The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Whacking The Wine Witch Round The Chops (With Barry The Squid).

[Mouseface]

Hello, I'm Mouse :)

I'm one of the Brave Babes who's travelling on this wonderful, magical, mysterious Bus, trying to hold onto my sobriety for me, and for my family.

I do drink but thanks to this Bus, I've kicked the vodka addiction into touch and the evil WineWitch has been banished far, far away so I now drink in a controlled manner, One Day At A Time. :)

By that, I mean that just for today, I won't be drinking. Tomorrow, however, I will be because it's a very special occasion. The day after will be dealt with when I wake, and the day after that, the day after etc.....

We're a Bus filled with some fantastic posters, some who drink, some who don't touch a drop ever and some who are on/off drinkers who have lovely warm seats in the side-car, some are hanging onto the roof-rack by the tips of their fingers and trying their best to resist the dreaded WineWitch's charms night after night. But they are trying, and that's all that any of us can do, is keep trying, keep starting again!

So, if you think that you're drinking too much (you probably are) why not come and say hi? We won't bite - unless you ask very nicely, manners cost nothing .

There's lots of seats so pick whichever one you like and have a . Just jump in, we're not a judgemental pack of quiche makers

And here's a bit of light reading for you.... our latest thread and the very first one, the reason we're all here.

PREVIOUS THREAD

FIRST EVER THREAD

Guggs I really wish I had planned my day out better. When I went to a wedding last year I had a solid plan written down with non-alcoholic drinks to tick off. I also checked in with the bus which helped me on the straight & narrow. With those supports in place I managed a whole day wedding without getting shit faced & felt great!
I just fell flat on Saturday but realise I hadn't planned past I'll drink shandies & can manage! For 3 days now I've felt shit & my voice is still not back properly & got meeting with new line manager tomorrow!

We have money worries with mortgage & childcare & after 3 months of not drinking was starting to see light. Yet the last 3 days all my worries, insecurities, anxious feelings, depressive thoughts have been back with a vengeance.

Don't want to put myself back here again. For those few hours the negative effects just are not worth all this. I don't even remember the end of the night & would rather go out & be present the whole evening & wake up the next day feeling great. I woke up Sunday with make-up still on. Beautiful necklace my work gave me on. Lost the necklace I had on
Love & strength to all babes tonight to tell the ol wine witch to bugger off x

Evening peeps :))
day 8 here - wish I could say I was feeling great but frankly I am not :(
Hoping a few good nights sleep will help.
Anyway not drinking tonight :)
Ma - think you are doing great - best wishes for you and your brother.
Ohclutter your post reminded me why I am stopping drinking - thanks needed to hear that today as struggling :)
Anyway of to get a lime and lemonade and watch the apprentice x

Hi Lonnika, sorry you aren't feeling great. Hope the apprentice takes your mind off things.

Clutter you are so right about the planning.
And about the mood. Feeling very doomy after days of over-drinking. Need to pull myself together.

Right off for a bath.

Hope things are ok with you, Ma.

My fucking younger brother now thinks he might not come up after all! Doesn't want to see Richard like that. Boo fucking hoo. Can't believe for all his fine words he is going to bail on us...mother really hurt at his selfish attitude. Fucking SHIT HEAD!
Well fuck him. I'll look after Richard myself and john can fuck the fuck off.

Sorry your not sleeping so great Lonnika, I've tried various sleeping tabs from Gp as not a great sleeper but at the moment what's working for me is the herbal night time Kalms. Good luck & hope the apprentice helps.
Curry sorry your feeling so rubbish. I'm seeing for me how quickly alcohol is a depressant. Hope you can manage some alcohol free days & your mood lifts.
MA that's shocking, selfish, cruel. How does he feel it it is for you seeing your db like this. If he can't come through for db could he not at least be a support to you & his mother?
Night babes, off to bed & really hoping to feel back to normal tomorrow, sure a day at work will help x

Hi clutter hope you didn't mind my comment. Personally I think that curiosity gets the better of us after a while sober and everyone likes to try drink again just to see what will happen. I know that that was just a one off for you and you don't seem to be keen to repeat the experience.
How's the new job? Sorry to hear about the necklace.

'lo there curry and lonnika

ma will you say something to your younger bro? Or does he already have a flea in his ear? the bus had some spare last time I looked

guggs he already got a flea in his ear from my sis...We shall see.

