The freedom thread ( continued ) Riding the rollercoaster of an alcohol free life!

[ChampooPapi]

Adm1010

Hello all

This is a thread for people who have decided that life is much better without alcohol!🤩 These threads were started by @Drybird, and they have changed the lives of many people.

Some posters on these threads have been sober for a long time, and some are only just starting. We are a very friendly and inclusive bunch and we are always excited when someone new joins the thread. The only thing we ask is that our posters have given up alcohol completely. Talk of moderation can be triggering for some people, so this thread is not the right place for that (there are other moderation threads🙂).

We are a supportive welcoming bunch. No question is ever to “ silly “ and their is generally someone around if you are struggling

So just come here to chat or vent or check in . Whatever you need as you ride the rollercoaster of an alcohol free life smile

Thank you to @Adm1010 for hosting the last thread 💜

And here’s to the next 40 pages grin

I've keep coming back to this thread and giving it a read. It's very supportive.
I'm on day 13. Stomach still not right but energy a bit better. Obviously I want my stomach problem to clear up but I'm also a bit scared that when it finally does get better I'll be back to "just having a drink at the weekend." I know where that ends up.

I've got family coming this weekend. A late celebration of mine and my nephews birthday. I won't have an issue with drinking during the get together as it'll be during the day. Others may have a glass of wine which I can't drink and I don't day drink. Never have. It's when they leave that'll be the problem. Usually I'd have drinks to unwind and decompress. I'm not planning on buying any vodka but am dreading if one of them has given me a bottle in my birthday gift.

I think the only solution to that will be to pour it down the sink when they've gone. I am hoping my dh can deal with this. He has been af by default. We've not really spoken about it other than me saying that I have to stop for good as I keep drinking myself into this hole. He agreed and said he only drinks if it's in the house, which is kind of true. He previously used to try and convince me that I wanted a drink and then he'd pop to the shops last minute once I'd caved. The 9.55pm dash.
Fortunately he's being supportive for now.
Best wishes to all of you and everything you are all going through. Sorry it's so long but just wanted to get it off my chest.

Afternoon all.
My phone is not liking Mumsnet or updates.

Just cancelled a party tonight as people cried off. Saves me a 'I don't drink conversation'.
@JennyAct3 I have also had the pains in the legs bit. Is a sign of nerve damage through alcohol apparently, tis on NHS website. I don't get it anymore.

I used to cry a lot @BunniesBunniesBunnies . But my mood is more stable. the Thursday therapy has helped too.

And I did a rare and beautiful thing yesterday- I WENT INTO A CORNER SHOP AND DIDN'T LOOK AT THE BOOZE .

Shouting because I didn't realise until I got home. Bloody hell.

hi @JesusSufferingFuck22 you have done amazing so far! i also keep coming back and posting om day 8 here, i think im moodier than usual or as someone said earlier i think i might be just a moody cow anyway hahah thats good your Dh is not drinking either. Maybe if you do find someone gives you an alcoholic gift you give it straight to dh or inside some cupboard and after theyve left let dh pour it away or something? so you dont have to touch it if that makes sense? ive had to decline yet another event and i hope my 'friends' dont go off me!

@JesusSufferingFuck22 I think you are very wise to have a plan, operation plughole, for any vodka that is in the house. There is just one white wine grape that is my witch, anything else I can easily ignore. So I just can’t have a bottle in the house. It makes it a lot simpler. Hopefully your stomach will heal if it’s given half a chance.

@BunniesBunniesBunnies everything you say really resonates with me.

I have times when it gets on top of me (home, work, kids [youngest is disabled], semi recent bereavement, my own health condition) and I have days when I don't feel great.

When I was drinking all the same issues existed but I felt a lot sadder a lot more of the time and I wasn't coping. Life was a cycle of anxiety, guilt, sadness and fecking wine. I've stopped that cycle and I never thought I could or would.

I know even on my 'worst' AF day I am feeling much better than I did on my 'best' drinking day.

@JesusSufferingFuck22 well done thus far. It is worth it (despite my moanings!) I promise. I never day drank. I liked to save it all for the evening and preferably without an audience (IE guests!!) 😬I hope your party goes well.

@JennyAct3 I like a few different tipples but there is one thing I can't have in the house (my preferred brand of Rioja). I have prosecco, Champagne, other Rioja, beers, Baileys and I haven't been at all tempted. If "my" wine had been in, I wouldn't be at 80+ days.

I am actually working on getting rid of the booze stash, will give me more room on the shelves in the hallway.

@SavBbunny Teared up at the words nerve damage, been on the nhs website, alcoholic hepatitis does ring some bells. Very odd knee and shin aches in bed at night for the past few months. Thank you, I think I needed to read that. I am worried about liver damage. I would say I have been over government guidelines for 8 years and very heavy drinker for 4 years. 12 years in all. Very glad I am doing this. Hoping a year without alcohol will undo the damage. Not that I intend to drink again.

Just a thought. If it's the Wine Witch, does Vodka Vampire have a ring to it? It really does suck your spirit.

Vodka Vampire sounds apt to me.

@JennyAct3
My liver went from 160 to 125 in 50 days. Normal is 120. Believe. It's hard but its your life, your choices.
Booze can delay your thoughts but doesn't change them. Makes you vulnerable to joy thieves.

