Dry January and beyond - Thread 2

[BulldogMumma]

Hey everyone
New thread as the old one was filling up
@Flicitytricity @coastergirl @TimeForNosecco

@TimeForNosecco
Must've been posting at the same time.
That's an amazing update - I sense you will be fine on your holiday! :) good luck anyway tho.

Also what an achievement losing a stone..wow! I was at about half a stone down but it's prob gone up over last few days as I've been eating a lot! We always have a lotnof food in when the ILs are here!!

How’s everyone doing? I went out Saturday night, stayed out past midnight and it wasn’t hideous… dare I say I actually enjoyed the evening? Genuinely. I didn’t think I’d ever get to the stage where a night out for hours watching other people drink would be on my list of fun things to do, but here we are. Plus I had that glorious Sunday morning without a hangover. It really is becoming life as usual.

@TimeForNosecco how did your holiday go? I’ve been thinking of you and hoping you had lovely weather and a chance to relax.

I’ve been hitting the exercise hard. Lost another 2lbs and feel really good. Positive and hopeful. I will be 120 dry days tomorrow, I remember in January counting down the percentage like 2% of the year 😆 well for anyone interested we are 32% of the year dry.

The start of May and the first 4 months of the year completely dry! Feels fabulous! Another 2lbs down when I weighed myself this morning. Staying on track with my exercise and healthy eating and was glad when I started digging out my more summery clothes and they fit fine!

I swear something has switched for me in my brain. I’m hardly thinking of alcohol these days and when I do it’s fleeting. Hope everyone else is doing just as well.

That is great news, well done on all fronts!

Sorry been a bit quiet. Was on my own most of the week with kids and totally exhausted by bedtime, which is when I usually am on mumsnet! All good here. Went to a festival thing yesterday and I must admit I momentarily did feel a bit sad I couldn't join in with the drinking of various lovely local ales, cider and mead on offer! But I did get over it quite quickly and had a great time. I did the whole.play it forward thing, thinking that I knew if I just had one, I would want more, then so on and so on...it is amazing coming to the realisation you really don't need booze for a good time! I felt really tired today as it was a long day on my feet as I was volunteering for part of it and it was very bust then woke up super early this morning. A trip to the beach and some fresh air sorted me out and have had a second lovely day of the bank holiday!

How is everyone doing? @TimeForNosecco you haven’t posted for a while, I hope all is ok. I’ve had a bit of a wobbly week. Still dry but emotions all over the place and I’ve been feeling a bit unwell. Work has been tricky and the kids difficult. Spent a bit of time doubting myself and feeling just a bit rotten. Doing my best this morning to shake it off. I spent years picking myself off the floor so know where to start it’s easy to think that when you remove alcohol everything else is fantastic but of course life goes on and without that crutch it can feel harder to cope. Drawing on all the tools I have picked up since Jan and hoping I can turn the corner this weekend.

I've stayed dry since January 1st and I haven't been posting as I don't feel I'm adding to the discourse. I'm finding it easy now. This weekend I went to Club Soda in Covent Garden with a friend. I recommend it to anyone if you are in London for the day. We each chose a selection from the taster menu of AF wines and spirits. I was really impressed. There's so much out there to help with social options.

Morning! Amazing to those of you still here! I popped back to say you should all be really proud of your achievements!! After having a few on Mother’s Day I have to say the next weekend & the next one I also had drinks until I realised last weekend was pretty much back to pre Jan levels with all the physical issues I had then!!

my dp very gently pointed out how happy I’d been jan -March and how unhappy I was now.

so I am back on the af wagon and reminding myself that once I broke the habit it was fine!!

just thought I’d post to remind you guys how significant deciding to have just one day off can be!

i’m glad to be back and if any of the dry Januaryers who got soggy… want to join me back at the start it’ll be great to have the company!!!

Welcome back @Seahorsesplendour, this sounds a lot like me last year, except it took me several attempts before finally cracking it this time. I have always wanted to be able to take it or leave it but the truth of the matter is I just like drinking too much 🫣

What I would say is I haven’t regretted the decision for a second! It’s taken a few months for the benefits to really hit home but now they have and I feel much better. Wishing you luck for this attempt!

@ThriveIn2025 thank you!! I’m very grateful to be back!!

min the interests of honesty I’ve started taking Mounjaro to try & get on top of my weight.

Before starting it I had decided to stop drinking again anyway as it’s a big part of the problem but I have to say it’s fascinating! From the first day of having my jab the wine witch was silenced!!

It’s certainly been easier than the first time this year!!

I hope everyone is ok and aim grateful to be enjoying being alcohol free again safe in the knowledge this is a definite choice that has been surprisingly supported by medication but I will not be going back once that stops!

happy Monday everyone!!

