Who's just started or really starting in the New Year?

[Guest]

Who's just started or really starting in the New Year?

ttfn1990, gravitas and Marcie;

Good thing checking in. How is everybody doing? Today being the last day of holiday vacation, kids go back to school and we go back to work/school etc. How does the plans for the new year seem to be coming along?

Brandy

[Guest]

Who's just started or really starting in the New Year?

checking in

Hi all,

Today is going fine so far...Tomorrow will be tough, I am a stay at home Mom. Kids go back to school and hubby goes back to work. I havn't had a beer since Dec. 23! But am nervous for tomorrow. I have the book and have read it and have ordered the vitamins on line, they won't be here for a few days. I am one who drinks alone when family is away... The first 11 days were tough and cranky, lol. (family was even home) I am anxious to see if the vitamins help.

Good luck everyone. Reading everyone else's stories and hints and pain in here really helps me get through the tough times. Thanks to all.

[Guest]

Who's just started or really starting in the New Year?

Re: checking in

ttfm 1190;

Great job! Dec 23rd was your last drink, HERE IS A PAT ON THE BACK FOR YOU!

Don't worry too much about being cranky, I seem to be that also, and scream and yell..It gets us through the pain we feel inside.

Good for you!

Brandy

[Guest]

Who's just started or really starting in the New Year?

Re: checking in

Brandy,

Thanks for the pat on the back! You deserve one also, 13 days I think I read! That is super. Each and every day is another step in the right direction and I know it makes me stronger...until I think oh my god I need a beer! lol, got to make it past that terrible feeling.

I want to do this right and would like to help and share my story with other people in the same position.

I finally registered. My new name is ttfme (this time for me).
I was using ttfm1990 before.

Thanks,
ttfme

[Guest]

Who's just started or really starting in the New Year?

Thinking about giving MWO a shot

I have been monitoring the posts for about a month or so now. I have ordered Roberta's book and look forward to reading it. I've been drinking heavily (probably six drinks a night) for more than five years now. I began to have severe stomach pains seven months ago and had a stomach biopsy. I was diagnosed with Helicobacter Pylori--a bacterial infection that will stay with me always. The nurse practioner I spoke w/ knows of my alcohol consumption (the look she gave me--so judgmental--I felt like such crap.) Anyway, she put me on a prescription for my stomach pain and said that as long as I continued to drink, I would have to take the medicine. I asked her about Topamax (she gave me another face). She didn't have a lot to say about it. I saw another nurse practioner and she said "Just stop drinking." That is easier said then done. I'm tired of waking up in the morning and feeling in a fog, having the shakes, and the guilt that I feel--it's just not worth feeling so worthless. I am completely scared out of mind, but I know I have to do something to get over this addiction. Please any encouragement or advice would be greatly appreciated. I have one question: If I start Topamax, will I have to take it for the rest of my life in order not to drink?

[Guest]

Who's just started or really starting in the New Year?

Re: Thinking about giving MWO a shot

Svedka,

Welcome to MWO. If the nurses you have seen are unwilling to hear your thoughts about topamax, try another dr/nurse. Take all the research with you that is suggested in many of the posts. I dropped of the lancet article(on the research page) for my dr a couple days before the appointment. She did prescribe it for me, but it ended up I had other health issues so I could not take it.

To give you an idea of how my doctor reacted to my request: She first talked about a treatment facility and AA. I told her I tried AA and it wan't for me and I wasn't up for a treatment facility. She understood and said whatever she can do to help me and wrote me a scrip for the topa. When I saw her last week(I had still been drinking), she said I have to stop. Again she suggested treatment, but I said I wanted to try on my own. I told her I had found this group online and everyone was very supportive. She understands this isn't easy and said I don't have to do it alone. We made a deal and she agreed to let me try this(without the topa) for two weeks. If I can't do it alone, I agreed to go to treatment. So far its been going ok, Today is my sixth day sober. Sorry for rambling, I just wanted to you get an idea of what a supportive dr can do for you.

As far as the topa, I don't think you have to be on it for life, I don't have all the details because I never went on it so I stopped looking into it.

Best of luck, stay tuned to the boards and let us know how its going.

Marcie

[Guest]

Who's just started or really starting in the New Year?

Re: Thinking about giving MWO a shot

Svedka, welcome to the board.

Marcie,

How are you, Congratulations on your days of sobriety...A Big Cyber Hug for you!

You were so supportive of me in my first few days, I wanted to do the same for you......Agian Congratulations on your days of sobriety!!

Brandy

[Guest]

Who's just started or really starting in the New Year?

Re: checking in

ttfme:

Yeah after I started my clock over again from 12/20, it makes today day 13..Very hard days but I'm doing it.

Thanks for the encouragement!

You are also doing good! Keep up the good work and thanks for your strength, I couldn't have done this alone:

Brandy

[Guest]

Who's just started or really starting in the New Year?

