Can't get passed the 4AF day!!

[fennel]

Can't get passed the 4AF day!!

Spam;826615 wrote: Panno,

It will come. I've had lots of 2,3,4 days and I've just cracked 8.

Just get strong on those AF days and make a plan.

In the meantime, I would think your not drinking as much as you used to. That's where I'm at, at the moment.

Hang in there.

Spam xx

Excellent point, Spam...
No matter where many of us are today, we're drinking less than we were. We're heading in the right direction!

[Anotherday]

Can't get passed the 4AF day!!

The first thought that comes to mind is that as the AL is leaving your bloodstream your addiction wants more of it to maintain. Over time and if we drink enough our cells actually change. So your cells could actually be screaming for AL to replace that which left.

How to get by it? Unfortunately, some of this just involves being able to tolerate distress for a while. I am not saying it's not miserable and horribly hard. It is. But it can be done. You keep trying and I know you want it and I am convinced you shall achieve it!.

[johnnyh]

Can't get passed the 4AF day!!

Hi Panno,

Don't stress, the more you make that 4 day mark a hurdle, the more difficult it will proably become because you are so conscious of it. Once you're past the 4 days this time you might just be off the mark?! In the mantime take it ODAT!!

My personal recipe at the moment is, keeping myself so busy that I hardly know where I am at the time. Doesn't give me much time considering that drink. Mayb to this especially on the dreaded 4th day. And keep away from these events if you can (at least until you got some good momentum going).

[Guest]

Can't get passed the 4AF day!!

When things get really bad, I just put a small amount of L-Glut under my tongue without water. But that's the powder - not sure what you would so with a tablet.

[Guest]

Can't get passed the 4AF day!!

Panno,
Try to remember your blood tests, being worried about your liver. Alcohol is a matter of life and death. If what you are taking is not helping you, maybe you should consider trying something different. I know how hard it is, believe me but just keep bangin away on it!

[Panno]

Can't get passed the 4AF day!!

Thanks so much everyone for the encouragement. I finally got to the health shop today and got L Glutamine, Kudzu, Milk Thistle and Vit B complex. Guess what - I'm sat here reading 'the plan that will change your life - you are what you eat' whilst I'm have a cafe latte and choc chip muffin :H:H:H:H:H

I have also treated myself to some detox oils for the bath for day 4!! - most expensive bath oil you will ever have!!!!!

:groupluv:

[K9Lover]

Can't get passed the 4AF day!!

Hi Panno,
Sounds like you are getting things in place for success. Those bath oils sound luxurious! If you want a cheap alternative, I'd recommend epsom salt, about 2 cups per bath. They are known to restore minerals into the body that alcohol has stripped away (see, I HAVE been down this road before...). Hang in there, and I will too!

[Lavande]

Can't get passed the 4AF day!!

Hi Panno,

You CAN get past the 4th day - once you get serious & set yourself up for success

In my case I had to rid my house of all AL & pretty much isolate myself for a few weeks until I felt strong enough to resist the temptations offered by others! You have to prepare yourself & do the work. There is no easy answer or magic bullet. The best thing you can do for yourself is to get rid of the negative thinking - it holds you back!

Start thinking in terms of success, one day at a time
Wishing you the best!

Lav

[Doggygirl]

Can't get passed the 4AF day!!

I spent many years in the mode where I couldn't even make one single AF day. Then after 60 days AF and a relapse, had SO much trouble getting back on the wagon. That difficulty is what finally convinced me that I CANNOT entertain any thoughts of moderate drinking. Like Lav said, I had to make not drinking my one and only priority for a time. Staying sober is STILL my #1 priority each and every day. It's just a little easier now. But I can't have a life if I allow AL in.

You can do it. Keep modifying your plan until you find what works. If you keep doing the same thing over and over you are likely to get the same results....

DG

[Panno]

Can't get passed the 4AF day!!

