Drinking

[chaggle]

Did anyone catch the Louis Theroux program?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0 ... o-oblivion

Well worth watching.

It certainly made me think about my drinking - that up to those poor guys I don't have a problem.

Which is probably wrong.

[bindeweede]

Thanks for the link, chaggle. Just watched it on iPlayer and agree that it's well-worth watching.

It was good to see that two of the main subjects appeared to have moved towards controlling their addiction, though I do wonder if their situations will be the same in six months or so. It is to be hoped they will.

I expect it was an emotional and stressful programme to make, both for Louis, the cameraman and any others involved in the final film.

[polomint38]

He went to Kings College Hospital in Camberwell to find alcoholics, isn't everyone in Camberwell an alcoholic.
As a founding member of the SAS (Southwark alcoholic society), although the hospital is in Lambeth, half of Camberwell is in southwark, just knock on any door in Camberwell and you will find an alcoholic.

[bindeweede]

I eventually found an interesting article I came across several weeks ago, with reference to the OP, and relating to the recommended intake of units of alcohol in different countries.

Looks like if you are going to stick to the UK recommended number of units, Spain is the place to go.

A unit in the UK is equivalent to 8g of pure alcohol. This means British men are now being told they should drink considerably less than those in Ireland (21.2 British units), Denmark (21), New Zealand (19) and much less than the recommended upper limit for men in Spain (35).

So it is all a bit arbitrary.

But at the very bottom........

The government’s advice is that “there is no level of regular drinking that can be considered as completely safe”.

http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablo ... the-worlds

[chaggle]

Yes - it is all very confusing isn't it?

I'm glad I spent so much time in Spain where the limit is higher. :a

The effect alcohol has upon people varies varies. I had a friend in Spain who probably drank less than me but sadly he ended up a quivering alky who I had to take to the doctor (stopping off at the garage on the way to top up on beer at 8.30 in the morning) to get his drying-out meds. We eventually sent him back to Scotland where they are more used to dealing with clinically depressed alcoholics.

OTOH I know many who drink more than him who have no outward signs of illness at all.

The worrying bit is that the liver is so forgiving that you can lose 90% of its function and you won't know. I think even liver function tests don't show much until it's getting critical.

[Tony Williams]

I find that I drink less than I used to because as I get older I am more prone to feeling rough afterwards (especially when spirits are involved), which I prefer to avoid. And the less I drink, the less I can drink without feeling rough. So I'm probably not far from the guidelines anyway, without trying to be particularly virtuous. :?

[chaggle]

I find that I drink less than I used to because as I get older I am more prone to feeling rough afterwards (especially when spirits are involved), which I prefer to avoid. And the less I drink, the less I can drink without feeling rough. So I'm probably not far from the guidelines anyway, without trying to be particularly virtuous. :?

Me too. More than a couple (OK, three ) of pints these days and I feel rough as a badgers arse the next day. The only way in which I feel that that level of drinking affects me is in sleep patterns - I don't always sleep well.

I'm more worried about how much I have drunk in the past and the damage that might have caused rather than how much I drink now which is well under control. The problem I have now is not volume but regularity - it's not often I go a day without having a beer.

I rarely drink spirits and might have half a glass of wine with my dinner.

[Croydon13013]

The worrying bit is that the liver is so forgiving that you can lose 90% of its function and you won't know. I think even liver function tests don't show much until it's getting critical.

I can confirm from personal experience that you are, more or less, correct.

I find that I drink less than I used to because as I get older I am more prone to feeling rough afterwards

Me too. More than a couple (OK, three ) of pints these days and I feel rough as a badgers arse the next day.

And that is a strong indication that you already have serious liver damage. The reason that you can't hold your drink like you used to and get worse hangovers is because a large percentage of your liver is already dead and so it isn't processing the alcohol like it used to. It will also be failing to deal with a whole bunch of other stuff such as fats and so you probably have fatty liver disease (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatty_liver) which increases your chances of diabetes, stroke, heart attack, etc.

Your GP can refer you for a free NHS liver ultrasound to determine what condiition it is in.

[chaggle]

What if I don't want to know? :(

[chaggle]

Think I might have a go at this...

https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/liver-disease

[Croydon13013]

What if I don't want to know?

Your choice.

Perhaps you might want to consider crossing the road without looking to see if traffic is coming? Finding out if there is a car coming could add years to your life but do whatever thou will.

[Tinkerbell]

We are going to discuss the Louis Theroux documentary tonight in the re-named 'book club', now Culture Club, lol, maybe drinking club would be a better name.....

[Tony Williams]

And that is a strong indication that you already have serious liver damage. The reason that you can't hold your drink like you used to and get worse hangovers is because a large percentage of your liver is already dead and so it isn't processing the alcohol like it used to. It will also be failing to deal with a whole bunch of other stuff such as fats and so you probably have fatty liver disease (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatty_liver) which increases your chances of diabetes, stroke, heart attack, etc.

That is a possible explanation, but I am more than a little sceptical that it is the only one.

As I understand it, people who drink more as time goes on may do so because they need to drink more to have the same effect - their tolerance of alcohol increases the more they drink. It therefore seems not unreasonable that people who drink less as time goes on find that their tolerance of alcohol decreases - they need less to achieve the same effect.

I used to be a frequent drinker but not a heavy one - half a bottle of wine or a couple of pints of beer with a meal would be typical, about six days a week. Since retirement over a decade ago I drink about the same in a day, but now only on two or three days a week - which adds up to about 15 units.

[Croydon13013]

That is a possible explanation, but I am more than a little sceptical that it is the only one.

As I understand it, people who drink more as time goes on may do so because they need to drink more to have the same effect - their tolerance of alcohol increases the more they drink. It therefore seems not unreasonable that people who drink less as time goes on find that their tolerance of alcohol decreases - they need less to achieve the same effect.

I used to be a frequent drinker but not a heavy one - half a bottle of wine or a couple of pints of beer with a meal would be typical, about six days a week. Since retirement over a decade ago I drink about the same in a day, but now only on two or three days a week - which adds up to about 15 units.

I agree that it isn't the only explanation. However, my liver disease wasn't caused by drinking (honest guv), it seems to be a bit random and mysterious because I'm not obese either (unlike polomint), just slightly over what my BMI should be. And that is at least in part because of the swollen liver and the diabetes that was in turn caused by the liver failing.

Alcohol intolerance, on the odd occasions that I did drink, was just one of the obvious symptoms that I ignored.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-alcoh ... er_disease