Mod Squad Weekly Thread 03/11/2008

[Delta Moon]

Mod Squad Weekly Thread 03/11/2008

Hey Eve- great job taming the beast last night! You go, girl!

[Sunbeam]

Mod Squad Weekly Thread 03/11/2008

Hi all,
Eve, great job resisting that last glass of wine in the fridge. We always have wine in the house, but just keeping it in the basement fridge makes a big difference for me. I'm not sure I would have resisted like you did.

St. John, my hubby started putting the wine in a coffee mug when I went AF. He wanted to continue his daily dose, but didn't want to be obvious about it. Works for me and works for him. He really is a daily moderate drinker. Sometimes he just leaves a small amount in the bottle - I would never do that. Enough is just enough, for him.

Lila, it may be the supplements take away your desire to drink, but reading all the stories on this web site has definitely been a reality lesson for me, and is a big reason why my desire to drink continues to diminish. The supplements reduce physical cravings, but most of our drinking is from psychological reasons as I understand it.

Take care, all. I have two meetings at church tonight, one in 20 minutes.

[j-vo]

Mod Squad Weekly Thread 03/11/2008

Evening Modders,

Vera-b, great advice. I need to be reminded from time to time that life is great now, and we can't change the past, only live for the here and now.

St. John, most of the time I feel that drinking has lost it's appeal - so many negatives about it. But a small percentage of the time, I can't lie - I want to get rip-roaring drunk. I haven't been that way in months, and I know I don't want to be like that, but the thought of letting go haunts me every now and then. I need to refocus, look at my plan, come here, and give suport because it's helping me greatly.

Great Lila! Keep the AF days going. Question: Does Kudzu have to build up in your system over several weeks to work, or do you just take it when you feel a craving coming on? Is it a supp you take daily? Some supps just like prescription meds require 2-6 weeks to begin working. Didn't know if Kudzu or even L. Glut. worked that way. Let me know if you have an answer.

Peri - I'd love to go west and tour. I've been to Arizona once and it was beautiful.

Eve - I have these good feelings just like you mentioned above. My sister called me and was torn between what sofa she was going to buy along with a recliner. She wanted my advice, right then and there - so I had to run out to the store about 20 minutes away. I was proud that I could drop what I was doing and help her. In my heavy drinking days, I probably would have had some drinks in me and ignored the incoming call. No one ever knew when or if they could count on me. That feels good.

And Eve - I know those disagreements with colleagues can really be frustrating. Just hang in there. It seems as though you made an attempt to straighten the problem out, but she was being extremely unreasonable. I always say, consider the source! But you got through the stressful time without drink. Kudos to you!

Have a great night all.

[periwinkle]

Mod Squad Weekly Thread 03/11/2008

j-vo, I experienced almost immediate results from kudzu which really took me by surprise. I've taken other herbal supplements that take weeks or months to notice any difference and then I wondered if they were even doing anything. Not so with the kudzu. I also noticed that I didn't get the normal buzz from 1 or 2 drinks while taking kudzu and I kind of figured why bother? I've read where others have said tat it may actually loose some effectiveness over time.

To the contrary, I think the topamax takes a while to build up. I've been taking the kudzu now for just over a month, and seriously decreased my AL consumption the first 2 weeks, but the cravings were gone. I've been taking the topa now for 18 days and AL free same. I have thought about drinking (on a couple occasions), but have not had cravings. I have had some weird mood swings but so far, I truly have not struggled staying AF, nor have I felt deprived with its absence. God willing I will get through the next 1 1/2 weeks and beyond feeling the same way.

I am also taking all (nearly) the supplements recommended in the book and faithfull listening to the hypno cds.

There are also some threads if you want some other input as it does vary from one person to another.

Hope that helps.

periwinkle

[vera-b]

Mod Squad Weekly Thread 03/11/2008

Happy Thursday Squadron,

Lila, I have followed the program very closely (exactly would be a stretch). No, I did not take topa because I had already been on Campral from my dr. many months before finding MWO. Campral is also a common rx for al cravings. When I found MWO, I had already reduced my al consumption considerably with the Campral. What I discovered was that there was more to the tug of alcohol than physical cravings. I needed to establish better habits, and RJ's story resonated with me. Sounds like you're making great progress.

I've had a great week - though pushing a full cart of groceries out to my car in a monsoon does not rank in the top 10 great things of the week. Hope everyone enjoys a wonderful weekend.

Vera-b

[DeeBee]

Mod Squad Weekly Thread 03/11/2008

OH FIDDLE STICKS!!!

I just spent the last half an hour typing out my post and it's dissapeared???!!!!

