# Whine - fed up with not drinking!



## Leaf (May 21, 2007)

Hi - I've just found this place today!

One of my favourite ways of relaxing is with a glass or two of wine... yes I use all the other methods too - yoga, meditation, reiki, acupuncture. I've been trying to keep down my wine consumption to 7 units a week as recommended by my consultant at Hammersmith Hosp but it's amazing how hard and stressful it is, especially as my DP keeps forgetting and sloshes wine into my glass because he thinks it's rude to fill his own glass and not mine. And it's had no effect so far, anyway. (The consultant didn't mention coffee, though.) The longer I TTC, the more fed up I'm getting with the restriction - I mean I wine was my only vice!

Does anyone else find it difficult? I will be embarrassed if it's just me.

xxLeaf


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## Maybemummy (Mar 12, 2007)

Hi Leaf

We found it difficult too at first.  Lifes simple pleasures.  After reading up on the subject including Marylin Glenville ...we both gave up alcohol and caffine.  Don't really miss it and we had a good number of eggs and good fertilisation rate this IVF so it was worth it.  Hope you manage to stick with it.

Good luck 

Siobhan x


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## Leaf (May 21, 2007)

Hmm maybe I'll have to read the book you mention if it's going to make it any easier.. and get my DP to give up too. He did offer to before. I think for me it's easier to give up than to cut down. I'm probably going to use DEs but it's still recommended not to drink alcohol.

Hey good luck with your test, Siobhan!

xxLeaf


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## drownedgirl (Nov 12, 2006)

My DP found it difficult as he likes wine in the evening. We settled on buying it only at weekends. I had maybe one glass a week once we were on BCP, and then stopped once the cycle began properly.

I can see it's hard not to if your DP is drinking it!


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## Leaf (May 21, 2007)

You are all so good! I'll try to be inspired by your example.  

xxx


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## clare2 (Aug 1, 2006)

I totally sympathise with you!

I love wine, am a member of a wine club and have wanted to go on a wine course for bloomin' ages but haven't bothered as I've been trying to conceive. 

I've just about managed to cut my units to less than 10 a week but it's been horrendous. I'm also a caffeine addict - my acupuncturist advised me to cut out all caffeine but I allow myself one latte a day (occasionally two if I'm stressed out).

I've tried to cut down on the wicked alcohol and caffeine by drinking Redbush tea and also some supermarkets sell Becks alcohol-free beer (I'm drinking one now!). I also ordered non-alcoholic wine but it tasted disgusting. 

Dunno if that helps - but at least you know you're not alone!

Ex


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## Lindyloo (Sep 20, 2006)

Sorry just found this part of the website, and just had to respond.  I hated giving up wine and found that it helped to drink water/soft drink/whatever out of a wine glass - amazing how just holding a wine glass calmed my nerves!


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## drownedgirl (Nov 12, 2006)

Schloer or elderflower cordial and sparkling water, in a glass lovely and cold is a bit like white wine.. and I think you can get a spicey sort of cordial might be a bit like red.


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## MrsBunny (Oct 2, 2006)

Leaf
I can sympathise with you too. It's so difficult when you've been used to drinking wine reglarly. It's even more difficult in the summer I think (not that we've had much summer this time, but then that gets you depressed and you want to drink it anyway!).
As others say, it is much easier if DH cuts down too. We've done that - if only to help us lose a bit of weight, but also, as you probaby know, alcohol is not good for development of his sperm. Even if you're having DE I'm assuming that he'll still be doing his bit. But I do believe that it's not necessary to cut the alcohol out altogether, the idea of having a bit of wine at the weekends only is usually what we do. Also, red wine is good for improving the womb lining before egg transfer, and as you won't be having the drugs to stimulate you to produce your own eggs, it is fine to have a glass every day in the lead up to transfer - I did, and my lining was nice and thick and juicy!

Sorry if this goes against the advice to give it up altogether - I think the fact that it helps you relax outweighs the benefits of giving it up completely(this is when you're using donor eggs) I don't want to be too controversial though! We did give up caffiene completely....!

