New here and starting Topa and with a question

[houtx]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Hi DZ!! So great to her from you - wussup, gf??

Gum - I'm taking 1/2 tab of AB tomorrow morning and that should keep me AF until Wed. nite. Contrary to popular thought on here, your body will absorb/metabolize about 50 mgs of the AB a day. I've found that 1/2 a tab or 125mgs will keep me AF from Mon a.m. til Wed p.m. very well. I haven't taken it in months, but really want to kick-start my diet program so am pretty gung-ho. I drink sugar-free tonic water to fake myself out on the cocktail front. Since I only drink evenings, I really don't have a whole lot of time that I need to fill up. Still, it's the habit - and I will probably have to drink all kinds of Sleepytime tea and take Melatonin by the handful!! HA

But, like I say, i am actually looking forward to my lifestyle change/diet. Going AF is key to losing weight. 10 years ago when I turned 50 I went on So. Beach/Atkins diet and lost 40 lbs. I only drank 2 glasses of red wine or lite beer or vodka or whatever. I remember thinking, as I do now, going AF for a prolonged length of time is pretty impossible for me. If I can have 2 drinks, I'm good. Right now I'm as motivated as I was then -

Sorry I seem like I'm obsessing. Anyway, have been corresponding with a couple of gents from "Plenty O Fish"...can't go there again until I feel better about myself. Stuck - you seem to be doing fine in that department. Sorry about the BP issues. I worry about mine too - UGH Plus my eyes water and are red and irritable all the time. Every malady I have I know is related to alcohol. F***me

GUM - if you need support doing the AB, I am totally doing it tomorrow!

Hope alls well w/ everyone else! XO

[StuckinLA]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

A quick word on BP since that keeps coming up, so to speak. The connection between drinking and elevated BP is well known, as is the connection between elevated BP and alcohol withdrawal. What's not known so well is why exactly they're connected, or the mechanism by which it all works, or why it's worse in some people than others.

ALCOHOL AND HYPERTENSION: AN OLD RELATIONSHIP REVISITED

Alcohol-Induced Hypertension: Mechanisms, Complications, and Clinical Implications

Hemodynamic alterations in alcohol-related t... [Alcohol. 1996 Jul-Aug] - PubMed - NCBI

In my case, when I'm drinking I go into stage 2 hypertension, and there are some ECG markers that over the years of drinking, that I didn't know there was a problem, this has started to affect my heart. When I don't drink, it takes a little over a week for my BP to return to normal - and I mean normal, I don't have any underlying hypertension. I'm day 6 AF today, and it's already coming down pretty well without making any changes other than not drinking.

If you do take a look at those articles, you'll see there are different levels of severity. I don't know why I'm in the most severe - if it's the booze or the withdrawal or both. It doesn't seem to be connected to anxiety, which was my first thought. So who the f*** knows. But the solution is really simple, it just sucks that that solution is to not drink.

Anyway, I'd just say that if you are worried about it, get checked out. Check your BP at home, and when you get a chance have an ECG done and make sure your doc looks for signs of left atrial hypertrophy. I'm fine for now; I just don't want to die in my 40s or 50s like Fitzgerald, Faulkner, Joyce, etc. Hell, even Hemingway only made it to 61 before offing himself, and all those guys published their first books well before the age I am now, so I have too much catching up to do and need the extra time.

[gumtree]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Interesting reads on the BP Stuck, my hubby's just started getting high BP and is a daily drinker....If I get brave I'll share the links with him.

Well, I'm just wrapping up an AF day, first one in quite a while - and feel pretty good about it. Not missing the wine much at all. It was a long day too. Started early with my counseling, then work, then a dance class with friends.

Houtx, I waited until this evening to take my AB since I didn't want to risk being drowsy for my long day, and I was feeling pretty rough already from overdoing the wine last night. Like I wanted to have one big drunk before a few AF days - typical! I'm surprised my cravings haven't been bad today, that's why I risked waiting until my witching hour to take the AB. I've also been taking L-glutamine since the weekend- maybe it's helping a bit to reduce the cravings along with the topamax, or maybe the topamax is just starting to kick in more?
I titrated up to 100mg of topamax today, so full of extra DRUGS as of today and am ready for an early night.

