Dry 6

[sydneysideup]

This is the thread for the alcohol free. Happy and hopeful, continuing from Dry 5 here: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/relationships/a2137624-DRY-5?msgid=50943574
Whether it's been an hour, a day, a week or a year, join us here.

Congrats Teapot, exciting times ahead eh?

No wouldn't even think about drugs anymore, though I do miss MDMA and clubbing.....but I gave that up after becoming a dad (would hate to be the kind of dad that stayed out 'til 8am once a month and was then usless all weekend!)

teapot - the only reason that that drug was taken was to enhance my ability to drink more without falling over!! As for your friends - gotta love caner logic
rb I miss that particular one the most too but drugs and kids do not mix!! Plus come down Tuesdays - don't miss those .....

Hello, sorry to just burst in but I am beside myself with worry and don't know what to do. My eldest daughter is having tests for cervical cancer. She has all the symptoms and I am just worried sick. I just don't know what to do. I feel so muddled and am trying desperately to reassure her and make her think it isn't this. It's a cancer that has reared it's head in our family several times, my grandma dies of it, my sister had a cone biopsy at 21, I had LLETZ treatment about 12 years ago and my mother has had spells of abnormal cells too, I know it's not a 'genetic' cancer but I am really well read on the signs and terrified. She has had some swabs taken and is going for a full cervical examination next week. trying to tell her it's 'nothing' but want to just scream. What can I do? if ever I needed a drink it's now. :(

molly are your GP's any cop? Don't pick up lovely it won't help anything!! Best thing you can do is try to stay calm for you and her. Medicine has moved on a long way since our grandparent's age and both you and your sister have been watched carefully and are okay right? It's been picked up and they are assessing quickly so you need to manage your anxiety in the meantime. Stay in the moment no future tripping right? Cake, fags, coffee whatever you have to do

Thank you! I have sadly exceeded my two fags a day limit today! I'm sure she'll be ok but I just can't think straight. She's coming round tomorrow to take dd2 swimming and I must not fall apart!

Molly - just caught up on thread and came to your post. Everything crossed that your Dd is ok. Lucy's right it will be a hundred times worse with a drink & throwing away all you''ve achieved. Bloody awful time keep posting x.

Thank you . I am not going to drink but I can see the attraction, sadly.

Ooh congratulations on 500 Days of Sobriety Lucy that's amazing

And Broken yes, a lot like St Patrick's Day!

Teapot [shy] if you do the course in Gulidford I could meet you for a coffee, it's my nearest big town. PM me!

Everyone who's been wondering about other drugs, fags etc. I know for sure I would never touch any of those again, although in the past I couldn't imagine even a day without a cigarette or at my worst, in my mid-twenties I can remember deciding not to bother going out on the odd weekend no Charles was available. [hangs head in sorrow and shame]. But the first and the last was always alcohol. I'm so glad to have finally given that the proper heave ho and I dread my children picking up a glass/joint/pill and disregarding their beautiful bodies.

I think we are so ego and mind focused that we forget our bodies are part of us sometimes, and I don't know if that is a cause or result of addictive behaviour.

Was ambushed by a film at the weekend, didn't have a clue that alcoholism was going to be a main part of the plot. 'Saving Mr Banks'. The true story of the writer of Mary Poppins. Colin Farrell putting heart and soul and truth of alcoholism into his performance. If you're wavering about whether giving up is right for you go get that DVD. My word I can't shake how terrible that must have been for those children.

On a lighter note - we had some snow this morning! Up at 7am and running around in coats and hats over our PJs. Fantastic fun and yet another thing I'd have missed when hungover.

Hey Molly cross posts. Sorry to hear your worry about your daughter - I had CIN2 abnormal cells at 25, cone biopsy then all fine since then.

Stay present, you can help much more without a drink. Thinking of you.

molly bugger your two fag limit for the next week or so - this is crisis stuff and something has to give :)

Haggis hope you're good and recovering from your travels and jetlag?
Molly distract yourself by listening to today's Women's Hour later - it features Laura who we met on Sunday
Sydney that's my entertainment sorted for the night - thank you!! Booze was always my number one love too until it started stalking me ....

Thank you everyone. The reason I'm more worried is because it isn't through a smear (she's too young ) but because she is bleeding heavily has pain during sex and bleeds after and is in pain. generally I worry that there is a tumour there already .
I just have to wait I know and be there for her.

My friend in the school playground told me about the club soda piece on r4! I was all smugly 'yeah, I'm kind of helping organise the Cambridge ones'

Sorry to be a bit me me me. Keep going everyone and I hope things sort themselves out with the husband tea.

molly I understand why you're worried Try not to dwell on it though as you're going to make yourself really stressed and it may not be the outcome you are fearing. Plus you did not 'kind of' help - it wouldn't have happened without you

sorry teapot, I meant ex-husband

I do hope your dd is ok molly. Know it doesn't stop you worrying but dsis suffered from those symptoms and after hospital investigations they found out she suffers from two gynaecological conditions that were causing them but not cancer. I know how frightening it is having had treatment done myself, waiting is the hardest You can do this without a drink, even if it means smoking your brains out and drinking a million cups of coffee or going for a 5mile run per day to get through it.

Thanks for the dvd recommendation Sydney I'll check that one out.

Fantastic news for you teapot though oi less of the old bag nonsense. Judging by the figures you've just given I'm about the same age as you Nope definately couldn't go back to the druggie days, was one the main reasons I split with ex. Once ds came along most weekends he still partied all night and slept all day. Ironic (hypocritical?) considering how hard I hit the booze once we broke up and I had on hand babysitters living with the parents for a while.

