I quit drinking

[gregj50]

Originally Posted by H8DWINGS

oh man I could. 6 pack of voodoo ranger on a Friday night on the couch up late with the TV on scrolling social media or playing video games on my phone. waking up the next morning sore a fuck thinking "this was normal? I 'powered through' THIS SHIT?"



I have a bottle of Bruery White Chocolate (13.2%) and Chocolate Rain (19.1%) 'beer' in the garage fridge. I just had thoughts of drinking one (share with family) after my upcoming marathon if I reach my goal (get IN to Boston Marathon 2021) and then realized I'll hit 6 months before Thanksgiving. Not "maybe" or "I'll try." I WILL hit 6 months sober before Thanksgiving. Not even a question. I have to look up how many days it has been sometimes cuz I stopped caring about how long it's been, or when my next beer will be, and just find other more productive things I can do with my time than drink beer. It's weird.

My boss 30 years ago had quit drinking like 3 years before I started with him..... He would always tell the guys on the job site that one day he was gonna start drinking again....... As the years went by he would just keep saying that but never did...... I think it was just his way of coping with a tough moment or day!!!


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[2JZ]

Originally Posted by Roc Doc

How'd it go Woody?

I choked at the wedding. We had rented a house in Scottsdale. That morning I stopped by Costco and got the big bottle of Knob Creek. Snuck it into the freezer and made myself some drinks during the day. By like 7pm I was pretty lit. Ended up falling asleep on my bed and didn't wake up til the next day. Fawk I felt like such a dumbass. Been beating myself up over it ever since.

I had drank about a 1/4 of the bottle that day. After that I tried drinking it some evenings, but really wasn't into it. I took the bottle with me out the desert last weekend ago to party with friends. Felt like shit the next day.

After that it was almost gone. But it was still in the cooler just outside my bedroom door on the patio. I finished it off, a swig or two at a time, on Friday night. But I just wasn't into it. Friday night there was 2-3 glasses left (I liked it over crushed ice straight out of the freezer). Yesterday morning I felt like shit again.

I'm done. As Ive tapered off Ive noticed I'm thinking much more clearly. And of course waking up actually feeling rested, despite only getting a few hours of sleep each night. I feel more rested after 4 hours of sober sleep then I do with 8 hours of drunken sleep.

So today is day 2 of sobriety. I have no real desire to drink tonight. It feels good to not be in a haze all day (even though I rarely drank during the day). I look forward to waking up tomorrow feeling better then I do today.

To satisfy my cravings I've been on the sparkling water over a glass of crushed ice in the evenings. I mix a little 7up or grenadine with it. I like to crunch on the ice and it seems to be enough to satisfy my cravings. Even when I'm stuck in front of my computer doing invoicing and scheduling til midnight, trying to keep my business running. Thats when I drank before.

As a bonus my wife has backed way off her drinking. I hope she can get hers under control and quit for good. It would make it easier on me for me, and vice versa. She's an alcoholic just like I'm an alcoholic. We've been drinking nightly since before we were married 33 years ago.

Feb 4th 2018 I fell off a 9' wall and broke my back in 6 places. Fucked me up good. I got back on the Oxycodone then, and didn't stop until last Sunday when I ran out of my script a week early. I messaged my doc and asked for a Suboxone script to help with the withdrawals. I took that last week while withdrawing from those evil little pills. So today I am clean and sober, off the pills and the alcohol. Today is the first day Ive been completely sober in probably 10 years. Ive had back problems for many years after a car accident, and have been off and on the pills pretty much for the last 10 years.

It feels good. I think I'm gonna keep it going....

[2JZ]

Originally Posted by H8DWINGS

2JZ how was the wedding? I had one of those, along with a family gathering where I was glad I was the sober one. Both involved driving people home. The family gathering avoided a big conflict between family and I got to see a lifestyle I'd not want for my own child. Plus weddings can be fun when you've got all the smiles and joy from being drunk partying, but wake up sore only because you're too old to act that young, and not because you drank so much.

GiS

^^ Just updated this thread with what happened at the wedding, and over the last month.

[microtus]

Everybody starts somewhere. Sometimes more than once, myself included. You got this.

I usually just throw a little lemon or lime with some ice into plain ole water.

[ADD]

That's fucking awesome man! Keep it up. Friday was 8 weeks for me and I couldn't be happier with my life right now.

It's also a lot easier to clean pools while sober

[Gslander]

Made it a month after being diagnosed with gout at 36. Came down with that after a trip to Germany for work, sampling every beer I could get my hands on, but pretty sure it was from drinking 4-8 beers nightly for 15yrs because I hated my stressful job(s) so much. The gout was a good reason to stop, told by wife if I cant stop drinking in the face of a threat of massive foot pain I need some pro help. Made it just fine, realized my super stressful job was a trigger so I quit that as well, figuring out what to do next LOL. Feeling great and I'm on a diet now and eating better. On vacation and just had one glass of wine I got for free from the hotel and this will be it for the trip. Glad it was a looong habit and not an addiction.

