Brave Babes Battle Bus: Next Stop Fabulous February

[SweetLathyrus]

Hi, I'm SweetLathyrus, Sweet for short, and I've been on and off Gerald the Brave Babes Battle Bus since 2014. Over the years, lots of us have maintained the thread, most of all the lovely Mouse, who has been here since the early days, and still scurries onboard when she can.

The bus is a place of support, safety and occasional silliness for those of us struggling with our relationship with alcohol. Some of us are sober, some are trying to be, some are moderating and aren't ready to give up alcohol just yet.

So whatever your reason for questioning the whys and WTFs of your drinking, hop on board, make yourselves comfortable and join in. Driers and Triers, all welcome.

2018 has been a busy year so far, lots of new travellers as well as old faces; if you want to read back on the journey through Dry or Dryer January so far, here's the link to the last thread

And in case you want to know how it all started, here is the link to JWN's original, inspiring thread.

Join us on our journey, you won't regret it.

Thanks spanna how long have you been af and was there a time when you suddenly felt really good?
Sorry lucking that you are also feeling crap.
I hope everyone feels better soon.

Hope you have a good nights sleep Sweet.

I am off to bed - AF and didn't even think about it today.

I hope all the sickly babes feel better tomorrow and the grumpy babes wake up on the right side of the bed.

lucking on the ginger beer here too. Bought 24 cans of the 'Old Jamaica' stuff from Amazon. It has become our weekend treat.

I have a sore throat and headache It's a virus. Bloody annoying. Been feeling great. Was considering an early night, but have started doing some work as I have a couple of deadlines early next week and have a feeling this will get worse before it gets better.

Enjoy the gymnastics spanna. I feel your pain re early Sunday sporting expiditions. My middle DS used to play rugby league. It was hell. Traipsing about all over the north of England, standing next to the pitch for hours freezing my bits off brrr.. I'm gllad that's over with. I used to wish he'd play something civillized, like cricket

Day 20 nearly over. Not missing it. Thankfully not had much temptation though. My life is so dull. No glamorous hotels like you ma! Helps that DH is still at it. Day 25 for him.

Lou I also still like the smell of smoking. The most quitting success I had was with vaping but I seem to have expensive tastes and the liquid was costing me nearly as much as tobacco. Thing is I really didn't want a replacement for smoking. I just want to not do it. It does seem easier without drinking as well though but I don't know how long I can keep them both up for.

@venusandmars sweetie thanks. I remember meeting you. You helped me so bloody much.
@dementedma you have totally got this and yes it's been that bloody long. The baby in question then is in Primary 2 lol.
This thread moves too fast for me.

Lux Mint Twattage Sweet Luckingand anyone else feeling crap. Hope you feel better soon. I had a bad throat yesterday. And I was knackered. Me&DS went to bed at 6.30. I feel a bit better today but DS has loads of snot. It's a bit grim.

Thank you for the new thread Sweet

at all the multiple posts followed by multiple apologies. Seems to be working ok for me this morning!

Ginger How are you today? 5 days is still 5 days you didn't drink. Just climb back on.

Strawberry I can't keep up either. And I keep reading bits through the day and then have to read again to comment later.

Ma We'll do today because today is day 21 and 3 weeks and therefore amazing. Much better than a hotel cocktail!

baking and dry thank you x

dry how are you? Have things improved?

Sequins working to pay childcare is so soul destroying. Makes me question what's the point. It's really good to know it was worth it for you - thank you.

flowers hope your virus does one soon.

I'm wondering if I should go to the Dr for anti depressants. I've cried every day for the last week. But I've got a few crap situations that I hope will improve over time. I have also had awful pmt- anyone else have the coil and have horrendous pmt?

Really hoped stopping drinking would mean avoiding anti depressants. I've talked it through with the GP before, although managed to pick a Dr who clearly was very awkward talking about mental health.

Anyway day 79 af I am proud of myself for not turning to my normal crutch. Hope you all have a good day ahead x

Hi

Been watching this thread over the past year while I've been trying (and failing) to cut down. Read Allen carr back in Oct and after some false starts have now been AF 15 long hard days...... listening to the sober diaries on my phone's helping me get throug and love having evening with the kids, fully engaged with them instead of fuzzy in a wine fog.

Hi everyone, just having a little look around. I’m doing dry January and considering making it a permanent state.

I had a bit of a wobble yesterday at the thought of making new friends while being a non drinker though. How does that even work?!

I’m currently reading anything supportive I can get my hands on, which I’m finding very helpful. That includes this thread.

Morning. Would love to join you all. I'm in the middle of dry January. Did break it once but it was for a funeral. Aside from that I've not had a drop.

My reasons: well I'm going through a bit of a rough time at the moment for various reasons. Before and during Xmas I had a few nights out that I can't even remember. I made a decision on NYE then that I want to cut down significantly and when I do drink I want to balance each alcoholic drink with a non-alcoholic one. So we'll see. In between the times I do go out I'd rather remain AF as much as possible.

welcome seagreen and dragons and NK
come and join the throng.
Need to get up and catch a train so will check in later
Day 21

Welcome NK1 you are in the right place. There are plenty of us on bus just now. I’ve drank 3 out of 21 days now (will not be drinking today). It’s bloody hard but I know I am better off not drinking. Have a read back on the threads and you will see you have a lot in common with many of the babes and bears x

Thanks very much for the warm welcome Demented and Whatever.

