DRY 13

[lilybetsy]

This is the thread for all those who are living, or committed to living, life free from alcohol.

I will quote a sober poster "I'm fitter, slimmer, richer, happier & healthier"

Go sober warriors !

lily sounds good! I had Botox last year it took about a week to really show but I was so pleased with it! I fact I was planning to get it again this summer.

lou well done picking yourself up

ginger we all have our lists of the stupid and dangerous things alcohol have set us up to do. Mine spreads over years and I'm tired of it. Even if it does not end up in a drama, alcohol makes me ill, I feel anxious, sick, severe hangovers- my poor body can't handle the poison anymore.

howbad how are you feeling today?

crusoe welcome

Everyone else have a calm, peaceful sober day

Sounds brilliant Lily - well done! (I'd have been terrified - I can hardly cope with going to the haridressers...)

wb lou

Dammit - I'm not doing a very good job of working from home today!

I think that sounds fantastic lily !

Lily - how well done!! I don't think that's the slightest bit vain, just maintenance

I had a whole session of Caci facials when I gave up smoking, it was so lovely just doing something for me. I used the money that I saved from smoking to pay for it. I have similarly treated myself with non drinking money and in fact I might do something similar that you have done if I get a good amount of time under my belt.

Thank you all, I feel guilty spending money on myself, I have no idea why, I blooming earn it! I reckon what I spent was about 3 months drinking money.. although this is about the third thing I have 'spent' each saved pound on... whoops !

loubilou my friend does CACI, does it actually work ? It cost her £600 for the first ten sessions within a month and then £60 a month to maintain... to be honest I can't see a huge difference and this is roughly what my Botox and fillers cost (less than a years Caci) Of course its less invasive... One of my employees has just noticed there is something funny about my face - I said I had been to the dentist!

To be honest Lily no the Caci didn't work!!!!! No one said a word to me so it obviously didn't have much of an affect which was very disappointing so I have never bothered with the monthly maintenance. What was lovely was the actual treatments, they were very relaxing and I did enjoy going so that was worth it. Actually I say no-one said a word but people did say I looked a lot better, however they said that about three months after I gave up smoking and I think it was more to do with the giving up smoking than the Caci.

I think what you have done is money much better spent!

Hi everyone,

lily that is amazing - to do something just for yourself. Did it hurt?

howbad how are you doing?

I am on the home stretch of day 8. I didn't drink last night but I really really wanted to and it was the hardest night yet. I went out for a drive in the car, had a cry, smoked a fag (I gave up in May) and then went back home. Had a good chat to DH today and things are better.

I need to think of some treats for myself to reward myself at particular milestones, I think. Some evenings after a hard day at work (like today) I am feeling a bit deprived and unrewarded. Facials and that kind of thing aren't really my bag - but I think perhaps some new plants for my garden would be. Nobody is bothered about the garden except for me, but it would be so lovely to have that.

I am seeing some good effects now. I've lost an inch round my waist in the last week - I weigh the same so I can only assume I've lost water bloating because my kidneys are working better and I've been drinking lots more water. Has anyone else experienced this? My skin looks amazing as well - which again, I think must be to do with no more dehydration. For the past five-six years I've either been drunk or hungover so no wonder it makes a difference.

Still sleeping a lot too, but there's no harm in that.

How is everyone else?

Yes it hurt. The Botox hardly at all. But the fillers did hurt and now I look like I have been hit in the face! My bottom lip is bruised underneath and I have pretty obvious bruising in the nasolabial folds lines (where they were - as they are now gone) and at the side of my mouth. BUT there are loads less lines and wrinkles and the swelling will fade. Told everyone at work I had been to the dentist ! Must think it's a very incompetent dentist given where the bruises are. More foundation tomorrow me thinks !!!

Glad you are a bit better today

Lily 🌷 x

You have inspired me Lily to book a beauty treatment. (And a hair cut and colour!). I really need to take care of myself. Because I am overweight I tend to think I 'do not deserve' to spend money on myself, or take care of my appearance. That stops now.

Thanks everyone for good wishes. I still feel vulnerable about being so open with DH, but I did not realise how much my 'secret' was weighing me down.

Onewhite My skin also started to look amazing, an I notice now when I slip that I get that tired puffy pasty look again. LOVE what being booze-free does to the skin!

Howbad how are you?

Has anyone seen glad and matron?

I am up and about to make up some batch cooking before everyone else gets up.

Happy Days everyone. :)

Morning all.

Day 30 for me! Loving all the skin improvements comments. I think my skin has improved too, although that could be because I'm not too drunk to moisturise at bed time :)

Also, period due tomorrow and I don't feel very pms-y. I wonder if that's connected?

Hope you all have a brilliant day. Am very impressed with the 5am batch cooking! You star

Morning all, am back from my anniversary trip which was fabulous, thank-you for the good wishes. Still sober and feeling good. Catching up on the thread, good for you lily with your treatment!!

matron are you there? Hope you are ok.

Hi all, another one wondering where Matron was? Last time I think I recall seeing anything from her was the day after the last night of her holiday?