This is annoying as I am kind of on the fat side, 230 and 5,11, probigly down to 215ish now, but no where near lard ass. Just ate a ton of meat and drank alot, and came down with this shit. Evreything happens for a reason I guess!

Stay strong dudes!

[2JZ]

Originally Posted by ADD

That's fucking awesome man! Keep it up. Friday was 8 weeks for me and I couldn't be happier with my life right now.

It's also a lot easier to clean pools while sober

Well none of that cleaning pools shit for me anymore. Just repairs. And for me its mostly paperwork, estimates and scheduling my guys. Although I do like to run heater repair calls. The snowbirds are back and its just ramping up.

Looking forward to feeling better tomorrow, and the days to come.

[H8DWINGS]

Originally Posted by 2JZ

^^ Just updated this thread with what happened at the wedding, and over the last month.

Reads like it could have been my life. It’s been so long since I’ve woken up feeling like shit I seriously can’t remember it. Life is going well for me and I joke with my wife about her getting sick ‘cuz of the beer’ and she only drinks 2-3 beers a week. I’m pushing 6 months and sometimes I think I’d like to crack some beers open and drink with my father in law or on the couch but I can do a ton of stuff that would put me in bed at 8:00 and wake up at 4:00 that don’t involve drinking.

[H8DWINGS]

Originally Posted by Gslander

Made it a month after being diagnosed with gout at 36. Came down with that after a trip to Germany for work, sampling every beer I could get my hands on, but pretty sure it was from drinking 4-8 beers nightly for 15yrs because I hated my stressful job(s) so much. The gout was a good reason to stop, told by wife if I cant stop drinking in the face of a threat of massive foot pain I need some pro help. Made it just fine, realized my super stressful job was a trigger so I quit that as well, figuring out what to do next LOL. Feeling great and I'm on a diet now and eating better. On vacation and just had one glass of wine I got for free from the hotel and this will be it for the trip. Glad it was a looong habit and not an addiction.

This is annoying as I am kind of on the fat side, 230 and 5,11, probigly down to 215ish now, but no where near lard ass. Just ate a ton of meat and drank alot, and came down with this shit. Evreything happens for a reason I guess!

Stay strong dudes!

Do something stupid like run the Chicago Marathon. If you finish in under 6.5 hours they print your name in the paper the next day. Goose Island even makes a special beer for it too. I had one.

Friend’s husband has gout. She was hoping it would make him quit drinking or eating meat. Three kids didn’t even stop that so I told her a medical condition wouldn’t but I think he knows his exact limit.

[Gslander]

Originally Posted by H8DWINGS

Do something stupid like run the Chicago Marathon. If you finish in under 6.5 hours they print your name in the paper the next day. Goose Island even makes a special beer for it too. I had one.

Friend’s husband has gout. She was hoping it would make him quit drinking or eating meat. Three kids didn’t even stop that so I told her a medical condition wouldn’t but I think he knows his exact limit.

Eff running!! Lol!!

Gout sucks ass and alcohol can cause flare ups, considering the pain in my toe was worse than when I broke my collar bone in two places, seems like a no brainer. I have been trying to quit drinking for a long time, just kept saying "tomorrow I'll do it" and always found another excuse to drink the next day. Hope this makes me kick it for good, time will tell. I really think I was leaving the incipient stage and entering into drinking problem stage before this.

[H8DWINGS]

Yeah. Running is fucking stupid. Just ask me. I’ve run every day for the past 28. I’d rather have friends to drink with. ��

Just tell yourself “I said tomorrow yesterday.” Tomorrow isn’t ever a good day to start something like this. Yesterday is.

[CJF]

Originally Posted by 2JZ

So today I am clean and sober, off the pills and the alcohol.

Wow. Congrat's to getting off the pills. That's at least as big a deal as cutting out the booze.

Hang in there.

[2JZ]

Originally Posted by CJF

Wow. Congrat's to getting off the pills. That's at least as big a deal as cutting out the booze.

Hang in there.

Thanks man. So far so good. I made it another couple nights sober. Feeling better every day. Although my back and foot pain (sciatic nerve damage) is pretty wicked at times. Still trying to figure out what to do with that.

[Shadow man]

Originally Posted by 2JZ

Thanks man. So far so good. I made it another couple nights sober. Feeling better every day. Although my back and foot pain (sciatic nerve damage) is pretty wicked at times. Still trying to figure out what to do with that.

Pain doctor can do an easy nerve block.

[Roc Doc]

Originally Posted by 2JZ

Thanks man. So far so good. I made it another couple nights sober. Feeling better every day. Although my back and foot pain (sciatic nerve damage) is pretty wicked at times. Still trying to figure out what to do with that.

Good job Woody, sometimes it takes a memorable occasion to reference. Like blacking out or a DUI or a wedding.

