The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Posters, Lurkers, Old Or New, Come Take A Seat, This Bus Is For YOU!

[Mouseface]

Hello, I'm Mouse

A huge big welcome to the Brave Babes threads.

We're a varied group of posters, on this wonderfully supportive, non judgemental, gigantic Bus, and we are all heading in the same direction - towards Sobriety.

Some of us don't touch a drop of alcohol, some of us do. Some of us drink too much, openly admit it and are desperate to stop and some of us are trying to manage controlled drinking.

No matter what we're doing, we're just trying to do it One Day At A Time.

What ever you need, what ever your habit, chances are that there'll be another poster who is just like you or has been where you are now, already here, waiting to talk or just listen :)

Yes, some of us have been here for a longer time than others, some of us for just a few days but that's what makes this Bus so great imo, the variety of knowledge and understanding :)

This Bus has been whizzing along various roads now for almost four years thanks to the very desperate cry for help from THIS THREAD BY JWN

And if you'd like to read some of the other threads, maybe how we got to where we are today, then you can follow them back using the links RIGHT HERE

Hope to see you soon :)

Hi joey I'm here - are you okay?

alias I'm back and forward between cleaning the house, you ok? How tricks at your end? X x x

hello Babes

Yeah I think I recognise the signs of anxiety & panic building up. At least I can pre-empt it. Or at least know what it is.

Taking mirtazapine, sleeping better but once again this does not do anything for my anxiety.

I do have some prozac, which (from Dr Google) it does seem you can take both together... I'm just unsure if together they will give too high a dose of serotonin [they are capsules, so cannot do half-dose]

Also don't know if its worth trying if the GP then turns around and says no I can't have both. I need the mirtazapine, its not just a one-off bad nights sleep - its chronic insomnia for 18 months (I couldn't go to work on Monday)

I will have to try prozac on alternate days, and on Wednesday see if the GP will prescribe something which can be halved instead. I know the sertaline had a break-line. Pretty sure I don't need a high dose of anti-anxiety - as have worked hard with CBT and hypnotherapy - just a low-maintenance dose will do.

Morning Babes Just marking my place and had a quick read back to the winter thread that started me on my Bus Journey
remember 'Hot chocolate and Thermal tights'. It's good to read back as I also wanted to check that it is really... 6 MONTHS SOBER FOR ME!!!!!

Which reminds me I must get a haircut its been 6 months since my last.

So for the Stats : Did I say I'm 6 MONTHS SOBER !!! oh yeah I did

Weight Loss 20LBS
No Scary Liver Pain (fatty liver, cirrossis ???)
No Double Chin
No Acid Reflux - also causing mouth ulcers (ugh)
No scary sweating (thought I was pre-menopause)
Normal toilet behaviour

Bottles not drunk - 546
Money not spent on wine - £2184 (have I got that right - crazy)

Don't care if I sound smug, I feel it, its a real breakthrough for me up until now I've been preparing for a fall or a relapse or just a silly moment (I have dreams where I mistakenly pick up a drink and everything goes wrong). But getting to the 6 months milestone is a big deal for me, partly it means I'm breaking the cycle - i'm not my mum, dad or sister - who couldn't break the demon drink habit - it's not going to be my destiny to die drunk.

Keep it up Babes

I WILL NOT BE DRINKING TODAY

Koala

alias - sorry you're feeling crap (or anticipating it!). I don't know anything about the medication side of things but it sounds like you've got a good plan there - maybe someone else will be along in a minute who can give more informed advice.

That level of insomnia must be horrific - but good that you're starting to sleep better. Is there anything you normally do when you feel the anxiety rising that helps? (Exercise, have a bath - dunno - these are probably crap suggestions).

koala - that is brilliant - bloody well done. Very over the weight loss - you must be feeling fab! :)

koala that is fantastic - you must be feeling so healthy!

Thanks edin stupid thing is because of the anxiety I keep doubting what to do, worrying about everything...

Yes, all the suggestions you made are good (and chocolate!) I have a great CBT app as well. I just suddenly felt the need for someone to talk to

Hi Alias I also take antidepresants and sleeping pills for insomnia - had both issues for years. Taking 100- 150mg Sertraline and 5-10mg Temazepan. I'm hoping to cut down on the Temazepan soon but sticking with the Sertraline as it works for me better than previous prozac. Also noticed that stopping drinking had a startling effect on the Sertraline and my mood (Surprise surprise as I was effectively taking a depressant (alcohol) and trying to counteract it with an anti - stupid eh).

