LESS Alcohol ~ OCTOBER 2024 ~ One Day at A Time
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You can do it @SurferGirl1982 We're all rooting for you!4
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May we each achieve our personal goals today whether cutting back or cutting out alcoholic beverages! 💜5
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I’m sorry you feel scared and imagine it is very normal in your situation @SurferGirl1982.
But today sounds like you are achieving LA in your choice to buy Less and imbibe Less. That’s tapering in action. You ARE doing it and not letting anyone down. Stay strong through all the feelings and try to focus on what reduces anxiety and brings you joy.3 -
Thanks all for the advice on the supplements. I’m on several prescribed supplements already because my body doesn’t absorb certain vitamins after my gastric bypass in 2004. Unfortunately, my current doctor took me off one of them, but I think he may have been mistaken to do it. And, I think the reaction may be the cramps. Not sure, but I have an appointment next month with him. So, I’ll bring it up. I only drink water, coffee, and wine; and I’ve been trying to drink a lot more water lately.
@SurferGirl1982, it’s ok. Do what you have to do. Your health is most important. There’s always tomorrow, a new day, another chance! I know your anxiety is high for several reasons. My suggestion is for every thought that tries to convince you that you cannot go without a drink, you need to write down a reason why you should go without a drink. Write it on a post-it note, and hang it where you can see it. The reasons can be due to your health or how you felt the last time or whether or not you want to. I’m sure for every reason you give yourself to drink, you can give yourself 2 as to why you shouldn’t. What I don’t want you to do is think that you’re disappointing us. You’re still here… that’s never a disappointment! Still praying for you, Friend!5 -
SurferGirl1982 wrote: »Thank you so much @Michieb125 I will do this. It just might take me a little longer.
I would encourage you to go to that doctor's appointment to ask for a safe way to cut down. I don't think you should go cold turkey; there can be serious effects on the brain. You just want to be safe and not jeopardize your brain/health.
Don't forget alcohol exacerbates anxiety.
Have you tried hypnotherapy? Might be worth looking into.
Rooting for you!!!4 -
globalhiker wrote: »Oct - 7 AF days done. AF total is 37 days. My biggest fear today is going back to Day 1 and starting over. Memories of the past few years came back to me about the times I did decide to stop my wine diet as I called it and regress in a matter of weeks right back to Square One. It happened always when I went on vacation or when I had a job layoff or travel to visit distant relatives. This is like YO-YO dieting - improve for a months, regress for double the time, then improve a few months, regress double the time, and the cycle keeps going.
@SurferGirl1982 if I had a good bottle of wine in my fridge I would've opened it up and drank the whole thing yesterday. I can't have it in the house at all, it's just an addictive poison for me.
Looking back, I wasted years of time, thinking, over-thinking, obsessing, trying, failing, over and over. If I could re-play my life, I would've absolutely 1000% signed up for online therapy and physican prescribed medication because regular excessive drinking is the sign of a dangerous physical disease and just in recent years is being treated as such just like we go to the doctor for any other physical ailment.globalhiker wrote: »Oct - 7 AF days done. AF total is 37 days. My biggest fear today is going back to Day 1 and starting over. Memories of the past few years came back to me about the times I did decide to stop my wine diet as I called it and regress in a matter of weeks right back to Square One. It happened always when I went on vacation or when I had a job layoff or travel to visit distant relatives. This is like YO-YO dieting - improve for a months, regress for double the time, then improve a few months, regress double the time, and the cycle keeps going.
@SurferGirl1982 if I had a good bottle of wine in my fridge I would've opened it up and drank the whole thing yesterday. I can't have it in the house at all, it's just an addictive poison for me.
Looking back, I wasted years of time, thinking, over-thinking, obsessing, trying, failing, over and over. If I could re-play my life, I would've absolutely 1000% signed up for online therapy and physican prescribed medication because regular excessive drinking is the sign of a dangerous physical disease and just in recent years is being treated as such just like we go to the doctor for any other physical ailment.
