Today I have accepted that I must end my love affair with white wine.................

[mummypoppins]

I adore it............consume it in bucket fulls and like a gorgeous man it takes over my life and leaves me feeling shite most of the time. Im fat, pasty , dry skinned and constantly tired and now it is starting to affect my work and home life. Yes I function very well and my children are happy and healthy cared for a lot of the time by a nanny as I work 60 to 70 hour weeks but I dont like myself very much and I know I could do so much better without this obession in my life.

So no more wine ( red or white ) or beer etc. Its gin and slimline tonics from now on and only at the weekend. Goes well with the weight watchers plan too.

Anyone else want to join me in suuport ?

Does the presence of dh make you more likely to keep off the sauce, Chardonnay?

You did really well to manage two nights CL and I'm pleased you felt better for it. It gives you more confidence in your ability to refrain doesn't it - just breaking that cycle. I have had a few drinks on a wednesday a few times during the past 8 weeks or however long it is that this thread has been going and I don't feel at all guilty about it.

Welcome back Sibble - I know what you mean about not wanting to drink after having dinner. This was a tactic I used early on - having my dinner early. In fact I now have it around 6pm whereas before it was nearer to 9pm.

Hope you get rid of your sinus infection soon detta. I've had a few of those this year (got another one now, but feel it's viral rather than bacterial so no point in getting anti biotics). Bummer about not being able to drink at the xmas parties though.

Congrats CL, I know how hard 2 free nights can be and what an achievement it is. I had another half bottle yesterday but it was at lunch at a vineyard so hard to say no but was very pleased with myself that I turned down some more when dh opened a bottle when he got home from work. His comment...was I still sick .

Keep going everybody.

Elastic - yes it does make me more likely, I am a sad lonely drinker, happier to get wasted alone so no-one can watch.......sad I know.

I managed another night last night with nothing. Tonight I have had one glass of wine adn have stopped at that.

You are doing really well CL - see you do have the willpower

So Chardonnay, would it help to have more adult company in the evenings, assuming dh is not available very often?

Didn't have a good week this week, couldn't go to parties as children were sick also. Managed two spritzers last night (even though on antibiotics). Husband opened a bottle on Thursday to 'see what it tasted like' and we ended up polishing it off!

Good luck to everyone.

Well, I had a bit of a crap weekend. Not quite back to my old ways. I could still stand up when I staggered off to bed.

My period has finally arrived which I've noticed quite often makes me want to overdrink.

Today I feel like absolute rubbish. I had to go to the doc about side effects from steroids and the only thing they said they would do is take some blood to test liver/kidney/blood platelets. I said no I couldn't cope with any more bloody diseases at the moment. I am getting really fed up with feeling so crap from the bloody medicine and not being able to see my own gp. I don't really know what to do or where to turn.

Hi hellobello - just said hello to you over on the other thread. I had a rubbish weekend too - far too much for four nights.....and ended up in massive argumetns with DH because of it. Becuase I have confided in himt hat I think I have a problem, he is mostly supportive, but then uses it against me when he needs to.....

I was off it last night though, and I am hopign to get all the way to Friday without a drink.

Good luck CL - I cant even hope to be off the booze till Friday. That would be a whole week for me! Virtually unheard of outside pregancy.xx

THanks MB - I scare myself silly by reading articles about how women should not drink more than 14 units TOPS per week and worry about the years of abuse I have done to my body.......its on my mind all day every day. Still doesnt stop me sometimes though....

I hope you know that the unit thing was plucked out of the air, CL. What we do KNOW about alcohol is that it's a poison, and too much poison is generally not such a good thing, but what we don't know is who tolerates it better.

If you are managing a couple of nights off a week, it's a good start. Guilt is rubbish. It really is kicking the dog when it's down.

I've found it quite helpful to have things to do in the evening, even if it's just the crossword. I know then that when I can't be bothered to do it, it's because I've had too much to drink.

