Yes - that is fantastic - well done

That's awesome Katie!

Keep up the good work!

Cheers
Sticky

Great news KAtie! Under 20 is a happy happy place

Yes, that is amazing! Congrats!

This is the biggest picture I could post of my graph. As you can see TSM is really quite the roller coaster ride!

Hi KS,

Yes TSM is a big roller coaster ride. But I see you are having great progress. Only 17 units last week. Amazing. Keep up the good work! Through all of this I've definitely had doubts but at week 26 I can see definite progress in myself and most everyone on this board. We are winning!!

Best,

Hello TSM friends!

TSM week 37

I haven't posted in a while, been busy livin' life. Last time I posted I was attempting to do 50 days AF after being on TSM for 29 weeks.
It wasn't a total success, but a success nonetheless. As you may recall, I am convinced that some of us who continue to have high levels of drinking after 30 weeks or so on TSM, are drinking out of habit. That pathway is well worn into our system and it's tough to reroute it.
Although I did drink on occasion always following TSM protocol, during those 50 days, I concentrated on getting myself out of the "rut" by breaking habitual patterns that are deeply ingrained after doing the same thing over and over for 30 years.

The hardest challenge was my after work/ shopping/ housework drink, my down time, my "treat" for getting the job done. When I was ready to stop and have my ritual drink...which would always result in many more than just "one"....I made myself do something else that I liked instead of drinking. I tried to find something I could substitute as a reward and was relaxing, creating a good meal, making myself a large cup of hot chocolate with whipped cream, even sitting down and reading the newspaper helped.

I haven't had a drink since New Years Eve and I don't care if I ever have one, I don't miss it. Not to say I never will have a drink, but I will never take a drink without Nal...ever.

Put a little effort in and you might be surprised at how fast your desire for drinking stops.

Nal - on my friends!
TSM works. Period.

xo KS

Katiesmiles, thanks for checking back with such a wonderful report...congratulations on your cure! I went back and read your very first post when you were starting out, and about your sympathetic, enlightened doctor. Do you know if your success has led her to reccd. TSM to other patients? Also, in your introduction thread you mentioned that you hoped drinking less would result in weight loss and hence, lower blood pressure...how has that gone for you?

I'm taking to heart your encouragement to really work on the "habit" part of daily drinking. It's so associated to my favorite, relaxing time of day, when I kick back and do my hobbies, have a nice dinner, etc. Drinking is so entwined in those associations. Of course, those fun things will still be awaiting me when I get past the chemical addiction...still, it's a long-time, very engrained habit. Thanks for the advice.

Chrissie

Thanks Chrissie!

I don't see my Physician until mid March. I have dropped a few pounds so far and hopefully by then I will have lost enough weight to ditch the BP medication.

I plan on staying the AF course for a good long run to "clear" those habits away completely. It's surprisingly easy and hopefully will stay that way for some time. Again if I do feel those intense cravings and feel that I am fighting the "beast", I will resume with TSM to kill off whatever triggers are still lingering.

It's a roller coaster ride for sure, but it's been the best one of my life!

Best wishes on your journey and hang on!

K

Hi Katie,

Thank you so much for your very encouraging news! I think you are so right about the habit part. It is also my "reward" on a daily basis. I love to have my wine at night while making dinner which of course leads to more wine after dinner! But I'm about to embark on a pause for some 30 days while I do the HCG diet. So I'm really looking forward to being AF to see if I too won't miss it just like you. I just finished week 32 and I think I really need to break this cycle. In the mean time hopefully I'll lose this awful weight I've put on from daily drinking.

Best wishes to you for a happy new year.