Loving the corner shop win @SavBbunny 💪

@Borrowbox are you still around? I recall you were just ahead of me on days so must be getting to the 100 soon too..?

@Onewildandpreciouslife best of good luck with the scan . Scanxiety is a very good way of putting it!

@SavBbunny
great news about your liver! Amazing how the body can heal.

checking in on Day 9. It’s interesting how we’re all here from different parts of the UK or the world, with varying degrees of dependency and separate lives, yet we come back here for support and encouragement. It’s quite bittersweet

Do you know where you got your numbers from? I have regular LFT (profile) due to my arthritis and I don't have any numbers in that region?

I'm guessing you are on about a different test.

Checking in 🙌

Hello @ChampooPapi hope all is well with you.

Morning hope your placement went well @ChampooPapi > day 9 and it's hard.

Morning @Namechanged12344 - yes it is. But it’s day 10 tomorrow and think what a huge achievement that will be. Can you plan yourself a treat if you get there?

For those of us struggling what to say when declining a drink, I saw an Instagram post this morning that made me giggle. Her solution was “I don't think that’s a part of my journey today.” I’m looking forward to trying that out next time I’m down the pub 😁

@Onewildandpreciouslife

😂😂😂I can only imagine the intense eye rolling and slagging off I’d get if I said that to my mates. Gave me a laugh though, thanks.

day 10. Double digits! Hurrah!

Morning all.
@Crunchymum no idea what the numbers were. I hsve RA but this test was done for weight loss surgery.
I was never a drinker everyday but I was heading that way.
Friday, Saturday and sometimes Sunday when i dashed to get a 'cabbage'.

My previous employer was a heavy drinker (drinks out at 5pm)
I left that company with a serious and growing problem.
I have now been on this AF journey for 4 months. I weigh less and have better sleep. I think i smy nicer to my family.
I have had a few blips but generally people accept my faux gin drinking. I have had one friendship end but I think that was more about my self respect improving not the drinking buddy culture. I am less willing to accept falsehoods from so called friends. Surprising how many drinkers are big liers.

Have a good day all.

Day 6. Thanks for that @SavBbunny , I think my liver will need a lot more time to recover somehow but that’s fine. @Namechanged12344 thinking of you, sorry it’s so hard. Maybe write down the reasons you are doing this to keep your focus?

On declining a drink. I hosted a get together with some school folks. Some I didn't really know at all. One couple when asked if they'd like a wine/beer said "Eh maybe later, can I just have a soft drink for now." They didn't drink for the remainder of the party and no one cared because they were all drinking. It just stuck with me for some reason.

Feeling like crap today. Stomach issues had me up during the night so didn't get a great nights sleep. I not able to work because of my MS so at least there's that positive I didn't get up until 11.00am
Stinking headache and still really tired. My brain keeps telling me it's ok, I can have a drink later and gives me a little nugget of something to look forward to after what will potentially be a bit of a shitty day.

I'm not falling for it.

Distracting myself as best I can.

Thinking of the positives and the wee things that make me happy.
I have my plants to water. Lettuce and rocket have sprouted.
I'm going for shower. I made some soap a while back and it smells amazing and lathers beautifully.
"New" clothes arrived from Vinted and are all washed and ready to wear(thank you dh)
I have an incredibly limited diet but found some chocolate I can eat. I limit myself though. I may have a couple of extra chunks today.

I've got a book to read for book club.
I may even do some writing too.
I phoned my mum last night so I got that over and done with (all good, she just does my head in.)
Amazon delivered earlier so the rest of the day is free.
My legs are working a bit better than normal.

In reality I may just sit on the couch and play another game of pet rescue saga and scroll through mumsnet😂

Hope everyone has a manageable day with little bits of sunshine to see you through xx

You guys are awesome I got to say. Thank you for taking time out of your hectic lives to think about me and post . Well done @JennyAct3 for day 6 whoooopppppp thanks I will write down the reasons , I've actually been more proactive today then I have been in months because I'm not constantly thinking about when I'm going to drink next now that's out of my mind I have more space for other important things! I am a sensitive soul unfortunately and little things are getting to me and I'm overthinking a lot now I don't have the drink to dampen the thoughts if that makes sense ? Argh why couldn't I have just been a normal drinker.
Anyway half my life later I have realised I just hope I haven't done too much lasting damage on anyone or my body.
@Onewildandpreciouslife how was the scan or is it not here yet hope it goes ok! Thank you so much for your wise words. I hadn't planned on a treat (there's so much going on only for next few weeks so maybe if I get that far I'll treat myself to something I don't know I'll think of something - trying not to shop at the moment for clothes, trainers or jewellery as I think I have an addiction to that too lol)
@JesusSufferingFuck22 sorry you haven't been sleeping and hope your headache has gone ? ms sucks but I'm glad you are positive and eat those extra chunks of chox!
Thank you all again you guys have really helped.

@JesusSufferingFuck22 sounds like you are all over it, if I am having a bad day or bad night I reread books I loved as a child, in the last few months I reread Mallory Towers and Secret Seven on my kindle (to save my blushes).

Probably lost everyone’s respect there😂