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minny
30-09-04, 22:43
Its been 18 days since I had a drink and Im struggling! I really didnt realise what a dependency on alcohol I had until today. The first week without my beloved red wine was fairly easy but this week has been so hard. I have been so close to buying wine today and Im still fighting the urge! I think my problem is down to giving up smoking at the same time! I smoked 20 cigarettes a day but decided to drop them with the wine!!

Now its "I want a drink!" which automatically leads to "I need a cigarette!"

Maybe I shouldnt have given up both at the same time! I havent had either a cigarette or a glass of wine for nearly 2 weeks but Im so close to giving in to the "need!"

Has anyone else experienced the withdrawal symptoms from either of the above? I would really appreciate your input!

Thanks.... Love Minny...xx

Meg
30-09-04, 23:00
Just another few days and you'll be over the acute symptoms.

You have done sooooo well .
Get some exercise , bake bread , drink a pint of orange squash to curb the thirst factor.

Get out and do something or visit someone - distract !!




Meg

It is impossible to get out of a problem by using the same kind of thinking that it took to get into it.
- Albert Einstein.

seh1980
01-10-04, 00:21
hi Minny,

I gave up alcohol and cigarettes last summer at the same time. I still haven't touched a drop of alcohol but I started smoking again 10 months later. My boyfriend smokes so it was always in my face and was too hard to resist. Maybe you should slowly cut down instead of just suddenly stopping...

Sarah :D

tara
01-10-04, 11:02
Hi Minnie, I gave up alcohol a year and a half ago after realising that i was drinking too much, a least two and a half litres a day, everyday, this went on for about 8-9 months. So one day I decided that it was time too stop and I did. For a few months after I always felt like having a drink but i choose not too, it was hard but the following morning i would be so proud that i hadn't hadn't one. Even to this day I love the smell of beer and wine and it always makes me want a glass, but i choose not to and feel real proud of myself for not giving in, so hang in there it gets easier, as for smoking, i smoke and haven't decided thats its time to give up that yet!! Tara xx

nomorepanic
01-10-04, 15:49
Hi Minny

I can feel for you cos I am on day 5 and finding it hard. The only difference is I CAN'T drink at the moment cos I am on anti-biotics and will be very ill if I drink. This has made it easier to accept that I can't have a drink but I am scared that as soon as I can (next Friday I should be able to), I will go straight back to drinking every day as I did.

I keep watching TV programmes and they are there with a glass of wine in their hand and I am thinking "Oh I could muder a glass of wine". I am finding it hard cos I also had a few glasses a night to help me sleep. My sleep is very bad at the moment since I stopped drinking (yes I know alcohol doesn't really help you sleep).

What I want to do is restrict the drinking to weekends only and cut out the Sunday - Thursday drinking and I am hoping I will be able to do that.

I thought that giving up would help me lose some weight but I have put a pound on this week!

So I can feel for you and I am wishing you all the best.

You may want to PM vern (that is his login name here too). He gave up after many years of not drinking so he may be able to offer some advice. I talk to him about it too. Or PM me and we will help each other.

Best of luck and stick at it OK? You are doing so well!

Nicola

minny
01-10-04, 16:30
Hi all!

Well the day didnt turn out to be so bad after all!!

First of all I took Megs "distraction" advice and I wrote myself a list of "things to do" when the urge for a drink or cigarette struck! What a difference! Not only did the urge pass but it also had a very calming effect on me.

Secondly, as I felt so calm, I made the 20 minute walk to my daughters school again! Thats twice in 1 week! :)

Thirdly, my counsellor set me the task of speaking to one of the mums at the school who is aware of my condition and inviting her for coffee at my house! I did it and Monday morning, I will have company of my own choosing for the first time in nearly a year!

Im still shaky and slightly anxious but I know I can do this! The need for a drink and a cigarette is still there but Im learning how to control it!

Nicola if you decide to stay off wine when your anti-biotic course is over then I will support you in any way I can. The 2 things I find help the most are firstly taking it 1 day at a time. I began by telling myself "I will not have a drink today! I can have one tomorrow if I want to!" Then the next day I felt such a sense of acheivement in not having a drink that I repeated the process! I told myself every morning, "I will not have a drink TODAY!"
The second thing I found helped was the advice Meg gave! Distraction! My "to do" list worked a treat and Ive already written a similar list for tomorrow!

I hope that one day I will be able to enjoy a social glass of wine simply because I enjoy it and not to block my thinking mechanism. At the moment I still feel fairly weak and one glass would easily lead to another. Im not going to chance undoing all the good Ive done in stopping drinking.

Another thing that keeps me from drinking was the humiliation I felt when my GP sent me to the hospital for bloodtests to see if my heavy consistent dependence on alcohol had done any damage to my liver. The nurse looked at me with such contempt. Maybe she was a bad nurse I dont know, but I do know I never want to feel that way again.

To anyone who is considering giving up alcohol.....

Be strong... be positive and BE IN HERE!!!! :)

Thankyou all for being there!

Love Minny...xxx

jill
01-10-04, 16:51
Hi Minny

I've just read your post, you have done so well,
Things will get easyer the longer the time goes on the easyer it gets.

Good luck

Thinking of you

Jillxxxx

May you troubles be less
and your blessings be more
and nothing but happiness
come through your door..

nomorepanic
01-10-04, 18:55
What a lovely post Minny - you sound so much happier.

I have been tidying cupboards out lol and my wardrobe. Trying to keep busy like you!!