OMG I could have totally written this. I am exactly the same. I fear day 1 ever again more than I want a drink and Thank God for that. I absolutely cannot moderate, period, Amen.
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@SurferGirl1982 I agree with Ruby Red. Do not put off your Dr appointment. Rip the band aid off and go. It sounds like you definitely need medical intervention to make sure you are doing this right. We all care very much about your well being. I myself have put off a Dr appt until this month as I am afraid to hear that my liver is damaged,(obviously I hope it isn't) but I am going on the 24th. Whatever she says, I need to face it.4
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October
AF 6
A 23 -
@SurferGirl1982 I am seeing my general practitioner who will probably refer me first for a place for a sonogram on my liver, and then if needed....Lord I hope not, a hepatologist. I realize you have limited resources where you live so I am sure your local health care provider will let you know what you can do. I am 16 days sober today and finally, finally, I am feeling less pain in that area. There is no way I can ever drink again until I am ready to die.
I am taking a vacation starting Thursday and do not have MFP on my phone so will be AWOL from here for a while. Good luck and God Bless anyone in the path of this monstrous storm.4 -
Good morning! It's hurricane day
Trying to get all of our laundry done as we're bound to lose power for a few days. Ugh. I know that this storm is going to bring devastation to some people, so I try not to make trivial complaints. May God protect us all and be with those in the path of the strongest winds.
Claiming today since there's no wine in the house and all of the stores are closed.
AF = 9 (10 days in a row!)
A = 07 -
Hello LA friends!
You are all amazing!
AF - always
A - never6 -
Happy Birthday to all those who have October birthdays! 🎂
Just caught up to all the posts. I haven’t logged my drinks in the last week-I always think I’ll remember but then I don’t. Same thing with food. I have to log everything or my weight starts to creep up.
So, my drinks are a small guess, but in general last week I did well with low alcohol wine, but once you put me on my boat or it’s the weekend, I’ve noticed I’m at three drinks, which is too much for me. Last night was no except- one glass of LA wine, two glasses or regular wine, and I had to take a little nap on the boat before we drove home. We should have planned to stay over.
Can I just say, I am enjoying the hell out of my new boat???????? I never want to leave. Although I did hit one of the pilings while backing her into our slip😳. So, she has her first boo-boo, but nothing serious. Luckily I was going super slow.
At any rate, today is a new day and I’m not going to have any alcohol. Just for one day, which is the hardest for me.
May all those affected by Milton stay safe and not have property damage!!!5 -
Still going AF here - hoping to keep it going. I'll be away for a few weeks but intending to still log in but maybe not daily if I am on the road.
Praying for all you Floridians & glad you're preparing for the worst just in case.
On the topic of canceling medical appointments, that was me earlier this year!! My story is starting to sound like everyone else's!!!
Behavioral health specialist - online, would that be a good option? Not sure if anyone here has tried this? No leaving the house. Very confidential and private. Insurance tends to now cover much of this. Pick someone with good reviews that specialize in this sort of stuff or get referral from a dr. These folks are pros and can help develop a personalized plan to help taper safely and address the side effects along the way. I would do this. Low risk, better chance of success.
Most important - Waking up and trying is success. Delaying drinking for whatever time is success. Reducing by 1 ounce is success. All little improvements are success. And recognizing set-backs that are part of the normal journey is success.7 -
Hi guys and a huge welcome to October 2024 @womona your boat sounds like so much fun. And hey like a new car the first ding is now out of the way and you know how it got there.
To those wondering about going to specialists for the liver I lived every second with my first husband and his demise through liver disease.
We even took him to the top of the line Lahey Clinic Liver specialists in Boston Mass.
Please don't put off your appointments. The liver, if not seriously affected (meaning which stage cirrhosis is at 1,2,3 or 4) by alcohol can regenerate to function better.
