I’m a 38 year older female that has always been thin and in shape.
I started heavily drinking around the age of 24. It started off slowly. Bartending and waitressing was my occupation of choice back then. Mostly because you were almost encouraged to drink while working at the places I worked. I took it to another level though. I would drink a 2litre of cider a day no problem. As I got older it got worse. The first thing I did if I woke up in the middle of the night would be chug some cider then go back to sleep. That went on from morning till late at night. I was bringing alcohol to work with me and having it from the moment I woke until I went to sleep.
That went on for many years until recently. It had gotten worse…. I was now drinking wine and vodka So I wouldn’t gain weight… no on one knew that I had booze in my purse or with me wherever I went. It was all I cared about…I still looked pretty enough and was still in shape so I wasn’t paying attention to what I was doing to myself. Until I started getting Ascites. This occurred one day after blackberry picking. At the time I thought it was related because I also had Edina in my ankles… this is when I found out so had liver disease… I didn’t really understand or chose not to because I continued to drink just as much as ever. During this time I went back to school got my GED and took a HCA course at the local University. I had Ascites through all of it and I just lied to people and told them that I was pregnant eventually. But I doubt they believed me because my eyes are going yellow because I was now with jaundice as well. I don’t know how I did it but I was able to pass the course with all A’s. It’s not an easy course, especially for someone that drinks and hadn’t been school for 19 years. I had always been pretty smart when it came to courses or thing I was interested in. I had dropped out when I was 15 when I left home. Another problem was no one could tell I was drinking in class every day and in LAB. I have now worked in the field for six years with the same family.. The last time I went to have my stomach drained I was still drinking. I had gone to drop some things off to my boss as he was in the hospital for a couple of weeks. I had it done a few times so I figured I may as well get my stomach drained as it was getting heavy again. I know gross right🙈! They never let me leave. I ended up being stuck there for almost two weeks and had friends sneaking me in booze with my pizza. I Hated the food. I just wanted out so I could drink properly. I had just purchased a brand new car a week prior and didn’t like the thought of it sitting in the hospital parking lot. I had two blood transfusions. When they let me out I went right back to it again. I was there for 12 days. This is when covid first came out. They tested me and put me in intensive care for most of my time there. In the beginning they thought I had covid and wouldn’t come near me without the hazmat suites on. They couldn’t understand why I was so sick because I wouldn’t be honest with them . So , they thought that must have been the case. It took me almost a year after that to admit to myself and my doctor that I wanted help. There is a pill that you can take that had just been re released that may that took away any thoughts of wanting to drink and also the side effects from detoxing. I was so itchy I thought I was gonna loose my mind. I can not remember what the pills were called. All I know is that medication saved my soul. I was given a month supply. They worked right away. I was supposed to continue to take them. I picked up a three month refill. I found that I didn’t need it anymore I only took a few days with of the refill and stopped. I don’t know if this is normal or if I was just lucky. A few weeks after stopping the medication I did have a thought to drink when I was having a terrible day and I got mad at myself for even thinking it. I started a calendar. Every day I didn’t drink I got a sticker. If I messed up I would have to start over and I was determined. I got creative with cute and positive stickers in a calendar. Putting one on the day every night before bed until by the time I knew it I was having to go put up like four stickers at a time Because I had forgotten to do this. Cheesy, I know . I did it all the way up to a year. I don’t anymore. But I saved the calendar because it was the beginning of my new life. I also wrote in a journal whenever I felt proud of myself or wanted to vent about life etc. The important thing is I still didn’t want alcohol. It once ruled my life and Bow I hated the stuff. It was like I had been hypnotized or had addiction laser therapy. So then came the scary part. Facing what I had done to my body… I had a umbilical hernia. Finally had that fixed . They wouldn’t do that if I had been drinking. They had to wait to make sure I could clot properly because of my liver damage. Had to wait two month being sober for that. Healed up nicely with no bleeding after surgery. Then I had to deal with the fact I had spider angiomas all over my face, torso and limbs. I went to see a dermatologist about them and he said it was from the drinking and my liver issues. He said that I had to wait to be a year sober in order to solve that problem because I would continue to get them. My real specialist told me they were getting better but I knew better than him, I saw the truth each day. Fast forward to the present day. It has now been a year and a few months with not a single sip of alcohol. I can be around it no problem ,I buy it for my boss. He’s been drinking heavily ever since last New Years. I had quit and he was starting When I took the month off he fell into a depression that hasn’t lifted. I am at the liquor store buying boxes of wine every week. But it doesn’t effect me or make me want it. All my friends still drink…. Not like the way I did. Like regular people do. It doesn’t bother me until they get annoying after one too many. Sober and drunk people don’t really mix well. I have my regular ultrasound every 6 months and regular blood work. All my levels are looking great according to both my specialist and family doctors in fact commend me. I’m still on diuretics. Maybe for life,
Until about 8 months ago I was going to town on pink lemonade as a substitute for alcohol but I had to stop that because I was drinking at least a can of Minute Maid a day no problem. Add popsicles and the candy And chocolate I eat. Not good. Started going weight. I’m usually 120 I had dropped down to 114 right before my hernia surgery.. too skinny! Proud to say I bought myself a very flashy water bottle that I don’t want sticky stuff near. It cost me almost $180 but I was able to switch to water. I figured I was saving slot of cash not drinking . Before that I had never been able to handle drinking water. Now that’s all I drink. Besides tea and coffee. I had my first session of laser treatment to get rid of the red dots that cover my body. Before this I never even had a blemish.. Now I’m covered in ugliness. No matter how much I try to cover them up every time I went anywhere this summer at least one person would ask me about them. On the street,, in a store. Strangers ask me. So I hope this works. I pray 🙏 every day I’ll get better on my own. I work out almost every day and take bio complete 3 which is a probiotic concoction that helps me a lot. It’s said that you’re supposed to feel a lot better when he quit drinking but I still felt very tired and I could not use the washroom properly my guts were all messed up. I now wake up super alert and regular in the morning and it makes my days much better. This is what I was supposed to feel like all a long So I asked my doctor my prognosis and he says that it’s good, I then asked him what stage liver disease do I have. He tells I have cirrhosis so that means stage four but that my bloodwork is great. I just received my semi-Annual ultrasound reports. Thedamage has not gotten worse over the last year but hasn’t gotten noticeably better either . He says the bloodwork is the most important right now and to just keep on doing what I’m doing. The problem is that I am now completely addicted to sugar and the doctor Is aware of thuis He doesn’t seem to think I have a problem there. He says to be careful with my salt intake and I mostly am. But I do like my Pringle’s/ chips a little to often yet this has made no changes to my levels when I ask about them. That’s my story. .. I just felt like I wanted to share it. I hope it will be a happily ever after for me. But, for anyone struggling with addiction to booze ask your doctor about that pill. You can drink on it in the beginning but you won’t want to.! You won’t need to. Pretty sure you can get it covered my reg medical P.s. it’s not the one that makes you throw up if you drink. Sorry I can’t recall the name of it🤷♀️ It worked wonders for me!
Good luck and health to all those were hi take the time to read my longwinded novel 🙏
Justme1983
Fruit, Yoghurt, peanut butter, sugar free ice cream (which is delicious, I'm diabetic and it tastes better than normal ice cream) porridge in the morning with blueberries is a great way to start the day. 
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