Yes I find keeping busy helps. When I gave up smoking (only because I was pregnant but never went back) I took up knitting to keep my hands busy. That was a really hard habit to break and seven years on I still find myself wanting one.

So far have had two free nights, hoping to go for a third. Have a load of cards to write, birthday and Christmas... that should keep me busy.

Good luck to everyone this week.

Can I join in with you all? I have got into habit of pouring two or three glasses of wine after dcs are in bed. Reckon I must drink up to 4 bottles of wine a week and I'd like to halve this amount and have at least three alcohol free nights in the week. Will start from tonight and make some herbal tea instead and see how it goes.

Hi Lallylou, welcome. I too drink 4 bottles a week but on two nights! I had a bad night at work last night, people moaning about queues and being generaly unseasonal so I drank a bottle and a half when I got home. I went to bed at 1am and was up at 5am. Shattered, had an hour kips whilst DS at nursery and DD at school this morning - hate wasting my free time sleeping off a hangover. Nevermind, nothing tonight but tomorrow might be tough and friday night worse as dh out. I could do without it as am working all saturday and is bound to be busy.Visiting mum on Sunday and that is bound to drive me to drink!

I had a glass of lager last night. The bank call centre (in India) drove me to it.

Welcome Lallylou.

I have found since joining this thread it's like a second conscience so I'm less inclined to pour myself a glass. I have also stopped getting any white wine in so it's not there to drink. Mind you it doesn't stop me drinking beer or red wine!!!

You could replace your wine with something other than a drink, like a bubble bath or foot soak while watching a favourite DVD (almost typed video there...).

Hi Lallylou I don't buy wine in the week anymore. If you ain't got it you can't drink it! We have lots of beer as dh drinks it (he doesn't drink it often which is why we have a lot iyswim - multi-packs last ages!)but I have to really be in the mood to drink it. In the mood for wine any day!

Thanks for the welcome, everyone. I was doing great last night until about 10.30pm when I poured myself a glass of red wine (just the one though and I didn't reach for the one of the gigantic wineglasses that I normally use!). So..it would have been nice to have reported a good first night but at least it was only the one glass I suppose. Tonight I'm going out Xmas shopping with dh and we normally stop off at the pub for a couple of hot whiskies, will see how it goes.

I read that article too in the Times the other week about the woman who had liver failure despite claiming to be a moderate wine-drinker. It really scared me although I do realise there was probably a touch of scare-mongering journalism in it. What concerns me is that I can see how easily daily drinking can creep up on you, alcohol is so insidious.

Welcomes Notdoing (good name btw!)

Hi Lallylou and Notdoing - welcome!

Notdoing - I am just the same, once I start, I really struggle to stop, I just want to keep drinking and there is always plenty in the house, if not wine, then spirits. I am worse when I am on my own as there is no-one to judge me and I can just merrily get trollied, sad but true. I have not done great this week, managed no booze on Monday, but Tuesday I had two thirds of a bottle of wine, and last night half a bottle so failed in my mission to do monday to thursday at almost the first hurdle!

Hello new ladies. Have decided to 'allow' myself wine tonight as working Fri and Sat nights and then at mums for a day (arrgh!) then 11 hour shirt Mon and Tues so no chance at all till next weds!!!!!. benn to sons nativity today, he was a shepherd and fab, went to bed early last night to avoid drinking so had clear head today. Done all housework etc which is what a do before a 'session' s when I get up next morning at least the house is nice and clothes ironed!.

We only buy in what we are drinking THAT DAY as neither me or DH can be trusted with large amounts of booze in house. Same with choc. Ate kids advent calendars three times before Dec!

Hello all. I had an appointment with the consultant yesterday, and they're really pleased with the operation, they're really pleased that I don't need chemo or radiotherapy, and I think they are pleased that I don't need hormone treatment. Dh has just pointed out that I am now cancer-free! Wow! I do think that is cause for celebration!

hoooray hoooray hoooray!!