Dry January 2022

[MyGhastIsFlabbered]

Did Dry January this year and we had an amazing little support group going on here and I wondered if anyone cared to join me next year? This time I'm hoping to stay dry longer - 100 days - but will see how January goes first. I don't want to set myself up to fail.

Who's with me?

Cheers @CrumpetswithMarmite
And yes, you're right, I've been everyone's fixer for so long (Mum was long term disabled just for starters) that I did crumble.

Had lots of counselling and should finally be getting my bereavement counselling this month too.

One frustrating thing is that, owing to situation with DD (also have another DC) and COVID I've not had the chance to exercise as much as I usually do. No family support either. Nothing major, but I'd generally walk for at least an hour a day. I know the massive benefits of exercise for MH- and therefore I'd say for managing alcohol.

So hoping she gets into the school, for her obviously, but so we can have some respite and exercise more!

I can't sleep either this week. Which is weird because I usually don't drink during the week. But I did drink over Christmas AND I took NightNurse tablets at bedtime for about a week after Christmas when I had a hideous cold. When I stopped taking those, I stopped sleeping.

@NorthernChinchilla I'm so sorry to hear about your mum. That must have been such a shock, and then for her to die is so sad. Well done for carrying such a heavy load for her and for everyone. You sound like the backbone of your family.

Have a big unmumsnetty hug. (Sorry about the crackling sound, my pockets are full of Celebrations wrappers. I've been finishing off the Bounty bars that everyone else leaves.)

So many strong people on here, going through so much! Keep going everyone! x
I had a tough day at work yesterday, felt like stopping for a few bits for tea on my way home, but I knew if I did I'd be picking up a bottle of wine as well. Resisting the temptation was hard but I drove on past the supermarket. I do find I have lost the willpower to avoid snacking all evening though. Maybe I'm missing the sugar in wine?

Good morning, checking in on day 6 still going strong. Bad nights sleep as the dreaded night terrors crept back in (one of the reason I started drinking) .. hoping they will pass soon. Definitely feeling less bloated / puffy which is a nice motivational bonus. Have a great day all.

Morning! Better night's sleep so hope I’m turning the corner on that one.

Dreamt that I started to drink a glass of wine and then panicked and threw the rest away. My poor brain must be very confused at its lack of usual chemicals!

Good luck to everyone today. Start of the difficult patch for me today - will have a cold dark commute home, and Thursday is practically the weekend, right?! I have a bottle of no alcohol Chardonnay chilling for when I get home.

Another night of weird dreams too for me. Third day back at work. Looking forward to the weekend for some rest. I've been quite energised but woken up feeling v tired today. Probably a mix of body adjusting, weird sleep, new gym routine and work. Pushing through.

Someone up thread mentioned being constipated, I haven't been for days and my stomach is like a balloon , despite drinking lots of water.

Glad this was mentioned- me too- the glamorous soberistas on insta don't mention this do they? I'm wondering if it's because my guts are so used to being swilled out with wine on a nightly basis that they've got really lazy . Thinking might need to add a double espresso into my morning routine.

@NorthernChinchilla It sounds very tough at the moment. Fingers crossed that your DD gets her school place, and sorry that you lost your mum in those circumstances. My Gran had dementia and it was horrible - she would think I was my mum and I had to go along with it or she would get so confused and upset. Hers was also triggered by a fall so it wasn't even gradual.

Yep, my insides have just started working again, AND I slept the sleep of the dead last night, partly because I got to walk a couple of miles!

Like pp, it's going to be an interesting first weekend....

Loving the clear head in the morning. Another solid sleep.
But it's Thursday and now the hard work begins....

@NorthernChinchilla goodness , what a dreadful time you’ve had
My dad had dementia and lived ( not the right word really ) in a nursing home for his last few years , it’s in the family …one of the reasons I want to cut back on the booze

@MyGhastIsFlabbered, I lost a bit of actual tooth on a caramel , I was furious ! it could at least have been a toffee or a whole nut

I spent about 20 minutes yesterday hunting for a jar of black cherries to have with some ice cream as a treat, couldn’t find it , luckily as I remembered they were in kirsch , so we shouldn’t be eating them anyway !
Also , spent 5 minutes unwrapping the Heroes , Celebrations etc that we don’t really like and putting the sweeties in the food waste ( rather than my mouth )

Yep , still constipated 🤢 need a real coffee here too @PrisonerofZeroCovid

Still feeling positive, I know we can do this
Bring on day 6

I’m a bit further on because I peaked alcohol wise on Christmas Eve and started dry Jan early.

So day 13 here for me. I should be loving it but I got my period and the wine demons are roaring at me.

Sleeping better. Skin 100% better. Insides seem to be working again after constipation as others have mentioned….although that could be period related.

KoKo everyone

Well done @Upyouranty on Day 13

I’m at the end of day 5 in Oz. Having early night with book. Think my skin is looking better already! Eyes don’t seem as wrinkled and face not so flushed :)

Sleeping well but dreams even more vivid than usual.

And I’m joining Team Constipation!

Strong coffees all round, proper stuff only! Hopefully will sort everyone out

to everyone going through difficult times at the moment.

