The Giving Up/ Cutting Down alcohol support thread - number 13

afoolwithmoney

20/31 please Shaggy
I haven't really given a thought to Feb. The idea was just to see if I could do Jan. But to be honest its been so much easier than I thought. Unfortunately I didnt suffer hangovers but had started to noticed feeling very tired all the time, puffy face swollen ankles, not getting as much done through the day & financially it was concerning that I could spend more a week on drink than food! Ok its only 20 days BUT Im sleeping properly...no snoring lol & when Im tired now its because of the amount Im fitting into the day. The puffiness has improved no end & because Ive been more aware of spending there is actually money in the bank!! Something normally unheard of by the 20th. Its my birthday tomorrow not sure if the "celebrations" will be tomorrow or the weekend but what I do know is it wont involve me drinking...Oh & Ive lost some weight. Off now to think of the advantages of drinking

Baileysonice

Congratulations to all the dryathalons still on track :j Big respect especially those of you staying AF for birthdays thats impressive

Back on to SNC for me tonight so that will be 8/15 please shaggy Little success tonight when I went out for a meal with 3 of my friends and had diet coke I was fighting all the justifications my brain gave me and stuck to the plan.

365days

afoolwithmoney wrote: »

20/31 please Shaggy
I haven't really given a thought to Feb. The idea was just to see if I could do Jan. But to be honest its been so much easier than I thought. Unfortunately I didnt suffer hangovers but had started to noticed feeling very tired all the time, puffy face swollen ankles, not getting as much done through the day & financially it was concerning that I could spend more a week on drink than food! Ok its only 20 days BUT Im sleeping properly...no snoring lol & when Im tired now its because of the amount Im fitting into the day. The puffiness has improved no end & because Ive been more aware of spending there is actually money in the bank!! Something normally unheard of by the 20th. Its my birthday tomorrow not sure if the "celebrations" will be tomorrow or the weekend but what I do know is it wont involve me drinking...Oh & Ive lost some weight. Off now to think of the advantages of drinking

In your case it doesn't sound like they will outweigh the one's you've mentioned above.

There does seem to be this belief in society that if you don't drink you are somehow missing out on something amazing. Not sure where that idea came from but I don't buy into it anymore.

gien

I agree 365, non drinkers are viewed as missing out at best, and as definately weird at worst. I'm finding not drinking actually quite easy now that I have said 'no' for January.
I am away tomorrow, out with friends fir an overnighter and I wil have a wine but will do everything to make sure it is controlled.
17 today please shaggy

judi24

Feeling very low today - but i don't think is anything to do with the alcohol or lack of it! To be honest - with everything that I have going on I am amazed that I have managed to do 18/31 AFD's so far!!! One was a slip and one was planned (a friends birthday and the day of the case conference) however I did go to extreme that night and ended up upsetting my DD1 and DD2 as my friends came back to my house and we carried on drinking and were noisy when they had work the next day! It would be better if I could drink some but not to excess - maybe that should be my next challenge!


Thinking about Feb (and onwards) I would like to still do the SNC and hopefully I won't feel like I 'need' wine at the weekend -instead I want to feel like I can choose to have some(not lots) or not! Feb is a busy month my friends 40th then my DD2 21st and then another friends birthday so lots to look forward too but definately feel better with no hangovers so want to still cut down! My worst time is the weekends where my DS and DD3 are at thier dads - I was looking yesterday at a mountain club - I would love to do more outdoor activities and I used to do them with my ex occasionally - I know if I joined something like that it would be early starts that wouldn't be great with hangovers so that might help me cut down.


I think the support on here has been invaluable and will still be joining challenges on here! Thanks guys

scotdebs

Evening all just checking in to say hi no more AF days to report - I could easily have been AF tonight but made all sorts of excuses for myself :mad:

Away with work this week so unlikely to report any more AFs till after the weekend but if I can get 3 or 4 on the board next week that will the first time I have been in double figures since I can remember


Habits are a tricky old thing to break - however I will continue to keep trying ......

WantToBeSE

ANOTHER AF for me last night, please Shaggy

rachelww1

AF last night making 5/10. Had the most awful nights sleep though, actually I didn't really sleep at all . I am off work today, but I have an exam to go to in London. Not holding out much hope, as my studying brain had taken a bit of a back seat lately. Am out tonight for my usual Tuesday, but really shouldn't drink as I don't want another rubbish nights sleep on Wednesday. Will see how the exam goes and how I feel later....

Guggul

Please help!!!!

I've been off the booze for about 28 hours. I'm finding it nearly impossible to cope. My skin is crawling kind of. I am extremely agitated, itchy, over emotional. I am a real state. I don't think I can go into work today. I didn't sleep even for a second last night. Just laid in my bed worrying incessantly about the tiniest little details of life. Is this a normal part of giving up alcohol?

I was 36 units of alcohol (white wine) per week.

I've now taken a Valium (something I do very rarely) but it's had no effect whatsoever in calming me down

Greytcatlady

Judi, you've had the most cruddy start to the year and yet still managed to do brilliantly with this challenge. Maybe alcohol wasn't quite the crutch that you thought, even though it's been tempting to cave at times. Keep at it.

And to all those whose first steps have been to cut down rather than out, you will get there. Progress, not perfection.

Echoing gien and 365, I agree and been on the receiving end of friends that think you've developed two heads if you mention you're cutting down, will stop there for the night thank you, etc. They end the conversation saying *they* don't have a problem (and I'm sure they don't) so will carry on. But I think that says more about them than me. That said, my first social is this weekend but I can hid behind the fact I'm driving. I'll go for the easy option while I've got more important things like my health to worry about.

CuppaTea - at the moment on the ipad (iOS), I've installed the NHS Drinks Tracker, part of their Fit4Life campaign. It's basic with no bells and whistles. It tells you what you want to know. However, I haven't been using it because, guess what, I haven't been drinking in January.:D

However for Feb and beyond, I shall look for another one for my phone (android) as it's a bit more portable. I don't think the NHS one is available for android. Will post on here when I do.

Calling ridiculously early 21/31 please. I'm off out shortly and will be driving lots today and not home til late so neither the temptation nor opportunity today.

Well done if you stayed with all that.