One Year!

[Bill]

I have not been on here for a while. I figured I would appear tonight to say that I have not had a drink in one year! Best to all who quit, try to quit and especially those who stay quit!

[Roxanne...]

Way To Go Bill!!!!!

You could still win the best avatar contest.:D

[Bill]

'tis funny, I can't see it?

[Lia~~]

Bill, I didn't know you from before.
But I sure as hell admire you-- a year is awesome.

[beameraus]

Feel like writing a bit to explain the process you went through for newbies. They are often unable to comprehend a week, a month without drinking.
So many of the old journals are lost.

[Bill]

I started like most. Fed up with myself, my drinking and what I was doing to myself and others.
I drank beer. Never liked liquor or wine soo much, just beer. I started drinking at age fourteen, built myself into a twelve pack to a case of beer a day guy. Every day. Every day spent planning which store to go to, making sure I had sufficient funding and of course a good place to hide the amount I was drinking from my beloved wife. A year and a half ago, out of shape, increasing beer gut, I had a heart attack. After angio plasty, adding a stent, new routine of heart and cholestoral drugs...I still kept drinking, rarely excercising, same ol' same ol'...
About four months after the attack my mind and body started reacting badly to the combo of meds and alcohol. I began getting nervous and anxious in crowds and other social situations. Anxiety attacks. No fun at all.
I tried talking to my doctors, who both told me that there should be no adverse effects from combining the meds and the alcohol. I don't remember being soo truthfull to them about the amount of beer I was imbibing :)
I finally went to a psycotherepist who brought me to the conclusion I think I had already figured out.
One sunday night a year ago, I decided to stop drinking. I went through terrific withdrawal that night, shaking, sweating, palpitating, tossing, turning, miserable night of no sleep. I felt so bad the next day I rushed to my doctor for a prescription of Librium. Wish I had had that the first night! I should mention that I do not recomend it as a replacement. I still take it once in a great while, but only if I feel I might be uncomfortable in a social scene or sometimes at the movies. I still have more than half the pills from the first and only bottle I received. Don't do drugs if you don't really, really need them. Trading up one addiction for another is not the way to go.
But, I made it through the first night, made it through the first day, joined this forum, made it through a week, celebrated two weeks of sobriety and on....At six months, not a drop of beer...I could be around people drinking and not feel the urge or uncomfortable...Around six months I stopped posting here. Tonight, may be my last post. So forgive my long windedness.
I try and excercise more. I still have a little belly, but thats from pretzels. I tend to binge on them when i'm working behind the computer. I'm now just starting to google info on how biologically carbos work ect I know beer/carbs/pretzels/carbs all about glycemic sugars...Eventually i'll gain control over that. I have lost about twenty five pounds without the beer and with regular excercise.
I feel lucky. I never physically hurt anyone while drinking. My wife still loves me and is very proud of me quiting. I'm working on controling my physiology, reducing the amount, cautiously and with my physicians guidence, my heart and choletoral drug intake. I still have my career, and i'm still alive.
I still go day to day tho. I still think about beer, envy people who drink responsibly...but, I don't, won't and can't drink. I will try and maintain this for the rest of my life. That is my bottom line.
I would like to thank you all for your support. We need this soo much in this endeavor. It is not easy, but, definitely worth it. Believe that you can stop, try to stop, just for tonight, then tell yourself you can stop tomorrow as well. Day, after day, after day.
Thank you!

[DtheM]

CONGRATS ON A YEAR SOBER, PUMPKIN BUTT!!:) :)

dennis

[Mortiman]

Congrats Bill !

I have close to month and a half under my belt.. your post gives me some added inspiration for the next 10 months!

Great Pic btw :D

Take care Bill

[Jay]

I remember you Bill !

Congratulations on your year !

You are just starting to reap the benefits so keep it going ... as i am sure you will.

:D

[Finally]

It's the orange ass man....whom I don't know at all....and I'm sorry about that. But I'm damn proud of ya !! Therapy really really helped me through the lead up and the after math. Now...not so much but it all ebbs and flows...


We need this soo much in this endeavor. It is not easy, but, definitely worth it. Believe that you can stop, try to stop, just for tonight, then tell yourself you can stop tomorrow as well. Day, after day, after day.



I really like what you wrote Bill.....that nails it....good words and peaceful days to you. Keep going...it can be the rest of your life... if you choose it.

Let's choose it together...I'm in.

[Happy]

Congratulations Bill!

Thats fantastic...its hard at times, but oh so worth it!

[NewLife]

Thank you for posting you story.
A year is a milestone to be commended!

[SunnyD2]

Bill,
Congratulations on one year!

On the last site, I really enjoyed your monthly posts of celebration.
So happy for you, your wife, and all.

YEAH!