Finally making a serious attempt...
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Lexington, KY
Posts: 8
Finally making a serious attempt...
I've been reading through threads, etc. and have found some good tidbits of information, but in the past for other problems I've alway found it's better for me personally to get my story out.
I've drank for 7, maybe 8 years now every single day (well night mostly as I'm an evening/night drinker). I'm 23 years old. I lived with what was then my boyfriend since I was 18, and who at the time didn't drink on a daily basis. Unfortunately for him, I quickly changed that. I too helped to turn him onto the vicious cycle of drinking. For him, going on 5 years of drinking. We've tried quitting in the past. First in an attempt to diet. We stayed sober for about 3 months from that. That was almost a year ago. Since we started drinking again, every night just as before. For us, it's about a case a beer a night (not each, split between).
We've been talking about quitting now again for the last 6 months and finally decided now or never. Last night was the first night of sobriety.
I know I've seen people swear by AA, but I've been there done that and it only leads me to more severe drinking. Talking about drinking for me does not help me to not drink.
We've both started taking a Vitamin B complex supplement. He is also taking a multivitamin to try and get his nutrients proper again. I on the other hand cannot take any complex multivitamins as all have a component I'm allergic to.
Can anyone suggest some things that it would be worth me taking an extra supplement to at least for the first month or so to try and help get my body back into nutritional shape?
And any other pieces of advice I would totally be open to as well. Thanks
I've drank for 7, maybe 8 years now every single day (well night mostly as I'm an evening/night drinker). I'm 23 years old. I lived with what was then my boyfriend since I was 18, and who at the time didn't drink on a daily basis. Unfortunately for him, I quickly changed that. I too helped to turn him onto the vicious cycle of drinking. For him, going on 5 years of drinking. We've tried quitting in the past. First in an attempt to diet. We stayed sober for about 3 months from that. That was almost a year ago. Since we started drinking again, every night just as before. For us, it's about a case a beer a night (not each, split between).
We've been talking about quitting now again for the last 6 months and finally decided now or never. Last night was the first night of sobriety.
I know I've seen people swear by AA, but I've been there done that and it only leads me to more severe drinking. Talking about drinking for me does not help me to not drink.
We've both started taking a Vitamin B complex supplement. He is also taking a multivitamin to try and get his nutrients proper again. I on the other hand cannot take any complex multivitamins as all have a component I'm allergic to.
Can anyone suggest some things that it would be worth me taking an extra supplement to at least for the first month or so to try and help get my body back into nutritional shape?
And any other pieces of advice I would totally be open to as well. Thanks
Guest
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,525
Hi, funnyukgal--I'm glad you found this site. It's been a Godsend for me.
One supplement I've had good luck with is milk thistle--it's good for detoxing & supporting liver health, and our livers go through he** from excessive drinking.
Take care!
Jane
One supplement I've had good luck with is milk thistle--it's good for detoxing & supporting liver health, and our livers go through he** from excessive drinking.
Take care!
Jane
Guest
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,525
Oh, and I just thought of something else An EXCELLENT book is "Beyond the Influence" by Katherine Ketcham & William Asbury--it's got loads of helpful info about alcohol's effects on our brain & body chemistry. Very motivating if you're looking to stop drinking!
Good luck!
An EXCELLENT book is "Beyond the Influence" by Katherine Ketcham & William Asbury--it's got loads of helpful info about alcohol's effects on our brain & body chemistry. Very motivating if you're looking to stop drinking!Good luck!
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Lexington, KY
Posts: 8
I just graduated college with a chemistry and a psychology degree...the sad thing is know what it does just have had a hard time facing the music. suppose that makes me worse off as i know what it's been doing to me and i've refused to do anything about it...
thanks for the info tho i'll look for the book
thanks for the info tho i'll look for the book
Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 46
Hi funnyukgal. Stopping by to wish you good luck! When I first quit, it was suggested to me that magnesium was very helpful, and that a great way to up your intake was to soak in a hot bath with epsom salts (very inexpensive and available at any drugstore or grocery!!). I found that it really helped me. I will never know whether it was the magnesium, or just having a bath at night helped me to sleep better making me stronger the next day, but whatever - I managed to quit and stay that way.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 46
Also, I never joined AA or any other groups. I did a lot of reading online and posted on a forum for a while. I found the rational recovery website helped me a lot, as did Allen Carr's book, Easy Way to Quit Drinking. Best $10 I ever spent.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Murrieta, Ca
Posts: 2,683
As far as your nutrition, the best thing to do is to stop drinking and start eating. Don't worry about your weight for now, just eat a healthy, well balanced diet. For a while, you're body will tell you what it wants.