Drownedgirl, congratulations on your pregnancy!!! I've seen your posts before so I'm really pleased to hear your news. Good luck for the scan!

Mrs Bunny xxx


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## Leaf (May 21, 2007)

Thanks for all your suggestions! We're on a long waiting list anyway for DE so we don't have to be entirely abstinent just yet...  DP was told by our consultant that his sperm were fine even when he was necking a great deal of wine, but I'm trying to persuade him that that might not be the whole story. 

A wine glass in the hand is a good idea! And yup, I'm a caffeine addict too but down to two a day plus redbush tea. Nearer the time I'll give it all up save the odd glass of red.

But thanks, I don't feel so alone now!

xx


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## anna the third (Jan 15, 2008)

timewise sperm are produced 3 months in advancne remember...

i gave up both caffeine and wine but partly becuase it seemed to be so silly to be doing all this, paying thousands of pounds and kyboshing my own efforts by drinking. 

but actually i think it is all pretty marginal when comapred with eg age as a factor...


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## Angelmummy (Jan 28, 2008)

Hi

Just saw your post and wanted to add my support! 

I too enjoy my glass or two of chilled white wine of an evening. I have to say when I was actively TTC I cut down and pregnant I abstained completely. 

But I have TTc with no success for a year and it seemed too hard to cut out one of my few pleasures in life! At the moment I am being very naughty... 

I have just found out DE are my only option and once I have started treatment I would try hard to cut it down significantly. Maybe one glass a week? Cos I would want to do anything I could to increase my chances 

    

Love Kay
xx


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## sunbear67 (Apr 27, 2007)

I too am an avid wine drinker and find it really difficult not to indulge, especially when DH and friends crack one open on the weekend.  For each of my cycles I gave up completely once I started downregging and then through to testing date.  So in the evenings when I would normally have my glass of wine whilst cooking supper I fix myself a Apple Juice spritzer!!  2 parts Apple juice, organic and pressed rather than the long life stuff with 1 part sparkling water.  Served in a wine glass you could fool yourself quite easily!!  Also gave up caffeine completely and replaced my coffees and teas with the Pukka herbal tea blends - some of them have a bit of poke (ginger and cardamom) so are a great replacement.  It doesn't need to be forever - so hang in there!!  

Sunbear


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## anna the third (Jan 15, 2008)

I gave up all alcohol and caffeine. I didn't think twice about it, not when I'm paying in total about £5000 a go....


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## Kizzy161 (Jun 6, 2007)

Hello,

I'm another 'hard to give up wine woman'.

I failed my first IVF attempt earlier this year and had given up wine and caffeine for 6 weeks before, it was really hard, especially as the week of EC coincided with my 40th birthday, I never got as far at ET.  I'm hoping to have another go with ICSI in June, so I'm having a bit of a 'drinking moderately' window at the moment.  Will probably stop again in May but might allow myself one glass at weekends.  

I find Lavazza de-caf not bad at all for my coffee substitute .... wonder whether someone's gonna tell me that de-caf is bad

Karen


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## kittyblue (Jan 12, 2008)

I stopped drinking alcohol at new year,  first couple weeks were hell, but I'm kind of used to it now.
I didnt drink a great deal before, just the odd(few) glasses wine but I miss it, especially if ive had a hard day at work.  My treatment should start in April so not long to go,  Ive cut down on coffee as well, having 2 or 3 max cups a day.
good luck, try to keep it up it'l be worth it in the end if treatment works.  (I think if treatment doesnt work I'l always wonder if it was because    alcohol, caffeine etc so that is my motivation)


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## silverbream (Feb 10, 2008)

This has been tricky too for me, but two days alter after i failed my ivf, i had half a lager, and two glasses of wine. After not having drank for so long i got absolutely rozzered and woke up with a real splitter! I really think that i have now turned into a light drinker as a result, don't even want to go back to caffeine as the headache was so awful i don't want it again. Redbush tea is good, also started drinking horlicks.

Going to have just one glass of wine at a time. i've found that i have been replacing alcohol with nicer food and cooking more, especially for others. This seems to compensate a little bit.....but its is hard. 

xxx silverbreamxx


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