My story or lack of!

[Ed]

Hi Everyone, I have been lurking around for ages. I just recently found Doggygirl's story and have read and read and read it. What an inspiration you are! I cannot believe my stupid situation. I have had a relatively easy life, no one abused me, no disastrous marriages, my kids are great, life is generally good but I cannot have just one drink and that is slowly ruining my life. When I turned 40, 7 years ago, I swore this was going to stop and here I am nothing has changed except my appearance. I used to be fairly small, decent figure 55kg now (I'm embarrassed to say how much weight I have put on) I look atrocious. That itself should be enough to motivate me but no, on and on I go, wrecking everything. God knows what I have done to my health. I hate being like this so much but just can't summon up the will power. Boring story.. a woman with no guts. So many of you have kicked it .. I need some tips! Thanks

[Evie.Lou]

My story or lack of!

DEAR ED, I am 56 years old and understand where you are coming from.The weight comes off quickly, at least for me, when the empty calories from AL are gone.
there is no Magic pill but Campral, topa and natural sups sure help.I played with the program for 6 months before i read and reread the MWO book and started doing what it said...Wala...Sucess started happening.The passed 6 plus months have been nearly alcohol free and i am getting my self esteem back.
You can do it to...I know you can.

[Seacailin]

My story or lack of!

Hello and Welcome Ed
I was a beer slurping pig. Up to 18 beers in a sitting, and I am pretty tiny. It filled me with fluid and packed on the weight. In the past five months, I have drank maybe 8-10 times. I have lost 15 pounds with no effort. I do not take topa or campral or any of the meds, just because of other health issues. I do have the book, the vits/supps, the CD's, which I love, and most importantly, this forum. Best wishes as you begin this wonderful journey.

[Ed]

My story or lack of!

Dear EvieLou and Seacailin, thank you for your responses, you are very understanding. I can't take the meds either because of other medication I'm already on but will get the book. Its an exhausting situation, my mind never leaves this problem, worrying who knows what, will I have sufficient strength to be strong tonight and not drink. I think I cover my problem well but truth is I don't, friends know, some have dropped gentle hints but I always choose to ignore them. God knows what my children think, they don't say anything but I know they realise I drink far more than I should. I just want to be a normal person again and not have this monkey on my back. I used to have so many interests but grog has stopped me pursuing them because I have become too lazy and prefer to just drink then I'm too hungover to do anything. So despite my big whinge, I am determined to make a good start. I feel I won't make old bones if I don't stop this now and I still have so many things to see and do.:thanks:

[DeeBee]

My story or lack of!

Welcome Ed,

Many here have not used any meds at all but I do believe the suppliements are essential to a good plan. They will help you with the cravings and to get your body and mind repaired.

You sound motivated and determined -- great tools for a new life without AL!

[Doggygirl]

My story or lack of!

Welcome to you Ed! You have come to a good place. Thank you for reading my journal and I hope you take HOPE from it!!!! The things you describe such as the post 40 weight gain and serious difficulty stopping the booze are things you already know I can relate to. I know just how devastating and overwhelming it feels.

In addition to the My Way Out resources, here is some additional suggested reading:

The Diet Cure by Julia Ross
Seven Weeks to Sobriety (I started this once but didn't finish it - it's next up on my reading list)
The Sexy Years by Suzanne Somers

LOL one of the things I did in order to have "things to do" when I first stopped drinking was get a library card which is now one of my new best friends.

I never had weight problems either until I hit 40. That wasn't just a coincidence for me and it may not be for you either. When I made my first full out attempt to stop drinking on July 11 2007 (went for 60 days AF) I expected that the weight would start dropping since mathmatically, I was cutting out a WHOLE lot of calories. And after the first couple of weeks AF I started low carbing and also exercising a bit. I was devastated when not much happened weight wise (defying the math). I think that disappointment weakened my defenses when AL came knocking with the "just one" and "now we can drink moderately" BS.

You read my story so you already know that my system was a bit of a mess. My hormones were all out of balance and that was a good place to start. You have to work to find a good doctor though. If you decide to do some reading and then decide you want to find a good doc, let me know and I can at least point you to some resources. Mean time, The Diet Cure and Seven Weeks to Sobriety go into more detail about what My Way Out has discovered about nutritional deficiencies and amino acid deficiencies and how they make kicking alcohol even harder to do. It's really just more detailed back up to what you will read (or have read) in the MWO book about the role of amino acids and other vitamins / minerals in this process.

If I can do it, you can do it. Don't give up.

DG

[gyco]

My story or lack of!

i am not a women but i do here your plea,you can stop,or what ever you prefer to do,as far as the weight no its a lot different for ladies then men,i to gained a lot of weight last year,45lbs to be xact,i went on wt watchers it works,210 to 175 in 2 months actually found it quite easy,and ilook like a million bucks,maintaining 180 rt now,i do here again yur plea you can do what ever you want if you work for it gyco

[rubywillow]

My story or lack of!

