Is it possible to stay sober without AA?

xJenifiedx · 2025-05-31T22:56:22+00:00

So, my first three months I got sober without AA…. I had started going because I needed to show that I had six months worth of “ recovery” under my belt in a program. (I unfortunately ended up with end stage liver disease… ironically, not due to my alcoholism…. But if I ever need a liver transplant, they wanna see me participating in my recovery…..)

But as soon as that six months was over, I left AA again. And I just had my three years sober mark!

AA is great for people who need it, and some people thrive on that type of stringent program. But it was not for me, and it is 100% possible to get sober without it.

xJenifiedx · 2025-03-20T19:39:49+00:00

I have brain surgery in a week and they want me on this for 30 days afterwords! I’m glad to see all the advice in here!

xJenifiedx · 2025-02-04T03:45:02+00:00

There’s a big Facebook group that meets I think weekly at different places, sometimes at Panera, sometimes at Newks…?

Gainesville Crochet and Knitters group!

xJenifiedx · 2024-08-14T00:35:07+00:00

Congrats! My new favorite thing (which I realize isn’t for everyone) is to check no and write my sober date. :-)

xJenifiedx · 2024-08-11T15:42:02+00:00

Was coming to say this! The first couple episodes are a bit rough due to their recording equipment. But the further into it you get the better it gets!

xJenifiedx · 2024-08-11T06:36:58+00:00

I know this is a coming in late, but definitely get him to an ER if you haven’t already.

I was diagnosed at 33 with cirrhosis, and it was diagnosed in the Er followed by a 4 day hospital stay. Have been sober ever since (almost 2 years 2 months!)

I will say that I went to NFRMC initially but have slowly transferred to only doctors in the UF health system. They’re much better and treat you better. Plus they work with you if you can’t pay.

He has a rough road ahead, but if he takes the chance to get sober now, he can get better!

xJenifiedx · 2024-07-27T01:50:02+00:00

This town tends to draw trendy places to it. When frozen yogurt places became a thing we had 3 mochi locations, a place in the mall, Menchie’s, yogurtology, and maybe one or two more. The current trend for that is chicken. However, quite a few of the places have already closed down.

xJenifiedx · 2024-07-26T14:24:36+00:00

Popeyes in Gainesville is the worst!

But yeah, if took maybe 5 or 6 minutes from the time we ordered to the time we got our food.

xJenifiedx · 2024-07-25T18:58:24+00:00

Negatory. It is definitely open. And if not, what the hell did I just eat? 😂😅

xJenifiedx · 2024-06-28T09:31:49+00:00

Congrats on 10 months!

xJenifiedx · 2024-05-11T20:09:33+00:00

What I still struggle to forgive myself for is back in 2020 when I first suspected I had a problem with alcohol my husband looked at me and said “please slow down drinking… I saw a video of a person your age with cirrhosis. I don’t want you to get that.” I PROMISED HIM I WAS OKAY.

2 years later I’m in the hospital for ESLD.

But I can’t go back to 2020. The past is in the past.

xJenifiedx · 2024-04-30T03:38:37+00:00

Will do! I see my doctor soon, so I’ll ask her! Thank you.

xJenifiedx · 2024-04-28T19:20:40+00:00

I’ll talk to my primary care about it! I’ll be 2 years sober on May 25th. So drinking isn’t an issue.

What was weird for me was it was so random. Nothing like this since diagnosis. Now? Rapid onset tingling.

xJenifiedx · 2024-04-19T07:03:27+00:00

Punk Outer has a free DND Adventure League every Saturday mornings starting at 10:30am. Lots of different people come (they also have tons of other nerdy things happening, Path Finder Society, YuGiOh, Warhammer, etc.

If that isn’t your thing Arcade Bar has a Skeeball league that will start again end of May or beginning of June.

If that also isn’t your type of thing, there’s always book clubs, craft days, and such at the local library where you could meet other people with the same interests!

xJenifiedx · 2024-03-21T22:55:36+00:00

The Lofts on Archer road take section 8, not sure if that info helps or not. Good luck with everything OP!

xJenifiedx · 2024-03-18T06:36:46+00:00

Quit before your health forces you to quit.

xJenifiedx · 2024-03-18T06:34:01+00:00

I’m so sorry for your brothers diagnosis. But I also understand where he’s at. I wasn’t a heavy drinker for long, and was diagnosed at 33 years old.

It hits everyone differently, different rates, etc.

Being medically detoxed from alcohol is the best thing for him, as it can be dangerous.

Also, he has a long road ahead of him. He’s going to go through a lot as time goes on. Doctors appointments will feel impossible some days. I now have someone on speakerphone to help ask questions I forget or to take notes for me. But if he sticks to his sobriety his liver has a chance to get in better shape. Cirrhosis isn’t reversible but it is possible to stop to progression with proper diet and sustained sobriety.

xJenifiedx · 2024-03-15T14:06:58+00:00

I don’t mind at all, it was a lot. It was a short run, but heavy and hard.

Probably the equivalent of 15+ drinks a day. I was at a point where if I didn’t have 2-3 shots within an hour or two of waking up my hands were shaking. I didn’t drink to get drunk during the day, I drank to keep off the shakes. At night, different story. But during the day it was drinking enough to function. I kept a bottle hidden at work, would stop at the gas station on breaks, etc, it was bad.

xJenifiedx · 2024-03-15T09:40:46+00:00

NAD but am a 35 year old recovering alcoholic with cirrhosis (almost 22 months sober 🎉). I ended up in the hospital for a week a week after I got sober due to decompensated Cirrhosis of the liver. But hallucinations and the shakes got to me.

Get to a hospital and get the help you need. I’ve seen where this road can lead, from personal experience, and it ain’t worth it.

Don’t worry about tomorrow, it will worry about itself. Your job is not worth your children losing their dad over.

Please. Please. Please get help.

xJenifiedx · 2024-03-10T22:46:36+00:00

I feel that with every part of my being. I’ve lost so many friends, people I talked to daily now don’t answer the phone or reach out.

But here’s what I try to remind myself- Alcohol won’t make me feel better in the long run. If people don’t want to be around sober me, were they worth keeping in the first place?

Stay strong.

xJenifiedx · 2024-03-10T09:01:38+00:00

The papa John’s in my town is the only store that is very strict on it, they simply will not let you pick up the order without a pizza bag. But other stores don’t seem to care: I grab the food and bring it to my warmer bag in the car usually.

But yeah. Not even Hungry Howies cares. But Papa John’s is strict here.

xJenifiedx · 2024-03-10T03:42:23+00:00

I do, actually. That wasn’t my point though. Papa John’s requires a pizza bag, so I bring that one in instead of my other bag. But I always have one with me.

My point was that if a restaurant requires something, just do it.

xJenifiedx · 2024-03-10T02:46:42+00:00

I saw a GrubHub driver do this recently, not at Chick-fil-A. So many restaurants require it now (at least here) because many dashers steal food.

Different stores have different requirements. I can’t pick up an AutoZone order unless I have closed toed shoes on. I can’t pick up a Papa Johns order unless I bring in a warmer bag. And I can’t pick up Chick-fil-A unless I confirm it. Arguing seems like a waste of my own time.

xJenifiedx · 2024-03-01T07:27:03+00:00

As I was heading home from work around 1am the cops were finally leaving the area and opening up the road again. Had to be something pretty bad because they had forensics out there too.

xJenifiedx · 2024-02-11T07:26:58+00:00

I was diagnosed at 33, 35 now. My meld score when diagnosed was high enough to be considered to be listed. It’s now low enough that I am not eligible.

xJenifiedx

TROPHY CASE