That’s great news @Seahorsesplendour, wishing you every success with the weight loss and the dry ambition! You’ve got this! I’ve managed to lose the weight I put on at the start of the year and just maintaining a “healthy” weight is enough. I’m counting down to 150 dry days this year… can’t believe I’ve managed it!

That is great @ThriveIn2025 😀Amazing achievement!!!

and thank you!! I was a little nervous about putting it on this thread but figured we’ve all got our own struggles!!

@Seahorsesplendour
It's great to hear from you again, thanks for sharing your update. I too wish you every success in your journey! I've read about Mounjaro and similar making you lose desire to drink - what a great side effect! Hope the weight loss goes well - and the dry journey and keep us posted!

I've been bit quiet recently as actually really struggling with tiredness - I'm calling to GP tomorrow to see if I can get a health check done as I really don't know why my energy levels are so low. I was feeling great mostly in early spring having been dry since Jan!
I'm 42 and never did go for my hitting 40 health check so maybe it's well overdue!

@AuraBora thanks! It’s really quite fascinating!!

sorry to hear you’re not great! How did you get on at the dr’s?

Checking in on day 150! Who would have believed on cold dark January 1st this would be possible.

I honestly have been so tempted by a glass (or old me a bottle) of wine but haven’t yet. I would love to be a “take it or leave it” and enjoy a glass as a treat. Has anyone successfully moderated? I just don’t want to go back to where I was.

I’m at 9 months. No pangs at all and don’t even want alcohol at all. Keep going

Congrats @Destiny33 I also just passed 150 days 🎉
Yes I still get the urge for a glass, especially in the warmer weather but all in all it passes very quickly and I remind myself why I am doing this and how much better I feel. 5 months down! Amazing!

Thanks - actually I realised I'd got slack st taking my multivitamins. After a couple of days back on them I felt OK. So I guess I must be a bit deficient in something. I'm guessing vitamin D or b12 or similar. Still should do my health check up though as its be good to know if I have low levels of certain vitamins.
Well done to everyone keeping going/getting back on the wagon. I must admit I'm finding it a but harder now the novelty has worn off and was v tempted on a recent amount trip but still had a lovely time without the booze..

*camping trip

I’m still going strong @AuraBora. Do you remember at the start of this thread when I was counting the percentages almost daily? Well we are nearly half way through the year now. I feel tempted on occasion too but I know I won’t if that makes sense? There are just too many positives of abstaining!

@TimeForNosecco are you ok? I miss your updates on this thread…. I’ve joined a Strava group of people who run and whilst I jog along I feel really inspired by the group. Your exercise updates used to inspire me too!

@AuraBora Really glad to hear it!!! I was d & b deficient few years ago (take regular supplements now) and remember how awful I felt!!! Glad you’re feeling better now!!

ive hit my first month dry again and feeling good!! 18lb down too and managing to exercise again which is really helping everything!!

very strange this evening as had quite a full on & stressful day today & am physically and emotionally exhausted ! Sat down thinking wow I’d love to feel a bit tipsy right now… but no actual desire to drink!! Had to laugh at myself!!!

hope everyone having nice weekend!

Massive congratulations for getting back on the wagon @Seahorsesplendour
That's amazing.. and I hope it's going well?

And hope everyone else is still going strong and enjoying the sunny weather!
Another upside of not drinking is being able to do an evening session at our local lido - if never have fancied that when drinking!
I'm generally keeping up with self care and exercise much more now and I look better than I did this time last year - altho prob still a few more wrinkles!

@ThriveIn2025 I know.. I can't quite believe almost at the 6 month mark!

I’m still here @AuraBora! I think 2nd July is halfway through the year. I remember counting the percentage on the first thread.

Not everyday is sunshine and rainbows but it’s certainly much better. I’m so productive. Weekends feel so long now. I’m saying yes to things I avoided before because of alcohol. I even signed up to an activity that starts at 9am on a Sunday. Unthinkable this time last year.

Yes to the self care too. Moisturise every evening and sleep is reliably sound. I also think I look younger than this time last year. Bags under the eyes have all but gone. I feel calmer and more confident. Less anxiety and less hiding from the hard stuff. I’m so much better at just dealing with things. That niggling sick feeling at the pit of my stomach has gone. I feel free.

Hey all!
sorry I’ve been awol but I’m back now. I did okay after dry January but in the last few months it’s crept back up again.
Currently on day 4 and already feeling better. It’s so good to see so many of you still here and on the 6 month mark.
I think after dry Jan I told myself I could do a month no problem therefore it was okay to drink again and I had around one bottle a week for a few months but it’s slowly creeping back into weekdays and I’m not going back to a bottle of wine a night.