DRY 16

[vxa2]

If you're quitting alcohol for a brighter sober future come and join us here. A very welcoming bunch supporting each other every step of the way.

Link to Dry 15

http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/relationships/2726334-Dry-15?msgid=65047780#65047780

I am also beginning to eat masses amounts of food. I was aware this may happen but today I've been constantly grazing.
yes to the fogginess of 'what happened?' and the extent of 'black out' where 5 hours or more renders 10 mins of memory.

The best thing about that post Violets - it doesn't even start to list all the benefits...not sneaking extra drinks.....being honest with others (esp about how much you had to drink)....the newfound ability to be honest with yourself ....the ability to mean what you say (how many times with a hangover have I said I'm not drinking again)....

The problem I had when drinking wasn't just the drink, it was the next day when I was hungover and in poor mood....or when I tried cutting down, and was in poor mood because I wanted to drink. I didn't think it was affecting anyone else, until I was told that my 10yr old son was starting to hide beer so I couldn't drink it....I think he is the happiest I'm not drinking.

Alcohol has taken all from me, including my wife, I'm just hopeful I can repair the damage.

sobering user. well done on days in the 70s!

End of day 3. Happily.

Happy Thursday everyone.

It's a beautiful crisp clear day here. The kind of morning that makes you glad to be alive (and sober). Day five!

Morning!
Yes beautiful day.

Weird sleep - woke at 3.30am, refreshed and ready to go.... Not minding given the excess sleeps on Mon and Tues. Finishing nicotine and alcohol will lead to sleep disturbance. Girdled for it.
Bring on Day 4. Fell safe at work. It's afterwards that gets me. Tonight BBF is coming round so will chat about all of this.

or feel safe as well...

Hi all,

Starting my day 12 - hope you fine ladies are all well this morning. Thank you SoberSarah for the links Great to hear from more long term members of 'dry' with your super achievements & welcome to the new members too (Waves borage & not today!)

Wishing all a safe & sober Thursday ☺
LS

Don't forget we aren't all ladies!

Glad to hear that veryine is feeling positive today! Spares thought for those who might be struggling, or may have fallen off the wagon, if you notice it, sometimes a quick text or private message can go a long way.

Nottodaythanks - giving up both is a lot to take on and I admire you that. I used to smoke and drink and gave up the fags 2 years ago, went from 30 a day to nothing and because I was finally ready I found it relatively easy. I have not attempted both at the same time and think that's probably fairly hard core!

well done to violets and Lost Soul!

lou - you'rer right I think. It looks hard core but so far my grim determination is dealing with it - being 'finally ready' is a tremendous assist.

User, I'm sorry! - My apologies, I hope all ladies & gents are well this morning

Hello all. Been on MN a long time, mostly as a lurker, but have namechanged anyway. I think I need to join this thread. Shit this is hard.

I've known I've been drinking way, way too much for several years now but have been kidding myself it's all totally fine and normal. I'm not stupid and of course I know it's not.

Went to my GP last Friday as my periods have been a bit messed up the last few months. She wanted to run a whole load of blood tests along with a scan and a smear. Had the blood tests yesterday. Surgery have just phoned to say results are back and my B12 levels are low so GP wants to see me. Knowing nothing about B12 I consulted Dr Google (as you do). And now I'm terrified I've totally fucked up my liver.

So, I'm not going to drink today. That's the best way to start, right? I'm so out of my bloody depth here. I'm now going to read as much of the thread as I can. From what I can see so far, you lot are pretty amazing.

Thank you for listening to me.

hi there chesil - sounds difficult. And it's a place that many of us could be in, or have been for all I know. I know I'm one, but not had any reason to have tests done.

Obv consulting dr google isn't best is it? I'd hope that IF this were me, I'd be as honest as I can be. What they deal you depends on what you say, doesn't it?

and yes not drinking today is the best way to start today, fwiw.

have you anyone else to talk to about this?

Thanks for replying NotTodayThanks2

I'm staying away from Google for now - that way lies madness!