Houtx, best of luck with eating plan. Have to say, one thing I am not doing is holding back on food while trying to go AF - it would drive me mad. But some people are more the all or nothing types, and certainly if you are cutting back on drinking and watching what you eat you'll lose those 10lbs!

[houtx]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Gum - good for you taking the AB in addition to the TOPA! That will definitely keep you covered. I had trouble sleeping last night inspite of 2 Melatonins & Sleepytime herb tea! I was not fidgeting or tossing & turning, just never quite got the REM state until the wee hours, I didn't feel like. Then my annoying cat kept meowing at me for whatever reasons! sheesh.

I woke up feeling rested and good tho. I've gotten a new supply of L-Glutamine too in the these last couple of weeks and really feel like it helps my brain be a bit sharper. Ha butrd to describe. I'm motivated to do better - hope I stay so.

Stuck, thx for the links. I think just being AF for the last 24 hours has made a difference. I do need to take better care of myself. I am suddenly into Virgin Coconut Oil...trying to see how I can incorporate a few tsp. a day into my Dukan Plan. Probably the same way I'll incorporate a couple of drinks in the mix. BLAH - I can do this! But VCO is a food/health trend that seems to really have some amazing benefits. We shall see - I came across a beloved Charles Bukowski book of poems the other day. You remind me of him for some reason. Hope your writing takes off & you do not go the way of Hemingway, et al. Hang in there

DZ - hope you're getting better & have safe travels. Will be interested to hear what you've been doing. Same & Hi to Sunny, Meggie, Space, and everyone else we haven't heard from in awhile. Take care

[houtx]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Gum - good for you taking the AB in addition to the TOPA! That will definitely keep you covered. I had trouble sleeping last night inspire of 2 Melatonins & Sleepytime herb tea! I was not fidgeting or tossing & turning, just never quite got the REM state until the wee hours, I didn't feel like. Then my annoying cat kept meowing at me for whatever reasons! sheesh.

I woke up feeling rested and good tho. I've gotten a new supply of L-Glutamine too in the these last coupe of weeks ad really feel like it helps my brain. I'm motivated to do better - hope I stay so.

Stuck, thx for the links. I think just being AF for the last 24 hours has made a difference. I do need to take better care of myself. I am suddenly into Virgin Coconut Oil...trying to see how I can incorporate a few tsp. a day into my Dukan Plan. Probably the same way I'll incorporate a couple of drinks in the mix. BLAH - I can do this! But VCO is a food/health trend that seems to really have some amazing benefits. We shall see - I came across a beloved Charles Bukowski book of poems the other day. You remind me of him for some reason. Hope your writing takes off & you do not go the way of Hemingway, et al. Hang in there

DZ - hope you're getting better & have safe travels. Will be interested to hear what you've been doing. Same & Hi to Sunny, Meggie, Space, and everyone else we haven't heard from in awhile. Take care

[houtx]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Gum - good for you taking the AB in addition to the TOPA! That will definitely keep you covered. I had trouble sleeping last night inspire of 2 Melatonins & Sleepytime herb tea! I was not fidgeting or tossing & turning, just never quite got the REM state until the wee hours, I didn't feel like. Then my annoying cat kept meowing at me for whatever reasons! sheesh.

I woke up feeling rested and good tho. I've gotten a new supply of L-Glutamine too in the these last coupe of weeks ad really feel like it helps my brain. I'm motivated to do better - hope I stay so.

