365 days without booze... join me?

[d_a_n1979]

I've been off since Nov now

I've had a few issues with my body trying to kill me over the last 3 years and one issue raised its ugly head in October and been on the strong pain killers from them up until late Feb, as it took me nearly a month to wean myself off them after the op early Jan 2024

Another issue has come back to haunt me (post gallbladder removal) and drink just does not appeal to me... I'm struggling with food at the best of times, so booze on top is just a no go for me...

Am I missing it? Not really although sometimes on a Sat afternoon; a bottle of ale after a hard slog of training mid morning and then doing stuff in the gardens works up a thirst

I'm a huge whisky fan too with LOTS of bottles...

But none of it, currently, is appealing to me and happy to keep it that way for now...

I do feel better for being off it!

[swanseaboydan]

Hit 6 months sober last week - feels amazing.
I’m kind of used to it now but I do worry about the spring / summer beer garden temptations. . Just new to keep strong - for me it’s been worth it - especially in terms of mental health

[tim jb]

Three weeks for me tomorrow. Motivated by a feeling of fullness and a burning / side stitch sensation below the ribs where the liver is. Narrowed it down to gastritis or a fatty liver, probably something more sinister knowing my luck but alcohol's a trigger. Hopefully it's a reversible fatty liver and it recoveres with abstinance, time will tell

[Blib]

swanseaboydan said:

Hit 6 months sober last week - feels amazing.
I’m kind of used to it now but I do worry about the spring / summer beer garden temptations. . Just new to keep strong - for me it’s been worth it - especially in terms of mental health

No need to concern yourself about those right now.

Many on here have already coped with those type of situations and you'll get plenty of support if you need it when the time comes.

[Blib]

tim jb said:

Three weeks for me tomorrow. Motivated by a feeling of fullness and a burning / side stitch sensation below the ribs where the liver is. Narrowed it down to gastritis or a fatty liver, probably something more sinister knowing my luck but alcohol's a trigger. Hopefully it's a reversible fatty liver and it recoveres with abstinance, time will tell

What changes, if any, have you noticed so far?

[tim jb]

Blib said:

What changes, if any, have you noticed so far?

Not many positives at the moment. Abstinence has taken the sting out of the sensation I feel under the ribs but I'm still aware of it, more time required with that. The worst thing is I've been plagued by very vivid detailed dreams which leave me wiped out with fatigue the next day. I will be sticking this out anyway; 21 days sober.

[d_a_n1979]

tim jb said:

Three weeks for me tomorrow. Motivated by a feeling of fullness and a burning / side stitch sensation below the ribs where the liver is. Narrowed it down to gastritis or a fatty liver, probably something more sinister knowing my luck but alcohol's a trigger. Hopefully it's a reversible fatty liver and it recoveres with abstinance, time will tell

Could also be gallbladder issues; if you keep getting the sensations, get yourself checked out, believe me, it's not nice if it catches you out

[redrabbit29]

Blib said:

swanseaboydan said:

Hit 6 months sober last week - feels amazing.
I’m kind of used to it now but I do worry about the spring / summer beer garden temptations. . Just new to keep strong - for me it’s been worth it - especially in terms of mental health

No need to concern yourself about those right now.

Many on here have already coped with those type of situations and you'll get plenty of support if you need it when the time comes.

Agree with this comment - although I did recently start drinking again but it was planned and I just wanted to.

However, I have noticed across all parts of my life when I worry - particularly about alcohol, I do just like you do. I worry:

• What about this holiday in a month, how can I get through that?
• There's a works do in October, that will be hard
• I'm going to the football in Saturday, that will be hard

I always need to just take a step back. THese are future events and like anything in life, just deal with the here and now, what's in front of you. I end up catastrophizing, worrying about hypotheticals. It drowns me at times and I just end up spiralling down. Trying to stop this and a big break through is just being aware of it.

[swanseaboydan]

‘The power of now ‘by exkhart Tolle has helped me live more in the present moment

[tim jb]

d_a_n1979 said:

Could also be gallbladder issues; if you keep getting the sensations, get yourself checked out, believe me, it's not nice if it catches you out

I hope not. I do have these flare ups occasionally and alcohol definitely triggers it. The harder the booze the more intense the sensation and the longer I'm aware of it. That said I've not noticed it for the first time in three weeks today. Not missed drinking either. The alcohol free ciders are great.

[Timmos1974]

tim jb said:

I hope not. I do have these flare ups occasionally and alcohol definitely triggers it. The harder the booze the more intense the sensation and the longer I'm aware of it. That said I've not noticed it for the first time in three weeks today. Not missed drinking either. The alcohol free ciders are great.

Very interesting, ive had some bad stomach pains that I got prescribed anti acids ( Pantaprazole ) took these for a Year and then changed doctor who said try without them for a time being...felt so much better. White or red wine definately causes me stomach problems...beer nothing.

