lessgravity

I was getting ready for work today when I noticed a bottle of Visine in my medicine cabinet. In the midst of many of my benders and binges I would panic if I couldn't find a bottle of Visine to take the blurry redness out of my eyes. I remember realizing I had doubled or tripled up on them when I would find a couple inside a winter coat or in my briefcase. Advil too was an absolute requirement with my head screaming in pain with each pump of my heart as I lay in bed after another night of drunkenness.

I don't use either at all these days.

Have a mixed feeling of satisfaction and anger at myself. That it took so long and I wasted so much time and money on alcohol. But it feels good not to need Visine to look normal heading into work.

My wife cleaned up my son's room and I was stress-free: not worried about her finding a stash of empties.

So many other things no longer a part of my life. Grateful for these things today.

DontRemember

You were hiding emptys in your sons room? Was your 'drinking thinking' going to blame him? "nah,babe..those are HIS!" I'm not laughing at you..I'm laughing at how our thinking, when active, is just insane!

lessgravity

Of course! There was STRATEGY behind it. Mostly just that I could sneak in there at night after he was sleeping under some pretense if I was caught - oh I was feeding the fish, oh I was looking for a sock.

entropy1964

And I still use both! Darn it.

Hevyn

Visine, Advil, Mouthwash, Breath mints - and for me, a dab of perfume so no one would detect the scent of vodka. (Not true that it's odorless.)

I'm glad you're getting free, less.

Rar

Don't forget the Mylanta or antacids.

August252015

"I was looking for a sock!"

I had forgotten about visine- I don't have any more either! I do take Advil right now....but it's because of a back injury AND I chose not to take "real painkillers" for it.

I love that whatever I have is open findings- I don't care if my husband or step daughter rummage through...anything!

Itchy

Enjoy the break. If you ever have lasix or cataract surgery, you'll be back on both. They both can/do cause horrendous dry eye.

Yes, another denial ritual we thought fooled everyone gone. Feels good, no?

August252015

OMG I just remembered...I used to save PENNIES so I could suck on them before work or being around people....I probably read online somewhere that this was a breath trick.

thomas11

Totally relate to this. For me it was Opticon eye drops and Excedrin pain relief. I still have Excedrin on hand but I haven't bought eye drops since 2015. And why is that? Because I don't need them.

MindfulMan

Get PRK instead if you're thinking of refractive surgery. Slower and more painful healing by a few days, but the long term results are more stable, the complications far less, and the dry eye problem is also far less, if any. I have a dry right eye, but that stems from an eye infection when I wore contacts previous to PRK. The dry eye was somewhat better AFTER PRK. Cataract surgery doesn't often cause dry eyes except for a few weeks after the surgery.

Back to thread.

No more shot of vodka in the morning calculated to be small enough that it wouldn't smell much but big enough to decrease the shakes. THAT's when I knew it was bad.

Itchy

Thanks MM, maybe another will now know.

I woke and had to add vodka or scotch to my morning coffees To stop the shaking!

I just like being able to drive any time of the day or night without risking my life or freedom if caught.

least

I don't miss those mornings.

daredevil

I remember the Advil--4 capsules, usually before I passed out. The Visine not so much--never really had bloodshot eyes, except on days that involved projectile vomiting.