The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Kicking The Wine Witch Into Touch!

[Mouseface]

Hello, I'm Mouse

Welcome to the Bus. We're a group of posters who have been on a journey to here, there and everywhere when it comes to alcohol and the abusing of it.

Some of us drink, some of us don't at all and some of us are trying to get there, really trying to just stop the cycle, break the habit and calm everything down. Some of us are desperate to not be 'that' person anymore.

One Day At A Time or ODAAT.

So what have you got to lose? Weight? Saggy, puffy eyes each morning? False friends? The risk of cancers and other fatal illnesses......... why not join us?

We have a resident MonsterCat, Wolf called Seth and Squid called Barry (best not to ask about Barry! )

And, if you want to see where we've been so far, the links below will show you. The first ever thread is the best by far, because the OP is just like you. And me.

FIRST EVER THREAD

PREVIOUS THREAD

Good morning babes. It's February. So what are the plans now, for those who were doing dry-ish January? A dry-ish February? Or build on your success and go for a completely dry February (a bit easier because it only has 28 days!), or make up now for any 'missed' days in January - so if you did 20 days sober in January - make up the extra 11 now. Or maybe just find some time to write down what your experiences have been - what went well, what felt more difficult. Any congratulations for every single day that you did manage to remain sober. We all know this is not an easy route, so whatever effort was made was a step in the right direction.

Good Morning all beautful and brave babes Hello new babes too, I'm very new, but I'm so glad to have found such a wonderful place to come and share and meet people who understand exactly how you feel. I'm not sure which babe said she was suffering with pain under her right ribs (I'd have to read back, but I'm prepping veg for a big job) - but I had that for a long long time and was scared that it was liver-related and so didn't go and see about it. But in the end I had such a bad pain (I actually thought 'Oh God this is it'), had to go to hosp and I've got an ulcer in my duodenum, which is just under the right rib cage. It's a nasty large one but it's not anything to do with my liver, so I was mightily relieved because a bottle of ww a night had become my default setting. In fact all my LFT tests were normal (I kept asking the doctor 'are you SURE'), and he said why do you keep asking that and I shut up very quickly. Sorry it's so long-winded, but I worried about it for such a long time and it wasn't that serious. It felt like a shark was taking a bite out of my side at it's worst. Go and get it checked and sorted. Mouse I've been reading about Nemo, and he is sooo gorgeous in the photos - you said he is starting to try to talk and that made me cry a little bit. It will be so wonderful when he can tell you things xxx All babes doing the 5:2 I've found it bloody hard this week and scraped through by the skin of my teeth - doesn't help when you're making stuff for dinner parties .... Have a great Friday all of you and ignore the WW with all your strength (she seems to gain strength at the weekend, but so can we - from each other xxxx)

Morning, tis me, Mouse

Fabulous post venus - I've been thinking the same thing.... for those who did so well over January (and before), does the fact that it's February now give you a green light to go back to how you drank previously?

And if so,are you going to? But even more than that, why? Today is the same as yesterday isn't it? The sun rose (in some places ), the night will fall, the DCs are at school/work, your house is still standing..... you're the same Babe as you were a few hours ago so why change things now?

Take it a day at a time.

Or if you do want to drink today, why not make a realistic plan and stick to it? That could be the goal for Feb. A planned drinking month for those who don't want to stop?

The same as with a diet, have an allowance of what you can and can't have? Just some thoughts that were going around my head at 3am

JWN - how are you today? Are you in work today or at home, pottering? xx

Curry - are you around? xx

Ma - is today when your bro goes to his counsellor? xx

I'm on a none fasting day to day and had a sneaky weigh this morning and I've not lost anything which I can deal with, but I've also measured my bust and in the last 2 months, I've lost 3 cup sizes!!

I've gone from a 32H to a 36E. The smaller the cup, the bigger the back goes up with larger breasticles apparently! I can't believe it. A whole new world of bra's have been opened up to me!

One of the MNSecretSanta gifts I got was John Lewis vouchers so I'm going to buy a new bra and treat myself to a winter hat. Having such short hair make hat wearing tricky! I look daft in most hats apart from the ones that look like they have plaits with them!

Right, shutting up now. Sorry for the waffle.

I hope everyone is okay?

Can I jump crawl on board?

I am a problem drinker. I can easily go without if I am working or driving and had no problem stopping during pregnancy. My problem is the same as quite a few on here- giving myself permission to open the wine once the kids are in bed and then not stopping until the bottle is empty. I felt quite abandoned by my mum and DH when my DC were babies and I think drinking was my way of throwing away all sense of responsibility which was weighing me down at the time. Now the DC are older and my DH is much more supportive I feel like I could and should get back in control of my drinking.