When most people talk about weight gain and alcohol giving you water weight gain it is a medical condition know as ascites. The liver can no longer filter toxins.Not only alcohol toxins, but every day toxins found in the air, etc.
The body begins to surround the lungs, heart and other vital organs with a yellowish disgusting fluid. This fluid puts pressure on the organs, fill up the abdomen that begins to look like the growing stages of pregnancy.
Ascites is PAINFUL though, not easy going. And the drainage process is not pleasant. I was taking my husband 3 times to 4 times a week to have 7- 8 liters drained each of those visits. As long as the liver is so badly damaged it will continue to produce this fluid.
The draining is temporary to relieve pressure off the organs. My husbands one lung collapsed under the pressure and could not be re-inflated. It was like a constant incoming tide. The portal for the drainage became grossly infected from the fluid leaking out under the pressure even.within hours of leaving the hospital.
So again, if you have an appointment KEEP IT, please.
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Morning LA friends — thinking of those in Florida in the path of Milton and sending prayers and positive thoughts for continued safety today.
Since last Friday, I’ve been making the decision upon waking each morning that I’ll be skipping another day of wine or whatever. And, I’ve noticed I haven’t wavered later in the day while planning dinner. Seems very strange for me, but I’ll take it for now! I’m sure this has to do with the psychology of my deep desire to cut way back for my own health and wellness.
Going to my granddaughters soccer game tonight so I know it will be an automatic AF day. I’m also making an effort to have more water and exercise this week.
I think I’d like to tackle a monthly goal of 20-24 AF days soon. In 2023 I was hitting 20-22 dry days consistently for many months in a row.
October goal: Soberish October 🍁🎃🍁
Current:
AF days - 7
A days - 2
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@Womona thrilled to hear you are enjoying your boat so much! I like what MissMay said about getting an initial ding out of the way! Sounds like you will find another activity in place of wine today - if I can do it, you can do it!5
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Came across this resource while researching data for my Soberish October 🍁🎃🍁
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/alcohol/alcohol_glossary.htm#:~:text=Current moderate drinker – More than,average over the past year.
Moderating is defined as 3-7 glasses or less a WEEK which is my overall goal - just not today!7 -
AF - 9
A - 0
I uttered the words today, “I need a drink.” We went out for dinner, and I considered for all of 2 seconds getting a glass of wine. Ordered water instead. Haven’t had any cramping since yesterday.
Work sucked. Hours of work down the toilet and the people I work with ignoring procedure equals high annoyance levels that send me into an immediate anger response that I can’t demonstrate because of the type of people I work for. It’s just absolutely infuriating!
Hubby did suggest dinner out tonight, so I had a break from cooking. But, he irritated me once we were out yelling at the kids to push his mom in her wheelchair when he was right there and could’ve done it. When I called him out, he said he’s hurting. But, he ALWAYS says that. Yet, he can go and bench press, squat, and deadlift hundreds of pounds and not be “hurting”😡
Sorry… huge rant and there’s far worse things going on in this world.
Prayers for safety in FL!6 -
SurferGirl1982 wrote: »
Can I just say, I am enjoying the hell out of my new boat???????? I never want to leave. Although I did hit one of the pilings while backing her into our slip😳. So, she has her first boo-boo, but nothing serious. Luckily I was going super slow.
Couldn't have had anything to do with the wine, could it? 😀
Oh you’re a laugh riot! NO! Haha! But it would totally serve me right if that were the cause. Sadly, just inexperience-was my first time backing it in without the captain there to hold my hand.
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AF tonight! I was sorely tempted when I saw that my husband opened a new bottle of red- one that did not exist when I left the house today! I did take a small sip just to try it, but that’s it! So, I’m calling today AF.
Kinda psyched that my Wine Night tomorrow is cancelled- colleague isn’t going to bet at work tomorrow-so that’s another opportunity to not drink. Yay! If I can just hold on through the rest of tomorrow night, that will be two AF days. At the moment I’m not quite at Soberish Octoberish, but I’m getting there.