I know when I was drinking heavily (1,5-2 Pints Vodka/Day), I ate little as my energy was coming from the booze.
You are going to need your B-Complex vitamins, as alcohol robs your body of those. Injections from a doctor maybe ? A ton of broccoli ? I dunno. I use supplements is pill form.
Multi-vitamins are also recommended. Someone mentioned Milk-thistle. I'm taking it, but cannot determine its' effectiveness. I'm not yellow, so....
What's your long term plan ? You say you tried AA, but it doesn't sound like you listened to those sharing, or they only shared their "drunkalogs".
Good Luck.
I know when I was drinking heavily (1,5-2 Pints Vodka/Day), I ate little as my energy was coming from the booze.
You are going to need your B-Complex vitamins, as alcohol robs your body of those. Injections from a doctor maybe ? A ton of broccoli ? I dunno. I use supplements is pill form.
Multi-vitamins are also recommended. Someone mentioned Milk-thistle. I'm taking it, but cannot determine its' effectiveness. I'm not yellow, so....
What's your long term plan ? You say you tried AA, but it doesn't sound like you listened to those sharing, or they only shared their "drunkalogs".
Good Luck.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 5
It's not a day, it's ten minutes...
Having drank for twenty years, I'd never really considered what it would be like to stop. Something happened and I decided to stop. No, it wasn't 'rock-bottom', and it wasn't a DUI or slapping a loved one: It was a hemorrhoid. Figuring it came about as a result of a four-day bender, I stopped drinking. That was January 8th.
Since then, I have had impulses. Knowing they would go away in minutes, I would drink a glass of water, check my email, tender my resignation to my company, make a little wad of paper and throw it with my eyes closed, then look for the wad of paper. Anything that might last ten minutes. It seems to work. Also, inside my front door, I have hung a sign that's a Navy Seals' saying: Yesterday was easy.
I'm with you as far as AA goes: Having gone to but one meeting, it occurred to me that I didn't belong there. After listening to some heart-wrenching stories, I actually talked myself into a drink, then seven. I figured that I had plenty of time until I hit rock-bottom, so I might as well live it up until then.
More recently it's been, "The climb back to the top won't be as long..."
Since then, I have had impulses. Knowing they would go away in minutes, I would drink a glass of water, check my email, tender my resignation to my company, make a little wad of paper and throw it with my eyes closed, then look for the wad of paper. Anything that might last ten minutes. It seems to work. Also, inside my front door, I have hung a sign that's a Navy Seals' saying: Yesterday was easy.
I'm with you as far as AA goes: Having gone to but one meeting, it occurred to me that I didn't belong there. After listening to some heart-wrenching stories, I actually talked myself into a drink, then seven. I figured that I had plenty of time until I hit rock-bottom, so I might as well live it up until then.
More recently it's been, "The climb back to the top won't be as long..."
Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Somwhere over the rainbow
Posts: 1,175
when I quit drinking the doc said teh most important vitamins were Vit B1 and Vit B6. Then any good multi vitamin in addition. Doc felt it was imperative to focus on a low glycemic diet (i.e. carbs that take a long time to digest - oatmeal) rather than a high glycemic diet (i.e. bananas and other fruits, alcohol, etc.).
Lots of water is always key. Some exercise, moderation being key, only do what is comfortable.
Peace, Levi
Lots of water is always key. Some exercise, moderation being key, only do what is comfortable.
Peace, Levi
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Lexington, KY
Posts: 8
Long term plan...well I said to my husband last night...we have to go on and never look back. We're both very strong willed people. Problem is when we get the wrong ideas into our head *cough* drinking, we're very stubborn about it. Well we both hit a crossroad on the issue and have decided it's time to move on with our lives. The other times we tried to quit were for the wrong reasons. This time it's to stop drinking because of the drink. We know what it's doing to us.