[d_a_n1979]

tim jb said:

d_a_n1979 said:

Could also be gallbladder issues; if you keep getting the sensations, get yourself checked out, believe me, it's not nice if it catches you out

I hope not. I do have these flare ups occasionally and alcohol definitely triggers it. The harder the booze the more intense the sensation and the longer I'm aware of it. That said I've not noticed it for the first time in three weeks today. Not missed drinking either. The alcohol free ciders are great.

That could be pancreas related, or stomach etc... Not liver as IIRC the liver has no pain receptors, so you only know when you've got issues if it's tested for directly

Believe me, if you're able to, get yourself checked out thoroughly as cholecystitis is not fun; it put me in to A&E and then a hospital ward (properly jaundiced too with bilirubin levels into the 700s) for a week last May and even though I've had it removed 6 weeks later, end of June; I'm unfortunately suffering from some post op issues currently and alcohol made them worse, which is why I stopped drinking as soon as I realised (and I don't drink a lot) & zero currently for a good while now!

Not trying to scare you or teach you to suck eggs, but do keep it in mind

[y2blade]

101 days so far.
I thought I’d do dry January as I’d kicked the arse out of the whole of December.
Was going to use Jan as a reset then go back to my usual drinking pattern.

Anyway I did Jan wasn’t missing drinking and felt amazing so I thought “I’ll do Feb”……. And so it continued.

I’ve not missed drinking at all and genuinely enjoying the non alcoholic beers especially Guinness and Erdinger

All the best
Chris

[dirtbiker]

Great effort, Chris! I'm on one of the Dry January groups on Facebook and seeing loads of folks reaching 100 days, excellent!

I'm doing pretty well, 18 day streak which I'm happy with. Bit concerned about the upcoming weekend as I'm away with my wife and no children, normally this would mean some cocktails, wine with dinner, G&Ts at the theatre etc. but I don't have a frame of reference for doing all that sober, to be honest! She knows that I'm drinking a lot less but I don't know if the full support will be there, we shall see! Planning to go for a run together on Sunday morning and I'd normally be pretty hungover for that so the benefits are obvious to me and I'm probably just worrying about nothing... Will stick to the mocktails and AF beers and hopefully reap the benefits!

[The Dictator]

y2blade said:

101 days so far.
I thought I’d do dry January as I’d kicked the arse out of the whole of December.
Was going to use Jan as a reset then go back to my usual drinking pattern.

Anyway I did Jan wasn’t missing drinking and felt amazing so I thought “I’ll do Feb”……. And so it continued.

I’ve not missed drinking at all and genuinely enjoying the non alcoholic beers especially Guinness and Erdinger

All the best
Chris

I started on Jan 2nd, so today is my 100th day. I never initially set out to do more than Dry Jan, but just kept going and have saved £hundreds. I also bought a new watch a month ago and haven't worn it yet, once my 100th day is completed I will allow myself to wear it.

I never intended to stop drinking and still don't, but this experience has made me look long and hard at my habits and I will be changing them moving forward.

[y2blade]

The Dictator said:

y2blade said:

101 days so far.
I thought I’d do dry January as I’d kicked the arse out of the whole of December.
Was going to use Jan as a reset then go back to my usual drinking pattern.

Anyway I did Jan wasn’t missing drinking and felt amazing so I thought “I’ll do Feb”……. And so it continued.

I’ve not missed drinking at all and genuinely enjoying the non alcoholic beers especially Guinness and Erdinger

All the best
Chris

I started on Jan 2nd, so today is my 100th day. I never initially set out to do more than Dry Jan, but just kept going and have saved £hundreds. I also bought a new watch a month ago and haven't worn it yet, once my 100th day is completed I will allow myself to wear it.

I never intended to stop drinking and still don't, but this experience has made me look long and hard at my habits and I will be changing them moving forward.

Money saved! Tell me about it.
The best thing I did was set up an automatic transfer into a separate account for the money I’d spent on average each month last year.

This is literally how much is in it at the moment.


And THAT is money I’d have p——d up the wall.

[Caddyshack]

Just saw a meme saying “will power is soluble in alcohol”

That is very true.

[mattuk89]

I saw a good one the other day, can’t remember the exact wording but the message was:


When you are drinking you are playing life on hard mode, and when you go sober it’s like going back to the options of a video game and switching life to easy mode..

[swanseaboydan]

I really resonate with the above, my life is easier in almost every aspect now. No hangovers, hardly any anxiety. Making much better decisions and 8 kilos off my weight ! Prob an inch off my waist - loving it

[Caddyshack]

You only have to watch Police Interceptors on TV to see how alcohol makes life difficult for so many people and those who come in to conflict with them too. So many dumb choices.

I was watching “night coppers” on ch4 and right at the start of one there were two 50 yr olds arrested for causing affray in a pub fight using bottles. One of those 50 yr old was a very good friend of mine and he is normally a really nice bloke, I am ashamed that he was fighting with broken glass.