Orchid - Not laughable at all sweetheart :)

Today, I fell asleep with my head on my netbook after a bowl of Rice Krispies with a sprinkling of sweetener and semi skimmed milk, then after lunch, ham & cheese barm, late so threw on bread what we had in the fridge because it's new/replacement fridge day on Thursday, then my friend came so I was up and about for half an hour before going to get Nemo from school.

The moment we got back, I fell asleep at the netbook doing my admin again, head on the bloody keyboard.

I'm piling weight on, thirsty, (five pints of water so far) peeing loads but not a huge surprise! Not sleeping properly at night, even though I'm beyond exhausted, reflux, then up in the night lots to pee. But I'm drinking lots, thirsty lots, even in the night, drinking out of a 1/2 ltr bottle of water.

So, blood test and weeing into a pot? Very hormental and totally up and down like a fecking yo-yo. Yes, I've had a lot on of late but this is more

Thank you for asking Orchid, so much for asking. xx

Off to bed, will update properly when I'm more awake. Be Brave Babes xxxx

Sorry to ignore everyone else but MA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - why can't he come help? It's not fair that this is all laid at your door. Why? xx

Hello Babes - been awol for a couple of weeks and had to find you all again cos of the the new thread. Sorry to hear of so many troubles at the moment for some of you.

Life here in the Koala house is very busy, house is rented out from August and all spick and span in anticipation, lots of baggage thrown out (still a little more to go), new flat getting sorted, big plans to competely renovate and build extension to fit us all in. I'm starting my course tomorrow going in 3 times a week will be a stretch, along with work and planning the big move - but it must be done. Youngest DD much happier now she can see that plans are moving forward and she only has a few more months in her Dad's house of horrors! I'm so proud to be the mother of my daughters - they are fab.

No drinking here as of next week it will be 5 months sober. AA has suffered as has the bus because of my manic crazy life, but it will get easier and I'm so grateful for the help of the meetings and the net connecting with both just reafirms my decision to stop was the only way I could be of any use to myself, my girls and the world. Life Rocks!!

Are we still weight watching, as I'm now 20 lbs lighter and people are noticing - double chin officially gone.

I really feel as though I've climbed the hill and am looking at the view - playing the video in reverse I would have been drunk on the couch, filthy and depressed watching Bargain Hunt, liver probably failing, and my daughters would have been taking care of me instead of the other way around.

I daren't play it forward at the moment , but if I could write the script the move will go well, I'll get planning permission, find the extra money, have a georgeous and trustworthy builder working on the flat, whilst working for a fab boss in an interesting role, with happy daughter able to concentrate on getting her A levels and going to university to start her new journey.

I pray this will continue. I WILL NOT BE DRINKING.

Koala

Amazing post Koala. What a true inspiration you are not to drink. You are helping my resolve that life is just better when you don't poison yourself regularly! Well done, a truly brave babe. Wishing that all you hope for does happen xx

koala thank you for some much needed inspiration and hope

Oh Koala! I hope to be able to post like you in a few months....

However, for me, it's Day 1 again.

ma I think this might be the time to let rip at John. In the most ladylike way of course

mouse do you have an appointment with a GP? It's all sounding a bit meh.

Everyone else - have a {HUG} I'm not ignoring you all.... Just a bit fecked off with meself at not managing Day 2 again.

Koala! You are a STAR!!!! Thank you so much for posting, especially when you are so busy. It is truly inspriational to see someone keeping all the balls in the air and moving forward.

Hi Ma, sorry brother is letting you down. What crap. Thinking of you and R today.

Hi Mouse, I think something must be happening with your metabolism / hormones...?

Clutter, thanks, yes I hope I can pull myself together. We need to move house (again) and I just need to hang on till then, then I will sleep better I hope and it will be easier to live healthily. Right now I just need to hang on, accept I can't sleep well every night, accept there is lots to do, accept I won't feel great much of the time BUT there are some things I can do and ONE of them is NOT DRINK

day 2.

Have a good day all babes.

mouse goodness a lot of what you describe could be under active thyroid, not sure about the excessive peeing bit. When you go to GP don't let them fob you off, took me bloody years to get my medication right.
Feeling like crap today, sorry self indulgent whine, too much wine again, just can't seem to get past day 1, has been a long time since I had a hangover but seem to have one today. This is really sad but don't think I have had a dry day since Feb , feeling ever so slight panicky

Koala, what a truly inspirational post:)

Ma, how are things with Richard today?

