JimRat04

I’m 36 and in day 4 after drinking for 20 years irresponsibly and daily binging the past two years. The dull ache in my abdomen and back is already subsiding quite a bit. I used to excuse that as just soreness from working out and getting older but we all know that’s a lie. I’m taking an OTC Liver Rescue supplement you can find on Amazon as well.

None of us were put on earth to waste our lives away drinking, thinking about drinking, regretting drinking, etc. so much more time now for what’s important. Wishing you the best and I hope you can quit for good!

Auchieshuggle

Thanks, pal. It's only me who can do it, I know that.

tonggau

I'm 49 now and stopped when I was 47, 1.5 years ago. I have no idea if I have "gotten away" with it but I honestly never think or worry about the damage that I might have done to my body these days. I'm living really healthy now and I can't do more than that. Note that I did feel like crap the first weeks of being sober with odd pains and aches - I think it was just the body getting used to it. Virtually all of my health problems these days are sports injuries :-).

Auchieshuggle

You've done well, pal. Very inspiring. Thanks.

16YearsDrunk

33

Dustitoffman

Stopped at 49 years young.

Drank far to much for far to long. My head was firmly buried in the sand.

I have been making positive changes ever since. In all aspects.
Doctors tests are stacking up and I am continuing with these.
Not out of the woods yet but the big hitters have been avoided fingers crossed 🤞

I wonder what things would have been like if I had the opportunity of awareness at 40 or 30 years old.

FreeOwl

I chose sobriety at 41 after a life of alcohol that began at 14.

Got away with it? Well, no. I sacrificed an awful lot to alcohol and drugs. There’s no question I didn’t ‘get away with it’.

But the question for me is ‘what will the rest of the life I’ve been gifted with be?’.

For me, sobriety has given me the opportunity to not sacrifice my life to addiction anymore, to live fully, to be present, to give of myself, to have purpose.

I didn’t ‘get away with it’ - so I stopped trying to get away with it and I started living instead.

Auchieshuggle

FreeOwl,

When I used the term 'get away with it' I was referring to one's health. It was actually an old chap at an AA meeting who introduced me to it, when he said "you never completely get away with it, there's normally some lasting damage."

Alcohol's hell - it does steal your life, but also your health: mental, physical, and financial, damages relationships, etc. But some people waste their lives in other ways e.g. stuck in front of a TV watching soaps!

Day 3 for me.

bexxed

I stopped at 39; I’m now 41. The jury is out on how long I drank alcoholically but I’d say at the least 15 years. The last five were the worst. I didn’t get away with keeping those 15 years, time is physically linear like that. But in the last two I’m being reacquainted with a freedom I’d forgotten about.

Auchieshuggle

Day 5!

I have been reading online about how alcohol exacerbates, and may even cause (in some people), psoriasis. Apparently it can be an indication of liver disease! Along with the fact I have been bruising easily, and have had high liver enzyme results before, I think this is an indication that I may not be 'getting away with it' anymore.

Previously my AV has been telling me to procrastinate and stop tomorrow, next week, New Year's Day, etc. I think I'm sailing close to the wind...the realisation of which might be a good thing.

Gerard52

Ultimately, that is a certainty. The liver is resilient and liver tests results will often return normal even though it has been damaged. So any high lab result is a serious warning and indication that liver disease is underway.

Auchieshuggle

Wow! I had a high lab result about six years ago, which inspired my nine months' sobriety. I had tests again after that and, though I initially controlled my intake with a monthly binge, it gradually become weekly, then for the last year or so daily.

Gerard52

Depending on where you are with the damage it may reverse or not get any worse if you stop drinking. Don't be George Best we won't get chance of a new one like he got.

lmvalentine

I quit 2 months before turning 55. I have been in recovery for 3 1/2 years now. I drank from the age of 14 on.
I went to rehab when I was 48 and stayed sober about 6 months.
At the end I averaged a fifth of vodka a day.
It was die or surrender.

It took months before I felt healthy.
I was diagnosed with throat cancer last November and am in recovery from that. Anyone can get it but the odds are 75 to 85 percent higher for drinkers.

I thank my higher power for keeping me alive to get that and recover.
I would have died from alcoholism long before cancer.

Every day sober is a gift.

Auchieshuggle

I don't want to know, to be honest. I'm frightened, and that might be a good thing as it's kept me dry in the past. Sincere thanks!

Cuckoo

I am 56 and scared to death. I have no sober time yet 😟
C

2ndhandrose

56 is an excellent place to start, that is where I was.

We can do this.

Auchieshuggle

I'm probably not the best person to offer you advice, as you will appreciate if you look back through this thread. However, like you, I am here because I have acknowledged I have a problem. Fear of the consequences of our addiction has led us to seek help!

I wanted a drink last night and even Googled "local pubs", as I'm away from home on business. However, I thought about my health, my fears, and - despite my AV telling me "one more night won't make much of a difference" - the thought of the inevitable hangover, the affect drinking will have on my psoriasis (always more itchy the day after drinking) and the realisation that I'm potentially already suffering as a result of a damaged liver, meant that I just bought some food and got an early night. Just one small victory in an ongoing battle. I hope your fear leads you to make positive changes! Good luck and God bless.