Jojo, so pleased you had a lovely trip!

Lily, you could say you had some facial acupuncture - that tends to induce a bit of bruising and a lot of people have it as an alternative to cosmetic treatments so it would be perfectly acceptable to explain bruising in the odd place whilst also looking more youthful! Well done to you, I am seriously thinking of this as my next incentive to myself! My only concern with fillers/botox is that it is the start of a long journey of having to have it done every six months or so? My SIL is 12 years younger than me and already on this treadmill and I think that is quite scary and expensive long term!

Onewhitepillow - re the loss in inches. Yes that happens to me too, I completely deflate after a couple of days without the wine. My stomach reduces right down, my face looks way less puffy and overall I look much much better. Even if the scales tell me I haven't lost weight and sometimes they tell me I am a couple of pounds heavier I just look far better and far less bloated - weird.

I think this is one of the biggest drivers for me at the moment - the huge improvement in my looks by cutting it out.

Great nights sleep last night, but had to go back to the sleeping tablets which I had knocked on the head...sigh...it's just so annoying to keep having to re-start!

Glad you had a good time jojo. Great that you made it through sober and enjoyed yourself.

I have been really really tired the past few days. Eyes closing and feeling like I really need a nap - not great when I am at work. I am getting a bit worried I might have something wrong with me. I am a bit anaemic but I am taking iron for that.

77 days today.

I'm back. Day 2 again. Same old story, started having a glass of wine on holiday and now drinking in the house. I'll catch up with everyone later when I'm in bed super duper early.

Welcome back Hadron

Hi I have a problem with drinking. I am 7 days sober is this the right place to post?

Hi all, just dropping in to say hello :) Crazy busy and not been on MN very much recently

madbythesea welcome, Hadron - welcome back, waves at everyone else

Hi glad
thanks for responding. Ive messed my life up due to drink. I have 2 dds who i have/am going to fu due to drinking. my dh and i are together only because we need to be, once he gets the money for a housekeeper/nanny together with his new job, he wants me to be gone. He doesnt believe I can change. I dont know if i can, i hope i can change. I dont know what to do anymore.

Welcome madbythesea you will get lots of support here. 7 days is a huge achievement. You sound very sad. The things you say are similar to lots of us here but it can and will get better. Today focus first on looking after yourself. If you can get an early night it really helps. Or time to yourself in a bubble bath or reading - there are lots of sober blogs. Getting sober is exhausting and seven days in is tough. Keep posting.

Welcome madbythesea :) Congrats on 7 days!
waves to all

Welcome mad. Seven days is epic, well done you.

Morning all!

Feel very meh today (maybe I do get PMT when AF after all)

At some point I must work out why I self-sabotage. I know that Yoga makes me feel better. I want to do Yoga. I cant be arsed so don't do it. Grr me.

I think my pink cloud of I'm so great, I've gone X days without a drink' is wearing off - it's not so big a deal now. So I feel meh.

Maybe I need to be less focussed on 'I'm OK because I've achieved X' - and be OK with me all the time - but think that may be a very long project

ho hum

Sorry for introspective post - KOKO

Morning everyone.

Welcome mad. Many congrats on the 7 days. Do you have real life support as well? Are you able to access any of your local alcohol related services? Addiction counselling Even AA? I go to AA and it has helped, but I was terrified of going at first. Really enjoy the meetings actually, and knowing that plenty of other people are like me has helped too.

How are you doing today?

Hi everyone. finnish i am also a self sabotager, I really get you.

Hope everyone is fine. I am exhausted today. Have had 8 hours sleep (bar the cat yowling at 3 am because she saw a fox though the window) but feel like I am walking through sludge.

Hope everyone has a great day.

KOKO

Morning All

I hope that everyone has a good Thursday and totally get the struggles that everyone is feeling.

I'm AF day 12 and still keeping on, however I'm away next week with a friend and her children (and my DCs). Which means that whilst I wouldn't have gotten hammered, even if I was drinking, as I have the children there will be temptation. So I'm thinking about how I can work around that - I know DF will be understanding when/if I tell her - but as it's only four nights I might well pull the antibiotics card and I don't want to tell too many people yet in case I fall off the wagon.

Lily I'm planning to get my teeth whitened as a treat when I've ben AF a month (to get rid of the red wine stains) so I can really see how doing things for yourself helps improve self esteem. And I bet you look fab!

Slim I'm overweight too but have decided that I need to make the best of what I have and that will make me feel better about myself (because when I'm low I'm tempted to drink), so hairdresser booked

I'm sleeping like a log at the moment so long may that continue and feeling much less befuddled, hungover and tired so I'm coping better at work and home.

Morning everyone. Lots of positive posts here. Even everyone having a hard time seems to be able to view the long term goal.
Old timers on here are doing great and I'm jealous of your big numbers. MAkes me realise that if only I'd stuck to this I'd be there with you. It's inspirational stuff.
I usually combine going dry with healthy eating, running, sorting my life out but at the moment I'm just taking every day as it comes (and sleeping).