Stuck, thx for the links. I think just being AF for the last 24 hours has made a difference. I do need to take better care of myself. I am suddenly into Virgin Coconut Oil...trying to see how I can incorporate a few tsp. a day into my Dukan Plan. Probably the same way I'll incorporate a couple of drinks in the mix. BLAH - I can do this! But VCO is a food/health trend that seems to really have some amazing benefits. We shall see - I came across a beloved Charles Bukowski book of poems the other day. You remind me of him for some reason. Hope your writing takes off & you do not go the way of Hemingway, et al. Hang in there

DZ - hope you're getting better & have safe travels. Will be interested to hear what you've been doing. Same & Hi to Sunny, Meggie, Space, and everyone else we haven't heard from in awhile. Take care

[sunshinedaisies]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Sorry I haven't been around ..... got home about an hour ago - am absoluttely wiped! delays and hanging around ariports - not my idea of fun! Have to be at work tomorrow at 7.00 still but might go in a little later !! will post tomorrow after work,

hugs, sun XX

[gumtree]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Hi everyone,
starting day three AF this morning. Had a few more cravings on the second day than the first, but the AB got me through. Didn't sleep well the first night either, and am having CRAZY night sweats. I am used to them to some degree from the AD, but this is much much worse. I was drenched from just two hours into the night, and it lasted all night. Good thing I have a king bed, I kept shifting around trying to find a new "dryish" spot. Am sure this is from detoxing. A bit of an eye opener for me.

Feeling pretty optimistic today about the plan, am aiming to moderate by taking a 125mg of AB on Mondays, and stay AF to at least Thursday. And Fri-Sun have no more than 3 drinks so my max weekly is 9. I haven't managed less than 15 a week in almost a year, so see this as huge progress. And the last couple of weeks was more like 25-35 a week. Not pretty.

I think with using the AB and the L-glutamine for cravings I may stay at 100mg of topamax depending on how the drinking goes this weekend (if I stick to my daily max of 3), and not titrate up next Monday, will see!

Houtx, I love VCI, use it almost daily. Think of using it in anything you'd use butter for. You can put it on steamed veggies (asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower..), or stir fry veggies in it, or do up some mashed sweat potatoes (not true Dukan I know) with a spoonful or two of VCI and some unsweetened almond milk and cinnamon. Yum! I try for a low"ish" carb diet. Nothing too strict - I like fruit. But almond milk is a great alternative to milk (as long as you don't get the sweetened ones). It has a low carb count since it has some fiber in it from the almonds, and healthy fats.

Sun, rest up! Not even a buffer day, poor you! At least you like your job, but it is physical, so I hope you get some good quality sleep between now and then.

Stuck, is your BP still coming down?

Dz, are you taking any supplements to help with your liver count (milk thistle etc)? Curious since I am on a nice cocktail of meds now (at least more than I am used to - I know it is not the same as your story) I want to reduce any impact on my liver. I'm taking milk thistle already but would welcome any other tips.

[StuckinLA]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

gumtree;1631579 wrote: Stuck, is your BP still coming down?
It sure was, but I got drunk last night - on day 7.

houtx;1631430 wrote: We shall see - I came across a beloved Charles Bukowski book of poems the other day. You remind me of him for some reason. Hope your writing takes off & you do not go the way of Hemingway, et al. Hang in there

Funny you should mention Bukowski - yesterday I drove over to the apartment in Hollywood where he lived from 1963 - 72. Not much to see, as it's still an actively rented apartment building. Though it was recently put on the register of historic Los Angeles buildings, so there's a couple plagues. It's not very far from where I live at all.

And if you ever watch the movie Barfly, in the opening credits there's a shot of a bar called the Smog Cutter. I chuckled when I saw it because I've been there, several times. Anyway now I get why it's there - it's just down the street from his place so he must have spent quite a bit of time there. Never put it all together until I went over to see where his place actually is.

Well so I got drunk. I'm in the middle of working on my car, and when I say "middle" I mean the car cannot be driven until I'm done because the engine belt's off until I'm finished with this project. The air conditioning compressor seized up, and it was going to f**k the belt eventually, and I didn't trust it to make it out to Vegas next month and don't feel like getting stuck out in the god***d dessert. The mechanic was going to charge me over a thousand dollars - but there's a part that's just a pulley on a bracket that fits exactly where the a/c compressor goes, since I guess this model of Ford Taurus had a problem with a/c compressors.

