The giving up/cutting down alcohol support thread!

jo1972

Mari, congratulations for biting the bullet and being so honest with everyone, you now have to be honest with yourself and decide where you want to go. We are all here for support Good luck x

*Mari*

Thanks again Jo it means a lot to know you are there

Just thought I'd pop in before bed.....I've managed to not touch a drop today, for the first time in I don't know how long. Can't remember the last time I didn't fall asleep on the sofa either!!

Anyway night all thanks so much for all the support today its helped sooo much:T

Mari xx

Ed_Zep

Some great posts here.

Would like to share a couple of things that helped me.

Firstly, when quitting it really helps to have a calendar and cross off each day. I read this is what Jerry Seinfeld does to ensure he does at least some writing each day, so he stays productive. The idea is not to break the chain. Each day you tick a day off it builds self-confidence.
I used the calendar for about 4 months and then didn't need it anymore. It's wonderful to put the green recycling box out on a Friday. You know, the one with the cover, so people can hide the alc. bottles. Once you quit you won't need to put that cover on.

The other thing is something a little more fundamental in respect of why we drink.

I'd be interested in how many of you are drawn to sweet things or caffeine when you abstain from alcohol... The reason I mention it is that it could be that, like me, you get low blood sugar after eating or drinking certain things. The drinking of alcohol (a very simple carbohydrate) requires the pancreas to produce insulin to keep the blood glucose level even. In certain people there's too much insulin produced and the blood glucose goes low and we feel terrible, so we have a drink or a donut or a coffee to push it back up. We feel fine and then later we feel awful.
This is thought to be a major reason for obesity and alcoholism. Alcohol is the only thing that puts weight on me.

Cigarettes, caffeine, alcohol and junk food all push blood sugar right up and then make us feel really bad.

From what I've read, and borne out in my own experience, eating a low GI diet really helps. It will also help any cravings.

If any of that sounds feasible feel free to Google "reactive hypoglycemia".

Hope that helps and doesn't sound to preachy!

Ed.

graemecarter

Ed_Zep wrote: »

Some great posts here.

Would like to share a couple of things that helped me.

Firstly, when quitting it really helps to have a calendar and cross off each day. I read this is what Jerry Seinfeld does to ensure he does at least some writing each day, so he stays productive. The idea is not to break the chain. Each day you tick a day off it builds self-confidence.
I used the calendar for about 4 months and then didn't need it anymore. It's wonderful to put the green recycling box out on a Friday. You know, the one with the cover, so people can hide the alc. bottles. Once you quit you won't need to put that cover on.

The other thing is something a little more fundamental in respect of why we drink.

I'd be interested in how many of you are drawn to sweet things or caffeine when you abstain from alcohol... The reason I mention it is that it could be that, like me, you get low blood sugar after eating or drinking certain things. The drinking of alcohol (a very simple carbohydrate) requires the pancreas to produce insulin to keep the blood glucose level even. In certain people there's too much insulin produced and the blood glucose goes low and we feel terrible, so we have a drink or a donut or a coffee to push it back up. We feel fine and then later we feel awful.
This is thought to be a major reason for obesity and alcoholism. Alcohol is the only thing that puts weight on me.

Cigarettes, caffeine, alcohol and junk food all push blood sugar right up and then make us feel really bad.

From what I've read, and borne out in my own experience, eating a low GI diet really helps. It will also help any cravings.

If any of that sounds feasible feel free to Google "reactive hypoglycemia".

Hope that helps and doesn't sound to preachy!

Ed.

Alcohol is a food group distinctive from carbs,fats, and proteins actually

RecoveringAlcoholic

Interesting comments above.
Having wrecked my liver I am now a diabetic as well.

As an aside I have never seen my Monday AA meeting so packed. It was standing room only..

One day at a time.

Good luck.

Bismarck

Ed_Zep wrote: »

Some great posts here.

Would like to share a couple of things that helped me.