I just read about milk thistle and will look into it. I've seen it before in the grocery store. A few sources including some academic journal articles said it takes 8-12 weeks of daily use of milk thistle to see improvements. I wish I could take a multi vitamin but every single one contains what I am allergic to. I've been to 3 different doctors and none of them can even find perscription ones that I can take. And it's not an option of "suffering" through the side effects. It gives me dangerously high blood pressure and chest pains.
Thanks for the words of encouragement and all the advice. It's greatly appreciated.
I just read about milk thistle and will look into it. I've seen it before in the grocery store. A few sources including some academic journal articles said it takes 8-12 weeks of daily use of milk thistle to see improvements. I wish I could take a multi vitamin but every single one contains what I am allergic to. I've been to 3 different doctors and none of them can even find perscription ones that I can take. And it's not an option of "suffering" through the side effects. It gives me dangerously high blood pressure and chest pains.
Thanks for the words of encouragement and all the advice. It's greatly appreciated.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 5
About food and nutrition...
I'm going to prescribe to the philosophy: As long as I'm not drinking...
More than any physical side-effects (insomnia, night-sweats, panic), I've been dealing more with the psychological effects. I feel the need for something, and I believe it's a drink. So I eat something, or make a pot of coffee. Goethe once wrote, "I coddle my heart like a wounded child and succumb to its every whim." So, instead of succumbing to the whim of vodka, I snack, or drink coffee, or drink water.
I'm also paying attention to my body. I can breathe easier. I look younger. I wake up feeling rested and alert. It's only been ten days.
And have you tried Slim-Fast? Plenty of nutrition, and good morning calories.
I'm not going to worry about my nutritional needs so much right now. That can come in time. For now, I'm not drinking alcohol. It gives me pause to think that one day I'll give up cigarettes, and start eating better, and start a regimen of excersize. But for now, I'm not drinking alcohol.
For now, I'm not drinking alcohol.
More than any physical side-effects (insomnia, night-sweats, panic), I've been dealing more with the psychological effects. I feel the need for something, and I believe it's a drink. So I eat something, or make a pot of coffee. Goethe once wrote, "I coddle my heart like a wounded child and succumb to its every whim." So, instead of succumbing to the whim of vodka, I snack, or drink coffee, or drink water.
I'm also paying attention to my body. I can breathe easier. I look younger. I wake up feeling rested and alert. It's only been ten days.
And have you tried Slim-Fast? Plenty of nutrition, and good morning calories.
I'm not going to worry about my nutritional needs so much right now. That can come in time. For now, I'm not drinking alcohol. It gives me pause to think that one day I'll give up cigarettes, and start eating better, and start a regimen of excersize. But for now, I'm not drinking alcohol.
For now, I'm not drinking alcohol.
Last edited by bigsilk; 01-17-2007 at 09:37 AM. Reason: Add a thought
Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Northern Va, Va
Posts: 11
same bus
Hi Funny, I 'm right with ya. almost the end of day 4. an eve/nite drinker as well, I have actually had the cravings a bit in the day as well, but getting through the evening is challenging. Hang in there your making a good choice.
At about 25 I ceased being a social drinker. I have close to 15 years of heavy drinking (10 avg, often binging over 15 in 6 hrs.) I like lemon and heard on a news show that lemons have something good for the liver so I drink water with lemon, I am trying to make sure that I eat. I ate maybe one meal or a snack per day before, now I am eating my meals with the family.
AA, I dunno, we'll see. For now this site has been a huge help.
I have had the big book for a while, but I recently picked up a daily meditation book from Touchstones - its small and is good during the day when I need a way to ease anxiety.
Anyway, keep the focus...today I won't drink.
At about 25 I ceased being a social drinker. I have close to 15 years of heavy drinking (10 avg, often binging over 15 in 6 hrs.) I like lemon and heard on a news show that lemons have something good for the liver so I drink water with lemon, I am trying to make sure that I eat. I ate maybe one meal or a snack per day before, now I am eating my meals with the family.
AA, I dunno, we'll see. For now this site has been a huge help.
I have had the big book for a while, but I recently picked up a daily meditation book from Touchstones - its small and is good during the day when I need a way to ease anxiety.
Anyway, keep the focus...today I won't drink.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Lexington, KY
Posts: 8
night 3 went ok...this is day 4...i'm feeling sick today. chilled running a fever achey runny nose sore throat...idk if it's a result of quitting drinking or if i'm really getting sick...anyone experience this before with quitting?
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