I'm going to screw up every ounce of courage I can muster and be completely honest with the GP. I just feel so ashamed of myself for letting myself get into this state in the first place. It's nobodies fault but my own.

I'm very lucky in that I have a brilliant DH who I can talk to about anything. He knows how much I drink and is obviously very worried about me (and has been for some time but I've been brushing off his concerns).

Do you know the really daft thing? I never even think about drinking during the day - it just doesn't enter my head at all because I suppose the '7pm = wine gets opened' thing is such a habit. But now I'm already feeling anxious about what I'm going to drink this evening - I only drink coffee during the day and only alcohol at night and that's it. I've literally just realised that I consume no other liquids. At the moment I can see me sat there with a glass of lukewarm tap water which seems utterly...well, crap. I guess I need to discover soft drinks... is anything particularly nice?!

Excellent you have DH.

We are desparately creatures of habits aren't we? Wine o'clock is 7pm very commonly. Time for new habits?

You can make up your own cocktails of soft drinks with an emphasis on fruits and incl lemons. I am reading they are esp good at liver protection, allegedly.

chesil well done on taking the first step, if you look back over the thread you might see a thing I put up about withdrawal just be mindful of it.

Re Dr Google, forget about it, it only makes you worry, something you don't need in starting to go sober.

Also remember that even if there was sonethibg wrong, you can do nothing about it until proper Drs make a diagnosis. - so worrying won't help there either.

The other thing you should read is the list of things you have to look forward to - that and more.

I'm on day 78 now, but I take it one day at a time ...,I didnt drink yesterday, won't drink until today's over - and I have no plan to drink tomorrow.

I'm. Erg selfish with my sobriety, I'm supposed to be on a flight to Lanzarote tomorrow, but I value my sobriety a lot more. Knowing I might take a drink in a moment of weakness on holiday is too mich risk so I've binned the holiday.

Welcome chesil Being honest with your GP is really key. I just lied to mine about how much I drank for years. I lied to everyone actually. Have you get an appointment booked?

The good thing is that the liver is able to repair itself to a certain extent so even if you have damage it is not necessarily permanent. Yes not drinking is the best idea.

Sounds like you need to try and drink more water. I drink sparkling flavoured waters and plain. For a treat I like anything with lime or elderflower. There are some really lovely cordials like bottlegreen in the soft drink aisle.

How are you feeling now ?

Waves to everyone else

What cheeses me off a bit is where internet items on not drinking often illustrate the item with....images of the things we are trying to avoid!

Same as the not smoking items - lovely illustrations of what we are attempting to get out of our minds.

yes it;s day 4 and I'm getting a bit grouchy.

Only natural Nottoday.

It's like when you buy a car that you think no one else has, and then you see hundreds of them.

Sober drinks I like: schloer (fizzy grape juice), tonic water with fresh lime, cranberry juice, j20, posh lemonade. If I don't have any in the house I feel a bit hard done by. At 6pm, my trigger time, I drink one of these from a wine glass so it feels grown up and indulgent. I like herbal teas too esp Twinings gingerbread green tea.
100 days alcohol free today!!!

I got the glass out; I'd put the wine in the fridge an hour before. I put the glass back in the cupboard cause I'd got to 8pm and that meant my trigger time was over. Small victories.

gotta 100 days !!! Congratulations - I remember when you first joined. That's really fantastic

borage a huge victory not small. I would suggest you pour it away down the sink. You don't need it there tempting you. Have you got another meeting planned ?

100 not out. BIG congrats gotta. You must be sooo proud. It's inspiring to know of these things.

BFF came round, and spent a bit of time playfully trying to wind me up, to see if I'd do a 'day 4 snap'.....none of it. Tomorrow is unchartered territory.

chesil - re the dr thing - if it helps the dr has probably guessed ahead of what you might say. They will know that drinkers almost always under-report their consumption and he/she will do something like add on 1/3 again of whatever you say. And...you can't say anything that will surprise them at all. It's daily stuff to them.