Oh Steve,

I agree with you whole heartedly, for I think the nal. takes care of my allergies and when I am off it I have to start all over again with more allergy medicine (hence the headaches). I think they are just at the tip of the iceberg with this medicine and what it can help with. I know that I read somewhere that they have started to use LDN with patients with Parkinson and Alzheimer (I am not sure it might have been a drug study), so who knows what the future will hold for this drug.

I think the brain is one organ that baffles the medical community and it will take life times to be able to it figure out.

I succeeded with my AF Thursday since I did not join you all on wednesday. YAY!!! I didn't eat much during the day, started to feel I wanted to take the nal when leaving work around six. By the time I got home I was really hungry and cranky and seriously considering not doing it. I posted my crankiness on the Secret Facebook Page, made myself a "mock-tail" in a pretty glass, and went through it. Once I ate and the witching hour (Or in my case two and a half hours passed), the feelings passed. I don't think they are physical at all (other than the hunger), they are mental, all habit, habit habit.

Still I don't know if what I did was a good idea. One of the things that kept going through my brain was "you can do this. that way your numbers are low and you can drink all the more over the three day weekend." I'm not sure that's what i want be thinking. I have control, more certainly that I did, but I certainly don't have the take it or leave it attitude to AL that I would like.

Also it was hard when my husband came home and started making a vodka tonic. Maybe this is a reason to share with him what I am doing because if he knew he wouldn't have done that, he drinks very little. Stubborn pride.

Anyway, I hope everyone has a fun and safe Labor Day weekend. In the US anyway. In Europe you already had your Bank holiday weekend in August, right? Not sure what James is up to in that regard in Australia.

I love how we are worldwide. It's very cool.

xoxo Newlife

Newlife,

Good for you and I think you are right about that habit thing. I hate that thought process of needing a drink for...well anything. It sounds like you are getting there and that is so encouraging. It is something that your desire is only really strong for those 2 hours. And I am proud of you for not giving into that desire, especially when you husband made himself a drink (I would not have been that strong).

For me it was always having a drink at night so I could sleep. The other thing I noticed is if I feel really on edge if I take 1/2 of my progesterone dose around 6-7pm it will take the edge off of needing that drink. So, I am thinking maybe, for me, it is a little hormonal (PMS didn't hit until I started with the change, and then the drinking picked up) and habit. I remember a ob/gyn saying in his blog that most women do not want to go on hormone therapy, but their drinking habit increases to a 1/2 to a bottle a wine a night and they would be better off on the hormone therapy. Isn't it great being an emotional women?

Keep up the good work,

Jaba

My yoga teacher edited a book about bioidentical hormones written by her sister, Phyllis Bronson. http://www.amazon.com/Moods-Emotions-Aging-Mind-Body-Connection/dp/144224867X Is there no way to add a hyperlink here? I heard her speak and she had me convinced that everyone should be on them, male or female. I have not followed up, though. I am fortunate that my acupuncturist got me through menopause although the part leading up to it was hellish. I now seem to be all systems go!

I am nervous about LDN since the higher dose hasn't relieved me of all cravings. I am going to research, though, and maybe someday. It does make sense to me that 50mg might be too much and blocking the endorphins for too long. I will have to look up Mason's posts. Too much drama? Was there an entirely different group of people here at the time?

Newlife, congrats on your al free day. Honestly, though,I think if you are having thoughts of making up up on the weekend for what you didn't drink on Thursday, you might not be quite ready for forcing al free days. When I finish an alcohol free day I feel more motivated to keep my numbers down so I have a good total for the week. And of all days for your hubby to make a vodka tonic! Isn't it always the way?

And now, for my big confession... I did not make it alcohol free yesterday. I am helping a friend who bought a second home outfit her kitchen. We went to lunch and to a restaurant supply store (my happy place, next to Costco). In all the time I have known her she has never ordered a drink at lunch at she ordered a seabreeze. That did not bother me one bit, and I have to admit, there was a time that I would have been sick that she was having a drink and I couldn't. But then I got a call from my husband who was jumping on an earlier flight than planned and wanted me to meet him for dinner. I just knew that, after not having a drink at book club, I could not sit at dinner and watch him have a drink and not join him without feeling a lot of stress and resentment. So I popped the pill, had a lovely dinner and one glass of wine. Often we will order a bottle of wine with dinner and split it or, if we have a cocktail, order a bottle, have a glass and take the rest home. When we get home, I am always the one who wants to reopen the bottle and finish it and I often finish it by myself. He is fine leaving it for another day. Last night I told him I was in the mood for just one glass so we ordered by the glass. It was great; I didn't feel like I needed any more but I was glad to not have the opened bottle here tempting me. So, since I do not have a wet noodle handy, I will just label myself a wimp, wuss, pansy.

Were you able to do two in a row, Steve?

Deena,

I am weak, very, very, weak! You guys have it rough, for no one drinks in my house, and if I go out to eat with my husband he has tea. I couldn't be af on Tuesday because I know my girlfriend was going to drink, and so I popped that pill 45 minutes before I got there and I had to wait 15 minutes to take a sip. I did explain to her what I was doing and actually set her a copy of the book. She asked if I still drank every night, and I told her, yes and no, and to read the book.

I am proud of that you asked for a glass instead of getting a bottle! That is a step in the right direction, and TSM is about controlling our booze brain, and it sounds like you are. Do you think your husband is noticing that your drinking has lighten up?

I think going to the LDN on off days would be okay, but I am not sure about doing while I am drinking. My booze brain is just too loud right now and I do not trust myself (but remember I am afraid and paranoid). God how I wish I had that fear as a teenager and when I started drinking...But I have to accept where I am and move on.

I am glad you are doing really well,

Jaba

I hate spellcheck!

Jaba, I have been a little surprised that my husband hasn't said anything about my drinking. You have to remember, though, that a lot of my drinking was in hiding, so he wasn't privvy to it.

Yes indeed. Found it almost suspiciously easy. I live alone and the Al has become warm company. But my stupid brain is slowly realizing it's just not great company. I know Newlife was bothered but hung in there. Bravo. Deena, to me yours was equal in good control. Proud of all. Perhaps the forced AF is not always the best idea if it raises anxiety levels. I am glad you taunted me into it and I benefited. I feel almost like I could make AF the norm and the couple beers the occasional treat. Of course it's morning.
Thanks,
Steve.

Deena, don't worry about it. One glass of wine is nothing. Isn't it really the ideal to be able to do what you did? Personally I would rather have that than not drinking at all.

Happy weekend, all! Newlife

Deena,

If you husband has never said anything about how much you have had in the past he isn't going to say how much you are not drinking now...but I think he might eventually notice (esp. if you start to lose weight).

Jaba

Or the libido thing kicks in.