Starting over alcohol free

jimwaters1016

Today is day 15 alcohol free. Starting over with diet and exercise today. About a year and a half or so ago, I went a couple of months with no alcohol and dieting and exercising regularly. Lost 20+ pounds, and then one day, decided margaritas would be a good idea. Well, that ended December 3 when I was detoxing so bad I could not hold a glass and was vomiting. I should have gone to the ER but I could not even drive myself.

I guess I am posting this as much for my own sake and sort of a diary to keep me motivated as much as to see if there are others who might need some motivation and encouragement. I will be posting daily so I hope I don't upset or offend. Thanks

nolongergordo

Detoxing made you vomit and get the shakes?

That's grim

I think the doctor should be able to help you out with addiction withdraws if that's what it is. Not sure if cold turkey is best for everyone but you know what's best for you.

Good luck and hope you get it sorted.

jugar

Good for you @jimwaters1016 - alcohol is a great creator of false stories. It is not the wonderful friend it would like us to think it is! You did it before, you can do it again. There is no way this should upset or offend anyone! WTG.

jeanpfourie

Stopped the booze pretty much cold turkey . Was drinking at least a 750ml bottle of Brandy & 2L coke every day for 4 years. After 1 month dry, decided on my birthday to have 3 x whiskey & soda. Within 3 hours had a splitting headache , really felt awful . Realized full on keto means NO BOOZE - for me at least. Started at 219kg, after 8 weeks dropped to 188.9kg. Weight loss around 2kg per week currently . Calorie target 1200, carbs 18. Started walking every morning at 5 , swimming , and bit of strength training , back injury permitting .
This is my last chance . Target 130kg.
Wish me luck .

Darlene_Oregon

Keep it up! I've had a drinking problem most of my life. I have detoxed on my own. But I tapered off gradually (from 750ml or more a day). I know how it feels not being able to lift up a glass without using both hands.
In November of 2021, I woke up around midnight vomiting blood. My husband called an ambulance. I had esophageal varices and was in the hospital (ICU) for five days. That time I was detoxed medically. I guess it was good in a way that I went to the hospital. I don't remember a whole lot. But I was definitely hallucinating. Big Foot was sitting next to me on a park bench in my ICU room. When I was finally able to walk to the restroom (with assistance), upon returning to my bed, there were two old miners in my bed. The nurse reassured me there was no one in my bed. Sounds funny now. But it was very serious.
I quit drinking for 4 months and lost 30 pounds without even trying. I later fell off the wagon, but I never started drinking as much as I had before (not as much and not everyday).
It's ironic I saw this post today because I am again planning to quit drinking. I hope that today will be day 1.
I obviously log my weight on MFP and look at the reports. I also mark on my calendar the days, weeks, or months that I don't drink. And it is obvious that when I am drinking, my weight increases in almost a straight line. And when I am not drinking, my weight decreases almost in a straight line.
Anyways, to Jim, Keep Up the Good Work! And to all, not only is alcohol poison to your body, it will cause one to be overweight and unfit. Not to mention all the nutrients are bodies don't retain when drinking.

susanhamlett123

Please please please don’t stop alcohol cold turkey if you’ve been drinking pretty heavily. It can kill you. Opiate withdrawal will be super uncomfortable cold turkey but it’s not going to kill you.. alcohol and benzodiazepine withdraw can be fatal.

Darlene_Oregon

Thank you Susan. I'm sorry it's taken so long for me to reply. I'm somewhat new to this stuff. And I am still drinking. I will do my best to taper off.

libbieraingirl

stopping on your own indeed can be fatal;lost my oldest friend two years ago; she booked into a hotel so she wouldn't 'burden anyone' and never came out alive: withdrawing abruptly can indeed kill a person ( I miss her still).

willboywonder

That is great. I find that alcohol is a big barrier to managing weight. It's simpler for me to keep off the weight when I do not intake alcohol, because when I drink, I tend to crave things way off the grid, including chips and other salty things. Congratulations to you.

wegnutri

I think alcohol is the hardest vice to quit. It's everywhere you go, it's legal and cheap. Vade retro Satan!

xbowhunter

I used to be a daily drinker as well. Whisky and ice! Mind you it wasn't excessive daily, but it contributed to me gaining 30lbs and feeling like crap and the fatigue was unbearable.

I cut way back and even stopped completely for 45 days. I dropped the excess weight and feel like a new man. Now I will drink mainly on the weekends and sometimes not at all. I don't feel the need to indulge daily anymore.

Alcohol is bad news, and we definitely don't need it in our lives!

EmirSc

I will not drink with you today

be strong, im in the same path

AmberlyMarlene

Hey everyone and most especially Jim. I totally understand and I feel with you.

I'm happy to come across this as I was looking for some community that might be trying to or have quit alcohol with a history of struggling. Today marked 7 days sober for me. I use to drink 750 ml a night. In 2021 I detoxed and went to rehab while I was in the military. They random tested me for a few months which kept me sober. I got out in 2022 and for more than the last 2 years I have drank 500 to 1000 ml almost every night. My biggest streak up until today in that time was 3 days, so YAY TO SEVEN!