Just had an amazing relaxing and detoxing bath - so much better feeling than a so called relaxing bottle or two of wine !!! K9 wish I had ur advice before I broke the bank :upset:

thanks for your advice hope lav and doggy it really helps and encourages me

[KatieB]

Can't get passed the 4AF day!!

Spuddle,
I love your quote "today is the tomorrow i worried about yesterday and it turned out fine" - classic! shows we all have to stop worrying about the future and live for TODAY!
Panno - I think you just need to remember why you want to give up.. and convince yourself that AL does nothing for you at all.. I think that is how I have managed to stay away from AL for the most part these last 6 weeks..
Spuddle - i'm also chuckling at the thought of you in that cast! oh the lengths we have gone to to get AL - i've done some crazy things too.. i remember swigging wine directly from the bottle from relative's fridge's when everyone's having dinner or lunch next door as i didn't want to be caught drinking extra.. the shame..
Panno - keep positive, we are here for you!
Katie xxx

[MamaZum]

Can't get passed the 4AF day!!

Hi Panno,

I am in a rush to get pick up the kids so did not read all the other advices.

But, my SUGGESTION (worked a charm for me last week, cuould not get past day 4 in ages):

Do not focus on Days, focus on Hours! i promissed myself 100 AF hours....and there I was, past day 4 !!

Good luck!
MZ

[Hypernova]

Can't get passed the 4AF day!!

I had the same problem. Couldn't get past 3 days AF for the longest time. In the back of my mind I knew it was time to quit. I've known that for years. I've quit before for up to almost a year. For some reason as the years passed by it became harder and harder. I just kept plodding away at stringing together two or three days and sometimes just one w/o drinking. It seems to me that you have to just keep trying. It is very frustrating to set out to do something and then fail over and over. It made me question myself and wonder what the hell am I doing. No matter how sick, tired, anxious or depressed I would get I always thought AL was the answer. Sometimes I get that sneaking suspicion that it is still there and might be the answer. The more I read and think about it now while being sober I have a more difficult time explaining to myself what I thought the alcohol could do for me. Just keep attempting not to drink ~~ string out two or three days and if you fail try again and read as much as you can on this site. Post and meditate on your thoughts. I believe as it did for me that at some point something will click and you will get to a point where you will be able to make a sound judgment on whether or not you choose to drink.
If you decide not to drink and are AF for X amount of time and find you are drinking again just keep starting over:exclaim::exclaim::exclaim::exclaim:

:notes: You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes you might find
You get what you need:notes:

[dancingon]

Can't get passed the 4AF day!!

Day 3 used to be the hardest for me, long before I came on this site. I managed 5 days once but that was because I drank so much I passed out and suffered al poisoning, so felt awful inside and out for 5 days.
I can hardly believe I'm up to 7. But I know it could all fall over tomorrow. Actually, I think I got there because I stopped counting. The only reason I know what day I'm up to is because it was this day last week when I drank. A plan is good. Booking in for a liver function test with your Doc for one week's time could be an incentive. :H
Keeping busy is definitely good for me, as is procrastinating past 7pm, because that is the time my cravings diminish, and it is my new self-imposed bar closing time. If day 4 is your tricky time would it help to try to be out with someone, or at the gym or otherwise busy with people who wouldn't drink. Keep repeating your reasons for wanting to stop.
As you say, whether we are managing to go AF or not, we are drinking much less than we used to.

[Panno]

Can't get passed the 4AF day!!

Well here it is day 4!! I am not going to drink tonight, I will be popping in and out MWO throughout the day and night to keep me strong. I am feeling very positive and in a good frame of mind (apart from the banging headache!!)

My Plan today:

Working upto around 5.00pm
Then off to the gym and a swim till around 7.00pm
Dinner around 7.30pm
MWO after
Nice relaxing bath around 8.30pm
Bed and a book around 9.30pm

Wish me luck guys!!

:hug: