Health Booze

[briseus]

I have two questions...just to start a discussion. I am just curious what others out there have to say.

First...are there any people out there that have health problems as a result of their alcoholism?
And if there were no repercussions (health wise) would you still drink?

I'll be the first to answer my own q. Lol.

I haven't really had any health problems...but lately I feel a pressure under my ribcage on the right hand side. Now I know that the liver feels no pain so it might be enlarged and pushing up on other organs...or it might be gallstones since the gallbladder is right there. I just don't want any health problems and I hope that this problem goes away with sobriety.

And would I keep drinking?
No...at least this is what my answer is now anyways...because the mental issues that come with alcoholism is difficult to deal with...the looks you get from loved ones...the questions, the arguments...
So yea...just wondering.

[Supercrew]

Health Booze

This is an easy one for me, and I was even speaking to a good drinking friend about it last night. My words to him, "pouring any amount of poison down your throat will never be good for your health no matter how you look at it".

Alcohol affects people on so many levels they don't even understand. Aside from it hurting your liver and hurting your vitals, it affects your brain and is a depressant, couple that with the fact that it lowers your inhibitions so not only will you act differently it allows you to eat a whole large pizza at 2AM. Then add that it always made me lazy the next day as far as not working out or doing something active because I felt like crap.

I am 44 years olds, I played alot of contact sports in my youth, I have been as much as 70 lbs over weight, I had pain in my joints and in my back to where I had trouble getting out of bed, with that pain came a shitty mental attitude. Fast forward 2 years, I am at my ideal weight, I am pain free, I eat healthy, I workout regularly, and I am happy and healthy and I feel great.

Now did all of this come about because I quit drinking? Many drinkers would argue "no", but in my mind none of the transformations would have occurred if I was still drinking.

Drinking affected so many different levels of my life that I would have never been able to make these physical and mental changes if I was still drinking regularly....even if I could moderate...which I have proven I can not.

I use health issues as a reason why I quit drinking when talking to others, but I consider any issue mentally or physically that has to do with my body a health issue. So I am not lying. Alcoholism/problem drinking is a health problem.

[techie]

Health Booze

Yes to your first question as I suffered from anxiety and depression related to PTSD and subsequent alcoholism. The second question is moot as I don't believe it's applicable to alcohol abuse or alcoholism. Interesting question though! Thanks!

[aihflvt]

Health Booze

Yes Bri, even during my years of heavy drinking, I was always active and ran half marathons and considered myself a fit even if a little overweight. Then I went to a health fair at work, just to take advantage of something free, and found out my blood pressure and cholesterol were through the roof. My BP was 150/100, which is encroaching on the dangerous, and my cholesterol was a whopping 278. The elevated triglycerides that come with overindulgence can also prevent fat burn, which probably explains why I could run a half marathon and still weigh 210 lbs (about 95 kg) and have a body fat composition of about 25%. For the record, I'm 5 feet, 10 inches tall (about 1 and three quarter meters), so my weight was definitely past the boundaries of what would be considered healthy. I've dropped to about 180 pounds with the increased frequency of sobriety, during which I exercise regularly (working with a personal trainer) and eat right.

The good news about your liver is it's a pretty hardy organ. Even after 11-12 years of throwing a quart of vodka at it nearly daily, my doc said my liver enzymes were normal.

[briseus]

Health Booze

Thanks everyone for your input.

Supercrew ::: I am going to have to agree with you on everything 100%. When I drink heavily the last thing on my mind is to go to the gym or to eat healthy...let alone do anything else like clean or do laundry, etc. Thus leading me to gain 50lbs over the past year. Not good for my self-esteem. I would drink to deal with the feelings, wake up the next morning and feel like shit...not exercise...sometimes not eat...sometimes eat everything in sight...and then feel like crap that I didn't do anything productive with my day and then drink again. :/ What a vicious cycle!
I always told myself in the past that I would head back to the gym and never did...today is my day 1 and I actually went to the gym and feel great about it.

Techie ::: Not sure what you mean by it being not applicable? I have always had anxiety but it has only gotten worse because of the alcoholism. Ugh.

Aihflvt ::: I am going to request a test to be done on my liver...as the last time it was done (almost a year ago) I had elevated liver enzymes. I just want to know. Don't want to be kept in the dark.
My bp has been bouncing around a little - it's frustrating to say the least...and I am hoping too to lose the weight that I gained because of this.