I have a lot of strange vivid dreams quite often, whether drinking alcohol or not. I think it is partly stress, partly the antidepressants which do cause vivid dreams. And I've always remembered my dreams. Last night I dreamed dh was taking me to a tucked away pub but we had to climb down the side of a canal to get there and I got stuck but he carried on and eventually the dream lead to him leaving me, packing a load of his things and moving into a new flat! And my parents were on his side!!!

I have an appointment for my coil to be removed later. GP couldn't find it so I've been referred for a scan and removal. I'm really worried! And I expect normally a bottle of wine would be ready for this evening. Might try hot chocolate as a replacement.

And yes, also constipated. Although have been putting that down to the amount of bread and cheese consumed over Christmas.

Day 6. Not got the constipation problem, thankfully, but feel exhausted. Looking forva positive my face feels a bit less puffy....I think

Day 6 done. Was tricky today but I keep admiring my calendar on the Dry January app. Loving all the yellow squares.

Hi all - what day is this, 6? Have never got to Day 6 before on previous attempts on DJ. If I can get through this weekend I have a real danger of succeeding....fingers double crossed. Not missing booze at all, although that is easy to say at 11.45am. I do miss it in the early evening still.

More benefits:
I don't have to reread my text messages sent in the evening the next day to remember what I said
My evening work conference calls are less likely to see me talking on mute, or chatting to my husband whilst not on mute [#mortifying]
I am staying up later as not slumped in a wine fug by 8.30pm

Still finding it harder to drop off to sleep but once gone I am solid gone.

@NorthernChinchilla wow what a lot you have to cope with, you are amazing. My mother had dementia, it's hideous, wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy, and she died at 69. I have mentioned her wine habit - I poured a bottle of her favourite sauvignon blanc onto her grave a few times to mark various occasions, I don't go anymore but that's telling isn't it, that of all the things I thought she might want a reminder of after dying would be wine - and she had breast cancer before getting Alzheimer's so if ever there was a warning to cut down on the booze...

I am going to the cinema tonight so that will be a good distraction. Really enjoying The Sober Diaries, although DH has asked me to stop reading bits out...he forgets about booze and then I remind him apparently!

Becks Blue on the shopping list. What is the AF Chardonnay like? I tried AF red wine once and it tasted revolting and gave me the worst heartburn I have ever had...

@Iamblossom
That sounds very like my Mum, down to the previous breast cancer! She just made it to 70... you have my sympathies too, it is such a traumatic thing to go through
She also had overwhelming rheumatoid arthritis and other disabilities owing to a crush injury.

I also really relate to your first point...

And yes, good AF wine... I know recommendations have been made previously, need to know which is the driest possible!

@Iamblossom I’ve only tried the Ebony Vale Chardonnay from Waitrose. I found it drinkable and not too sweet and it looks like the real thing - and it’s only £3.30 a bottle.

Morrison’s seem to have a good range of alcohol free wine options- the McGuigan zero Chardonnay and rose get good reviews but I haven’t tried them yet.

Mind you, I often (used to) go down the pub and order a glass of wine and think “ugh” at the first mouthful and then love it by the bottom of the glass, so I’ve started to wonder if I enjoy the taste of the real thing as much as I tell myself!

I have been eating my way through every sweet thing in the house.

But my skin and face is less puffy and I already think I look younger. Have not even bothered with makeup yet. (Although mainly because I forgot).

Hello everyone - just catching up with the thread after a busy first day back at work yesterday then visiting relatives last night, after which I went straight to bed as I was exhausted.

Scrolling through the thread - it looks like people are managing to stay dry. I can see sleep is still an issue for some including not sleeping, weird dreams etc. Some folks also having issues in the old poop department - have you tried liquorice and/or sugar free sweets with sorbitol - that works for me.

Day 6 DJ/day 11 AF for me. I was on the Dry Days sober app but have now swapped to the 'I am sober' app as it is a bit more interactive. Today's motivational quote is 'Two things you can control today - attitude and effort'. So I am practising my positive mental attitude for my work by focussing on the good bits about my job instead of getting depressed moaning about the bad bits. Ergo making more effort with work to get ahead rather than be chasing my tail at the last minute.

Going out for a meal tonight with relations - this will be the last for a while so the healthy eating starts on Friday. Might seem like a strange day to start but my DH is working Friday through to Monday so I will be eating alone and therefore completely in control of everything I consume. Still no desire for alcohol yay.

The I am Sober app sets up milestones for you - the first was double digits (ie 10 days) which I've reached and the next is 2 weeks which will be Sunday. The NHS website says it takes two weeks to reverse a fatty liver in drinkers (although scientific papers I have read suggest it takes between a month and a year) and having a fatty liver slows down your weight loss (I need to lose about 2 stone) so that is a great motivator for me.

I will not drink today. KOKO.

13Mybestyear interesting about the fatty liver. I also need to lose two stone. A combination of antidepressants and less exercise and more alcohol during the last two years.

Nervousness about my coil removal has fixed the constipation issue though

I hope the coil removal goes well @Badabingbadatinselbum

Interesting about the fatty liver also!

3 stone to lose here. I will weigh in on friday but might need to rein in the sweets!