The giving up/cutting down alcohol support thread!

winebox

beachbeth think i might be too late :eek: it's been an hour....was corrie on? nightmare with pc have lost all history etc downloading new (free) anti virus stuff etc so...grrrr! :mad: :mad: :mad: I usually watch corrie; don't u od on the malibu (personally, yeuch! but u may feel same re white wine!) I as usual pathetic but laying plans (yeah yeah yeah.....) well it worked in the end with the fags, I cannot just do "it" now I have to have a "date" which I work up to - 1st July. half way thro year etc etc:o

winebox

barshamhillbilly wrote: »

Evening All,

Anyone want to share my cushion on this wagon?
Best Wishes
BHB

gosh we were writing at same time. I won't squash up on yr cushion tonight thanks, obv given last post, but hope someone stronger gets in there!;)

barshamhillbilly

Have just poured myself a glass of Alcohol free beer - so that it for tonight :j.

Off to bed in a little while - I feel absolutely zonked tonight!

But I'm gonna have a clear head in the morning

Catch you all tomoz

BHB

beachbeth

Im on my 3rd Malibu im afraid. I did watch Coro. Im off to bed after this one though, so no more. Its good that I left it late to have a drink because I can't fit so many in. Feel sheepish coming on here to say Ive had a drink though.:o

jo1972

Well, looks like some of us are doing good and some not so, I'm not doing so good on the alcohol intake front but there's a good reason for it. Went to see the pyscotherpist (I know thats wrong and you've got no idea how many times I typed that word to make it look right, but you know what I mean....), the hour seemed like 20 minutes, I didn't realise how much I could talk about myself cos I never talk about myself, I'm really quite private. But this girl got the lot out of me practically (although there's still more to come, shhh don't tell her cos she might not want me back )

I told her that I wanted to stop today and she went through the reasons why with me and what it means, but as shes not medically trained she insisted on me seeing a nurse for a quick chat about it as my keyworker is away at the moment. I only spoke to this woman for 15 minutes but she had more impact on my drinking 'career' in the last 15 years of drinking than anyone else. She said if I wanted to stop today, then that's fine but she'd need to contact my GP first thing in case of emergency stuff with withdrawals. They have me down as physically dependent and although I already knew this I explained that I stopped for 4 months in 2006 and for 12 days a couple of months ago. But apparently each abstinance is completely different and that's why they were taking it so seriously. She said if I want to stop today then that's ok so long as I have someone at home to watch me (which I don't as OH is out tonight and maybe tomorrow). I said that going down to 2 cans a night is panicking me, cos by the time I've drunk 2 I'm gonna feel the anxiety so I might as well not drink anything and feel the same way then get the positive feeling from not drinking anything and then the amazing feeling in the morning. But I've now been persuaded by them that I shouldn't stop tonight, just in case. They are contacting my doc in the morning just in case I need help. I'm dropping to 2 tomorrow and if it's really that bad they said to go back to 3 the next night and work out what's going wrong. I feel I'm in control and don't feel like I have the pressure anymore. I want this to work so much and don't want to booger it up.

Andy, woohoo, well done xx

Shoppy, Beth, Molly, whoever I've missed....:wave:

beachbeth

Im glad you have sensible people helping you, Jo1972. It must help having that backup.

I feel crap this morning. Im not hungover because I only had 3 Malibus (one reason I drink it is because its weaker than vodka and wine) but I think Ive got the beginnings of a cold.:sad: I don't have colds very often and never in the summer so I don't know where this has come from!

Im staying off the vodka even over the weekend as Ive got pmt starting and vodka gives me a migraine at this time of the month.

Well done, Barsham for keeping to the alcohol-free stuff.

shopaholictiedtheknot

Well done barsham, I stayed on the wagon with you last night! 3 days for me now, some kind of miracle!

Beachbeth and winebox - today is a new day!

Jo - So pleased that you have found someone you can relate to, when are you going again?

I am worried now that you have said about the withdrawal, I have been a regular heavy drinker for almost ten years but the doctor said that I was ok to just quit - I also read something on the downyourdrink website about withdrawal symptoms saying that if you had any of the severe symptoms you should seek help to quit - some of the symptoms were palpitations, night sweats, anxiety and feeling unable to cope - all of which I have - I don't know what to do now What are the risks for just going 'cold turkey' did they tell you?

jo1972

Shoppy, the nurse I spoke to last night said they were contacting my doc this morning and said that I should at least ring him to let him know that I'd planned on stopping (although I'm not now), she said that someone should be with you all the time because increased sweats, shakes and anxiety can cause fits (which can be fatal :undecided), if you or your OH or whoever is with you are worried about your withdrawal syptoms then call an ambulance immediately. It's good to let your doc know so it's on record.

I thought it wouldn't affect me as I've been fine in the past but she did keep reiterating that it's different everytime. So, all beware :eek:

shopaholictiedtheknot

Jo, I will be aware of potential dangers then - had bad palpitations last night when I got into bed but no sweats last night (sorry tmi!) and I feel in a much better mood today, not as irritable as I have been.

Have you decided to just cut back for now?

jo1972

Yeah, I'm down to 2 tonight. She said see how it goes and if it's really that bad then go back to 3 tomorrow and decide what the problem was and find a way to deal with it and try 2 again the next day.

See the choice is all mine

ETA: I haven't tried doing 2 before so although I think it's gonna be awful she said to me how do you know which is true I guess, maybe it won't be as bad as all that..