Songtx

I've been wanting to stop drinking so much for a few years now, and have had minor luck. I have stopped completely for a few months at a time, but always start back up, ramping to regular blackouts in no time. Besides the blacking out, fighting with husband, feeling like crap in the mornings, all the usual alcohol related woes, I developed a bad case of gastritis as a result of my drinking over the years. I went to the Dr. about a year ago and had a battery of tests (upper GI, ultrasound, HIDA scan). the HIDA scan revealed minor stomach damage. Anyway, this didn't really stop me from drinking. Every time I drink, I get bad flare ups and suffer for sometimes days as I'm sure some of you can relate. Three weeks ago, I made a plan to skip drinking most days and allow myself to drink on Fri nights. Since then, I have hardly had anything to drink, and most certainly have not blacked out. What happens is, I'll go out let's say to dinner and where I would normally have 3 pints, and then decide not to eat, go home and keep drinking, I now have not even 2 pints. The same thing is happening at home and at bars. I get through the first beer, start another and then just get turned off to it, feel a bit buzzed and feel happy with that. I've actually started leaving unfinished beers. I'm guessing this is all a subconscious aversion to damaging my stomach any further. Something similar happened when I finally quit smoking. I had wanted to quit and tried many times. I developed a wheeze on day, and that was pretty much it. I quit cold turkey and never went back. That was 2 years ago. I wonder has something similar happened to anyone out there? What can I expect? Right now, it feels like what a normal person might feel like, being happy with a few beers, and not craving more, or being resentful that I can't have more. Guess I'm gonna roll with it. Any input is highly appreciated!

MsJax

I don't know song, maybe you've got it licked, but I don't think "normal" drinkers analyze their drinking like this..

Take care of yourself.

GreenEggsAndHam

I've been drinking for 27 years. During that time, I've had periods where I could moderate, where I haven't drank at all for few months (for medical reasons), where I drank smaller amounts, larger amounts, hard liquor, only beer, when I wasn't in the mood, etc. I was an alcoholic the whole time - that didn't change.

I hope you are able to quit. Good luck

Gilmer

I was sober for a good long while, and then i relapsed. I didn't have any health problems; I just wanted to feel that buzz again. The first day I had two glasses of wine and I did feel it. It wore off in about ten minutes. Then I tried again and again to recreate it with all the old beverages. No luck--just a drunken, muddled feeling after a few gulps. Each time I would get disgusted and dump the rest of the bottle down the drain. Finally I just gave up trying, recognizing that I was just getting compulsive again and achieving nothing (and wasting money)I

Climber122

Generally one symptom of denial is the game we play where we like to test ourselves and see if we can hold off. We look at how we can control our impulse to drink rather than seeing the impulse to drink as the problem. It took me a while to admit I was an alcoholic, but one thing that made sense to me was that I drank when I didn't want to and despite health problems which I refused to see were caused by alcohol. And all the while I could stop for periods...but I couldn't STAY stopped.

whipster

The realization I had a problem was when I was having obvious physical symptoms but I refused to connect the dots. Pain in right side under ribcage? Higher blood pressure? Weight gain?

All 3 from swilling beer and liquor daily for 35 years. Cut out the swill and things are getting much better. Losing weight, liver pain gone, BP edging down.

We all eventually die, no need to hasten the process.

DG0409

Why are you still drinking at all if it's already caused stomach damage?

Wouldn't it be best to quit entirely?

ScottFromWI

You are really the only one who can answer the question of whether or not you "have it licked". Alcoholism can definitely progress to the point where you continue to drink, even though you know it's causing physical harm.

I guess to me i'd ask if it's worth it to keep causing potential stomach damage ( or making the existing damage worse ) by drinking any amount if you know your past drinking is what caused the damage in the first place. Also, who knows when you might relapse and blackout again, you've certainly done that many times in the past by your own admission. Really bad things can happen during blackouts.

Dee74

Hi Song

I dunno - hope you're right - in which case congrats.

all I can talk about is what happened to me - many many times I seemed to have gained control over my drinking - I either had a good health reason to be cautious, or my life was good - I had a new partner or a new boss I wanted to impress - etc...

but I always returned to my default position with drinking.

If you think you have it licked, but you haven't actually done work to make that happen, then I'd be wary.

D

2granddaughters

Time will tell ... It's amazing how bad we have to get before we "tap out".

All the best.

Bob R

Songtx

You all are probably right. Thanks for the insight. Agreed that I wouldn't even be giving any of this a second thought if there wasn't a problem.