I never went down the pill rabbit hole, even after taking them before and after my hip surgeries. They got me high as fuck, especially if I had a couple drinks with them, but the next day just felt wiped out, so only took them till the pain from the surgery was tolerable. But...

When I met my wife she was on the Norco bus. Got addicted to them after a ski pylon ripped out of the floor of a boat and whacked her ankle on the way over the transom. Anyway, she wrote me a letter explaining that she was addicted and wanted help to get off them and had already tried cold turkey. I let her stew on it for a day and then responded with, "OK, I'll help you, but YOU are going to come up with the plan, and YOU are going to stick to it no modifications when it gets hard. And you'll start right now, not next week".

She decided she wanted to be clean by the end of the year and it was February. She was taking 12-14 pills a day, so I had all the meds in my possession, and she started by cutting down two pills and taking them on a schedule rather than just when she felt like it. Each month she'd back it down a couple more and by November she was done. Still very proud of her for following through and not going back.

[Joe_W]

few weeks ago (Oct 16 I think) was 2 years sober for the gf. She is not into the whole AA thing but I wanted to commemorate it so I got her a 2 year chip from Amazon

[Mattafact]

Originally Posted by 2JZ

Thanks man. So far so good. I made it another couple nights sober. Feeling better every day. Although my back and foot pain (sciatic nerve damage) is pretty wicked at times. Still trying to figure out what to do with that.

Realistically a microdiscectomy and laminectomy is your only shot at sciatic pain relief. It's a minimally invasive surgery that is done outpatient.

[CJF]

Originally Posted by Joe_W

few weeks ago (Oct 16 I think) was 2 years sober for the gf. She is not into the whole AA thing but I wanted to commemorate it so I got her a 2 year chip from Amazon

Hey, that's awesome. Kind of wondered how she was doing. (Not in a stalker way or anything like that. )

[yotasmob]

Originally Posted by ADD

That's fucking awesome man! Keep it up. Friday was 8 weeks for me and I couldn't be happier with my life right now.

It's also a lot easier to clean pools while sober

Hell ya man, keep it up

I hadn't done the math in a minute so I decided to check. 2 years, 6 months, 5 days without a drink. Time flies. I remember when I couldn't get 2 and a half weeks without drinking.

Still rebuilding my life, but its unbelievably different than it was 2.5 years ago. People who haven't seen me in years don't even recognize me. Life is good.

[ADD]

Originally Posted by yotasmob

Hell ya man, keep it up

I hadn't done the math in a minute so I decided to check. 2 years, 6 months, 5 days without a drink. Time flies. I remember when I couldn't get 2 and a half weeks without drinking.

Still rebuilding my life, but its unbelievably different than it was 2.5 years ago. People who haven't seen me in years don't even recognize me. Life is good.

Nick, that is awesome man. Congrats. Shoot me a text when you get a chance. We need to catch up

[CJF]

Originally Posted by yotasmob

Hell ya man, keep it up

I hadn't done the math in a minute so I decided to check. 2 years, 6 months, 5 days without a drink. Time flies. I remember when I couldn't get 2 and a half weeks without drinking.

Still rebuilding my life, but its unbelievably different than it was 2.5 years ago. People who haven't seen me in years don't even recognize me. Life is good.

Still doin sciency shit for work?

[2JZ]

Originally Posted by Shadow man

Pain doctor can do an easy nerve block.

Ive been told by a couple different pain docs that you cant block the sciatic nerve.

[2JZ]

Originally Posted by Mattafact

Realistically a microdiscectomy and laminectomy is your only shot at sciatic pain relief. It's a minimally invasive surgery that is done outpatient.

My back was fucked up long before I fell off the wall. I had a laminectomy L3/L4 and L4/L5 in Oct 2017. Just 4 months before that. I was just starting to feel good when I endo'd. I fractured T10, T12, L1, L2, L3, L4. And smashed my sciatic nerve pretty bad.

In January of this year I had the same laminectomy all over again. Except this time it didn't do shit.

I saw a physical therapist a few months ago. After a 20 min exam he looked at me and said "the surgery didn't work because its not in your back, its in your hip". The sciatic nerve runs through the hip in the "femoral triangle". Well sure enough he was right. I can bend my back any direction and it doesnt bother me, but if I move my hip/leg just right I get shooting, burning pain in my foot. I need to find someone who can help me with it knowing that. The PT just seemed to make it worse for the most part.

[KDXSR5]

Originally Posted by yotasmob

Hell ya man, keep it up

I hadn't done the math in a minute so I decided to check. 2 years, 6 months, 5 days without a drink. Time flies. I remember when I couldn't get 2 and a half weeks without drinking.

Still rebuilding my life, but its unbelievably different than it was 2.5 years ago. People who haven't seen me in years don't even recognize me. Life is good.

That's awesome, Nick. Working my way in a positive direction myself and its motivating to see others doing well at it. Still need to hit you up on some workout stuff. Now that winter is setting in, I plan to hit the gym a lot more.

[microtus]

One month and counting