Cut back from 8-9 bottles of wine per week to one ..

[illraiseya]

When should I see and feel a physical change.
It's been three weeks.
I drank to that extent for three years as I wanted to bury pain. The pain ironically has dissipated as I got rid of miserable and negative partner and am letting emotions flow through ne rather than drown them out temporarily.
I'm trying to focus on my physical health and appearance now. Thepsychological side is being taken care of with support but I know that a physical change would give me great motivation to continue.
I don't feel withdrawals and I don't miss the alcohol or the feelings it gave me.

When drinking I slept like a log and woke up relatively fresh. I was definitely sluggish at work and not firing 100% on all cyclinders. That's improved so much.

My mood is the same although I'm less needy and anxious if I'd drunk a huge amount the night before .

My eyes were slitty, my face puffy and blotchy sometimes and I had this enormous swollen belly relative to the rest of my body. I also had discomfort under my right rib cage. My calves were also regularly swollen.
That discomfort is gone and my belly isn't as swollen but I still looked wrecked as I don't sleep as well anymore . I've started to really up my skincare and water intake.

I go to bed early, drink enough water but definitely wake a few times per night and my last hour or two of sleep is so light, I feel like I'm just dozing.

So when will I stay to feel like myself or look like myself again.
I feel like I'm hiding under layers of puffiness and tiredness.

Thanks for reading and all the very best to those who are doing their best to control their alcohol situation, whatever that may be.

[illraiseya]

Any experiences please?

[ZenNudist]

No experience of this but just wanted to say well done. Keep at it, one day at a time. Have you considered getting some support so you can keep going?

[Sparklingblah]

I would say that you will probably be getting more healthy every day but won’t realise for maybe more than a month, after two?

Take some photos now and measure your torso at its widest part. Continue everything you’re doing and then repeat weekly with the pics and measurements. You will likely see a difference when you look back after several weeks.

[isthewashingdryyet]

Are you taking lots of B Group vitamins and also a good multivitamin?
Is your diet good, based on protein and good fats and small amounts of good carbs and loads of fruit and veg.

sounds like your body needs time to repair and recover. This takes a long time, weeks or even months

well done on your progress so far

[illraiseya]

I dont have any support because for some reason, I just got sick of it and decided that enough was enough. I haven't had any cravings but have my drinks on one night over the weekend.
The end con coded with the end of an incompatible relationship and that has freed up my time and my mind to concentrate on myself? Which is long over due.
It had become a habit f boredom, loneliness and sadness.
I'm tackling these simultaneously while cutting way back.
Getting rid of that nasty man child opened up lots of opportunities ,cutting way back on wine was the biggest gift he gave me

[Soproudoflionesses]

No experience but wanted to say well done.
Cn you treat yourself to a nice massage or a facial at all?

[illraiseya]

I'm going to have a facial next weekend . I've been so looking forward to one and got a voucher as present a few months ago.
I've never discussed my with anyone and my kids are oblivious.
It must thing and I want to deal with it alone supported by anonymous posters like yourselves! Much appreciated also btw

[Newnamefornewyear2023]

Well done, that’s brilliant! If you aren’t sleeping so well can you increase your activity levels in the day? A 20 minute run or even a brisk 20 minute walk? Does wonders for my sleep. I’d have thought would also help with any bloating etc

[Peridot1]

There is a lady on Twitter who posts under the name SoberLady. She has some photos of the difference in her after giving up alcohol. Amazing difference. But it did take time.

well done to you by the way. That’s amazing.

[PragmaticWench]

Walking a little bit more each day should really help get your lymphatic system moving and increase endorphins. More exercise can help improve sleep, but doing a high intensity work out late in the evening is probably going to be counterproductive!

Alongside the facial you could add something like vitamin C or hyaluronic acid each morning for your face/neck, then a SPF. Should make you feel more fresh faced and doesn't take a huge commitment or head space. Also protects if you're outside walking more.

[1983Louise]

Well done you, that's a massive achievement 😊. I use meditation to help me relax at night, there's loads on YouTube or apps. There's also Get fit with Rick on YouTube, he does walking keep fit exercises to music, he's very popular. Good look moving forward, you'll be a different person by spring xx

[Mabelface]

I used to drink the same until I left my husband, and like you have 1 a week. The changes happen fairly slowly - but, when they do it's amazing.

