The Giving Up/Cutting Down Alcohol Support Thread - Numero 9!

randomname_3

Good morning everyone,

Shaggy please put me down for 10 ta.

I will be back later with a story once I work out what to say'

RN

DecemberBaby_2

Morning all,

Lovely sunny day here too!

Glad to hear you are feeling so good Shoppie (is that an ok abbreviation!). Unhungovered here too.

Also sending hugs to HB,Marru and 365. I hope today is better.

Shaggy - I should be on 5 thanks.

Doing housework and washing this morning to get it over with then out for a while. First things first though - fry-up!

DB x

diable

Today should be my AF Day 6, went a bit wild in Florence and carried on when I came back, I should meet this months target though.

shopaholictiedtheknot

graemecarter wrote: »

Doesn't sound like stopping drinking will cause you to have a heart attack then.....

I live in hope GC, really feel anxious this morning though and have the palpitations back again, avoiding caffeine and taking my kalms tablets

Tell you what it makes you think when your 16 year old daughter thinks it is strange for you not to be having a drink on a Saturday night she just asked what we were having for tea then said - can you get me a pear cider when you go for your booze :eek: feel very ashamed!!

randomname_3

Hi, it's me again.

I'm trying to understand what is happening at the moment.

Background

I've been a heavy drinker for 40 + years. About 15 years ago I accepted and admitted that I had a serious problem but continued to drink heavily on a daily basis. I had no problems with my job and I am still married to my wife of 36 years. AS I grew older the drink effected me to a greater and greater extent so 10 years ago I decided to rationalise. This coincided with my retirement.

Since then and up until I joined this thread I was drinking 24 units per day, everyday (2 x Tenants extra + 1/2 bottle scotch).

After joining this thread I have managed to have a few af days thanks to all the lovely supportive people on here.

Things changed a bit a month or so ago when I was put on antibiotics which react badly with alcohol so I didn't drink for a week. I must say I found it suprisingly easy.

Now, I am on the same medication but for a 6 week course and having completed 1 week I have 5 more to go.

The thing is, I do not feel phased by the prospect, I've had no withdrawel symptoms and feel totally relaxed about the whole business.

I've always thought alcoholism meant that I would cheat, not take the medication or just drink and to hell with the circumstances.

I can't believe I am not an alcoholic but cannot explain why I am taking this enforced abstinance so calmly. The thought of a drink does not even enter my head.

I am just wondering if anybody else has experienced anything similar or has any thoughts on the matter.

I probably not expressed myself very well but I hopr you get the gist.

RN

graemecarter

randomname wrote: »

Hi, it's me again.

I'm trying to understand what is happening at the moment.

Background

I've been a heavy drinker for 40 + years. About 15 years ago I accepted and admitted that I had a serious problem but continued to drink heavily on a daily basis. I had no problems with my job and I am still married to my wife of 36 years. AS I grew older the drink effected me to a greater and greater extent so 10 years ago I decided to rationalise. This coincided with my retirement.

Since then and up until I joined this thread I was drinking 24 units per day, everyday (2 x Tenants extra + 1/2 bottle scotch).

After joining this thread I have managed to have a few af days thanks to all the lovely supportive people on here.

Things changed a bit a month or so ago when I was put on antibiotics which react badly with alcohol so I didn't drink for a week. I must say I found it suprisingly easy.

Now, I am on the same medication but for a 6 week course and having completed 1 week I have 5 more to go.

The thing is, I do not feel phased by the prospect, I've had no withdrawel symptoms and feel totally relaxed about the whole business.

I've always thought alcoholism meant that I would cheat, not take the medication or just drink and to hell with the circumstances.

I can't believe I am not an alcoholic but cannot explain why I am taking this enforced abstinance so calmly. The thought of a drink does not even enter my head.

I am just wondering if anybody else has experienced anything similar or has any thoughts on the matter.

I probably not expressed myself very well but I hopr you get the gist.

RN

You may not be an alcoholic.
However, drinking such a harmful amount of alcohol for all those years suggests some kind of alcohol dependence. It's a grey area, and not one I really understand. All I know is that I am alcoholic.

I didn't crave drink when I couldn't drink (in hospital for example) but I knew I would be able to drink again, so I think that satisfied the urges.

Why don't you try another 6 weeks after your course of antibiotics ends? Or alternatively, try drinking within government guidelines when your enforced abstinence ends (3-4 units a day)?
If you can do that happily (there is no point being miserable about not being able to drink), then I'd be hard pushed to say your're alcoholic.
If you couldn't do that, or really don't want to, then it suggests an unhealthy relationship with alcohol.....

Good luck, and I hope the antibiotics work their magic

graemecarter

shopaholictiedtheknot wrote: »

I live in hope GC, really feel anxious this morning though and have the palpitations back again, avoiding caffeine and taking my kalms tablets

Tell you what it makes you think when your 16 year old daughter thinks it is strange for you not to be having a drink on a Saturday night she just asked what we were having for tea then said - can you get me a pear cider when you go for your booze :eek: feel very ashamed!!

Anxiety is very unpleasant, but it won't kill you. Keep going for your AF weekend.:T

Children often mimic their parents. I know many alcoholics who came from alcoholic families.
It is up to us to break the cycle

randomname_3

Thanks for your response Graeme.
I think I'm in a similar situation to when you were in hospital. I know I cant drink so the whole issue is shelved as far as my brain is concerned.

I will try to carry on after 6 weeks and see how it goes but the way I work/think I am now considering antabuse if I find myself abusing again.

I might be able to drink a small amount but only if it came from the bottom of the bottle!

RN

DecemberBaby_2

The pear cider story made me think of my own childhood/teens. My parents always used to drink on a Saturday night. A lot of people did/do. Not every night though.

RN that's very interesting. How did you feel when you finished the week's worth of anitbiotics? Did you go back to what you had been drinking before?

DB x

honeybear_2

struggling...

you'd think feeling crappy would put me off wine but apparently not...