The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Staying Springy In Their Quest For Sobriety.

[Mouseface]

Hello, I'm Mouse I have an shockingly abusive relationship with alcohol, mainly vodka.

This Bus is full of drinkers, non-drinkers, thinkers and Babes, all trying to find their way to a happy, sober life.

Some are there, some are almost there and some are not. It really doesn't matter, we're all in this together.

Why not find a seat? Everyone is welcome, drinking or drunk, come and say hello.

HERE is the previous thread, with a link to all of the other wonderful journeys so far............

Thanks everyone - Ferfux and Venus, I honestly don't know what to do re. the party. The only thing I know is that only four of us will be there and two people don't drink, so I'm hoping I won't be drawn into getting wasted. I just can't trust myself :(

Blanket I do feel for you re. your MIL. There is nothing to be done about people like that and it is very hard when they are your family. Ultimately, it is her loss and she has deprived herself of a great deal through her own nastiness.

thanks mia why are you feeling bad again today?

grey so 4 of you are going to a cocktail party. 2 don't drink and you're on the fence. What will the non-drinkers have? Could you land on their side of the fence and join them in the non-alcoholic cocktails? That sounds like 3 of you having fun, and one person getting wasted. Go with the majority

mia are you feeling physically unwell, or just sad and rotten? If you think that it is a physical ailment (lots of bugs / viruses going around) could you think of a better medication than alcohol? I'm sure you wouldn't suggest alcohol to your dd if she had the same illness. Hot lemon and honey? Hot chocolate, a trashy magazine, a good book, a warm bath?

ferfex if you are going to alternate drinks, then I'd recommend starting with a non-alcoholic one. This was my approach to getting through events like that. First drink I'd say "Oh I'm so hot and thirsty, I think I'll have a big glass of orange and soda". Then second glass I'd say "actually that was really refreshing, I think I'll have another before starting on the wine".

What I found was that: a) I wasn't thirsty so I didn't drink my wine so fast anyway. b) By the time I'd had 2 big glasses of other drink I sometimes didn't even want a glass of wine. c) My willpower was not eroded early on in the evening (not like it would have been if I'd started with a glass of wine, then slipped immediately into 'Oh well, I'll just have another). d) If I did then have wine I wasn't dehydrated to start to had less of a hangover to deal with.

Afternoon, tis me, Mouse

WARNING - MEMEMEMEMEMEME post coming up....

I am in so much pain today. My back pain is radiating out to my hips and pelvis. I have nothing I can take with it either.

I've been to see the doc already, Monday, when he gave me some strong Ibuprofen. 400mg per tablet and 3 times a day. They're not touching the sides.

Sorry, I just had to say it out loud.

Mouse, hello, we haven't met yet!

Poor you - take paracetamol as well; you may find the combo helps a little. Ibuprofen 3 x a day, and paracetamol 1g 4 x a day. Go back and nag your GP if it doesn't improve.

Mouse sorry you are feeling rubbish :( Hope you feel better soon. Venus that is what I am hoping for, that most won't be drinking much. What I worry about is that I will do my usual 'anxiety drinking'. I tend to fret for days about going out with friends etc - I've done it for years. I don't know what I get anxious about. At the moment, I am worried that I will not be on good form, that they will think me boring etc. Drinking would be something I would do to cope with that.

Oh Mouse you poor brave babe. Can you not take MST or oramorph? OTC co-codamol as an emergency measure?

venus both - physically bleaugh and mentally bleaugh.

I've asked DP to pick up some wine on his way home.

Greyhound I know exactly what you mean about fretting about social occasions - I do exactly the same. People think I'm really confident and outgoing because I never shut up. But a lot of that is nervous talking and I just get really over-excited. Then I berate myself mentally and think that everyone must wish I would just STFU. I tend to the extremes; I either natter on and can't self regulate what comes out of my mouth, or when I feel like I do at the mo, I don't want to say a word to anyone. I dropped DD off at her climbing session this afternoon and sat in the car the whole time because I didn't want to talk to anyone. I did that at the last home-ed social too - they must think I'm really odd.

sunny that was really brave to go to your GP.

Rain I have no advice for you on coping with four five-and-unders, but you have my immense respect. Hopefully it'll get easier as they get older, and it sounds like you have good routines in place.

Mia You have put your finger on it - I seem really confident, really bubbly and extrovert. The life and soul. The truth is, I get terribly nervous beforehand.

You and I actually sound quite similar.

mia is there anything you could / would do before dp actually comes home? Could you eat a little snack so you're less hungry (cheese on toast? raw veg and dips? a bowl of pea soup?). Also 2 big glasses of lime and soda so that you're well hydrated. Then have a big weeping-fest. Then dry your eyes and play a board game with dd? iirc you are going to have a proper glass of wine tomorrow, with your meal. It's only one day away - think how much better (physically and mentally) you might feel tomorrow, if you can stick to that. Today you don't need wine to make you feel more 'bleaugh'. Go on. 24 hours?

Mia - I'm already taking the MST 120mg x2 daily and Oramorph as and when needed, 100ml bottle has nearly gone and I only got that on Monday so I know I'm hitting that too hard. I'm going to go back tomorrow night as an emergency appt.

Carrie - hey there, nope, I think I've missed a few new Babes of late, sorry. . I can't take paracetamol or codeine in the longer term as I 'over med' with it because the doses I've been on, just don't work.

Thank you so much for your kind suggestion.

I've got my TENS machine on and a hot water bottle strapped to my back.

DH has offered to go and speak to the pharmacist at the docs........ no point unless I can see a doc because they can't prescribe without, even if I've had the drugs before, like Tramadol.....

A warm bath may help buy DH has to help me in and out of it, taking the relaxation out of it IYSWIM?

Thanks all xx

I'm another who struggles to cope in social situations. I've used alcohol for that since I was a teen. I still feel horribly vulnerable in some situations, but sometimes that is helping me to become more brave (and sometimes I just ran away and hide). But at least I'm not the one talking crap and annoying eveyone at 3am, or imagining that someone else's husband fancies me , or falling over and hurting myself - all off which I used to do on a regular basis.

Gentle hugs Mouse.

Thanks for the advice Venus. I will definitely try your approach on Saturday. I also get socially anxious, though you probably wouldn't know it, and this is our first party for ages. Must not blow it!

In the meantime am more worried about today. I really really want a drink right now. There is nothing drinkable in the house and I can't drag DDs to the shop for booze, so the decision is out of my hands at lleast until DH gets home. Will try to snack my way through the craving!

Diclofenac mouse? Is it too late for an emergency GP appt. today? If the pharmacist is at the surgery, could a GP send down a prescription without seeing you? You shouldn't have to put up with this level of pain my lovely.

venus I'm eating crisps and hummus.

Just poured a glass of white.

Great mia I love hummus but I really, really need to loose some weight so I'm sitting here thinking about hummous and salivating.

Argggh! My 'great' was for your previous post.

Well you've got some choices - stop now, call it a near miss and feel thankful?

Put the cap back on / stick the cork back in, put the bottle far, far away in the garage or the garden shed, or in the boot of the car until tomorrow.

If you've had the one sip, then you've had that 'ah' hit. The rest of the glass / bottle isn't going to do that.

Tell us what you're going to make for dinner. You're a bit a of a good cook aren't you?

Have no urge to cook tonight venus.

I can do this when I'm on my own, just about, but when DD is here I can't. I'm just bursting with barely suppressed rage at stupid minor little irritations. Just feel so fucking ANGRY. And sad. Can't let it out or know how to deal with it. But I can numb it a bit with some wine.

venus, I wish I could do that; once the bottle is open, that's it, I carry on until it's finished. I don't keep any alcohol in the house, ever. It's either still in the shop, or in me. At least I live too far away from fresh supplies to ever start on the second bottle :(

Hi Carrie, welcome to the bus - I haven't been here long but it's an amazing place.

I've not been having white in the fridge for the last couple of weeks, as that's my weakness. Can't not have wine in the house though - DP has a lovingly stocked wine rack. I can resist the red, usually, and only drink it moderately ish. It's the white that's the issue, at this time of day.