this post was submitted on 07 May 2025
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Stop Drinking

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This is a place to motivate each other to control or stop drinking. It is also a place for non drinkers to discuss and share.

We welcome anyone who wishes to join in by asking for advice, sharing our experiences and stories, or just encouraging someone who is trying to quit or cut down.

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This really surprised me. I had been experiencing major gastrointestinal issues for years while I was drinking, and my doctor said it was lactose intolerance. I cut out dairy entirely and it helped a little, but I had diharrea every day regardless and nothing helped. I'm happy to report that after getting sober I can now drink milk, eat cheese, and enjoy a milkshake without any side effects whatsoever. I suspect it's something to do with my gut microbiome or whatever it's called.

Figured this might be a tiny sliver of hope for some folks, so I wanted to share. IWNDWYT!

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[–] remotelove@lemmy.ca 6 points 2 days ago

Yeah, the GI issues can run deep. It took a couple years to get my heartburn under control, but that is finally manageable now.

The shits sucked though and those did resolve fairly quick. You will find that it is a common affliction among professional drunks, actually.

I only skimmed your profile, but it seems you were an every day, drink till you blackout type, similar to me. (No judgement, at all.) I bring this up because, if you haven't already, be honest with your doctor about this. Alcohol will wreck your gut and cause all kinds of weird imbalances, especially after you quit. It may help your doctor to take that into account, s'all. (I don't know your age or gender, but a colonoscopy may be in your future. That is a good thing, and it wouldn't surprise me if one was recommended.)

Embrace these wins and remember this feeling you have. (The first few dozen times I quit drinking, I never really embraced how good it felt. I do now and it's an awesome motivator for me.)

[–] Zerlyna@lemmy.world 6 points 2 days ago (1 children)

That’s an interesting discovery!!! Yay ice cream!!! ❤️

[–] remotelove@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Several gallons (per day?) are allowed, for a little bit.

Sugar is one of the best anti-craving foods there is, IMHO. (I went from 185lbs to 215lbs in just a couple of months. I lost it all over the next year.)

[–] Kit@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 2 days ago

Not gonna lie, I've been really leaning into sugar to kill my cravings. A milkshake or cookies daily. I know it's not healthy for me, but I'll take any help I can get to stay sober at this point.

[–] ghost_towels@sh.itjust.works 5 points 2 days ago

I have also noticed this, but mine was tomatoes. Basically an overload of histamines. I figure that since my body isn’t trying to fight the alcohol it can properly regulate histamines now. I don’t really know how it’s working but I’ll take it. Salsa and pasta and pizza again!

[–] badbrainstorm@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Good for you, Congrats!

I just saw this video the other day showing how whiskey kills bacteria, good and bad.

[–] saltesc@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

High alcohol/low sugar ain't a nice combo for cultures. Needs to be offset with some good diet to keep the little critters flourishing. Be a responsible god.

[–] 200ok@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago

That's so interesting! Thanks for sharing ❤️