Ed, your story is really like the beginning of mine and so many more. Trust me, honey, get a handle on it NOW, or in a decade, when you're my age, the story will be (worse) different. Your husband/mate and children WILL begin to tell you what they think, or act out in ways you can see were motivated by your actions. You could have legal problems, financial problems, oh so many things, but especially health. It catches up with you. I'm digging my way out now, and only wish I'd had the foresight at your age! Anything I can do to help, I will do, but it takes what is the hardest - complete focus and hard work!!! Otherwise, the next 10 years could be a nightmare. I talked to a young (late 30's) woman one day at an AA meeting who said she had a fairytale life until 2 weeks before, but during that time she had lost her husband, children, home, family, job, and, most likely, would be going to jail for 6 months. THINK about how these things would affect you and your loved ones, because it COULD happen to you. I'm trying to shake you up, Ed, because you sound like I did, almost complacent with the situation. I want you to get help sooner than I did! Good luck!!!

[Ed]

My story or lack of!

Thank you all for your responses. Doggygirl I will definitely get those books. I've always been interested in alternative health (despite my predilection for alcohol), I take lots of supplements which has probably helped a bit but will see what the books say. You're right about finding a good dr, I feel I don't have one at the moment, the one we've seen for years is not very approachable about this problem so I'm taking the advise of a friend and seeing hers in the new year. Being perimenopausal is starting to cause a few probs in that area. Rubywillow, you are totally right to hit me with those things, I have thought them over the years, if this continues god knows where I'll be but I'm not complacent and feel I am finally in the right place to do something about it, I'm scared ****less and I need real strength otherwise my life is going down the toilet. I'm going away tomorrow with my son for a few days and I'm not going to drink .. there you have it in writing.

[Skinned Knees]

My story or lack of!

Hi Ed and welcome. I can't take any of the supps or vitamins either because of the meds I am on. I am doing it through sheer determination. Your story is the exact same as mine. There is a book called "Getting Sober" which might help. Also, "Happy Hours" which focuses on women who struggled with AL and how they recovered. There are different paths to recovery, and you may have to try several before you hit on the right one. Remember -- DON'T EVER GIVE UP! I went from drinking every single day. Then I went to 2x a week. I have been AF for 7 days now, and I keep on keepin' on. I'll never give up on myself. BTW, this week (because I'm sober) I have gathered stuff and did a garage sale, worked on cleaning the house, cooked every day, and gotten my finances (what little I have) in order. I keep on focusing on the positive, and when the craving comes, focus on the negative. We're here to root you on!

[tlrgs]

My story or lack of!

all i can say if you want it bad enough.. then its yours for the taking .. do your best and dont give up .. good luck .. stay strong and think positive

[Ripple]

My story or lack of!

Geez ED ... i lost 35 lbs when i stopped like right away!!! Minus the booze the weight just simply melted away. Its not easy if your using to alleviate stress or deal with it. and if your partner is a drunk thats even worst. Weight will leave initially upon abstaining from AL.. it comes back alittle as the same as refraining from BUTTS.. butt its good weight.. healthy weight, not the bloat AL gives.. GOOD LUCK. :H

[SAUSAGE]

My story or lack of!

Hi Ed

Welcome, and good luck - read around, post, draw up a plan - as others say!!

Regarding weight loss - I quit alcohol end of Aug 08 (apart from a 9 day relapse on holiday end of Oct) and in that time I've lost 16 lbs with virtually no other modifications to my diet although I must admit i've exercised more - quitting alcohol and increasing exercising - even if it's only brisk walking or swimming, go hand in hand with success I believe - you need some other focus, need to make other lifestyle changes to achieve true success. This and other life changes will make you happy and give you something else to focus on, not just quitting by sheer willpower and being miserable ,which is v hard work and not always successful. See it as a new chance, a new healthy life rather than as something you are missing out on.

Regarding weight gain over 40 - i'm 37 and had a hysterectomy earlier this year - someone in the hospital advised me that weight gain after the menopause is much harder to shift - I haven't gone through this yet (still have ovaries) but am keen to get to my ideal weight - only have about another 7 lbs to go) before then as i feel it is v good advice. I had put on about 2 stone since my children were born 3 and 4 years ago respectively - not from the actual pregnancy , when I gained v little weight due to sickness / nausea, but from drinking after - soon crept up to a bottle of wine a day!

Work out how many empty calories you are drinking and use this to motivate you.

Look at the DG post - before and after pictures, when you feel weak - it will really motivate you. The one thing you will notice when you successfully stop drinking for a while is you will lose weight v quickly around your waist and feel a lot less bloated - look at DG's photos again to confirm this. Then if you tone up the rest of you by exercise, you will be a new person!!

Good luck on your journey.

[maddiva]

My story or lack of!

Hello Ed. I think everyone has a tale to tell!!! Drinking too much in itself is a tale and a half. I know what you mean about weight gain. That is what I am now contending with. I was a size 8-10 UK when I began excessively drinking. That was a steady creep up for ten years. Now the fat sod that I am I am size 20!!! My god!!! I have been AF for 13 days and no miraculous weight loss yet, but to read what others say is inspirational. You are not weak. You are just human. Good luck

[Solitaire]

My story or lack of!

Does anybody know how to get hold of Ed? A member just told me that he needs help, and the number I have for him no longer works? Please let me know! xxx