BP monitor off, arm still red and sore to touch:(

Afternoon, tis me, Mouse

KOALA!!!!!!!!!!! - That post is the best, most inspirational, positive post we have had on here in a long time! :) Even with ALL that you've got going on, you are sober. Well done. I hope that you are VERY proud of your achievements and long may they continue. Wow! :)

Lemony - mouse do you have an appointment with a GP? It's all sounding a bit meh.

Sorry, I'm lost, what's sounding 'meh'? My appointment is on 17th May as that was the earliest appt I could get with my own GP and as we all know, having to go through your entire life story with someone who doesn't know you is a PITA

I call every day to see if they have had a cancellation, but there are other things I need to see my GP about too, so that's why I want to see him. Hope that makes sense :)

Sorry you're feeling fecked off with yourself.

Orchid/Curry - yes, so do I re the hormones/metabolism. Bloods and peeing into a pot no doubt will be the way forward.

Sorry to keep going on about it, you must be sick of me moaning and not adding anything constructive.

Ma - thinking of you xxxxxxxxxx

Obrigada - what did I miss? Why is your arm sore lovely? You okay? xx

Afternoon all, I have a question. Is it safe to suddenly stop drinking, read that it can be dangerous. Have been epic binge since Feb, drinking every night. Usually bottle wine followed by several double spirits, at the best, often a lot more Beginning to feel ill. Would appreciate your thoughts.

Orchid - on that amount every single night? DO NOT JUST STOP.

I'm not a doc but ..............

You need to try to cut down unless you are prepared/ready to seek professional help from your GP. Your body will go into 'shock' as such if you just stop so please don't.

Seek help, your GP can five you medication to help your body cope with the withdrawal effects and you will get them.

Your sleep will be awol for a while, again, you can get help with that from your GP.

BUT

The first thing you have to do is be honest, be open and tell your GP the truth unless you think you can cut down gradually, not many can and most fail in comparison to those who go for controlled, monitored reduction with help. xx

'give' you medication....

Also, are you ready to stop? That's the other side of things, you have to be mentally ready, really ready, want it like you've wanted nothing else in your life.

You have us, all of us, but to stand a chance of successfully stopping, you need to do it over a period of time, with regular check ups/GP help/counselling etc.....

You use alcohol for a reason. Once you take the alcohol away, the reason will still be there so you have to think about a replacement.

Hiya all ;)) Can I join the bus please?
Been lurking in the shadows for weeks now. Think its fabulous all of the support you give to each other on here ;)
History of me- have drank for years now not everyday! But enough for me to feel there is a problem ;((.
Have stressful job which I do enjoy most of the time. Have demanding kids lol who doesnt!?
Also on the verge of splitting with husband ;((. Long, messy story but its finished.
For example today have been thinking oh could kill for a quick wine!
Now am planning to have a couple of glasses and I will be able to stop but its just the real stark fear that I need those glasses..
It like magic medicine but I know its not inn the long run.
Can I sit at the back for the minute?

Thanks mouse. when you say body goes into shock what do you mean? I felt so ill this morning thought I was going to faint, have been feeling sick for past 2 days, general foggy feeling, if that makes sense. Not sure if alcohol related or just got a bug. I hate feeling like this, booze used to be fun, it now takes so much to get an effect it is crazy. Not sure ready to give up completely but certainly reasy to get it back under control. Life has just been so stressful but I know drinking does not help

Orchid - exactly what you describe! Feeling sick, suddenly after eating like I'm going to throw up what I've had, or nausea on and off....

I'll PM you later if that's okay, so we don't clog the Bus up with us waffling on xx

Sorry - the shock thing re stopping alcohol, doh!

For me, I felt dizzy, shaky, very faint and wobbly etc because I was suddenly removing lots of sugar that my body had become dependant on.

I felt and looked dreadful, felt hazy and so fragile. Didn't sleep, sweating, nightmares when I did sleep for very short bursts and I couldn't eat and shook when I hadn't had a drink.

It's literally what you expect the 'DTs' to be when people 'joke' about it if someone shakes. It's your body detoxing, when you remove anything from your 'diet', it's going to have an affect. That's why you need chemical intervention with the amount you are drinking each night to compensate for that. IMO anyway. I wouldn't just stop on those levels, nor did I.