I'm struggling with insomnia as I adjust to sobriety since that's the only way I was able to sleep at night which is why I'm on here browsing for friends at 1am. I need to get that under control.

Since I noticed the topic of craving I thought I'd mention when I was in rehab they recommended eating candy because sometimes it's really sugar you're craving when you quit since that's how alcohol gets processed by the body. I know that's not awesome for weight loss short term but if it helps you quit drinking it's good for you long term. It's also unlikely you'll consume as many candy calories as alcohol calories if you drink/drank anything like me.

And yes it's not safe to quit drinking cold turkey without medical surveillance if you've been a long time heavy drinker. I had some pretty serious withdrawal the first time which was coincidentally also November 2021.

I'll be checking back! Also I have 130 lbs to lose not including the 6lbs I dropped this week after putting down the bottle (Rum).


If anyone wants a friend who understands to cheer you on I'm happy to be that friend and feel comfortable knowing I have found this discussion of understanding people. It's surprisingly a rare honest conversation on MFP.

Slimtommie

I just rejoined this group and this is the first post that made me glad I came back. I just went through a trial with Sunnyside where they help you cut back on drinks by a computerized app. I wasn't impressed and came back to this group so I can be more accountable. It did make me realize that if I opened a bottle of wine, I would drink the whole bottle. I am trying to limit just on Friday nights. Over the pandemic I drank several bottles a week and put on a lot of weight. I lost 35 pounds last year with the drinking and hoping if I can get rid of it that I will lose faster. I don't need the sugar and really don't care for light beers any more. Best of luck to all of you. We can do this! Please feel free to add me as a friend. Thanks for your support.

kellihughes14sms

Well done Jim. And hello everyone who also shared incredible stories - your candour is humbling and inspiring.

This is day 4 alcohol free for me. I'm coping far better than I expected which is a relief and also quite illuminating. I'd drifted into a habit of quietly drinking a bottle of wine+ per evening, alone. That sounds so awful written down!

I'm really pleased I found this app, I know it's going to enable me to keep focused. I hope we can all find the strength and motivation to achieve whatever it is we need. Best wishes

Darlene_Oregon

Hi All,
I keep coming back to this discussion because everyone gives me inspiration and it's nice to hear other people's stories.
I don't usually use social media at all. So, I don't know how to reply specifically to a particular person or add someone as a friend (I'm a young 66 years old)
Anyways, I still don't have one day. But, I'm working on it.
Thanks for all the inspiration. I will be back!

paulcahill5301

I say well done because I’ve lived with someone who was deep in and has come through it all. I know how difficult it can be. My advise is too stop counting days and replace with I don’t drink. Instead of I gave up, say I don’t drink. It applies to everything.

Don’t identify as someone who is giving up or gave up. Identify as what you are now. Not what you were. It’s already in the past.

Good luck too you all.

jeanpfourie

Just keep at it!
I am only now starting to realize what 20 years of hard drinking did to me.
I am holding steady , currently down to 180kgs.(from 219 :-0 )
Waking up everyday at 04:00 , drink 1 x Tramadol cap, snooze till 05:15
Then i go for at least a 2km walk - pain permitting .
Quitting alcohol was a walk in the park compared to sugar addiction
Currently managing the sweet cravings with sugar free drinks like drink-o-pop, soda water ,
and Slimsy.
Stay strong, we all in this together !

AmberlyMarlene

I'm still at it. Almost to 10 days! I totally feel those who mentioned drinking and health toll. I gained 130 lbs (which is why I'm at MFP to begin with) and recently learned I have (re)damaged my liver, but not beyond repair. I'm not taking super drastic measures as of right now, just quitting drinking and eating mindfully to include watching my cholesterol as my liver damage raised my cholesterol, so while it heals I'm trying to handle that manually. Despite it only being just over a week my weight is down about 7 lbs (without being dehydrated like usual). I'm pretty stoked and it's motivating.

I'm hear with you guys. Let's keep pushing. If you stumble, get back up and check back in. It's a marathon, not a sprint.

kimby563

I am back with MFP and hoping to lose 50 pounds. Wine has been a problem for me for a while now - all of a sudden I realized that it's been daily for years & I know for the most part it's a habit. I am now 60, I am single and live alone & don't have someone asking me if I need that wine or that snack at night. No one here to make me accountable. I now need to make myself accountable by logging everything I eat and drink on my MFP. I need to make exercise a priority again also. I am fortunate to have a wonderful family & great friends and 5 grandchildren - I want to feel better and be more active and be healthy for myself and those who love me. I also have a trip coming up in mid-May to meet my co-workers for the first time in person, which will be a much more positive experience if I'm down a few pounds! I hope to motivate and be motivated by this group! Good luck to everyone on their journey - it IS a journey!