So it's a pain in the nuts, but the part's cheap and my labor is free. But there are lots of pieces that have to come out to be able to get to the damned thing - like both fans and the fuse box. I got it out last night before the sun went down, but now need to put the new pulley in, and while the belt's off I'm replacing the belt tensioner, too. And there's another pulley that's going bad, but the guy at the parts store is an idiot, and I let him talk me out of buying that because he thought it was part of the belt tensioner. I know, I'm being overly specific here and you guys surely don't care about any of this. The point is that now I have to walk back to the parts store today and buy one more part. Since all of this gets done while the belt is off, and that's such a pain that I'm not taking it off again. Will get that part today and hopefully get everything put back together. Then will be able to drive to class tomorrow - if I don't finish then no big deal, just won't go to class.

Of course I haven't really done any work on my dissertation. I had wanted to make some good progress this week, but this week is already slipping by. I did *almost* finish the conference paper I've been working on. And the article I'd written got rejected lightning-fast from the journal I'd submitted it to, so I submitted it to a second journal. If it comes back again I'll know it's me, and not them, and will have to revise it before sending out again. I also submitted a couple of very, very short fiction pieces I'd written a while back. 'Flash fiction' is it's own genre, and they're stories that are, well, very short. One of them is a single sentence, the other a paragraph. But whatever, it was nice to send things out.

Was texting with the girl while getting drunk at the bar last night. A little sexy-times but also broader things, and at the end I said I love you, and she replied with "I am completely in love with you." That kinda freaks me out a little, I'm not going to lie. It's all fun and games on visits and such, but if she does get a job out here, well, what then? I mean, if she moves across the whole flipping country I can't very well make her find her own apartment, right? And LA is so, so expensive, that it makes no sense to have 2 apartments - we'd save a lot of money moving in together, or at the very least have a pretty darned nice place for what we'd each pay for our own dumpy places separately. For the most part I'm trying not to worry about that until it happens, but I have been looking on Craigslist a little, checking out lofts downtown and kind of fantasizing about moving. A cool downtown loft, with concrete floors and 15-foot ceilings, that would rock. She could take the subway up to Union Station and catch the commuter train out to where she said she saw a couple jobs in Burbank, but most of these fantasies revolve around the cool downtown bars that I like but never really get the chance to go to because I don't drink and drive anymore. So what, I'm planning on getting trashed in classy old-time LA bars and stumbling home amongst the homeless wandering the downtown streets?

That's not good, and has nothing to do with her, so I guess I'm entertaining this possibility for the wrong reasons.

Sorry to prattle on so much this morning. I gotta just get some coffee in me and get back to work on the car, pick up the pieces of my life a little, and check my BP later and tell myself not to drink. :l:l

[houtx]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Stuck - great post! From the visit to Bukowski's apt & bar to the car clusterfuck, to the gf dilemmas & fantasies. You make it all very real. Hope you find satisfaction and happiness in there somewhere. Sometimes I wonder where in the hell I really am from the MWo posting me to the school teacher me to the friends and kids & family me. Wondering WTF or WTH a lot of times. I enjoy so much your working it out on here. I've got so much more to say to your post, but need to get to bed. The whole "I love you/I love you, too" is so reminiscent of a Bukowski poem or essay, I can't remember, something along the lines of: "Saying I love you is like holding a gun to someone's head..." that phrase stuck, the 2 options are a little vague in the specifics, but you get what he's saying. Anyway - love your muddled/over the top thoughts on the topic. Thoughts and fantasies are so entertaining no matter how absurd, positive or negative. More on this later -

Gum, glad you are doing ok & taking it one day at a time, yet planning for the days ahead. You seem like such a strong-willed, determined person. I get so much inspiration from the ppl on here - so thankful we have this forum to talk to virtual strangers about our common afflictions, ailments & worries!

