OK I need to grasp this nettle.

[OrmIrian]

I drink too much too often. Have always liked a glass of wine but in the last 18m it has got too much.

So as a starting point I am giving up booze until my birthday on 6th Feb. If I make it that far I will see if I can go back to sensible drinking - if not it might become permanent.

I love wine. I want to be able to enjoy it without compromising my health long-term, my weight, my running (try running 10miles the morning after you've downed a bottle of red ),my mental health and my bank balance.

I've cancelled the bottles of red wine I ordered wih my supermarket delivery tomorrow, and replaced them with tonic water. I am planning to run more as a distraction. Anyone got any tips - the crunch point for me is about 6.30 when I am getting dinner ready. I don't want to fail because they I will be scared about myself and my addiction (no other word for it).

All advice gratefully received.

Bloody hell Orm/HowManyTimesDS!!!! How to confuse an easily confused person!!!!!

Right. I could go back and reread this thread not getting purplepeony and MIFLAW mixed up and knowing that you are 2 people or I could eat my lunch! I am at the eating lunch stage!

MIFLAW - you haven't got anything wrong and I am sorry if I made it seem that way. I totally agree that there are two different types of threads on here. And probably a fair few in between both stages really. And it is hard to know from an original post which end of the spectrum you are dealing with. I think my point is that sometimes a person who just wants to cut down to fit into their jeans as you say, gets the whole "get thee to AA"! But I do know that there are quite a few people on here who had much more of a problem and who got lots of help here from people like yourself who have been through it all.

Orm totally confused me (which is easily done!) and I was trying to respond to a few different people/viewpoints and got wrong end of stick. And I will get her back as she maybe forgets that I am coming to live in her neck of the woods!!!

Please don't stop posting on any thread where you feel you can help. You will obv help much more than me!

I don't think that both types of problem are on the same spectrum, if I'm honest - I mean that they are each a separate spectrum. And I think it's wrong when someone on the "jeans" spectrum gets advice fit for someone on the desperate spectrum.

It cuts both ways, though. It's amazing how many people pluck up the courage to make a post which is very clearly in the desperate camp (I am thinking particularly of one very long thread I posted on) who will then let themselves be convinced (partly by others, partly by their own denial) that they are actually in the "jeans too tight" camp. I wonder if those people ever do get the help they need? Was that their "big chance" and have they blown it? Are they still alive?

buda - I hope you ate your lunch!

MIFLAW - that is hard. Very hard.

There was one recently that I don't know if you were involved in but social services had been involved? That poster came back recently to thank everyone and had not had a drink for 3 months or something. I can't remember the details.

HowManyTimes - I did! On another subject we are about to exchange on our house finally! Completion should happen very quickly afterwards as there is no chain on either side. Am getting excited and buying lots of interiors magazines! Don't suppose you know any architects to go with your building firm recommendation?

Nope! According to DH, who was one of the poor bastards that has to work with the architect's grand plans, they are largely a waste of space DB works as a landscape architect so if you want any M-ways landscaped he's your man!

Sorry. Let me know when/if you want the contact details of QC. They are v good and also very nice people.

Feeling a bit cheated atm. Whenever I go to my parent's house I have a little snifter of ginger wine thinking it was alcohol-free. I wanted something to take to a party. But when I went to Sainburys to get some it turns out to be 13.5%! Bugger! Got some Jamaican Ginger Ale instead.

lurk

Hi Bibbity!

back later

Had some champagne last night. I decided I would allow myself some. Had two glasses. A it meh TBH. Would have preferred coffee but it wasn't available.

Now I really don't believe you would have preferred coffee!

I have just about completed my first week, and am feeling pleased with myself. I, too, have had the wine dream though! I even felt guilty in my dream that I was drinking, which was very odd!

I have a headache today; not sure if it's the low carbing, the alcohol abstention or the fact that I slept for 10 hours last night.

And I've been pleasantly surprised by how easy it has been this week. I had a couple of minor wobbles, but that's all they were.

Here's to next week being as easy, when I'm back in the swing of work. I have to keep focusing on the fact that I'm trying to create a new habit.

Honestly biwi, I would. The champers just tasted sharp and fizzy. Weird isn't it?

!

One of the very clear advantages of not drinking (possibly also the low carbing) is that the hot flushes that I've been experiencing over the last couple of months have gone.

They were starting to wake me up at night, so I'm very glad about that. The last couple of nights I've slept through for the first time in a long while.

Oh I agree about the sleep. It's wonderful! But I have to say the hot flushes remain. But I think that's menopause related and won't go away for a while.

Oh yes, definitely menopause related here too - which is why I think it's interesting that they have pretty much stopped. I had noticed this before actually - when I went on holliday once and abandoned the low carbing, plus drinking way too much because I was on holiday - that was when I had my first hot flushes.

So it's alcohol and/or carbs that exacerbate them. Will be interesting to see what happens when I start to drink again.

Well I got to my birthday and had about 9 units over the entire time. I feel great. Much happier and more patient. I am running so much better - more stamina.

I had some red wine on my birthday and a few glasses of white last night. But I am more than happy to know I won't drink again until next weekend. And I seem to have remembered how to stop when I've had enough.

All in all I am really pleased. But am also aware that I may have to stop again if it gets out of control.