I know I need to cut down/stop...

[enterpriseincarnate]

....but I don't really want to. I just want to want to, for health and financial reasons. I have a repeat lft and first ggt blood tests on monday and I'm dreading it. I have cut down this week (weaker drinks) and I only have a few ready made cans, no neat stuff now. Just needed to get this out I guess.

May I ask what the lft and ggt are for in terms of is it literally alcoholism or have you other symptoms/conditions and this has flagged up?

I work for the NHS and advise on lifestyle including alcohol consumption, but I'm by no means one to preach.

Sorry replied a bit quick.

How much are you drinking in an average week?

If you've managed to cut down this week just take this forward and keep going. The issue for many alcoholics is after one drink their resolve goes and that's why they end up stopping completely.

I've been a daily drinker who has to have it and I stopped. I can drink now occasionally and can have alcohol in the house, but I find situations difficult if I have one I want more, then I want to have more at home. I catch myself but it's hard. It's best to stop and stay stopped. I feel much better for it.

I stopped by replacing the drinks with something else Shloer, Appletizer etc

It was flagged up by routine tests for long covid, I have been getting through at least a litre of vodka/gin/rum each week (mixed with lemonade etc)

I've had my last drink for several days this afternoon so fingers crossed

So that's roughly 40 units per week, sensible upper limit is 14.

Just to warn you, blood tests will show up your alcohol consumption for around 120 days prior to the test due to blood cell regeneration times etc.

When were your first lot of LFTs done? GGT in particular cab take a few weeks to drop.

Be honest with your GP about your alcohol intake, and I say this as a recovering alcoholic.

You've said it yourself : you don't want to. So you won't.

Quitting alcohol is hard. It takes effort. You need to commit to it.

For many people , the impetus comes from the fear of losing something important; a relationship, a job, health. It sounds like you might be in for unpleasant news after your tests, and that might give you the shove you need. But what if your results are ok? Will you take that as a free pass to carry on drinking?

Not everyone reaches the mythical "rock bottom", but there is a tipping point. For me, it was looking at my life as a whole and realising that alcohol was beginning to detract from it in a whole load of ways.

You might find it helpful to consider what is keeping you under the spell. At the same time you could learn about about the effects of alcohol abuse. Read some books, dip into the long term sober threads on here. You don't sound ready yet, but I hope you get there. Life without booze is so much better than life with booze ever was. Its hard to imagine while you are still stuck in the same repeating patterns.

You won’t stop until you want to stop.
Prior to wanting to stop, there is often a long period of denial where you convince yourself you don’t really need to stop, and it’s not really that bad because you’re not getting the shakes etc etc etc.

By the way, blood tests etc often show up totally fine until they don’t and permanent damage has been done. So don’t be fooled by those.

The truth is, if you’re even asking yourself whether you should stop, you probably should!

I quit drinking almost two years ago and I only wish I had done it sooner. I don’t miss it at all.

Good luck to you!

Quick update - thank you to everyone who has replied x
I'm at the end of day 2, I've told several friends who have been super supportive, and been honest about the situation with my husband. Found that mixing tonic water with lemonade and orange juice is a pretty good substitute for a g&t. So far so good! I actually do want to stop now, I feel good about not drinking and freedom from trying to get rid of bottles and cans without DH seeing how much I've gone through.

Well done that’s great!!
There’s a lovely supportive thread of people (old and new) who don’t drink, you’re very welcome to come and hang out and chat if you would find that helpful

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/alcohol_support/4461184-The-freedom-thread-continued-Riding-the-rollercoaster-of-an-alcohol-free-life

Even if not good luck to you and keep going!

In terms of substitutes, may I also recommend fizzy water or tonic with ginger cordial? Has a really good bite that other substitutes lack.

I used to drink as much as you and stopped - I'm now comfortably within the limit with lots of non-drinking time and life is so much better.