Day 1 complete- 24 hours without a drink
 

11 p.m. Sunday night. Wow. This is going to take some patience and I am going to need to visit this website every day. I am quitting on my own- no rehab, no close support...I was up to 2 x bottles of red wine (plus) per night...at 37 years old this is too much. Drinking for 20 years- I think that I've given alcohol enough of my time. This has to be the quit attempt that works. I need both the medication, and this support site, or I will "forget" how miserable I have become and backslide to the bottle shop. I can't wake up and bumble through another hung over, sweaty, sorry day. I can't handle the constant depression and regret that is the unwelcome side effect of drinking alcohol every night. I have campral to take (2x big tablets, three times a day), which will I hope curb the 4 p.m.- 8p.m. daily massive cravings. I hope that with this medicine and proper meals, plenty of water I will be able to succeed this time. As to be expected, right now I am sweating profusely, agitated and nervous. Food tastes like cardboard. I can barely concentrate. It took me four hours to figure out how to join this group and log in as my mind just cuts out- just wants "something- RIGHT NOW!"- that "something" is a big swig of any kind of alcohol I can find...I finished it last night and cannot, will not set foot near a place that sells alcohol. Wish me luck- this is going to be a long few days I can see.

Congratulations on making it through the first 24! I am right there with you and now on day 2. I also have given about 20 years of my life to alcohol and am wanting to take control and guide my own life. I'm sure many emotions will swarm us through this time, but hang in there as you have a lot of strength just in the first 24!

Good for you. You don't need to be alone anymore...get some face to face support...family and friends.

Good for you also. Many good things in life lay ahead and in today. Keep up the good work. Best!

Great work to both of you... Keep up the great work, stay busy doing other things, you can win this battle!!

Keep focusing on how much better you feel every morning. I realized not popping ibuprofen with my coffee was a step in the right direction. Use this forum as often as you want, can, or need to. I nearly lived here getting sober last year and next Sunday I will have 15 months. I was a wine guzzler; vodka drinker; rum sucker. I was a drunk. Successful, never in trouble with the law but emotionally bankrupt and crawling on my hands and knees in despair. I had lost my children's love and respect, as well as shamed myself beyond belief. Today, I have my kids back, a great job, a wonderful future and no regrets over bad behavior. If I can do this solo, I know you two can as well. Welcome to SR - there is a ton of wisdom, love and support here in these forums. We are all behind you. Learn from and lean on us. :welcome Hugs, NBC

:welcome I wish you the best in your recovery journey. You'll find lots of support here.:hug:

You can do it! I like how you played it out in your head- sticking to a plan is easier when you rehearse it in your head. Don't let the thoughts of forever overwhelm you.Tell yourself I won't drink or think about alcohol in the next hour, minute, moment- whatever timeframe it takes! Good luck and keep coming back- SR is truly a safe, supportive place!

ps keep in mind if you drank heavily for a longtime you might need to seek medical attention... seizures are a real possibility during alcohol withdrawal... be safe!

My big problem at the beginning was all the thoughts I had about drinking each minute of the day. Then some one suggested think about non drinking thoughts. It worked for me for many 24 hours.

If you have Campral, great! That does help with the withdrawal symptoms. HUGE congratulations at getting through the first day of sobriety!!!!

welcome to SR shippingup :)

D

Thanks Southwest, I appreciate your comments! I'm at 48 hours now...almost slipped up this afternoon at the 4p.m. to 6 p.m. scary-craving-zone time, I really wanted to drink...hands shaking, total mental paralysis, could barely read, heart racing...I just made sure I had sugary cold orange juice to glug straight away, and some plain toast...then breathed through it...once the sugar hit I felt much better...I have to make sure I carry food and sweet drinks whenever I am out...don't want to get caught again like that. I realise now that I need the normal 3 meals a day, plus something to replace the binge drink...I'm rambling. Best of luck for you at 2 days too :-)

thank you all!
 

Thanks you for your kind words Dave42001, nonblondechef (congrats on15 months - I hope I can get there too!), least :-), shoreladylu :-), visch1 :-), miyako- thanks, I hope the campral will make a difference! Thanks Dee74 :-).
Thank you all for responding so quickly- it made such a difference to me sitting there in bed not being able to sleep...I just stayed up and stayed distracted and comforted reading through everyone's ideas and supportive comments. Thanks for the help to get 48 hours...feel scattered now- but very proud not to be hung over and fragile from poison instead! :You_Rock_

Shipping you have two whole days now!
Well done, that is brilliant, you have done amazing.

I'm glad you didn't cave in.
Maybe that is a trigger point or time, late afternoon when your blood sugar is low. And the way forward is to have a sugary drink to head off any cravings.

The sleep will come.
Our bodies are really good at adapting.

I cannot wait to see how you feel in another 2 days.

My best to you
xxxx

You can do it, look you already did! :)

Life gets better and better without it.

Congrats on day 2!

I'm on day 9 and I was the same as you the two few days~hands shaky and mind foggy. I quit on Easter and when I was trying to take a picture my daughter told me my hands were shaking. I felt a mess.

I had liquor here and I had cravings, but it pissed me off and scared me that IT had so much control of me~even when I was NOT drinking. I now think in terms of "I have control the next 24 hours" and I will keep doing that until I don't have to think in 24 hour increments. But, FWIW, it does help me right now. And like others have said, it has also helped to have sugar around or gum.

Keep it up-you will feel better and better each day!