I am enjoying a couple of glasses of wine tonight w/ no problems. The last 2 1/2 days have been GREAT!! I feel really motivated to stay on this attack for weight loss and AL control. Hope alls well out there & looking forward to hearing about your travels, Sunny & DZ. Whatever happened to Candle, I wonder?

XO

[sunshinedaisies]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Good Morning everyone! lovely to see postings !!! I am back from my trip ... was pretty tired yesterday but feel back to normal this morning. Having 2 glasses of wine each evening still though ....

Stuck - yeah, the whole "i love you thing" can be rather nerve racking if you aren't sure and as you said, if she moves in with you, then you are sort of stuck with it so be sure !!

I have never read any Bukowski but have seen his books .....

Please be careful with taking the AB then drinking so soon houtx - but glad that it worked for you. You are sounding really good ....

Hi Gumtree - yes, the night sweats are common when you go AF - I have been told it is the body getting rid of toxins - not sure how true that is but it is the pits. I know if I have too much then i get them too...... but good for you taking the AB. The L-Glut works for me too - when i take it !

I haven't taken my BP since before I went on my trip - I think I am scared to - LOL. it wasn't super high but high for me ! Okay - just took it and it is a lot lower (and better) than it was before my trip - having just 2 glasses of wine is making a difference - so I will carry on and then try and go down to one or maybe stop again.

Gum - what is VCI ?? I have racked my brain and cannot think of anything -

off to get ready for work .... have a great day

[gumtree]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Glad to hear your BP is better Sun - red wine in moderation is heart healthy after all. I just struggle with the wine and mod part. Guinness on the other hand, one is enough for me, it fills me up too much.
(VCI, virgin coconut oil, from one of Houtx's back posts' lol )

Stuck - loved reading your last post, and am very impressed you can do those car repairs yourself. honestly, most people can't. It seems to me that addicts are more intelligent and talented than the average person, the addiction levels out the playing field with the "normals". I don't really believe in things being that balanced and orderly in this world, but I like the concept.
And, "ahem", don't completely agree with Sun about the needing to be absolutely sure thing before moving in together. Sometimes you just need to take the plunge when geography and finance are stacked against you. Friends of mine did the same in NY, also a VERY expensive city, and managed a much nicer place, with some personal space within it so they didn't feel like they were always walking over each other.... and who knows, it could be pretty amazing - it was for them! And if it's not, well, such is life, and you go on.

Houtx, good to hear you are doing so well on your first week! Aside from golf, do you do any fitness routine to help? I'm pretty impressed at the 40lbs you managed in the past. That takes some real gritted teeth - pun intended.

I'm OK starting day 4 AF. Laughed at re-reading my last post. Maybe it's dopamax, but I miscounted my average consumption the last few weeks, it was definitely higher than 25-35, more like 35-60 lol!
Night sweats were a little less last night, but still there. Have a really busy day ahead with work, and then a dinner out at my brother's. Not missing the wine too much, last night was fine. But if I hadn't taken the AB this Monday my walk past the liquor store yesterday would have ended up in me drinking out of habit, craving or not. It's a relief to have that internal debate gone! Wish I had started this AB thing months ago.

Tomorrow night I will have a bit, but cautiously in case my little frame is overly sensitive to the small dose I took on Monday evening...

Stress is still high in my life - hubby almost quit his job last week, and he's the main wage earner (makes 2/3 of the household income, so I don't no WHAT we'd do mortgage wise). He's really close to losing it these days and I'm very worried about him.... Finances, yep, a big stressor..... And on top of working I'm taking a part-time class out of town. Am gone again this weekend, Involves driving 5 hours each way over 48 hours.

REALLY looking forward to Monday - I have the day off to recoup from my weekend course....and since my AB plan, it will also be a sober one. And after this week, that actually seems like something to look forward to.

[StuckinLA]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Ugh, the night sweats! The worst, and the bathroom issues for the first few weeks, quitting drinking is no fun whatsoever. You think you're quitting because things have gotten as bad as they can get, and then they get WORSE before getting better. Stupid.