I have some alcohol-free wine tonight cos I am sure it is not the alcohol that I crave all the time it is the fact that it is a glass of wine. I am sure it will be horrid but at least I will feel like I have had a glass of wine!

Some of my liver tests were high too. I am going back next week to repeat the LFT to see if a week off booze has made a difference.

The weekend is the worst time to stop drinking for me - but I am going to stick at it.

Thanks for the offer of support.

x

Nicola

Meg
01-10-04, 19:38
Minny - Hurrah !!!!!!

Many congratulations you very strong lady . You should be very proud indeed .

She was a bad nurse or you misinterpreted the look by thinking thats what you thought she looked at you like.

I worked on a liver unit for ages and we had pts who needed transplants due to alcohol but never judged them.
Now I realize that we didn't do enough to help them recognise why they drank and support them to work through those initial issues though .

Nic - have you actually booked in for your repeat bloods ?




Meg

It is impossible to get out of a problem by using the same kind of thinking that it took to get into it.
- Albert Einstein.

nomorepanic
01-10-04, 19:51
<b id="quote">quote:</b id="quote"><table border="0" id="quote"><tr id="quote"><td class="quote" id="quote">

Nic - have you actually booked in for your repeat bloods ?

Meg

It is impossible to get out of a problem by using the same kind of thinking that it took to get into it.
- Albert Einstein.
<div align="right">Originally posted by Meg - 01 October 2004 : 19:38:08</div id="right">
</td id="quote"></tr id="quote"></table id="quote">

Yes Meg on Tuesday :)

Nicola

minny
01-10-04, 20:12
Thank you so much everyone again!

Nicola... Alcohol free wine isnt so bad once you get used to the taste! You may think that you being on anti-biotics is the reason for you stopping drinking but I dont think you are giving yourself any credit! I know lots of people who continued to drink whilst on anti-biotics or some other medication! It takes strength to stop drinking when you NEED to drink so give yourself a huge pat on the back! I too am awaiting results on my liver tests so we can all be there for each other!

Meg thankyou!! Your one word.. "distraction" helped me to turn things around today. Such a simple word but a word that made a huge difference!

I know I wouldnt be feeling as strong as I do today if it wasnt for all of you! I was completely lost until I discovered this site.

Is thankyou all enough???

Love Minny...xxxx

nomorepanic
01-10-04, 21:10
Hi Minny

Well I have my wine lol. Trouble is I am drinking it like water lol cos I know I won't get drunk. It isn't too bad.

I will let you know about my LFT results but it won't be till week after next. Meg understands the readings so I just tell her the numbers and she tells me what they mean!

Thank You for the support.

xxx

Nicola

sal
02-10-04, 00:37
Hi Minny

Admiration is the word i would use for you.

I wish i had your strength and will power, you have done so well.

Feel at moment red wine is my best mate and without it not sure how i would cope.

Taken on board what you have said.

Thanks for that.



Love Sal xxxxx

minny
03-10-04, 11:11
Wey hey!! :)

Ive hit the 3 week mark! Its not been easy but in a strange sort of way, the struggle has made my acheivement mean more!

Also, I cant believe what I actually did yesterday!! It was my daughters birthday a few weeks ago and her prestent was a day trip to Alton Towers with 15 friends/family members! Before I became agoraphobic, I was always happy to be the official "bag carrier" on such days out as I have such a huge fear of rollercoasters and have done since I was a child!
Well not only did I manage to accompany my family for the whole day but I had a ride on AIR!!! Jeez it was horrible but my kids and husband are so proud of me!

I had several moments of sheer panic and at one point throughout the day, a panic attack did get the better of me! Instead of hiding away like I normally do, I allowed my family to help me through it.
I was a dribbling, babbling wreck when we made our way back to the car at 5pm but I was and still am smiling! :)

I hope everyone in here realises what a hugely positive effect they have had on me and takes credit for it!

I may not know you all personally but I will always be grateful for each and every post and story I read of yours!

Love Minny..xx :)

Karen
03-10-04, 15:11
Hi Minny

Well done. Such a great achievement. You are truly an inspiration to the rest of us.

Briary

Meg
03-10-04, 15:24
Minny,

Well done !!! More huge progress

I retched all the way round in the queue for Air on my trip to Alton Towers that I took to get myself over a number of fears that arrived with panic . I did it twice but when those leg shackles went on , I just about threw up - but then went on it twice more and lots of Nemesis rides which had always been my favourite .

Good for you. At the end of this not only be alcohol and drug free but also more of a go getter than you ever have been previously !







Meg

It is impossible to get out of a problem by using the same kind of thinking that it took to get into it.
- Albert Einstein.

seh1980
03-10-04, 15:45
Hi Minny,

[Wow!] Well done!! You should be SO proud of yourself!! 3 weeks without drink is a huge achievement and as for Alton Towers, I know that I could never cope with it at the moment so a big well done to you!!

Sarah :D

nomorepanic
03-10-04, 18:21
Minny

Well done on both accounts!!

Great news on the drinking - I am on day 7 so you are doing great after 3 weeks. I had some alcohol free lager last night and it kind of took away the craving of wanting lager lol. No hangover with that lol.

Well done also on Alton Towers - you will never get me on any rides I hate them. I don't even like travelling fast in a car!

You are doing so well.

You say ... "I hope everyone in here realises what a hugely positive effect they have had on me and takes credit for it!"

Well you are the one that deserves all the credit. We all helped you along the way but YOU had to do it - we can't make people do things.

So a pat on the back to you I think.

xxx

Nicola