Teapot - I really hope the weekend contact goes ok. Quite how he can do it to your gorgeous Dds I have no idea. I'd be up for a London Club soda attendance if you & anyone else would who is based here.

500 days is bloody awesome Lucy! Sydney - glad you enjoyed the snow. We've had none . Broken I'm so sorry to hear you've spilt from your DP. But you sound so focussed on your recovery (if that doesn't sound to American.... )and that's surely a good thing.

Re the other drugs - twas me that asked Lucy about that . I've twice been in the situation since stopping drinking (heading for 8 months) where drugs have been around & I might usually have partaken. I briefly toyed with the idea. But firstly it seemed odd to do it without alcohol - and now I kind of think I'm wedded to the idea that I don't need that kind of shit. And I can't be arsed feeling rubbish the next day or a few days later . Also this morning I had the worst sugar hangover. I've cut my sugar down so much (not entirely though recently )- that two scoops of ice cream and pick & mix made me feel God awful this am. It really was nearly as bad as a real hangover and I was so glad I don't have them anymore. And incredulous that I did that to my body basically every day for so long.

Molly - really hope your DD gets seen & a good outcome soon x

RB and anyone else that's just done dry Jan - well done!!! and keep going. It just gets better.

Oh it was an early days under a year thing Haggis although we have known each other a very long time. In all honesty I know I didn't let myself became too emotionally involved although I felt shit as I know he was more invested in it. Oops combine my phone that doesn't scroll back and a crap memory for names. I'd be too chicken shit for it now, youth gave me the reckless 'it'll never happen to me', age made my self preservation kick in...plus I couldn't deal with the Monday to Wednesday blues. Well done cutting out the sugar, I'm a sugar junkie and could munch my way through two big bags of sweets in one sitting like I did last night. Would love to try and cut down but may be a step too far right now. Did it a while ago and had such a sugar comedown. Was so restless and headachy I gave up after three days.

I need to cut down on sugar now too - I was also one who never ordered dessert as it was rendered obsolete by the fourth glass of wine I was probably guzzling. And now I've quit alcohol I can't believe how I crave sweet things. Have not really done much about it up til now despite not losing weight (grr where is promised Gwyneth Paltrow physique????) as I was seeing it as a lesser evil but now I'm wondering...

I used to live in the Arabian Gulf in a country which wasn't dry like Saudi, but alcohol sales were restricted to upmarket hotels or special shops (you had to have a licence and were limited to a certain amount per month). Predictably looooooaaads of expats had a massive drinking problem.

One thing was clear - coffee shops and ice cream parlours were booming, and the traditional treats were very sugar heavy. Usual drinks there were shakes and sodas that had even more sugar than they do here, with Mountain Dew being super popular esp among young men. I wonder if many human societies are somewhat sugar addicted, and it's just that western countries have added alcohol into the mix too?

However alcohol is a huge problem for some men in Japan where sugar is not as common as here so not sure how my theory stacks up in East Asian societies!

Haggis how was the lucky country?
Hope you had a good time.

Lucy thanks for the tip for Thurs Woman's Hour I listened to it last night, echoed so many of my experiences.

to everyone else.

Hi all. My hysteria has subsided a bit now. I was still worried yesterday as she was meant to take dd2 swimming but called to say she had a bad tummy :-( she has just turned up to take her today and seems cheery, just want to hug her and not let her go. She is seeing the doctor this Friday for her full examination so I will stress till then!

God, drugs! I spent most of my late 20's and early 30's on speed. My boyfriend at the time was my twin as far as drinking and drugging was concerned - he has now been sober for 15 years (but is still a sanctimonious self obsessed arsehole )

At one point I went down to six stone and had audible hallucinations all the time. Terrifying to look back at. Funnily enough, I managed to just stop the speed when I met dh, and despite the odd very mild craving when I'm shattered, never think about it. I guess addicts do multi-use as we're always looking for that elusive nirvana.

Mother round today. I must not mention dd's problem as the stress would be unbearable!

Happy Sunday everyone x

Morning all
Haggis 8 months!!! Cake - next week-end right?
As for the sugar thing - we, as in the whole family, start Davina McCall's 5 weeks to sugar free for Lent Eek!! I don't know who I'm more worried about - me or the kids!!
Molly It makes me smile that we all had other substances in our past. I was wondering if I was some sort of oddity on MN but it would seem not!!

Blowy and blizzardy here - ran yesterday and won't be venturing out today!!

Hi all. Does anyone have any tips for getting through the witching hours, which are between 5 and 7 for me!

Hey elfina welcome! My advice is change up your routine between those times - go to the gym or food shopping, to the cinema, have a bath, anything other than what you would usually do and that should help a great deal. Plus get yourself a nice alcohol free alternative to drink and a reward for surviving - chocolate, flowers, magazine. Just fool your brain that it's not drinking time

start a reminiscing club music thread on a Friday or Saturday night and I've seen quite a few come out of the woodwork. When is Lent this year? Good luck, I couldn't deal with the tears if I took sugar totally out of my kids diet. It's hard enough with the tantrums because I don't allow them it during the week.

Glad you're feeling better today molly

Welcome back Elfina, how are you getting on? For me keeping myself busy in the kitchen when cooking helps at lot. There's always dishes to do, drawer to clear or a cupboard to clean. My kitchen has never been so tidy! After dinner I frequently had a sugar treat and at the start I took the dc out for a walk, swimming, to the park, anywhere just to get out of the house. And yes to the treats - nothing cheers me up like having fresh flowers and candles round the house when it's time to relax at night.

How was the holiday haggis?

Hmm, trying to find the radio 4 prog on I player - anyone got a foolproof link??

Here you go missus molly www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b050bwpk