Gsaunders02

jimwaters1016 wrote: »

Today is day 15 alcohol free. Starting over with diet and exercise today. About a year and a half or so ago, I went a couple of months with no alcohol and dieting and exercising regularly. Lost 20+ pounds, and then one day, decided margaritas would be a good idea. Well, that ended December 3 when I was detoxing so bad I could not hold a glass and was vomiting. I should have gone to the ER but I could not even drive myself.

I guess I am posting this as much for my own sake and sort of a diary to keep me motivated as much as to see if there are others who might need some motivation and encouragement. I will be posting daily so I hope I don't upset or offend. Thanks

I quit drinking months ago. Was drinking beer every night, usually to the tune of 8-16 per night. And usually high calorie IPAs.

Quit drinking and haven't lost a pound. Not one.

Not sleeping better, not feeling better. Really makes me question things.

SparkSpringtime69

paulcahill5301 wrote: »

I say well done because I’ve lived with someone who was deep in and has come through it all. I know how difficult it can be. My advise is too stop counting days and replace with I don’t drink. Instead of I gave up, say I don’t drink. It applies to everything.

Don’t identify as someone who is giving up or gave up. Identify as what you are now. Not what you were. It’s already in the past.

Good luck too you all.

Paul, thank you for this comment - I don't want to be spending my life keeping track of days that I did or did not drink. I keep telling myself that, when someone I know asks why I'm not drinking, I can just say I don't drink anymore. No need to explain why or how long it's been.
Of course everyone is different, and I guess for some it helps them to know they have x number of alcohol-free days under their belt. Thanks for the encouragement.

SparkSpringtime69

@kimby563 I've been drinking just wine for a while now, but alcohol is alcohol and it really does take a toll on your health. And the calories it adds to your day - yikes. Good luck to you.
@Darlene_Oregon if you want to answer someone directly, put the ampersand @ in front of their name like I did with yours here in this post. You just have to make sure you spell the name exactly (or copy and paste). Best wishes to you on your journey.

Darlene_Oregon

@SparkSpringtime69
Thank you for your help. I hope I did it right!
I will keep you all posted.

SparkSpringtime69

@Darlene_Oregon, perfect!!

AmberlyMarlene

@Gsaunders02 have you reached out to a doctor? I feel like there's probably more going on then. They might want to run some blood tests. I drank similarly and quit for a few months, but added some working out and eating healthy and I lost quite a bit of weight. That was a while ago and I had gone back to my habits and gained back the weight plus some. Now I'm at about 2 weeks no drinking, no increased exercise, but I do eat a calorie restricted diet and I'm down 7 lbs.

I don't think you should give up on quitting drinking though. Even if your weight or sleep hasn't changed yet, it's still good for your liver. Mine is damaged and that's my motivation outside of weight loss to not drink. Part of what's helping is I got on anxiety meds as I was basically self medicating until it became a habit I couldn't get away from. I wish you the best.

AmberlyMarlene

Small update from me. I slipped and had an IPA on Sunday. I had to nurse my wounds after the Lions crashed and burned in the second half on Sunday. I regret it. I felt instant guilt because I know people are cheering me on. I have a stupid high tolerance so I never felt anything from it, but it is what it is. Still quitting drinking.

Quit 1/17, one beer 1/28, back to pushing forward.

kaykam0309

Hello. I’m new to the group. I was a wine drinker and I would drink two to three bottles a day for 14 years. I was bored so I would drink. Today makes a week that I have been wine free. I started intermittent fasting and I take magnesium to help with the cravings. The first night I had bad insomnia and the next night as well. I have been sleeping great since then. I’m glad I am not the only one here battling wine addiction. I love wine. But I know I need to loose 30lbs bc of the wine and to better my health since I only have one kidney.

PAR1251

I've made huge changes to my life to support my sobriety and have thus far lost almost 30 pounds. I'm still working on sleep issues but that will come with time. My skin is clear, I'm not sick, I'm not ashamed, I'm not spending hundreds of dollars on alcohol every month. If I can do it, you all can do it. One freaking day at a time, whatever if takes, because you are absolutely worth it. The worst day sober is better than the best day drunk. I do not do meetings, but totally recommend you find a support system, either in person or online (although a lot of online programs are quite ridiculously expensive so be careful what you sign up for). I am 115 days sober and I will not drink today.

AmberlyMarlene

Checking in because it's after 2am and I probably won't be able to fall asleep until 4am or later. Oh the joys of pursuing sobriety 🙃😭

It's still worth it though. I read for someone who drank like me it can take a month or more for sleep to improve. I'm about 2 weeks in so hopefully for me it'll be sooner than later.

-Hanging in there.

jonimparent

I'm grateful to see your post this morning. Today, I will not drink with you. In the past, I felt my best when I was not drinking alcohol. I need to remind myself of that. Thank you for your post. I'm sending you good vibes that you attain all of your goals today and all the days ahead. You inspire me.