Newbies in need - Day 3

[retteacher]

Hi Everyone: Hope all is well w/you all. I might not be able to open this thread for a week as my son & his kids will be staying w/us. I'll try. I'll be thinking of you. Love, Mary

[Guest]

Newbies in need - Day 3

Hi retteacher.

Hope you have a lovely time with the family visiting.

Been doing so well these past 3 wks. moderating, but very nearly threw it all away last night as I was desperate for a drink and had wine in house which made it nigh on impossible........but I just managed not to drink and no more.Heading into town to pick up some kudzu........am not putting myself through another night like last again.

Hope you`re doing well with your `day at a time plan`.

Hi to all those yet to come.

Have a good day all.

Much love,

Starlight Impress

[Doggygirl]

Newbies in need - Day 3

Good morning Mary. I'm new here - won't repeat what I already wrote in a thread making an introduction. Here is my question for newbies (or oldies or anybody).

How exactly did you get started with cutting back and/or AF? I just ordered the supplements and CD's yesterday and can't wait 'til they arrive. Topa will be a few weeks - hopefully not longer than that.

Did you not worry much about cutting back before getting your materials/supps? Somehow I see myself working to cut back (actually poured out the remainder of a drink when I started cooking dinner last night) prior to getting all my tools in hand. But somehow I have a hard time imagining AF before my tools arrive.

But..I want to put a check on myself and make sure I'm not just making up excuses to drink. (well...more than I've always made up excuses to drink - I hope this makes sense).

Quitting smoking was sure a lot different to tackle than quitting drinking is on so many levels.

DG

[Guest]

Newbies in need - Day 3

DG,
Think you`ve got a good attitude as so many of the older members here swear by having a set plan for ourselves. I had a plan and it was working well, but think we all have to keep reassessing our personal plan, so am doing a thorough review of mine today as I don`t want to fall flat on my face!!!!

I wish you luck.

Starlight Impress

[Doggygirl]

Newbies in need - Day 3

Hi Starlight. Thank you for the words of support. Congratulations on making it through a tough evening yourself. I'm all "kerfluffled" (I love made up words) about the time zones so this might be a totally different day for you. Anyway, it was great to see that when the hard times hit - and I know they will even though I wish they wouldn't - that people are here to help.

I got the impression that you are not yet using the supplements but looking into it more - is that right? (I'm just curious what approaches people are taking) Do you listen to the CD's? Just wondering.

I can't remember the last AF day I've had and I admire everyone here who is doing it some days or all days or any days.

DG

[Guest]

Newbies in need - Day 3

No, have been doing it with no supps or meds DG.........now realize how completely stupid that is as I feel my resolve fading. Am just going to take kudzu from this evening and see how it goes. Personally, can`t see me having the patience for the CDs, but loads of folk here say they are really helpful, so worth a whirl.
Seems like there are many different things to try.......am just trying a kind of simplistic approach for myself..............crazy really, since the wine allure is hardly a simple problem!!!

Starlight Impress

[Doggygirl]

Newbies in need - Day 3

I will be interested to hear your reports on the kudzu. An interesting aspect of your approach is that you already know how *you* do using none of the tools. Now you are adding one tool, and you will have a very good guage for *you* of what difference it does or doesn't make. I imagine that will be very useful information to you as you continue to adapt your plan going forward.

I'm looking forward to hearing more as things unfold for you.

DG

[ducky]

Newbies in need - Day 3

Hey Starlight and Doggygirl,

Welcome DG. I love shepards. Had one a long time ago. My avatar is the little doxie we lost a few months back. We also have a big rescue hound and a longhair doxie puppy.

Star, glad you are going to try the kudzu. I am upping mine, as I said on another thread. I tried the CDs and they were hard for me to listen to, but I like the sleep one. Have to get back to listening to that one.

DG, I think you are wise to try to cut back while waiting for your supplies. At this point if I want AF I try to plan something to keep me busy. If I want mods my best approach (not always taken) is to wait to have a glass of wine until I am eating dinner, or after dinner. The drinking on an empty stomach almost always leads to excess for me.

Hi to all Newbies!

[Doggygirl]

Newbies in need - Day 3

Hi Ducky. I'm sorry about your lost doxie. Dogs (kitties too) are so easy to love, and so hard to lose. Our neighbors have a long hair doxie. Our dogs which include a second shepherd, a good sized mutt, and a beagle have a game with the doxie - they all run back and forth along the fence line - it's very funny to see this little doxie who has no idea how little he is "defending" his turf.

I'm definitely going to put some rules around the drinking even before the tools get here. Might as well start moving NOW in a positive direction. Funny - one thing that caught my eye about the supplements. Around 40 years old, I started to balloon and have a serious weight problem. About 5 years ago (45 YO then) I decided to tackle that problem ala Dr. Atkins. I took the rull compliment of supps he recommended at that time, which included L-Glutamine for cravings of sugar / carbs. Funny - I was able to moderate my drinking easily. I cut back to 2-3 drinks max, no more than 2 or 3 X per week. Of course the mind game then was different - loose weight was the goal - the drinking thing was secondary. After a buldged disk in my back, months of pain/chiro/physical therapy and finally surgery, everything flew out the window - my diet/weight management AND my moderated drinking.

Needless to say, getting rid of these excess calories and getting back to what is a healthy eating plan for me...and losing this 50 pounds AGAIN is a big goal too.

