Hi

[biscuit]

Hello to all, I have had a 5 or 6 year path getting to this point. I will try to give the Reader, Digest Condensed version. LOL My husband and I have been married almost 34 years and were social drinkers up to the point where we went on Atkins diet. We started drinking Vodka when we started the Atkins diet. You could
have hard liquor on that diet in moderation. That was where we both grew to love
our drinks, after work, days off, weekends. No kids in the house, hey we pretty
much drank at any time of the day. Strangely I still thought I was in control. We
would stop drinking for a week, drink water, cleanse and laugh that we weren't
alcoholics yet. Then dive right back in.

Then 1 year ago I got injured at work a neck injury and I have been strung through
the mill with work comp. Won't bore you with that part, but I have been waiting
for surgery for 1 year. Finally they approved surgery in February and they have
yet to approve a Surgeon. Meanwhile I have been sitting at home for 1 year
on temporary total disability. Children moved away. My 2 closest friends moved
away. So here I sat, with a numb left hand and a neck that grinds and crunches
when I move. So being depressed and scared I ratched my drinking up another
notch. I just did not want to think about what my injury entailed and my
children not here, hubby totally responsible for everything in the house. My
left hand could not hold a fork or phone, but my right hand could sure hold a glass.
Deeply depressed I justified drinking more . I would call my hubby crying because I
was depressed and feeling like a victim and ask him to bring home more.
In December I wound up in the hospital
with chest pain and racing heart, oh I forgot to mention I had gained about 40
pounds from drinking and the steroids I was being given to reduce inflammation
on nerves, also taking Motrin and Tylenol and Chantix. Found out I had
elevated liver enzymes. So I stopped all medications and quit drinking for
2 weeks. Enzymes back to normal. Then I was crying and begged hubby
to bring me some hooch. He did and I have been drinking on and off
ever since. Not as much as before but trust me a huge amount.

Then last night with drink in hand I told my hubby that I have to stop I am
killing myself, my liver hurts, plus from sitting around for a year I am out
of shape and over weight and of course now smoking again.
So today I am AF and hopeful ! Thanks for listening.

[time2change]

Biscuit
Welcome. you have made a great first step by coming here. I would suggest dwonloading or ordering the book from this site and you will find out more about this program. For me the best part is the supportive people that I have met on this site. Read and post and sit back and receive all the support that this site has to offer. Best wishes and we look forward to getting to know you better.

[Red-Wine]

Biscuit - you have just taken the first step ! May it be the first of many

[livingfree]

and welcome! This is a great place to be - my advise would be to read lots of posts and jump right in. Best wishes to you and your goals!

[vlad]

Hi, glad you're here - I too was bad for the vodka - funnily enough used to share a bottle with my husband too! You'll find lots of support here though, you may not hear from me much as I go to Croatia tomorrow, been AF this week, but aiming to moderate whilst away...
(P.S. sent private message)

[Doggygirl]

Hi again Biscuit! Thank you for sharing your heart felt story. I can relate on several fronts. Vodka became my poison of choice - and there was an Atkins tie in. Then BAM a back injury (bulging disc - ended up having a discectomy). BUT......thankfully nobody was ever really sure how the injury occurred, so thankfully I was NOT stuck in the workers comp nightmare. I know others who have been, and holy moly that would drive anyone to drink excessively. I'm so sorry you have been stuck waiting for a YEAR for needed surgery. I hope it happens soon.

I applaud you for not giving up hope, and for tackling your drinking problem. I'm so glad that you found us. I look forward to getting to know you better, and hoping that your needed surgery happens sooner rather than later so you can get on with the healing in all ways.

DG
***********************

[southernbelle47]

Hi Biscuit


You don't have to be alone anymore!
There are hundreds of people here waiting to be your friend and we all understand where your coming from!

Many of us have grown kids that live a distance away....I do "hear your pain"...but...think about this...
If we do our job correctly as parents, then that's what kids do...grow up and become independent .
Who wants a kid that still lives home with mama when he is 40?

I'm happy that you have found us. We are a caring group of good but imperfect people.

Nancy

[biscuit]

I so appreciate you words of encouragement. Just knowing others are and have been
where I am. Doggygirl wonder if others have done the atkins/al thing to extreme? Southernbelle47 you made me tear up a bit and then laugh (about the 40 y/o) ! Thanks Biscuit

[Doggygirl]

Originally Posted by biscuit

I so appreciate you words of encouragement. Just knowing others are and have been
where I am. Doggygirl wonder if others have done the atkins/al thing to extreme? Southernbelle47 you made me tear up a bit and then laugh (about the 40 y/o) ! Thanks Biscuit

Hi again biscuit - sorry to be so late with a reply!!

I've never seen any formal surveys or studies on Atkins/al connections, but here are some opinions for whatever they are worth!!

I doubt very much that low carb eating (Atkins or any other LC plan) creates problem drinking just because there is room for a moderate amount of AL on the program. I DO think for problem drinkers like us, we see a "diet" plan that includes even a small amount of room for AL, and the addicted Beast in our heads gets VERY excited that "diet" won't = "no fixes."

This is sort of unrelated, but the topic of diet and AL made me think of a funny story from my teenage years. I was a waitress in a restaurant that had a menu item called the "Businessman's Luncheon." No kidding - here is the description: "Two Martinis or Manhattans and a Salad." And the salad was just a little side salad like you would get with a different entree - not an entree type salad. I think back about how popular The Businessman's Lunch was!! That would be SO un PC these days. We'd have to be a whole lot sneakier about it. (but of course that's not an issue for us anymore!!)

DG
+ *

[biscuit]

Doggiegirl, I think you are right about Atkins my AL brain just ran with the concept and I was
one skinny drinkin fool. Actually the Businessman's luncheon was my kinda lunch in those
days and would fit in with Atkins.

Biscuit