The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Go Sober For October?

[Mouseface]

Hello, 'tis me, Mouseface, welcome to the Bus, aka Gerarld.

We're a bus full of various Babes, from those who are as dry the Sahara, those who drink in moderation, those who binge drink and can go for weeks without a drop and then fall arse over tit (pardon the french!) straight off the bus and into the sidecar, and then we have Babes who try every single day to give up.

The thing is, we all do 'this' ONE DAY AT A TIME and with passion too. You have to WANT to stop with every fibre of your being.

And that's what this bus is about. We support each other. No matter how many times you fall of the Bus, we'll always be here to scoop you back up and listen.

So, come and join us. Lurk, or grab a seat, make sure you're comfy and enjoy the journey as we talk about the dreaded drink, plus everything from how expensive Tena Lady's are, to what's in the slow cooker!

We don't judge, this isn't a competition, it's our lives.

And if you'd like to read the last thread, HERE IT IS

Plus, if you'd like to see where the Bus started out, you can RIGHT HERE

Hope to see you soon xx

HA as you can see from this thread, I am in a total mess. However, if it's any consolation, I took an OD last week and got taken to A&E and had bloods done and, despite more than 20 years of heavy ++++ drinking punctuated only by absences for 3 pregnancies, my liver function came back as fine. Your liver is one of the most amazingly resilient organs and it's very very unlikely you have cirrhosis.
Obviously, that's not a green light to keep on boozing but the odds are that, even if you have damaged your liver, it's still at a point where it can be undone

Ha have a lovely big ticket 🎟 Welcome! Try not to worry, put your anxiety to good use and make it a way to cut back or cut out booze.

mrshoolie I think you're doing really well. One day you will be able to take care of loved ones, and you are taking the steps necessary for that. You are very hard on yourself I notice, why?
I should think that you are exhausted. Just concentrate on resting.

Ma what exactly have you been up to???? Do you have the world's best job? Might you need an assistant...

Thanks for the welcome guggenheim and MsHoolie - Ms - I've caught up with your posts and agree with Guggenheim - you must be exhausted and need to concentrate on caring for yourself for a little while first. I hope HyacinthMum continues to be your rock.

When I get health anxiety I tend to symptom spot and catastrophise - so yesterday I noticed a few strands of hair fell out. Now I know that you lose hair everyday but I don't know what my "normal' is because I've never felt the need - so my mind has gone to "hair loss" as symptom of late cirrhosis. I'm now cross referencing against all the other symptoms again and again. I know I'm not showing any of the major ones but my mind is in overdrive.

Anyway, tonight I'm pootling around, not having wine and hoping that sleep will be okay.

How are you doing MsHoolie?

Hello HA

I'm in bed as I've got the hump . It's my day off today after a weekend working and I haven't done a 'No Booze Monday' rest day yet. Gah. Usually, after taking DS to his after school activity and all the faffing around, I would treat myself to wine in front of the TV cos it's my 'Friday night', see?! I could still wander up the corner shop. They wouldn't be surprised to see me this late . But I'm not going to so the Wine Witch can fuck off.

This evening has been fucking shit. I was the first in the queue at the walk in clinic where they told me on the phone that they could prescribe me something but, when I got there, they said they can't prescribe.
I'm in total limbo. I'm getting told that I need a detox/rehab programme here but I don't want that. This isn't my home, it's not where my children are.
Nobody seems to understand is that I'm just asking for 2 or 3 days of Librium or Diazepam to stabilise me so that I can go home and see my children and I'm perfectly happy to engage in a proper programme there.
I got told that I could have a private detox for £5,000. The pills that you need for a detox are literally about 5p each.
I'm a mental health nurse, I know what I need which is medication to stabilise me so that I can get home.
I have spent the last 2 days being passed from 111 to the Gp to the crisis team to the drug and alcohol team and back again.
I have answered the same fucking irrelevant questions on the phone over and over again. If I got picked up by the
Police having DTs, I would get given a detox.
I've spent 21 years as a mental health nurse helping people. I've given patients hundreds, probably thousands of pounds, of my own money.
I've worked countless hours of unpaid overtime. But, when I need help, I just seem to come up against 'Computer says no'.

Oh that all sounds awful MsHoolie - could you get a private prescription for the 2/3 days (not the full detox) - am not sure how ethical/legal that would be though so obviously take with a large pinch of salt. Or could your parents take you home and stay with you for a couple of days to stabilise there before seeing your children?

Thinking of you

Hi Heman hope the telly is good!

MsHoolie that must be so frustrating and disappointing. I'm angry on your behalf that you're determined but the system doesn't seem to be there to support you.

Can your own home GP write a prescription for you, and is there anyone who could collect it and bring it to you?

I'm glad that at least you can pour it all out and vent on here.

mrshoolie is there any way that you could afford the 5k? Might be the quickest way to get help.
The system really is broken though. How are you feeling? Any change in symptoms?

