'm glad I didn't, though, because my usual Sunday routine would have seen me just about finishing the bottle by now and telling myself I really shouldn't think about opening another one.

@Onehappymam I have had a drink - one glass is fine - more probably not

Dry again last night and chipper this morning. It really seems that I need to remain AF or moderate to such an extent that I will hardly be drinking at all.

Most shockingly, I don't even really seem bothered about it.

Hello everyone, hope you've all had a good start to the week and the sun's shining wherever you are!

So since DJ I've had a total of one v small glass of wine (Friday) and one large glass of wine (Saturday). I slept ok on Saturday but anxiety was through the roof all day Sunday and I couldn't get to sleep for ages last night, even without drinking anything yesterday and in spite of some exercise and fresh air.

I don't feel guilty for stepping off the wagon over the weekend, my original plan was for moderation rather than abstaining, and I'm seeing long term moderation as the next stage for me to work through on my journey.
But its starting to feel like there's an alcohol / anxiety link for me, though whether it's causal or whatever I can't say. I'm going to stay away from wine for at least the next 5 days - thanks to DJ, I know I can do that! - and see how I'm feeling by Friday.

Well done everyone who is still dry and successfully moderating.

I had a really stressful weekend and drank a bottle on both Saturday and last night. It's like DJ never happened!

However I am now sticking to no booze Monday to Thursday (or attempting to)

For those worried about their liver - I had my blood results back today and after a horrendously high enzyme count before Christmas- the test that I had on 3rd feb showed that I am almost within normal range after not drinking at all in jan. One piece of good news today at least.

I have read on here that these tests are not 100% accurate but it was the one specific test that they do to see if enzymes are high due to excess alcohol and there was such a huge drop in the number that I am taking it as a definite positive.

@lemonsaretheonlyfruit please can I ask the name of the blood test? I'm due to have some done shortly too. Encouraging to hear how much a month made a difference.

@Stickywhitelovepiss

It's one of the elements of a Liver function test - it's the Serum Gamma GT level. Normal reading is 0-55

@lemonsaretheonlyfruit is that the same as 'just' a Gamma GT test, or something different? Looking at my bloods from October (as part of a health MOT) it looks like mine were 29 out of a normal range of 12 - 53.

But my MCV results (size of red blood cells) and MCH (amount of haemoglobin) were literally one up from the top end of normal, which is a sign of several things - but one is excess alcohol consumption. The doctor said all your blood cells refresh in 90 days, so hoping for some good metrics later this month.

@Selfesteem22 the problem is, I have no desire to have only one! I’d probably say 2/3 is my happy place, but when I get to that stage I just want to keep going. It’ll be interested to see how things go when I break my dry spell.

Was out for lunch today - usually I’d definitely have a couple of glasses of wine, but I had a Diet Coke then a coffee instead.

Tomorrow marks 5 weeks dry for me. It’s only these last few days that I’ve started to see a benefit. I finally feel relaxed and happy, not a feeling I’m used to without wine!

Whoop managed the cinema today with AF beer

Has anyone else currently on the wagon found their sleep is reverting at 5 weeks or so?

Better sleep was the one benefit I felt, so really disappointing this seems to be back sliding... 😔

@Stickywhitelovepiss yes I did! Not the 5 week mark exactly but I had a few nights in the last week of January where my sleep went all over the place. Put it down to an overly active brain (was the week before DC3’s birthday so I had lots to do, and DC1 was having an assignment crisis at uni!) as much as anything. I am back to good quality sleep now thankfully.

Not me stickywhitelovepiss apart from The Night Of The Alcohol, where I slept appallingly, thrashed about, sweated and generally got myself into a right hissy fit.

I have however found that my peri menopausal / menopausal symptoms are much more obvious when AF, although easier to deal with. I suspect that I felt quite grotty while drinking which masked the bulk of them. Do you think it could be hormonal at all?

I forgot to post yesterday, but I'm still here. Still only had one night of drinking since Feb started. Which is great, I suppose, but the craving isn't waning. I've been spending time doing decorating in the evening rather than veging in front of the telly... it's easier to not think about booze then, as telly time is traditionally wine time.

Sleeping OK, thankfully!

Bleurgh, I had a REALLY strong craving for wine about an hour ago and would normally have gone to buy a bottle of wine. This is the first time for ages I've felt really tempted.

I think it's because I had a slightly meh/slightly anxious day at work and I'm beating myself up about that. So my brain obviously thinks wine would be the answer!

I'm not going to wobble as I haven't got any of the wine I like in, but it has thrown me a bit.