8 days without wine

[081caw]

My favorite color is wine, and it is my favorite drink. Today is my 8th day without a sip, and I am hurting on this Saturday night. I have been to the grocery store every day this week, and I walk by the wine. I tell myself I don't need it, and I don't. But it's all I think about. I had been drinking a bottle of wine a day, and then I cut back to one and made it last two days...felt like I had weaned myself to no wine.

And I can't sleep. All of my troubles rush...what I had been doing was going to work and taking care of my family. The wine would start while cooking dinner, eating dinner, and then I'd fall asleep...wake up at 3 or 3:30 and clean the kitchen, make lunches, clean up...now this week without drinking I have trouble getting to sleep and waking up. I am irritable and feel tired.

I looked up an AA meeting, but I am embarrassed. Of all jobs, I am a teacher. I have never been to school drunk or hung over...but it's what I look forward to after school. I feel like I have hurt my children by passing out and not putting them to bed, and I have started countless fights with my husband. The fighting scares my children. And I fell down the stairs not too long ago...I'm tired of my own crap. And even after this note, I want to drive to the store, which is twenty to thirty minutes away, to buy Merlot, Cab, or my favorite from Sterling Vineyards. I'm blessed to live near many wineries..sarcasm.

How will I get to sleep? When will I stop being tired?

[scottish lass]

8 days without wine

Welcome - your story could be mine. I love wine, today is my day 6. I live in northern california and love Sterling wine too - I am a nurse with two lovely girls and happily drank one plus bottles a night. I have been struggling for 18months here to give it up so I can be a better mother and maybe live long enough to see my girls grow well into adults. I still love wine and would like to drink, but I am very scared of what it is doing to my liver and dying of liver failure way too young.
I too find sleep hard - I use calms forte which I found here and it does help, but have promised myslef a benadryl tonight to just get a really full nights sleep.
This is a great place to be, lots of great people who have lots of advice, experience and help - and lots of people with very similar stories....
Newbies nest is great, and the tool box has a lot of help.....
Very well done on your 8 days - that is huge and lots here are struggling to get to just that point - you are doing great!

[hart]

8 days without wine

Well done both of u!!! The first week is the hardest, it's hard to sleep and when you do, I find personally I have weird dreams. Personally I take and Over the Counter sleep aid. But that's a personal choice. I also recommend a warm bath before bed to help. I'm proud of you both. Think of the money you are saving too!!!!

[paulywogg]

8 days without wine

hi guys,yeah the not sleeping part is the worst! and with lack of sleep the next day it makes it harder not to drink,cuz your tired and crabby,i take a product called midnite,it has melatonin,lemon balm,chamomille,and lavender,it works pretty good most of the time

[pixie]

8 days without wine

Welcome 081caw!

Many seem to have trouble falling asleep, including me. Tryptophan is another one that has helped me. (I also use some of the others mentioned above, though not all at the same time!) Another one that helps to relax you, if you have the problem of your mind racing too much, is valerian. That in combination with melatonin has worked for me.

Keep reading on this site, it really helps to realize that there are lots of people with the same problem. Lots of good advice and support here too.

[Blossom Will]

8 days without wine

Day one no wine. I had reached tolerance level of two bottles a night. I know from past experience, the first few days or week is hardest in terms of sleep. It will pass. I remember Librium helping with withdrawals in past but then I felt too tired throughout day at work and that's a trigger. I am doing it naturally or with over the counter sleep aid. And yes, hot bath before bed helps. I have slight acid reflux or something like it. I'm fearful I have liver damage but I will abstain for a few months before getting bloodwork.

[Alcoholic]

8 days without wine

Happy you are back, blossom!

[Doggygirl]

8 days without wine

Hi 081caw and welcome! Congratulations on your progress going without wine for 8 days. Those first days are so hard and believe me - everyone around here understands what an accomplishment that is!

Alcohol dependence knows no boundaries. Teachers, executives, factory workers, police officers, business owners, men, women, young, old, doesn't matter.

In addition to help from My Way Out I also attend AA and find a lot of help there too. I also want to let you know that we have a Weekly AA Thread here at My Way Out where we discuss various topics related to sobriety. You don't have to be attending AA to participate. That would be a great place to ask questions about AA, and one of our active posters is a retired teacher - I know she would identify with your concerns about anonymity, etc. Here is a link to the current weeks thread if you would like to check it out. https://www.mywayout.org/community/f1...1-a-70053.html

Mean time, best of luck to you. Getting AL out of my life was one of the hardest things I've ever done, but also one of the very best things. It is such a gift to be fully present in my own life and in the lives of my loved ones. I hope you find that too.

DG