Morning all, I've had another exciting 4 am start because poor dd has a cold. Must be really horrible being so little and not knowing why you feel rubbish. Anyhoo, I am VERY glad that I was able to get up with her minus a hangover. Hope she has a nap later though, I bloody need one.

Bloody hell MsHoolie. Have you got anyone who can advocate for you? I agree with venus. Have you spoken to your own GP about this? Will your DH help you?

So sorry you are having so much trouble accessing help when you are so determined MsHoolie - Its really not right.

MsHoolie don't give up, please keep trying. I hope you get the help and support you need.

I am doing OK, I did have a few drinks at the weekend but I am feeling positive about not drinking mid week. I haven't had a hangover at all. I am sleeping better and feeling more alert and like myself. I don't feel as guilty as I did. You guys have helped loads and knowing I'm on here helps too.

I have been honest with friends and family about having a problem and they have been supportive in the most. One or two just laughed at me.... Little things like treating myself with a bubble bath or tea and biscuits instead of wine is really helpful.

Thank you all and stay strong everyone

Morning all. Well, I can report HRH is tall and lean and rather lovely. Only got a few seconds and a "very well done"but still. No sniffing or kissing allowed.

demented I am so jealous.
Thank you all so much for your support. The system is utterly shit. If I'd been arrested having murdered someone and was going through acute withdrawal, I would be given meds to detox me.
As it is, I'm just being told to keep drinking when I desperately want to stop. It's crazy. My mum had gone out when I got up this morning and had put the only alcohol she had in the house on the kitchen table which was actually a liqueur called 'old folks grog'.
She's been amazing about this. The one consolation is that it's made us much closer. And my DB and Dsis have been fantastic too. Every cloud has a silver lining.
My bank card has come so I think I will aim to get back to London today.
Thank you all again. I hope that, when I'm in a better place, I can give support to other people x

Agree with Razorboy that this thread and being on this thread has helped me immensely. I have had one pint of lager in 10 days which is amazing for the 2 bottle of wine a day habit I had! I feel so much better in myself and I look better. The sleep is beginning to come too and it's good!

Thank you.

Hey all. MsHoolie you are amazing and I am so sorry your efforts are being thwarted. I really hope you get back to London and get the help you want soon.

There's a positive spirit on the bus at the moment which is so motivating and supportive. There are so many reasons to moderate/not drink and for me, health and relationships are at the top of that list. But money is also a factor and in case it is a helpful additional reminder of the insanity that is alcohol addiction, my app tells me I have saved $579 since the end of August by not drinking to my usual excesses. It steadfastly refuses to convert to sterling, but still..! Sobering. Again.

Go babes, and take care MsHoolie.

Just checking in. MsHoolie sorry that you are still getting no answers and no medical health although it is inspiring to see that you are still relentlessly perserving with it. Sincerely hope you get to see your kids soon, I have an 18 year old ds who has cried over my drinking (to my eternal shame) so I know how you feel......keep keeping on .....

Ma i really laughed at your no sniffing remark, glad you had a good with HRH Ginger.

Day 17 here sleep and mood improving, long may it continue!
Hope everyone doing ok

Ahhh! Medical help and good time. First time I don't preview post and look what happens. Frig sake.

evening - hope everyone is doing ok..

No wine for me tonight - have slight headache but that could just be coincidence. Am contemplating an epsom salt/lavender bath and bed soon

Can anyone recommend an app for iPhone to show how much money is saved on alcohol? I can only see apps for android.

10 days sober today, can't believe I've got this far!

Just checking in and catching up on the last couple of days.

MrsHoolie I hope someone helps you soon. Contacting your home GP seems the best shout to me, someone could post the prescription. I have total respect for your spirit and determination.

Hi to new passengers. I’m doing ok, had a bit too much wine over the weekend (much less than in the recent past though) then AF yesterday and a small cider today when out with DD. Really not very well though (chronic illness not booze related).

Am definitely sleeping better since moderating but still having the tussle with myself most evenings not to open the wine.

I just want to die. I've ruined everything. I just can't see a way out. I've never felt this bad in my life. I feel so so shit. I can't stand it, I really can't. Please help me

MsHoolie please don't give up. You are getting through this, although it may not feel like it, and have so much to look forward to when you come out the other end. If you need someone to talk to about how you're feeling, the Samaritans number is 116 123.

flowers Thank you. I've just had a long chat with my mum (AKA Hyacinth) and she was actually brilliant.
Like I said, one good thing that has come out of this is that I have really reconnected with my family. I will be here tomorrow. Thank you again x

Automatic there is an app called 'I'm done drinking'. If you put in how much you drink, it gives you a running total of how long you've stopped for, how many drinks you haven't had, how many calories and how much money you've saved.

Thank you all again and huge congrats to those of you that are beating this. You're all wonderful.