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Its time for a change

Posted , 8 users are following.

stella44814
stella44814

Hi Everyone,

A little history:  I'm a 37 year old lady who's drinking seems to have gotten out of control as I see it.

I'm drinking a bottle or a bottle and a half every weekend Friday, Saturday and Sundays for what a long time.  I've always been a drinker since I was a teenager, always went to clubs on the weekends and got hammered.  Now I'm married and I drink at home but I find that I'm hiding the amount I'm consuming.

I want to stop Mondays roll around and I say I'm done.  They Fridays hit and I'm right back at it.

I've been experiencing heart palpitations now which is what is making me scared.

A few months ago I did go to the cardiologist and I had my heart checked out Ultrasound, EKG, X-rays, stress test and everything came back ok.

But now there more frequent and I'm worried I'm causing heart damage.

I'm at my low point.

I want to stop for me and especially for my 6 year old daughter.  I don't want to be dead in a couple of years.

I'm here today for a change.  Day one sober.

0 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • vickylou
    vickylou stella44814

    Posted

    Good for you!

    My alcohol intake is under control now, but it took a long time to get where I am now and I’m certain that without medication I couldn’t have done it.

    My story is very similar to yours. From about 16 (59 now), weekends were out on the town, getting wasted with my friends. Unfortunately whilst my friends grew out of this, I just carried on.

    Finished working when I had my first child, but still secretively drank for years. Two more kids and the binges continued. Never drank whilst pregnant, but the binges became more frequent and I really abused my body.

    I saw my gp with yet another chest infection beginning of December last year. I knew I’d always had quite a rapid pulse, but was staggered to find it was 140 bpm and erratic. Got sent for urgent ECG and told I’d got alcoholic cardiomyopathy.

    To cut a long story short I saw a consultant cardiologist privately the same week, Had all tests repeat ECG, heart scan, bloods etc. Luckily it turned out I’d not got alcoholic cardiomyopathy thank god and all tests were ok.

    So yes can really relate to what you’re saying. I was a nervous wreck waiting for test results, even though I’d not binged or drank excessively for years. I want to enjoy my grandkids, enjoy my life and drink socially and safely now.

    You can beat this now, either cutting down or tapering or medication. Having said that I tried tapering numerous times, but never lasted long. I actually went four alcohol free years, but craved a drink and thought about alcohol loads of times. Gave in and was soon drinking more than before, google alcohol kindling.

    Eventually got prescribed acamposate ( campral) an anti craving drug which I took for about 10 months. It really worked and I can now drink normally.

    Good luck and enjoy your daughter

     

    • Robin2015
      Robin2015 vickylou

      Posted

      Very good reply! I was similar as a House Dad looking after tiny twins BUT drinking secretly for years. Not drink driving at daytime but later. Stopped 5 years ago since I KNEWthat I was destroying my health after 30 years of drinking. Wanted to see them grow up and me more healthy. Not die..
    • vickylou
      vickylou Robin2015

      Posted

      Hi Robin

      You are the best example on this forum of what can be achieved by sheer determination and willpower alone.

      You put your family first and are reaping the well deserved benefits.

      Living proof that if we really want something badly go and get it. IT CAN BE DONE, BUT WE NEED TO WANT IT

    • Robin2015
      Robin2015 vickylou

      Posted

      Thanks vickylou. I had a vision in my mind that a drink of alcohol would be poison and I would die! That was when I had just stopped stone cold without medicine since I did have cravings but kept my mental image of poison and dying IF I had another drink. It worked for me 😁

    • Nat666
      Nat666 Robin2015

      Posted

      Great reply Robin and I have so much admiration for you and your sheer determination to stop. I never had that willpower to carry through my intentions of stopping but I feel blessed that there was another way for me to at least drink safely .
    • Robin2015
      Robin2015 Nat666

      Posted

      Thanks for your kind words. I. I always advice people to take Medicine. Stopping stone cold is too dangerous for most people and I often advice on The Sinclair Method since so many people here report success!!
    • vickylou
      vickylou Nat666

      Posted

      Hiya Nat

      good to hear you’re doing so well  another success with TSM  (hope I’ve got the right Nat)

  • rob16830
    rob16830 stella44814

    Posted

    You have taken the first step by admitting you have a problem. The thing with alcoholism is it will only get worse if you do nothing about it. If you can manage to go through the week without a drink , and only drink on weekends then id say that you have more of a physcological problem than a phyisical dependency. ( please excuse spelling mistakes ) . Instead of reaching for the bottle, when you feel like it, go for a walk or a jog. Do something other to replace your need for drink. It is hard, i know, ive just done a second home detox after drinking up to 70cl of vodka daily. Please try to stop before it becomes a part of you, because once you get to where you dont feel normal unless youve had a drink it is a nightmare to come off it. I wish you all the best, be strong, stay strong and control the booze. Dont let it control you.
  • Robin2015
    Robin2015 stella44814

    Posted

    Excellent reply Stella since I was like you and drank 70cl bottle of vodka sometimes but did manage to stop.
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