I guess the point of that too long ramble was that L-Glut probably made a difference in my ability to easily moderate back then without me even realizing it. Hmmmm....food for thought.

Anyway, thanks for listening...

DG

[sheshe]

Newbies in need - Day 3

Hi DG!! I'm new here too! I found that if making a long term plan was too daunting, taking one day at a time helped! That way, you get kudos for every AF or mod day, instead of beating yourself up for a slip. You can start to feel good about yourself again, rather than always feeling like a failure; just changing my mindset in that regard has made a HUGE difference for me.

[ducky]

Newbies in need - Day 3

DG, I am taking the lglut too. Maybe I should increase that too...

I am surprised how sad I still am after 3 months but this guy was my baby. He had a terribly damaged back and I took better care of him (supps, acupuncture, chiropractic!) than I do of myself! I need to lose 30 pounds so I am in the battle with you!

Hi sheshe!

[Doggygirl]

Newbies in need - Day 3

Sheshe, I think that is a very good point. I have tended to think about this in longer time frames, while *today* gets away from me.

ducky, my dogs surely eat better than I do. We started feeding them a raw diet (including veggies and supps, etc.) in Jan of 2005. They are all doing GREAT - even the old Beagle who was starting to have problems. Interesting you mention accupuncutre/chiro for back care. We haven't had any back injuries with the dogs - at least not the way most would define it. But our Shepherds are both in Schutzhund training, and our female has a vertebrae out of place that our holistic vet caught. She recommended once per year chiro on both of our working dogs "whether they need it or not!"

Anyway - I'm sure it's not appropriate to hijack this thread with dog chat so I'll stop before I get in trouble on day 2 here.

Between now and when I recieve my supplements and CD's, I promise myself that I will eat 3 healthy (for me) meals per day. This is because I know that is better for my metabolism than going on an empty stomach until noon somewhere, and then having a drink instead of a meal...and there goes the day. I may not be prepared yet for AF, but I can do better than what I've been doing.

I hope it's OK if I just post my progress on that one little goal each day in the Newbies in Need thread for a little while.

Thank you all so much...

DG

[buckledown]

Newbies in need - Day 3

Good Morning Everyone...Sounds like everyone is doing pretty well today...Starlight the Kudzu REALLY helps with those cravings...I have been having them a lot the last few days too...today is 28 days AF for me...so I'm not really sure why the cravings are coming back? ...I upped my topa to 100mg yesterday...I had been at 75 mg and thought that was going to do the trick but then the cravings....hmmmm...well thats my experience with the meds/supps right now, doggy...does that help? ...as far as cutting dawn while waiting...I stopped cold turkey this time and it seems different this time somehow...I think I got really sick and tired of being sick and tired...and I am very resolved to do it for myself first and my KIDS second...I have realized it has to be for me first or it wont work....Mods doesnt seem to work for me either ..but I have never tried it after being AF for a long stretch...right now AF is what is right for me...and each day just seems to add up...buy the way I was a HUGE wine drinker...at least 1 1/2 bottles of white a day..I never skipped a day...usually more ..for I couldn't count how many years so this is major for me..I would never of believed it could be possible...This program is amazing...30 days is around the corner!....If I can keep those cravings at bay...Glad to have all the newbies ...Have a great day everyone and all those to come....Love and Light....:welcome: :l Buckle

[Kitty]

Newbies in need - Day 3

Hi all,

I'm feeling a little brighter today. Been to another job agency and stocked up on L-Glute for the weekend. My mom and stepdad are coming to visit and no doubt we will be going out to restaurants etc and the wine will be flowng. My folks know (in part) about my problem so it shouldn't be an issue, fingers crossed.

DG I'm waiting for Topa too but I have been modifying my drinking since I came to MWO. I take broad spectrum multivitamins with B complex and L-Glutamine. When I started I was having some success in abstaining during the week then having a "treat" on a Saturday night. This worked for about 3 weeks then my drinking crept up on me again, and after a "drunk" free month I had a horrible bender. The usual stuff happened, woke up feeling dreadful, and had texted alot of people and was ashamed and embarassed.

I decided then that I would try af and that I would probably never be able to moderate. I'm on day 16 now and it's been tough at times, I also gave up smoking 15 days ago. I ordered Topa because I really want to change my habits and give my body and mind a chance to heal and re-wire, it has taken me years to perfect the "idiot" I become when drunk so I know it is going to take time to change. I think the sups and meds are a great tool but I think mindset is very important too.

Good luck,

Kitty

[Doggygirl]

Newbies in need - Day 3

Buckle, I am encouraged to hear of your 28 day AF with supps + Topa. Are you doing CD's too? Just curious.

Kitty first off, congrats on your new kitty and you picture taking ability. If I've got it right, I think that IS your new kitty in your avatar, right? It sounds like the supps are helping you. Congratulations on your success moderating. I maybe should have taken the supp list out and bought stuff locally rather than waiting on shipping from the MWO Health store. But...I also get concerned about quality in the non-regulated supplement realm of things, so I guess after this many years of my "problem" a week or two more isn't a boulder in the rocks of life. The Topa is a little scarier to me....I want to get started in earnest with the supps+CD's from MWO and will.....consider? Dive in? something...when/if the Topa arrives from another country.

DG