I've had my 'fun' now - 2 days of getting drunk - and should probably try to get a few days or another week AF. Not sure how I plan to do this, though.

Yesterday I bummed around all morning, doing nothing other than feeling hungover and looking at random crap on the internet. Then finally walked over to the parts store for the thing I needed, which is about a 20-minute walk. On the way home I stopped for some Vitamin Water and instead of buying cigarettes I bought an e-cig. So I have about 5 real smokes left. Not sure how this is going to go but if I have real cigarettes I for sure smoke them. So I don't think a slow transition is really a possibility, but maybe if I just don't have real cigs it'll be OK? I don't know, but right now I'm in the midst of my regular morning routine, which is a smoke with each cup of coffee.

Anyway, so after stopping at the drug store I went over to the bar. Yeah, I know, sitting down to drink at 2pm. Had a michelada, which is beer and tomato juice mixed with some seasoned salt and lime and a couple other things, kind of like a Bloody Mary for beer. Nursed that for a while and made some notes in my journal, then had 1 tequila shot and beer special before coming home. Finished the car, and didn't drive it because I'd already had a couple drinks, but did run the engine for a while and it seems to work fine. It was a pain, don't get me wrong, and my arms are all cut up now from scraping against things in the engine compartment. The car will never ever again have air conditioning, but the belt's not going to break on me, and I can use the rest of the climate control again - vent, defrost, heat - which I couldn't do before.

Then got an email saying I've been nominated for a fellowship that I applied for. One more committee to get through before it's official, but I think I have a very good chance. This is seriously good news, as it means I will have funding for next year, won't have to teach, and can focus on finishing my dissertation. It's the last money I'll ever get from school - that's part of the agreement attached to this particular fellowship - so I'll be done next May. One way or another, grad school ends next year. And it's quite a bit more money than I'm getting now, which is a nice bonus.

Finishing the car and getting nominated for a fellowship? Let's celebrate! Back down to the bar I go, and drink up some Jameson and some Guiness and then switch to the cheaper tequila and beer special, and get right f**ed up. Thank goodness the girl is understanding, and not actually here to get annoyed by my antics. Texted with her a bit, mostly about how some people at the bar and one of the bartenders were asking about her, since I hadn't seen many people since she was here with me. Then some sexy-time stuff, and she wanted some examples of what I mean when I say "complex lingerie." So when I got home I sent her some pictures. It's a good thing she likes porn, right? It's great, actually, and I won't get into any more details so don't worry, other than to say we have similar taste.

Not going to class today even though I finished the car. 2 1/2 hours in a stuffy library when I'm hungover is not fun, and it reminds me of last spring, when I was taking basically this same class with the same professor in this same stuffy library, and things were *really* bad. My withdrawal back then was horrible - the anxiety, feeling of impending death, etc. I wasn't driving back then, and had a flask in my bag, and was taking baclofen again trying to quit, but one class it was so bad that I left in the middle - could barely even speak - and got outside only to take 30mgs of bac and drain almost 1/2 the flask before I felt even remotely OK enough to get on a bus home. So with those memories fresh in my mind, this class is a little anxiety-producing.

[StuckinLA]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Ugh, the night sweats! The worst, and the bathroom issues for the first few weeks, quitting drinking is no fun whatsoever. You think you're quitting because things have gotten as bad as they can get, and then they get WORSE before getting better. Stupid.

I've had my 'fun' now - 2 days of getting drunk - and should probably try to get a few days or another week AF. Not sure how I plan to do this, though.

Yesterday I bummed around all morning, doing nothing other than feeling hungover and looking at random crap on the internet. Then finally walked over to the parts store for the thing I needed, which is about a 20-minute walk. On the way home I stopped for some Vitamin Water and instead of buying cigarettes I bought an e-cig. So I have about 5 real smokes left. Not sure how this is going to go but if I have real cigarettes I for sure smoke them. So I don't think a slow transition is really a possibility, but maybe if I just don't have real cigs it'll be OK? I don't know, but right now I'm in the midst of my regular morning routine, which is a smoke with each cup of coffee.

