Questions on Tapering off Alcohol Liver Problems

[Lasha]

Questions on Tapering off Alcohol Liver Problems

Advise about tapering

Hi R4t, like the title,
OK I've had a ball playing in bands twice a week, going on benders al and coke/marj, of course smoking cigs like no tomorrow.

When I hit 48 years I thought enough is enough I'm going to end up dead early and was starting to get depressed, right.

Weaned off drugs, 3 months, bit depressing but not too bad, reduced joints and dabs until zero, wow is it that easy.

Weaned off cigs, 6 months, went from 20 a day to 15 then 10 then 5 then zero. must confess couldn't do it without nicotine plastic cigs but again not too bad.

Then the big one ALCOHOL, never in my life would I think I could even reduce let alone give up, went from 42 units to now 10 over about 8 months. Of course I've F....d up on hols and events but always got back on the wagon and if someone offered me a whisky or wine 'i'd spit it out, wow where did that come from. I'm convinced tapering slowly is the way as how many times do you hear about people relapsing again and again.

Lash the drummer

[Ready4This]

Questions on Tapering off Alcohol Liver Problems

Wow Lash,

You have already had a bunch of successes! Congrats on the drugs and cigs!

I've tried quitting cigs a couple of times and it didn't stick, I just wasn't as serious about it I guess. Me and almost everyone I know that quit cigs and then takes them back up again does so on a drinking night when out with friends. After a few drinks you are able to convince yourself "just one or two cigs, no problem"..... Yet it leads right back into smoking again. I am going to quit cigs next, but not going to try to do both at the same time. But I think I will have a better chance at being successful quitting cigs once AF for a month or two...

On that same line of thinking, I am curious about everyone's take on addiction vs habits... I am 100% addicted to cigarettes. I -think- drinking was just a habit. No question I became dependent on alcohol, but I think it was because I just got in the habit of drinking. I don't feel like I have the same kind of relationship with alcohol as I do cigarettes, which is why I actually think that becoming AF will be much easier than cigarette free, but again, I could be totally fooling myself.

Not sure how true that is, because I really feel that if I had tried to quit cold turkey I probably would have failed, but I think that is due to withdrawal. Tapering is allowing me to get through the withdrawal part, but once that's done I hope it is just a simple matter of changing my habits.

I can easily see myself not drinking, I have a hard time seeing myself not smoking, even though I know without a doubt that smoking is even worse for me than drinking...

Thoughts?

[tree23]

Questions on Tapering off Alcohol Liver Problems

Ready4This-
If you're still having trouble with constipation take magnesium and vitamin C in excess. A naturopathic doctor I went to recently said those were two of the most beneficial supplements to take and to take them until your stool became loose. It really does help with elimination. Those will also help with muscle repair and immune health. Also olive oil sprinkled on salad or vegetables will help constipation as well. Those are some of the less invasive and more natural remedies. Good luck and keep up the good work!

[tree23]

Questions on Tapering off Alcohol Liver Problems

Smoking and Drinking:
So I've smoked and drank for 8 years together, and I smoked the most when I was drinking. Well, I have wanted to quit all my bad habits for the last 2 years and have had successes for months at a time and then relapsed. So I started MWO with the main intention of working on my drinking problem, because when I don't consume alcohol I smoke only 2 to 3 cigarettes a day, which on the scale of things, is not too bad. I started the program and ceased drinking and during one of the hypnotherapy sessions the prompt was to visualize all the positive things you want yourself to be. Well one of those things for me was a non-smoker. In my experience, the next day I had no urge to smoke, at all! When I tried to light up the day after, I had two disgusting drags and then I threw the cigarette out. I know my cigarette and alcohol use are directly tied together and I want both of those habits to be absent from my lift for forever more so it might just have worked for me with my emotional, psychological, and physiological state of being. (I started taking the supplements prior to ceasing alcohol to get a head start and I also adopted a vegetarian lifestyle so those aspects could also be in my favor of making my body healthier and so more susceptible to suggestion and cleansing). You might find that you need to make changes one step at a time, or that it might be easier to give it up at once, especially if you drank and smoked together. I know a lot of people trying to quit cigarettes who also drink coffee have to stop drinking coffee because the trigger of drinking coffee makes them want a cigarette. I still have the idealization of drinking and smoking in a romanticized sort of way but I know that if I succumb I won't get the satisfaction and enjoyment my mind is remembering. I was probably drunk when the good memories were locked in my memory, and really, I wasn't happy then. One step at a time, and Just Keep on Trucking!

[Lasha]

Questions on Tapering off Alcohol Liver Problems

Beware, all drinks have different units, strong beers and ciders have 3 units as opposed to weaker ones which can have 1.5, same as wine, they can vary from 7 to 14. Thats why doctors and alcohol advisors/councillors always refer to units, amount of alcohol not amount of drink.

Safe daily consumption is 3-4 units for a man depending on there build.

When tapering it's advised to drop spirits and wine and write down your daily consumption in units, google it for the levels, sorry but no cigs completely is the only safe level for smoking.

As for habits, everything is a habit, it's changing the habit thats hard, if it was easy we wouldn't be having this discussion.

Keep on tapering and if you have a blow out, which you will, get back on the horse next day.

[Ready4This]

Questions on Tapering off Alcohol Liver Problems

Hey Lash, yes, in several of my posts I used the term units, and I really meant drinks... And as far as tapering goes, I'm done. I didn't have a drink yesterday. I wish I could say I feel wonderful this morning, but I'm a little groggy, but feel fine and it's only going to get better.

My next task is quitting cigarettes, but I'm going to wait a little while until the AF part of getting healthy is better established. Truthfully I don't even know how much I smoke right now, I just buy cartons andante sure I have several packs around so I never run out. At least 2 packs a day I figure.

So without trying to quit right now, I guess the first thing is just to start the awareness part and start making a log of exactly how many cigarettes I am actually smoking a day so when I decide to start down that path I know where I am starting from.

This forum was extremely helpful in becoming AF and I plan on sticking around both to keep myself AF and encourage others. And when I decide to quit cigs I am sure it will play a part in that as well.

Thanks everyone for your support and assistance!

[Lasha]

Questions on Tapering off Alcohol Liver Problems

Bloody hell R4t, thats brilliant, you've also inspired me to stop sooner and get on with it:goodjob::goodjob:

When you're ready to come off the cigs you'll probably just stop like al but if you have difficulty I've found the mini cigarettes were a great help.www.nicolites,com

[paulywogg]

Questions on Tapering off Alcohol Liver Problems

i try to buy the 100s and just smoke half now,half later,i cant give it up yet

[Ready4This]

Questions on Tapering off Alcohol Liver Problems

You can do it... I am living proof! Holy cow, I drank EVERY day... For well over 10 years did not skip a single day.

Just went out to lunch at a Mexican food restaurant. It was the first time in my adult life going to eat Mexican food (except fast food) and not getting a margarita or at least a beer... Had a coke instead. :-)

[Ready4This]

Questions on Tapering off Alcohol Liver Problems

What about electric cigarettes?

[Lasha]

Questions on Tapering off Alcohol Liver Problems

Yeah R4t,
Thats what I meant, there are so many on the internet or your local chemist and it's just steam with a trace of nicotine. High strength then medium then low then stop.
A few of my mates gave up as well and laughed at my plastic cig but they're all back smoking.
My blood got thick and now it's better, doctors well pleased.
Still cant believe you came off al so easily, I'm speeding up my tapering.
Lash