Dryer than a Tena Lady - DJ2022 #2

[MyGhastIsFlabbered]

New thread for those of us attempting Dry January.

@IJustLovePirates don't see it as caving, be proud that you had a lot less than you would pre DJ.

I'm feeling a bit sore this morning but still feeling proud of myself. Normally last night I'd have had a drink to 'reward' myself for my 5k run but apart from a brief moment I didn't
really think about it. But we did have some Nozeco.

DH is very keen to get back to moderate drinking in February but I'm not sure I can do that or want to...yet.

Welcome @wurlycurly I was on last years thread so it's nice to know we were supporting you then too. Glad you're joining us. Well done @myghastisflabbered on your run, did it help your sleep last night? I sleep better for exercise

@MyGhastIsFlabbered my DH is ready for feb too but I'm a bit scared to drink again. I may just keep going. I feel like I'd struggle to just have a few on the odd occasion but like a bit longer dry will help.

Felt like a name change, was badabing.

Dh is happy that not drinking has had such a positive effect on my anxiety (and I'm hoping depression in the long run) that he is willing to not drink for longer. I'm hoping that we can be much more moderate going forward. A nice wine with a meal, a couple of beers on a Saturday. I am really enjoying not being puffy and bloated, not being hungover and the calories and money we are saving.

Day 16 - gosh more than half way. Was tempted to buy a small wine but got my 0% freixenet. Going to drs tomorrow so want to be able to say I’ve not had alcohol for the 2 weeks! See if they ask!😅. Hubby has gone away for the night to clear my dads loft. While the cats away… give me motivation to last the month!!! TY!

Day 16 going well! We have roast tonight and I fancied beer and dh wine but then we both had AF Corona. Dh thinks AF Corona is better than real one.

More than halfway there everyone!!

Last night we had friends round and that is usually a boozy night. I told them in advance I would be dry, and they brought round Nosecco plus my friend stayed dry with me which she insisted on. I felt so supported!

Checking in for day 16. Hope everyone is doing okay?

I've been feeling a bit down today, few things in my personal life affecting me. But equally, it's good to be sober and acknowledging how I feel. Although thought about not being sober too!

I also listened to this podcast today which gives a summary of the Allen Carr book. It gives an alternate perspective which I found enlightening:

www.listennotes.com/podcasts/what-you-will-learn/the-easy-way-to-control-JU3SsObnXxN/

Sounds like a great friend @SantaMonicaPier - makes the world of difference!

2 weeks ✅ feeling much less bloated too. Hoping to keep this up but taking it day by day. At the end of every day I think wow I got so much more done than if I'd have had a few wines last night. I think the key thing will be to try & remind myself of that every evening.

I actually haven't felt like a drink much.

We went out for a walk along the coast , about 10k , was lovely weather for January ( ie … it didn’t rain! )
Roast dinner tonight and I had my urge for a glass of wine but got past it

Weigh in day tomorrow, hoping for another lb off and I’m joining the low carb Bootcamp too
At least I know the no alcohol rule can easily be followed ✅

Just found the new thread! I might be thick but didn’t see the a link to this one after page 40 of the old one?
I’m day 9 AF and struggled tonight, resisted though. I want to get to a point where I’m not bothered and I don’t have a craving at 6pm. I have slept so well this last week which has been a marvellous change from before. Just hope I can keep going with being AF 🙏

Day 14. Can’t see myself ever going back to alcohol now to be honest. I’m not even missing it.

I've just had a lovely long bath and about to have some rice pudding. Scales said earlier that I've lost the 2kg I put on last week. I'm actually feeling really good at the moment. Really strong and powerful.

Sounds like most are doing well with the AF Sorry you're having a bit of a pants time Marmite, hope it's thing that can eventually be resolved?

Couple of Punks and then my usual sugar free Vimto, Diet Coke and black coffee through the day. Didn't sleep well, but was cos I got woken by the youngest at 6... got back for a nap though!

Glad to be clear headed, got an urgent, difficult conversation to have very first thing tomorrow, need to be ready...

Day 14 for me too.

Unfortunately having a bad flare (arthritis) so am back on strong pain medication I've not had to take regularly for a good 18 months. It's incredibly frustrating to take the plunge and be AF I'm aiming for 100 days but end up feeling bloody worse than I do when I'm drinking.

Still, I will not falter.

Day 16. Shitty day here. Huge row with DH who stormed off in town and tried to leave me to make my own way home. Came so close to just saying 'sod it' and going to the pub, but held out in the end.

Day 17 tomorrow.

Hi everyone. Great to see so many doing well, getting fitter and generally trying to be healthier. I’m now in bed at the end of day 16 DJ /day 21 AF. Can’t believe I’ve managed 3 weeks. Still no cravings though my DD had friends round for drinks last night before they went out. I went into her room to switch off the lights they’d left blazing to be confronted with quite a few half empty bottles of booze. It crossed my mind that I could have a few drinks that wouldn’t be noticed - thoughts like these just seem to appear automatically. So I went and lay on my bed and just sat with my feelings until they passed. I really don’t want to drink so it wasn’t too difficult.

I’m also doing low carb and have lost 3 kilos in a fortnight. Been to the gym most days too. Feeling great mentally and physically- hope it continues 🤞

Hope everyone has had a good weekend although I noticed a few threads where there’s been some aggro with partners - keep strong people! If you do cave, try to limit what you drink and get back on the horse tomorrow. KOKO ❤️💪

Checking in on Day 16, I thought I had but I post on two so got confused 😕
Had a much better day today than yesterday, despite caving into alcohol free when I'd done well not too. But better than caving into the real thing.
Feel really proud to have come this far, looking forward to achieving more. Well done everyone.

@Crunchymum is that rheumatoid arthritis? My Mum was struck down with it in her early 50s, literally went from OK at the beginning of the month to hospital and retirement on ill health at the end... every sympathy if so, it's such a horrible illness with some heavy duty drugs

And Deed that sounds appalling, hope you're OK? Well done for not diving into a pub, think I would have done.

Went looking at furniture this weekend for the (everything crossed) new place... think if retail therapy replaces drinking I'm going to end up massively out of pocket

Day 16 completed, even more impressed with myself as we met friends for a pub lunch.

Welcome to day 17! I slept insanely well - and woke up a comfortable 2 minutes before my alarm went off.

Jaqui I don't think caving to AF drinks counts as caving at all!

Morning folks! Day 17. Extremely proud to be this far along. I wake up everyday feeling so grateful for not drinking the day before.

I'm not feeling very good today in terms of MH and situation with OH still not very good, which I always find very stressful. Kind of just want to curl up on a ball in bed kind of feelings!

But I am up and working, I've got my gym stuff on ready for later and plan to muddle my way through. I don't really have the energy to resolve the issue with OH right now which is part of the problem.

Sorry to hear @DeedIDo you have also had trouble - it's horrible when it happens.

*in a ball rather! (Not sure on a ball would be very comfortable 😅)

@Crunchymum is that rheumatoid arthritis? My Mum was struck down with it in her early 50s, literally went from OK at the beginning of the month to hospital and retirement on ill health at the end... every sympathy if so, it's such a horrible illness with some heavy duty drugs

@NorthernChinchilla, I have Psoriatic Arthritis so I have the joy of psoriasis alongside what can be quite debilitating arthritis. I am only 41 as well (diagnosed late 30's). I take a strong medication once a week but had missed several weeks in December to allow for extra wine [you aren't supposed to drink more than 6 units a week, which to be honest I go quite a bit over anyway but I chose wine over medication for Xmas and NY and I am paying the price]

I have regular blood tests and my liver is checked so I guess I've been lulled into a false sense of security about being able to drink on my medication.

To be honest I have had a rotten few years and I was definitely using wine to self medicate (birth of child with rare genetic condition, my own diagnosis, very sudden death of my mum in 2020). I ebb and flow with my drinking. Sometimes it is just my 6 units on a Saturday night and all good. Sometimes its 6 units on a Monday evening then I write off the whole week / don't take my meds. I was finding towards the end of 2021 I was having bad weeks a bit too often.

It was all becoming a bit of a mess. So I am taking control.

Sorry to hear about your mum. It's horrible what bloody arthritis can do.