Morning ALL.

Gosh three new babes in a row! Welcome, Lolo, Dragons and NK1. Dry January is a good kick start, it's also good cover for those of us who feel or excesses are exposed by quitting, so join in and stick with it.

When, by day 79 (Wow by the way, go you!), your brain chemistry should be sorting itself out, still a little way to go, but getting there, so I would talk to your GP. I did my longest stretch in the middle of a horrific bout of depression (off work for almost five months, phased return etc); by the end of the second month AF the depression was definitely improving.

Strawberry, how lovely to have you back with us.

Baking, yes, three weeks, New Years day seems like a lifetime ago

Well I've woken with a headache (too much displacement chocolate ), but in less of a sad hole. I've also got muscle aches, so I must have done some work in my gym classes. I think I'm going to have to brave the gym itself, the best I have looked in the last five years was a combination of running, cross trainer, and pilates.

Thank you for the welcome. It feels like a big step moving out of the Dry January thread!

Welcome lolo and dragons I’ve been reading the DJ thread too. I have a couple of things on in Feb so I know I will drink, but going to try and moderate and not drink at my usual pace (I’m too greedy and just want more and more, no off switch). Once I have Feb out the way I will try and do a dry March. Oh all sounds great written down x

Thank you for the welcome! Last year I was comeing to the realisation that I couldn't moderate my drinking and needed to give up. It was absolutely devastating and took me a long time (and many failed goes at trying to drink normally!) but now that I've excepted it its like this huge weight off my shoulders. Was away last weekend for a mini break, wasn't sure I'd manage it without wine in the room, cocktails before dinner and a nightcap but it was great. Had an amazing passion fruit mojito mocktail, really enjoyed dinner (usually wouldn't have eaten much as I'd be too busy drinking) and had a great night sleep not that drunk horrible sleep I'd usually have. Just panicking I won't be able to keep it up!

Morning all - day 20/22 this morning for me (since 30 Dec).

I am full of cold and therefore have no brain power to name check anyone - sorry!

I was asleep before 9pm last night, watched the first two eps of Law and Order SVU S16 and then passed out. Woke up around 1am with really dry as a bone mouth due to nose totally blocked, took a couple of Night Nurse and read my book, and just woke up now. So probably had at least 11 hours sleep!!!!

I think I might be feeling a bit better today - hard to tell as have only just woken up. Think this is just a cold. No running today - it's pouring with rain and I'm not up to it anyway.

Since Thursday not thought about booze at all. Actually it's only been the two Thursdays when I've had a shit day that I have...I also welcome the weight lifted off of not thinking about it, factoring in a trip to the shops etc.

Where we are at the coast we also live slightly out in the countryside so there is no shop in walking distance, therefore it is pretty easy to put it aside down here. Less so in London!

Anyway I'm waffling.

Plan for today: stay in bed, read Sunday Times, pack the last few bits of holiday stuff down here, return to town, watch a bit of TV, v early night.

xxx

Well done Lolo. That must have been tough but you did it.

I don't drink midweek and could go weeks without wanting or needing a drink but when I go out I don't seem to be able to stop and end up not remembering the night.

Hello everyone
Just thought I'd say hi as I've been lurking for ages
You have all helped me more than you will ever know, so thank you for that
I've had issues with alcohol for years and have gone through phases of drinking every night and bargaining with myself over alcohol. Most recently, it's been 4/5 nights a week and over Christmas, every day. I was getting to the point where I wasn't even enjoying it. I ruined Christmas eve as I was so hungover that I couldn't even keep water down
Hangovers were getting worse and I was putting off everything so I could drink and then "recover"
Now that I have stopped drinking(25 days), I have realised that I spent most of my life suffering from some level of hangover. I have had some health issues(long term conditions) and am on a lot of medications, most of which I'm not meant to drink on!
One of the most amazing things about stopping is that the extreme anxiety that I have suffered from for around 25 years is all but gone. It's like someone has flicked a switch!
I hope everyone is doing ok, I'm hoping that I'll be brave enough to join in with you all instead of being a lurky lurker

Welcome Lolo Dragons Nk1

Say I've never had a coil but a close friend did and had to get rid of it due to PMT/mood swings. I think if no drink was going to improve your low mood it would've happened by now (you've been dry nearly 3 months which is amazing) so maybe AD's are the way forward. How long have you had the coil?

It's snowing now (too wet for it to stick) so DS has helped me make Yorkshire puddings and cupcakes. Not gingerbread thank fuck. I'm sick of gingerbread.

Olive I'm at day 21 today and I've noticed a massive difference in anxiety. I feel so much better but still miss drinking and I really hope I can carry it on.

Hey olive - well done! It's amazing how alcohol tricks you into thinking its relaxing you when actually it's just making you more anxious. Welcome!