So the short versions is....
I'M BACK
I'M TIRED
I'M WORRIED about my pre-teen.... this is a long one which I'll have to re-type later for you

And I am so damned chuffed to read how well you are all doing. Damn I missed you guys:l

[Lila]

Mod Squad Weekly Thread 03/11/2008

DeeBee
Missed you! What is going on with you??
Lila

[zed]

Mod Squad Weekly Thread 03/11/2008

Hey Sunbeam! I see from your Drinktracker that you've been doing REALLY well this week. Proud of you and you give me the inspiration to keep at myself too! So cheers to a clear head for a change! (Good you voted!)

[periwinkle]

Mod Squad Weekly Thread 03/11/2008

Just a really quick Hi to all, then off to my stupid lousy ethics class...

Hi DeeBee!!! So glad you're back! We really missed you. How was your trip?

Zed, haven't met you yet. Welcome to the squad, hope to get to know you better.

Good morning to the rest of the squad!

Of to the class now!

periwinkle

[zed]

Mod Squad Weekly Thread 03/11/2008

So fellow Mod Squadders.

Here's the low-down from a week in the Life of Zed:

Monday - easy

Tuesday - easy but a bit of a twist in the old chest from missing something

Weds - went to a cocktail party for a private screening of the new Bond flick. Had an OJ. Now that's a FIRST EVER in the history of Zed. There was cocktails, martinis waiting to be had and I had an OJ. Felt a bit of a loser, but hey! A man's got to do what a man's got to do. A man gave a speech in Chicago, I enjoyed that.

Thurs - work, work, work, So busy my lord. But busy is good... made it through.

Friday - it's Friday night here already. I am almost through. I AM GOING TO HAVE 2 glasses of Red wine since it's Friday night and I made it through a week like none I've had in a long, long, long time. A week without the sauce. Waking up each morning with a clear, full head of brain cells... I'd forgotten that was possible. Amazing.

Another point of note. Over the last few months I have put on 16 pounds (8 kilos) of extra weight over what I'm supposed to be. I weighed myself on Sunday at the gym and I was 86 kilos. A week without drinking, working out 4 days this week, and eating better (healthier food) AND I am 83 kilos today. So I lost 6 pounds (3 kilos) in 5 days. So, that 6 pounds must have been the bottle of wine, plus some, and the extra grub every day... gone...

Excellent. I'm still here. Still breathing. It's night. It's Beijing. It's almost winter.

Zed's making it.

Thanks guys, for being around. Wish you all well, and my warm energy to each of you this weekend.

Aaah... this weekend. Ok, now this is going to be not-easy. I'll be in touch. Plan is to get through it AF. Or very close to. Let's see. Pray for me.

Cheers.

[zed]

Mod Squad Weekly Thread 03/11/2008

Hey Periwinkle, greetings! Have fun at Class. Ethics... ouch. What stuff are you guys reading these days? Take good care.

[panadol]

Mod Squad Weekly Thread 03/11/2008

Hi everyone
It's so good to see how well everyone is doing here.
I find it really inspiring. This week has been good for me.
I'm now 5 days AF and really have no desire to drink at
the moment so I will go with that. I have noticed in just
this time that my skin is much more healthy looking not
to mention my eyes look sooo different and I feel a hundred
times better. The first few days were a bit ordinary though.
I have been exercising too which i find helps tremendously.
I still find that if I allow myself a good meal to look forward
to in the evening this helps a lot. I have a busy weekend coming
my son (he is 9) will be going to surf life saving which starts
on Sunday. We usually cook the sausages for afterwards
so the hoards of hungry kids coming from the beach have something
hot to eat! Its still a bit chilly for swimming but they seem to not
mind. Sorry not to address you all individually I will get know you
though. Take care, hang in there Eve you handled that Agro person
well. Thats where I fall down any confrontation is hard!
Well its late here so must get to bed . bye Pan:l

[zed]

Mod Squad Weekly Thread 03/11/2008

Nice, Panadol

I echo your observations... we're pretty much (except for my glasses tonight) on the same track this week.. i.e. 5 days AF and feeling SO MUCH better it's not funny. Know exactly what you mean...literally have felt the life come back slowly to my skin... and my eyes! And it's so nice to know what it means to operate on a full head of brain cells... I've been so used to functioning on 30-50% mode...argh!

Yup, it's late here, Gnite all. 2 glasses in. Must...go.. bed.. now.. before... you know what.

And Deebee, thanks for inviting me in here. After ready through this week's thread, I already feel at home.

Have a great Friday all of you west of here.

[Eve11]

Mod Squad Weekly Thread 03/11/2008

Hey gang,
I have a question. I seem to always post here under long term moderators rather than the monthly moderator forum. It seems redundant for them to be separated so not quite sure that I understand what the monthly moderator board is as we seem to post our weekly progress here under the long term.
Help?
Hugs,
Eve:l

[startingover]

Mod Squad Weekly Thread 03/11/2008

Hiya Modders, just popping in to say Hi to all. You seem to be doing great and as ever I love to come visit you guys.
Take care and have a lovely evening.

Starts xx