Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms How Many no longer Drink Alcohol?

The result of Caroline's recent emergency visit to hospital was a very firm statement from the Consultant to the effect "you can never drink again".
Certainly for the next year, until the LFTs and ultrasound scans show her liver has recovered.
It all came as a bit of a shock as we drank only wine, in the evening, and with a meal. But obviously too much.

I've decided that I have to support her, so I've given up as well.
We have re-homed almost all the booze and wine.

Anyone else here experienced a sudden drying out. and care to comment on the effects?

A week in, I neither miss or want a glass of wine. I have been drinking alcohol free beer for some time, San Miguel Zero is really good. Tastes like beer, the best so far.

In theory Alis had to cut back but we have gradually crept up again.

When I was in the mob I used to drink quite a bit. Usually binge drinking on nights out etc but when on deployments it was usually every night ! Got a bit silly really at one point.
Strangely, I never really enjoyed the taste of booze so I found when I left the RAF 'quitting' the booze was easy.

I do have one tipple though. I drink mead :-)

This is a firm favourite. Delicious
https://www.lymebaywinery.co.uk/christmas-mead

I gave up for 6 months.... I missed the ale.

So no glass of wine for you over Christmas Peter?

Best wishes to Caroline & hopefully back to full health quickly.

I too did a 'hard stop' on alcohol - when I turned 40 & prompted by an expanded waistline, monthly bills from my wine supplier in excess of £500 and a strong hint from a GP pal that my increased stress from work may not be entirely unrelated.

Within a week I figured that moderation wasn't going to work - it involves making decisions, often when you're pressured by colleagues/friends. An outright 'No thanks' is actually easier - it quickly becomes a habit, no decision required.

Diet coke became my substitute (horrible stuff, bad for you, but satiates the social need to have something in your glass to sip). Within a year I'd stopped this too and just drank horribly overpriced water in restaurants.

Now, 15 years on, I can honestly say I've never felt better. I started drinking alcohol again last year and (aided by some great advice from TM) discovered some lovely craft IPAs. I have one bottle a week - and have broken the habit of feeling that I need another after. I do wonder whether I could have got to that point straight away or whether, for me, the teetotal years were a necessary if extreme adjustment.

A bottle of Red between two of us over dinner is the sum total and my doctor confirmed this is o.k. so I am a happy bunny.

More common than you might think Peter. Cold turkey for a 6 month period is important if it got as far as you describe. My best wishes for the recovery. Water, exercise and a system flush with a balanced diet are important now.

Bottle of wine nightly for quite a few years, huge waistline. Then just over 5 years ago gave up the nightly wine to a couple of glasses a week, five stone lighter and 3-4 gym sessions a week, good diet (thanks to my girlfriend) and stopped smoking 20 cigars a day... Never felt better and don't miss the booze at all. Hopefully Caroline will be back in the saddle and fighting fit soon.

Don't drink much - go out every Friday and have a couple of pints of decent cider (7%+ stuff, none of your fizzy rubbish) and that's usually it. If I'm at a bike rally, or party I tend to hoover a bottle of JD a night, but to be honest, get really frustrated the morning after (have a decent breathalyser, and sometimes it's early evening before I'm technically safe to drive).

Social smoker - will go for months without a fag, but every so often have the desire for a tab or two while drinking.

Thanks, everyone.
I think the "hard stop" is the only way forward.
Perhaps in 6 months we can return to the occasional expensive bottle of red at the weekend, we shall see.
The first priority is go get Caroline back in the saddle and pain free.
I must admit, I'm enjoying the company of the horse every day, and the exercise. But whoever designed horse rugs needs horse whipping, there has to be a better way of hitting and securing the damn things!
It makes putting a Morgan hood up a doddle.