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NonnieDoiron wrote: »AF - 9
A - 0
I uttered the words today, “I need a drink.” We went out for dinner, and I considered for all of 2 seconds getting a glass of wine. Ordered water instead. Haven’t had any cramping since yesterday.
Work sucked. Hours of work down the toilet and the people I work with ignoring procedure equals high annoyance levels that send me into an immediate anger response that I can’t demonstrate because of the type of people I work for. It’s just absolutely infuriating!
Hubby did suggest dinner out tonight, so I had a break from cooking. But, he irritated me once we were out yelling at the kids to push his mom in her wheelchair when he was right there and could’ve done it. When I called him out, he said he’s hurting. But, he ALWAYS says that. Yet, he can go and bench press, squat, and deadlift hundreds of pounds and not be “hurting”😡
Sorry… huge rant and there’s far worse things going on in this world.
Prayers for safety in FL!
Big hug, it all sounds super infuriating. Good for you holding off on the alcohol when you could have easily gone for it4 -
Michieb125 wrote: »Came across this resource while researching data for my Soberish October 🍁🎃🍁
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/alcohol/alcohol_glossary.htm#:~:text=Current moderate drinker – More than,average over the past year.
Moderating is defined as 3-7 glasses or less a WEEK which is my overall goal - just not today!
Oh crap, I’m a “current heavy drinker”- more than 7 drinks per week (women). Holy cow! Dang it, I have to get that back down to earth of “moderate drinker”. Dang! Welp, that was eye opening!
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Wow- that CDC article. Until late August, I was probably drinking at least triple of what's considered moderation for women, if not more.
Today felt like a big win- my husband bought a 6 pack of beer because we needed a bottle for a soup recipe. Usually I would have told him to buy the 12 pack (I'd drink it, after all). But tonight I didn't have any- 5 beers sit unopened in our fridge. I have a long work day tomorrow, why make it harder for myself?
October
AF 7
A 28 -
October:
AF: 3
A: 6
Thank you for this motivation. I keep starting out every month ok and then going off the rails. I've been having a few very stressful months, and am turning to wine to mellow out. This has to stop and, starting today, I am going to write a new story for myself.xbowhunter wrote: »Amazing job everyone!
AF - forever
A - never
You have the power to write your own story starting today!
Thank you @xbowhunter and to everyone else here for the incredible motivation.
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I hope all in Milton's path came through unscathed
When you can, please give us an update and let us know you're safe.6 -
@SurferGirl1982 I agree with others that have suggested you keep your doctor's appointment. It is difficult to face things we think we might hear from doctors, but the sooner you know that something is not quite right in your body, the sooner you can take steps to fix it, especially when it comes to your liver.
@womona glad to hear you're enjoying your boat so much, and sorry to hear about the little boo-boo
I'm so glad to see such great AF and LA stories, successes and streaks on here (too many to call everyone out by name, ), it's really inspiring me to do better for myself. 7 -
@Womona congratulations on getting a lovely new boat! I must've missed your post. Did you trade your other one in?
39 days AF. I am aiming to keep going. This is an ultra-marathon. I could not have done this without you guys. Checking in here and reading your posts gives me energy to make it though one more AF day.