Starting My Planning

Hi Y'all,

Background:

50yr old USAF Brat, 36yr drink/drugger. Quit most, alcohol being the toughest customer. So pervasive in our culture. Have done AA, 90 day in-house x 2, 3 day in-house x 1 (to save a job), hypnosis, holistic and infinite "reduction, day off, limitation" scenarios, MWO caught my attention.

When you are in a war, you don't just throw books or meds or phsyc techniques individually. Throw it all!!

Sorry for the war analogy, I thought it better than the sports business

Honestly, I don't ever want to drink again. All of these other experiences and programs have been beneficial in that they kept me from the booze for a given time.

Failing to keep with it is the problem, (aside from the basic problem of pouring it down my gullet for a temporary sense of wellbeing).

AA has it right. The best medicine is hearing and telling our own stories with one another.

But, having tried various method on their own, MyWayOut seems to me to hold a real and progressive approach to the problem.

Withing the last two years, I got laid off (no, really), thrust back into school and have maintained a really good GPA, all while teetering on the edge of absolute failure.

5-6 BIG glasses of wine a night with more on the weekends and holidays. Patting myself on the back for the one-beer, small-bottle nights during the week.

But, I feel it coming apart. Trips out for more after the "ration" is gone. "Just a couple" trips to the local bar turning into 3am affairs.

Gotta change! Bought the book and have started planning. And, yes, I am drunk at this writing.

Later,

Steve in NC

[Guest]

Who's just started or really starting in the New Year?

This is Great!

Welcome All Newbies!

Hey to Marcie and Brandy! Our Old-Timers:rollin With Over a Week of sobriety! And Welcome to Svedka, Steve, cpn, ttfme, and gravita! Tomorrow is D-Day for me. I'm up to 100 mg topa, definitely the point where you can distinguish between craving and habit....and a long work day, where I don't have long to suffer before I get to go to bed, sober. I bought two mini's tonight (each one glass of wine) for my last hurrah. Steve, don't feel too badly, I have posted, toasted, a few times, myself! Wednesday will be more of a test, when I have a "regular" workday and will face a whole evening sober. I have bought fruit juice and seltzer to make "spritzers" for myself. I've noticed that juices and sodas are more appealing (unless they're in metal cans) on the topa. Maybe on Weds., I'll do an after-work workout. That will be my plan. Pray for me to whatever deity you observe! I've generally been upbeat to date, but you may hear more kwetchin' from me for the next few weeks!

Anyway, I'm glad to read everyone's posts, and I hope we all get started on this new year in a good way. We will all do this at our own pace. The great part about this site is that there is room for every one. There is not a cookie cutter approach!

Love to all!
Kathy

[Guest]

Who's just started or really starting in the New Year?

Re: This is Great!

Kathy,
You can do it! I can tell from your posts you have a lot of determination in you. I look forward to continuing this journey with you. You are always so kind and have such wonderful advice and also add levity to this board. I will pray for you. Keep coming back to this board. We are all here for you!!! Today I have 30 days! Time sure is passing slowly now. I guess that's good cause as I age, the opposite seems to be true. Exercise helps bad mood and cravings a lot, esp late in the day! Enjoy your spritzers! Gina

[Guest]

Who's just started or really starting in the New Year?

Re: This is Great!

Welcome to Theresa, cpn, ttfme, gravitas and Steve! Wow!!! Hope all of you stick around so we can get to know you and watch you grow. It helps me so much to know that others are stuggling with the same issue at the same time. Strength in numbers!!! Happy New Year to you all! Gina

[Guest]

Who's just started or really starting in the New Year?

stopping vs treatment

Marcie,
First, thanks for the keeping track trick and for also being someone who can drink more than a 12 pack! (how in the world can the body take it?) - funny you say that, I have started putting the empties in the bin instead of recycling as I don't want to see the evidence...


I am moved by your need to stop or go into treatment. The stakes are high for you and you are especially in my thoughts.

[Guest]

Who's just started or really starting in the New Year?

Hard Day!

Hi all,

Just wanting to vent if that is okay. I am new..Wonderful Hubby gave me book because he new I was ready for help but did not want to go into a rehab., I have been to AA once (awhile ago) didn't feel it was for me. Anyway I was so good over X-mas with kids and hubby home, hadn't drank for 12 days! (Was very cranky and had a tough time, but I tried to hide most of it.) But, today was everyones day back, hub at work and kids to school. I'm a stay at home Mom, love it but we have moved alot and I got,(get) lonely...So I caved today. So much to do, laundry, x-mas decorations and just plain cleaning... I have ordered the tapes and vitamins online, they will take about 1 week or so.

Now I just feel horrible, there goes my 12 days and I have to start from day one!

Any one else having the same problem? ttfme means "this time for me" and I really mean that! I hope when I have everything in place, the vits and tapes that it will click.

Thanks for listening,
ttfme

[Guest]

Who's just started or really starting in the New Year?

Re: This is Great!

Hi Gina;

How are you...Things are still going well?

I have 14 hard days of sobriety, thanks to you, and everyone else that ecouraged me..

Brandy