Firstly, when quitting it really helps to have a calendar and cross off each day. I read this is what Jerry Seinfeld does to ensure he does at least some writing each day, so he stays productive. The idea is not to break the chain. Each day you tick a day off it builds self-confidence.

I ripped out all the pags before the Day from my filofax and just kept the ones after.
No song or dance about it. No show. Just a quiet and deliberate promise that this was it. No more "trying" to do it.
I used the calendar for about 4 months and then didn't need it anymore. It's wonderful to put the green recycling box out on a Friday. You know, the one with the cover, so people can hide the alc. bottles. Once you quit you won't need to put that cover on.

Never really used that box for my bottles. The empties were way too many. Took a separate trip or two to the bottle bank. I shudder at the memory.

The other thing is something a little more fundamental in respect of why we drink.

I'd be interested in how many of you are drawn to sweet things or caffeine when you abstain from alcohol... The reason I mention it is that it could be that, like me, you get low blood sugar after eating or drinking certain things. The drinking of alcohol (a very simple carbohydrate) requires the pancreas to produce insulin to keep the blood glucose level even. In certain people there's too much insulin produced and the blood glucose goes low and we feel terrible, so we have a drink or a donut or a coffee to push it back up. We feel fine and then later we feel awful.
This is thought to be a major reason for obesity and alcoholism. Alcohol is the only thing that puts weight on me.

Interesting. I deliberately switched to loads of coffee and fizzy drinks on the basis that if it didn't hurt me a lot it was better than the alternative and I could work on these new vices at a later date.

Cigarettes, caffeine, alcohol and junk food all push blood sugar right up and then make us feel really bad.

From what I've read, and borne out in my own experience, eating a low GI diet really helps. It will also help any cravings.

If any of that sounds feasible feel free to Google "reactive hypoglycemia".

Hope that helps and doesn't sound to preachy!

I think any points about what works for me are valid. We're all here to help and learn and get better in many ways.

Ed.

some good stuff there. should have thought more about it myself when I made the switch but planning too much would have put me off. I was better, in the end, just stopping first and then figuring out how to stay stopped. Whatever damage I did to my body from new regime was small compared to the bigger battle that had to be faced.

take care everyone.

*Mari*

Morning all

Just wanted to say "woke up this morning feeling fine...." as the song goes, hope I remember this feeling tonight :rolleyes:

Anyway hope you are all OK, only 2 days to go til AFJ and Im getting quite excited.....:j think 2009 may be a good year.

Take care

Mari x

jo1972

Ed, that is a fantastic tip about the calender/diary. I remember my alch counsellor telling me that's how he gave up smoking by putting a big red cross on the days as they went by and each one gave him more and more confidence. I gotta pop out to Sainsburys now so I'll see if they've got a calender just for this purpose

Congratulations Mari, glad you are un-hung-over'ed! Here's to 2009, I think there will be a few people having a good 2009 on this thread

shopaholictiedtheknot

Good morning all! Just been catching up on all the posts and good to see we have some new members - welcome to you all!

Well, I am now two weeks and two days AF:j can't say I am feeling good though as I have terrible morning sickness!! I am drinking mainly iced water as it is the only drink that doesn't make the queasiness worse but hey it must be good for me and its calorie free too!! I have actually lost 8 pounds since I stopped drinking and I have been eating lots of chocs which I normally don't like!!

Only two more potential drinking sessions for all you AFJ members now - how are you all feeling - nervous, optimistic or just plain panic stricken? I know that I would have been drinking every day this christmas period if I had not been pg and that is a scary thought!

Good luck everyone, I am rooting for you all!!:T

jo1972

shopaholictiedtheknot wrote: »

how are you all feeling - nervous, optimistic or just plain panic stricken?

All of the above :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Maybe I should get pg so that I can't drink anymore, I had no problem quitting in my last 2 pgs (1st pg I didn't have a drink problem).