@MissMay I take your story very seriously. I was one of those people who never got drunk, never drove under the influence, never got into fights when buzzed, I could drink like the men at business events and hold my composure, and hardly ever had hangovers (only when I was 18 and a few times when I abstained here for long and stupidly decided to take a day "off" and drink 1 wine bottle.) I was a normal American over-working supermom who drank like everyone else I knew. I didn't drink "that much", typical was 2.5 5 oz glasses or half a wine bottle which "back then" was kinda normal and acceptable. Weekends and special outings, was a different story. It was 1 bottle of wine and sometimes 1 more glass if I had lunch out. And I seriously stupidly thought I was blessed with good mediterranean genes and could metabolize alcohol like a pro, with my liver of steel. My ancestors were in the wine production business and they all drank and lived very long. I was special. And TADA, last year I get super high liver enzymes on my blood test, go for an ultrasound and I have fatty liver that is a stage mild-moderate. I had never had a belly with swelling in the middle and I did now. It was not hormonal bloating. My fatty liver is not from being slightly overweight or my diet, it was that oh-so-supposedly healthy-good-for-your-heart wine. I was told if I don't reverse it, I will eventually get cirrhosis. So yeah, now I realize this is no joke.8 -
globalhiker wrote: »@Womona congratulations on getting a lovely new boat! I must've missed your post. Did you trade your other one in?
39 days AF. I am aiming to keep going. This is an ultra-marathon. I could not have done this without you guys. Checking in here and reading your posts gives me energy to make it though one more AF day.
@MissMay I take your story very seriously. I was one of those people who never got drunk, never drove under the influence, never got into fights when buzzed, I could drink like the men at business events and hold my composure, and hardly ever had hangovers (only when I was 18 and a few times when I abstained here for long and stupidly decided to take a day "off" and drink 1 wine bottle.) I was a normal American over-working supermom who drank like everyone else I knew. I didn't drink "that much", typical was 2.5 5 oz glasses or half a wine bottle which "back then" was kinda normal and acceptable. Weekends and special outings, was a different story. It was 1 bottle of wine and sometimes 1 more glass if I had lunch out. And I seriously stupidly thought I was blessed with good mediterranean genes and could metabolize alcohol like a pro, with my liver of steel. My ancestors were in the wine production business and they all drank and lived very long. I was special. And TADA, last year I get super high liver enzymes on my blood test, go for an ultrasound and I have fatty liver that is a stage mild-moderate. I had never had a belly with swelling in the middle and I did now. It was not hormonal bloating. My fatty liver is not from being slightly overweight or my diet, it was that oh-so-supposedly healthy-good-for-your-heart wine. I was told if I don't reverse it, I will eventually get cirrhosis. So yeah, now I realize this is no joke.
@globalhiker I pretty much followed your drinking life too. Although not of Mediterranean decent, I could keep up with the guys (won a drinking contest against 9 other males, I was the only female when I was 20, very embarrassing to look back at that).
My late husband was an extremely hard worker, NEVER drank during work hours. A few years after we met, he developed a bit of a belly. We joked and named this protrusion "Gus", his beer gut. Not knowing that at the age of 32 he was showing signs of alcohol liver fluid retention. UGH if he had only been wise enough to be getting yearly exams. Right before his first eye opening awareness, that there was a health issue, he thought oh good I am losing some weight. Or so he thought, it is really known as body wasting, the body starts eating away at the muscle mass you have and you appear to be getting smaller. But the belly remains and many times anemia of the lower extremities increase.
The entire hepatology ward at the Lahey Clinic in Boston had patients just as my husband that all had the same body features. Even walking across the parking lot you knew which part of the hospital these people were walking to.
I so appreciate you taking the time to respond to my post. But more to know you have to face the piper and go to your appointments no matter what we don't want to hear and learn from the Dr's or tests. The saddest thing I ever heard my husband admit was when he said "No one did this to me, I did this to myself".
Take care, be well.6 -
Checking in from Florida.
Our area up in Northwest Florida only had/has red flag beach warnings and some higher wind gusts.
Hoping those on here that live in the hurricane, flooding, tornado areas are safe. Having it affect both the West, Central and East sides of our state is horrible. I so thank the weather angels for taking it from a category 5 and category 4. The strength that hit was bad enough.
Please give us a thumbs up if your able to.
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@MissMay you just described my neighbor to a T! He has to go get his stomach drained often (I don't know the exact schedule), and his extremities are very thin. Unfortunately, he still continues to drink. 6
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