Anyway, so after stopping at the drug store I went over to the bar. Yeah, I know, sitting down to drink at 2pm. Had a michelada, which is beer and tomato juice mixed with some seasoned salt and lime and a couple other things, kind of like a Bloody Mary for beer. Nursed that for a while and made some notes in my journal, then had 1 tequila shot and beer special before coming home. Finished the car, and didn't drive it because I'd already had a couple drinks, but did run the engine for a while and it seems to work fine. It was a pain, don't get me wrong, and my arms are all cut up now from scraping against things in the engine compartment. The car will never ever again have air conditioning, but the belt's not going to break on me, and I can use the rest of the climate control again - vent, defrost, heat - which I couldn't do before.

Then got an email saying I've been nominated for a fellowship that I applied for. One more committee to get through before it's official, but I think I have a very good chance. This is seriously good news, as it means I will have funding for next year, won't have to teach, and can focus on finishing my dissertation. It's the last money I'll ever get from school - that's part of the agreement attached to this particular fellowship - so I'll be done next May. One way or another, grad school ends next year. And it's quite a bit more money than I'm getting now, which is a nice bonus.

Finishing the car and getting nominated for a fellowship? Let's celebrate! Back down to the bar I go, and drink up some Jameson and some Guiness and then switch to the cheaper tequila and beer special, and get right f**ed up. Thank goodness the girl is understanding, and not actually here to get annoyed by my antics. Texted with her a bit, mostly about how some people at the bar and one of the bartenders were asking about her, since I hadn't seen many people since she was here with me. Then some sexy-time stuff, and she wanted some examples of what I mean when I say "complex lingerie." So when I got home I sent her some pictures. It's a good thing she likes porn, right? It's great, actually, and I won't get into any more details so don't worry, other than to say we have similar taste.

Not going to class today even though I finished the car. 2 1/2 hours in a stuffy library when I'm hungover is not fun, and it reminds me of last spring, when I was taking basically this same class with the same professor in this same stuffy library, and things were *really* bad. My withdrawal back then was horrible - the anxiety, feeling of impending death, etc. I wasn't driving back then, and had a flask in my bag, and was taking baclofen again trying to quit, but one class it was so bad that I left in the middle - could barely even speak - and got outside only to take 30mgs of bac and drain almost 1/2 the flask before I felt even remotely OK enough to get on a bus home. So with those memories fresh in my mind, this class is a little anxiety-producing.

[sunshinedaisies]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Hi all - Gumtree - I suppose I should not be one to say about not jumping the gun with moving in - I met hubs new years eve and we got married mid March!! And here we are, 32 years later !! Looking back I cannot believe we did it !

Stuck - I too, bought an e-cig but haven't really used it yet - tried it out and that was it. I am going to give it a go though! Soon - LOL Glad that you finished your car and have got it sorted - good for you being able to do that. Can you not sort the AC though? Don't you need it out there?

GO YOU re the fellowship - how wonderful for you.

I had to laugh at the different things that you drink .... what a mixture ! No wonder you get hung over !

Gum - sounds like things are going really well for you. The AB is good as it really does make the decision for you. Yes, be careful when you 'try' a drink .... although you should be fine. I just take 1/4 tab of AB if I take it - and still am very careful when i have a drink a few days later. I think Houtx is brave having a drink just two days later. The reaction if it is too soon is awful judging by my reaction when I had pickle after I had taken an AB !! But I am very sensitive to it.

Gosh yes, that would be a worry if hubs quit his job - what else would he do? Or is he just so fed up with it that he hasn't really thought ahead? Hopefully he won't do anything rash!!

Hope your weekend course isn't too bad for you ..... make the drive part of it and enjoy it - get stuff you want to listen to on your iPod or something.....

Oh well, got to get ready for work,

have a great day everyone !!!