My concern is the long-term health implications and also setting a bad example to my DD's. I also hate feeling rough in the morning. My parents were both heavy drinkers when I was growing up (still are) and I'm sure that's partly where my habits have come from.

I would ideally like to be like my DH and have one or two glasses with a meal on a Saturday night and leave it at that. I'm not sure how realistic that is though.

Sorry I've rambled on, but I've lurked for ages on these threads and today I've found the courage to post.

Welcome Two and a massive well done for posting! CanI say that for now, you need to concentrate on YOU and not your DH's drinking?

He needs to control that himself. It sounds as though you having little or no support when the DCs were younger was your trigger to find a 'friend' and I'm so pleased to see you say that you no longer want nor need that.

So, what is it you want to do? Stop or cut down? Oh and I'm talking about today, just for today x

ladame what a great Friday morning post, normally Friday's a nightmare but I'm feeling very very positive that I won't drink at all this weekend. I am finding dealing with the kids harder because they are both very demanding and wine is my usual "calm down" valve. I will have to find other ways to manage my stress. It's difficult cos my crohn's means I can't get our much and if I'm in the house my 2 year old is like a heat seeking missile searching me out. I wish I could say I look better but I don't, can anyone tell me when this will occur? Anyway happy day my lovely babes, it's time for me to get steaming (with the vax) x

Thank you for the welcome! I really need some hand-holding. I have given you the wrong impression of my DH. He hardly ever drinks. He will have a glass of wine on a Saturday night (if I open a bottle) with his meal but then drinks tea for the rest of the night. He doesn't suggest drinking and would happily go without. I would like to be like that.

I want to cut right down so that I can enjoy a couple of glasses with a nice meal on a weekend and enjoy a drink socially. I want to get out of the habit of drinking a bottle of wine in one sitting on a random Tuesday night - just because I can. I don't want to feel shit in the morning and be grumpy with my wonderful DC and I don't want to lose any time I will have with them because of my heavy drinking.

I won't be drinking tonight (I'm on nights), also on nights on Saturday, but I would like to not drink on Sunday -which will,be a challenge because I usually convince myself that I need a drink to get to sleep after my last night shift.

two I wanna hold your haaaaannnnd x x x

Thank you babyjane - don't leave me hanging on the line...

Mouse wait before buying that new bra!

If you've dropped a couple of cup sizes that doesn't mean you've gone up a chest size.
The same cup size would be an H on a 32inch chested person, but an E on a 36 inch chested person - do you see what I mean. But it doesn't mean that if you drop a cup size you alter your chest measurement - unless you've gained 4 inches around the ribcage, you'll still be a 32. Hope that makes sense. I vary between an EE and a G, but always 32. Get yourself measured at a proper lingerie shop, if there's one near you, as they say that most of us are wearing the wrong size anyway!

Great post from Venus, as always.

I love your steamed story Baby

There should have been a question mark after 'do you see what I mean' - my keyboard is knackered and I've lost my 'p', question mark, full stop and use of my arrow keys, meaning I have to cut and paste everything!

Mia - I've been measured and that's what I came out as in the shop but thank you. Have checked and double checked with the online fitting guide, I see what you men about the gaining inches but that's what the lady said. I was too! xx

Dame - thank you for the nice comments about Nemo xx

Just the two of us we can make it if we try (you too kotinka) ha ha ha ha

Mia - this was just john lewis btw, I'm different in m and s and next!!

morning babes!! had a bit of a lay in, dont know why but i still feel incredibly tired, absolutly drained. anyway, like venus says, its a new month, so for me, its my new beginning i have a very busy week next week, several functions, ive worked out some strategies for doing them all and not caving in, im doing a lot of driving etc so i should be fine - its funny, for so long i did so well that it was almost second nature to make sure i was sorted with 'sober strategies' now im back to the beginning again - boy, did that happen quickly!!

am off to do a bit of baking - see you later babes!!

btw, welcome two

A question for those of you who have managed to resist opening the wine when the kids are in bed... What can I use to replace the 'treat' of wine, something that will give me that irresponsible feeling without actually being irresponsible IYKWIM.

Morning All!

Friday. Day 6. I won't be drinking today. Feel OK, but still get that funny feeling at the back of my tongue. Just like it used to feel when I wanted a ciggie. (Kicked that habit a few years ago).

I'm feeling absolutely exhausted. I've been like this for a couple of weeks or so. Just so drained. Still. February is here. A new month. Onwards and upwards for us all.

Welcome two I feel for you - my Mum turned her back when my OH died and then again when DD was born. We didn't see her very much at all for several months. But then, it was always all about her. As you'll see from my previous posts, she is now very unwell indeed.....

Mouse Nemo is gorgeous - and your DD, she's a beauty.

Sorry, I haven't name-checked everyone. Thank you all for your encouragement.

Welcome Two

Well the John Lewis fitter should be pretty good Mouse, that's for sure Maybe you didn't notice your ribcage measurement increasing as bras stretch quite a lot - I'm always miffed at how quickly a new bra stretches and I go from the loosest fastening to the tightest, and then they start to ride up after a couple of months!

Hi I'm new to this, I've decided to beat the booze I just don't enjoy drinking anymore so here I am day one ready to go !

Mia - I see where the confusion has come in now after reading back!

I also have typo issues, 'see what you men'

When I went onto town on Weds, I was measured at the posh boutique there, and came out at 71.5cm under the bust and 78.5cm around the largest/widest part of the bust. The bras in the boutiques were £40 - £50+ for the ones I liked , and varied from 32F to 34GG etc depending on the make.

So, I went onto JL website and using their video guide, followed the instructions and the measurements came out the same as they did for the bras in the boutique (cm wise), so I called our nearest fitting store, and spoke to a fitter on the phone and she agreed my measurements for their bras was 36E. Phew!!

I have one that is 34G from M&S that fits and a 32H from Fantasie, that is WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY too big in the cup but fits on my back if that makes sense!?

I'm hoping that the JL ones fit and that I'll finally have better looking boobage again. My M&S one is one it's last legs!!

Does anyone know if you can get pads to put in bras to 'fill' them out underneath your breast? I love the 32H one but it's so big and baggy, it looks horrid but DH bought it me with the knickers to match and I feel it's such a shame not to wear it.....

Anyway, boob talk over with. Sorry for waffling on at you Mia but I wanted you to understand how I got to the size I did and after reading back realised why you posted that warning. Thank you xx

JWN - you sound much more like you again today Even though you're back to the start in your eyes, please don't forget what you achieved before you landed arse over tit in the side car! You really did come an awfully long way and are not far from being there again.

You know you can do it, you will do it because you want to do it.

Take good care of YOU for a while. xx

Lemony - thank you and a huge well done on day 6! Go you!! xx

Two - Sugar. Wine is loaded with the stuff so if you become a sweet or ice-cream addict, so be it. That's not going to kill you any time soon. Stock up on sweets and sweet drinks ao you don't crave that.

Treat wise? Go for it! Whatever you fancy as long as it's alcohol free. If you think about how many calories etc are in wine.... you could have pretty much anything and not hit the same amount as you would having a bottle of white.

Or save the money and buy yourself something nice?

I love cranberry and pomegranate juice in a tall glass, crushed ice and a slice of lime. And I treat myself to chocolate on a Friday night for a good week's work. I still drink you see. Not all of the time, just when I fancy or on special occasions.

I drink mainly on the weekend and mostly it's the odd pint of cider in the pub, or a glass of red with DH over roast beef.

Right, I need to go and clean before DH gets back and wants to make his lunch, aka make a bloody mess!!

Morning Babes,

baby I laughed out loud at the "steaming" - how lovely your DH came home to check on you though :)

Welcome two - familiar story there down to the irritatingly controlled DH ;) I don't have the irresponsible feeling any more - I'm making a patchwork quilt instead! Keeps my hands busy anyway...

Welcome mytime I'm only on day 5 so not far ahead of you :)

Well babes I totally kicked that WW last night. My ds1 got an offer letter from the school he wants to go to. We all went out to dinner to celebrate which would usually consist of muchos wine and I had a DIET COKE, an early night and a lovely clear head this morning. My first big test and I passed :). Have a couple of social events this weekend but ŵeirdly getting through last night has made me feel much more confidence..... Bring it on WW I'm ready for you :)

Have a great day babes x

Oh and jesus I'm on day 5 and am still crushingly exhausted. Not sure what's gong on but I have chosen to feel that it is "healing" :)

welcome Two and Thisis and well done for posting, it is hard to write it down the first time!

babyjane I'm still waiting for the clear skin, loads of energy and bright eyes - that just doesn't seem to happen with me! Maybe because I didn't actually drink that much - for me the effects have been more psychological?

well, February. Actually I don't know. I don't mind having a drink once a week, but on the other hand the longer I go without the easier it gets.