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

gien

Sorry was AOL over the weekend as we are Away. Friday I had a cup of tea whilst others had wine but on Saturday I had a glass of wine. Yesterday was AF. So I am now on 17/31 please shaggy. I won't but my target but I'll be close enough and I feel on about any drinking I have done because it has been moderate.

[Deleted User]

18/31 for me please Shaggy I did have my first wobble last night and think how nice would a glass of wine be. Fortunately nothing in the house and it was far too cold to venture out to buy any so I'm still on target. Can't believe less than 2 weeks to go

Honey_Bear

When I had surgery to fix my broken wrist, I'd made no secret of the fact that I'd fallen over after my birthday party, where I'd had, shall we say, a fair amount. The anaesthetist asked how much I drank and I told her it was well over the recommended levels. She said I was the first person who'd ever admitted that. To say I was surprised is an understatement - how can we expect health care professionals who are about to shove very strong drugs into us get the dose safely correct if they don't know what other 'anaesthetics' we're bunging into our system? (Mind you, it took me another few years to truly understand I did actually have a booze problem.)

To those who are struggling to cut down, I never managed it, but I know that masses of people do. Once I'd accepted I couldn't and finally made the decision to stop altogether the whole thing just got so much more straightforward that I can't understand why I kept drinking for so long. This is actually much, much easier! No-one wants to give up; those of us who do so do it because we know we have to and it's a bit of a toughie to begin with but that passes.

Bonus moment yesterday: We're going on holiday in June and will need to stay at a hotel overnight the night before we fly. They don't do food, but there are a couple of really great pubs within driving distance. OH was very sad about that until I reminded him - I don't drink! (It's been 18 months; you'd think he'd have got used to it by now!)

Please don't think I'm lecturing, Mackeroo, or anyone else who's thinking about their drinking. I just want to share my experience.

Satchmo, I feel your frustration. The great part about what happened is that you actually got to share some fabulous one to one (couple-wise) time with your bestie.

Good luck to everyone experiencing Ofsted. As an outsider I can't help but feel that it really shouldn't feel like that although I realise that sounds niaive and simplistic. (((Hugs)))

19/31 please, Shaggy.

maman

So depressing to read about the effects of the Big O:(.


mackeroo, it was one of my worries that I'd play catch up at weekends and drink a week's worth of wine. I probably do still binge drink by the standards of cathy's GP but I've found that the longer I have AF days the more my tolerance drops. I often either stop drinking mid evening or at least take a break and have a cup of tea.


What I can't seem to get over is drinking too much early evening. I do wait for wine o'clock (which is 6 p.m. in these parts) but then I drink the first glass(es) much too quickly usually while prepping dinner. Anyone else find this?


Going to be AF today.


7 AFDs please Shaggy.

maman

Honey_Bear wrote: »

Please don't think I'm lecturing, Mackeroo, or anyone else who's thinking about their drinking. I just want to share my experience.

I never do HB. What I love about this thread is it's all about support and no judgements.:)

New_Me

Can I change my target please?14/23 including tonight

I originally set my target of 30 when there were only 29 days left to go, first mistake. Then I thought I could go from no afd to every day free, and it's seems I can't/won't. I've decided not to beat myself up about it, after all it is a start and 14 AFD so far this month is still more than I had all last year. I have a weekend away and I've added one more day to give a target of 23 AFD in January.

In some ways it feels like cheating to change the target, but I don't want to be in a position of having failed and it only being the 19th!

Honey_Bear

Thanks Maman.

maman wrote: »

What I can't seem to get over is drinking too much early evening. I do wait for wine o'clock (which is 6 p.m. in these parts) but then I drink the first glass(es) much too quickly usually while prepping dinner. Anyone else find this?

Exactly that in my drinking days. I realised that having that glass while cooking, or while OH was cooking, and having a convivial chat at the same time was getting to me far more than those I drank later. We always aim to eat at 8.00pm. From then on I wouldn't allow myself to drink until I started eating, and by that I mean take the first mouthful of the meal. Canapes, crisps, dips etc didn't count as the first mouthful, either. It helped enormously.

Of course, nothing did in the end, but I have to admit, the night that caused the decision, finally, just to stop was one of those when there wasn't any proper food, just nibbles, and we started off with a glass or three of fizz, and I thought it would be churlish to say no, because I hadn't eaten, so I didn't. It was a catastrophe.

shaggydoo

Afternoon :hello:

1 more AFD for yesterday.



Shaggyx

shaggydoo

mackeroo wrote: »

8 AF please Shaggy

Hoping to get a bit of advice from you. Since returning to this thread this year, I've pretty well managed no drinking on a 'school night' which for me is mon - Thursday night. I seem to have become a major binge drinker at the weekend, as if almost to make up for not drinking during the week. As soon as the clock chimes 5 ( sometimes earlier) the bottle of vino is cracked open and I 'reward' myself for not drinking during the week. I really want to reduce the amount I drink at the weekend, dont want to be abstinent just a 'cutter downer'. All tips on how to manage this at the weekend would be most welcome. Thanks

To be honest I always try to start drinking late in the day - if you can leave it as late as possible before you have your first drink, you will definitely drink less I think. I have actually said to folk that I couldn't go to the pub at the time suggested 'cos it was waaayyyy too early for me. So join friends later if necessary.

Once you have a drink - alternate with water.

Oh and sip - don't glug

shaggydoo

New_Me wrote: »

Can I change my target please?14/23 including tonight

No worries. Whatever helps.