I found that changing doctor at my surgery and starting afresh was a real help - I felt more able to tell the truth and doc was able to give better diagnosis and therefore get meds right.

Be careful of mixing your meds - I threw all my old stuff away so I wouldn't be tempted to mix them - its difficult when you're feeling low and so easy to go down the slippery slope - I used to forget what I'd taken and when.

koala

alias don't be - be proud of yourself for knowing what you needed to do! :)

koala - before I look completely shallow (which I am) I should say I'm also very of your sparkling healthy liver.

koala yes I admit it is hard keeping track of all the medications - in the last year I have had seroxat, mirtazapine, prozac, back to mirtazapine, valium, sertraline, mirtazapine again, lofepramine.... !! Right now I just want to be stable again. And I think mirtazapine you can take long-term, which you can't with temazepan?

Been taking seroxat for years for anxiety, the insomnia only started 18 months ago - I'm doing my head in trying to figure out the cause but right now I've almost given up wondering why.

And am doing amazingly well on the alcohol front - but can totally remember and understand how addictive it is - the thought of being 'knocked out' and not worrying for a couple of hours.

alias you must be physically and emotionally exhausted nor sllrp

But I won't (drink, that is)

Wish I'd brought my Kalms to work. Feeling quite jittery now. I only have one coffee a day (always before lunch)

Sorry for the me, me, me posts! Thoughts are racing. Will take prozac tomorrow morning and get back to normal (hopefully)

Sorry bloody iPhone, you must be totally drained in every
Way not having slept for so long, do you think the insomnia caused the anxiety or the other way round? koala I'm so very proud of you, I remember we talked a lot (via here) in those early days. I feel so happy for you and you are a shining example of what can be done, I love that you post weight loss, well being etc cos I want to look good as well as feel good ( now that's shallow) koala you've made my day, ps I'm walking to shop grinning like a lunatic after reading your post and think the little children passing me are a bit afraid, never mind SWISH SWISH xxx

that is what worries me babyj is that the GP will assume the anxiety caused insomnia, or vice-versa, but I swear it is unconnected (beyond the obvious fact that each makes the other worse)

Had anxiety issues (and mild sleep issues ie. getting off to sleep which is classic anxiety) for many years

This more serious insomnia - which includes early-morning waking (ie. typical of depression, which I don't have) started about 18 months ago.

But if I try to explain all of this, between that and listing every medication I've taken, well I get anxious just thinking about it! And that's used up 6.5 minutes of the 7-minute GP consultation time...

Christ

Twitchy now

alias I totally relate to what your saying, often when my crohn's is very active I get scared to go out in public places in case I soil myself or have a panic attack or pass out (all of which have happened many times) I force myself to make the effort and the sheer anxiety of my worse fears occurring usually triggers my worse fears occurring, it's crazy!!! Have you learned any relaxation techniques that can help you, I really sympathise, panic is an awful sensation but remember you are a strong smart woman and it will pass x x x

babyj I know exactly what you are talking about, I also have bowel issues, luckily I no longer have the disease but I have 3ft of bowel missing. Permanent diarrhoea (sorry for bringing down the tone of the thread!) And at times incontinent. When I was pregnant it got worse - I assume the baby was pressing on the parts I had left and went into labour 6 weeks early.

I still have nightmares about the incontinence it's such a basic thing isn't it?

babyj we killed the thread

nobody wants to hear our toilet troubles

Hello

Can I join? Kind of feeling a bit awkward but need to take this step and own up to the fact that I need to get my act together.

Despite it only being words on a screen, it's taken me weeks to pluck up the courage to post on this thread.

Hiya hex - welcome and well done for posting :) . We're all in the same boat so don't be shy. Do you want to tell us something about yourself?

Actually that was a shit question wasn't it? I didn't mean to put you on the spot!

Thanks Edinbugger that did make me snort! If it's ok for the moment, I think I'd quite like to be the moody teenager that sits at the back of the bus not saying much, just until I get used to being here. But thank you for the welcome.

Thanks Isin . A bacon sarnie would be lovely - tomato ketchup please (obviously, brown sauce is for sausage butties)

Tend to go by Hex on here although I'm not a prolific poster. I tend to lurk a lot and post in spurts.