It coincided with me moving a to more active job too.

7 years later, I've kept off the 3st I lost and am actually not that fussed about drinking now.

Might be worth a chat with the gp to see if there's support with the sleep issues. You'll find better and healthier coping mechanisms in time. You're doing really well!

[pointythings]

I think if you've changed a long standing habit, it's going to take more than 3 weeks for the effects to show. Incredibly well done to you!

[TrevorOptions]

Wow well done ! Keep going, just think of the money you are saving too.

for big changes I think six weeks is when stuff starts to really happen. Measure and photo yourself today and put a reminder kn your calender to do the same in three weeks time and you will see a big difference then!

plus drinking loads of water and doing a bit of exercise. Multi vit and vit d as it’s so grey.

well done !!!!

[illraiseya]

Thanks f😊 r all the encouragement.
I looked on Twitter but there seems to be lots in f sober lady accounts so I'm not sure which one if anyone could advise please?
What changes did you see in yourself once you had established yourself after a few weeks/ months?

[Lcb123]

Well done! I find exercise makes a big difference to my sleep - even a short brisk walk. Can you try this, or some at home exercise like yoga or workouts on you tube?

[Aposterhasnoname]

Are you me? I’ve done exactly this, right down to the exact number of bottles a week. It’s only been three weeks, but I feel much better and I got a notification from my Apple Watch over the weekend saying my average resting heart rate has dropped. Hoping for some more drastic changes before my holiday in May.

[Peridot1]

The Twitter account I meant is actually called ASoberLady. Her pinned post is a picture of the two halves of her face - before and after.

[Bluetrews25]

Gosh you are doing so well
Re-read your post and you will see that you are seeing positive changes already!
If you don't miss the alcohol, then why are you having that one bottle a week?
It concerns me that you have it all in one night. Does that count as binge drinking? Not that I'm saying have it over several nights, more like why have it at all?

[ABrotherWhoLooksLikeHellMugYou]

I'm not talking from any experience now, but perhaps a complete break from the alcohol for a couple of weeks might help the process. I wonder if your body doesn't know if it's going to get the knock out effects of alcohol or not and is to-ing and fro-ing to try and compensate?

I don't know if this is something that would work for you,or if you want to try but having a binge once or twice a week might be making it harder for your system to move on?

Either way I think you're doing really well to have moved on from that toxic relationship and do positive things for yourself. Well done. Lots of water and regular exercise are my other very uninspired suggestions!

[illraiseya]

Aha @Aposterhasnoname ... I am you without an Apple Watch 🤣
It's so brilliant to have all of this support. It's been a secret for so long and while I don't want to discuss it with family or friends , I just want it to be my thing where I concentrate on my health, sleep , nutrition and exercise .
It will be interesting to see if anyone notices any changes in my form or in me physically. I will look for that Twitter post now thanks . I'm loving the long dark cold evenings by the fire , just reading and watching some
Straining service and then climbing into bed really early with my book.
I feel so content. It's hard to get out for a walk. I'm so lazy nI w

[illraiseya]

I want to have a night a week to have my favourite take away with my favourite drinks watching something really good on tv .
I felt that going fully off it would be unsustainable and unrealistic for me. I wanted to have those treats and have had one bottle of wine on a Saturday night for the last two weeks . I've had plenty of water on those nights also and food.
I suppose I could give it up entirely but I don't actually want to .
My drinking was absolutely related to trauma, abuse, misery tbh. It was a welcomed deafening of the misery I was surrounded with and the courage of didn't have to finish it until Christmas.

[Helpel]

Found this video really interesting and it goes into detail about how your body recovers short and long term after stopping drinking. The pain under your rib cage right hand side stuck out in your OP - that's your liver - so it's great that isn't hurting anymore. Keep going you're doing great.

[PauliesWalnuts]

You’re doing fantastically well. I find a daily very brisk walk of an hour really helps with my sleep.

[Believeitornot]

It doesn’t take much alcohol to mess with your sleep and health, so you might need to work towards trying couple of weeks of nothing at all? Given the level of booze, you’ll need to work towards it - and you must be pleased with your progress so far!

Then when you get to zero for a couple of weeks then you can reset yourself, notice changes to sleep etc then decide what is a sensible level for you. I’ve found that only with no booze do I get great sleep (but it takes a while, usually a week or so!)