Excessive Drinking
Hovering AND talking
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 5,711
Likes: 1
From: Propping up bars in the Lands of D H Lawrence and Bishop Bonner
No-one has really answered the question; even the few medical bods on here so I will try to.
Firstly, alcohol IS addictive (that was mentioned) and by the time you've realised that you CAN'T go without a drink, it's possibly too late. You will become irritable, argumentative if you can't get a drink or are sobering up. Therefore, it's imperative that you listen to your friends and family; if they say you are drinking too much then you are. No arguments. If you deny it, you've gone too far and need help.
The next that could happen is Korsakoff Syndrome which is caused by Thiamin deficiency. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korsakoff's_syndrome This is particularly difficult for anyone to live with. The neuropathy will mean that limbs will be very painful and you'll possibly lose the use of them.
Liver disease - yes, it's true people go yellow. In the later stages of alcohol abuse, the body atrophies from the inside out and boy, does it stink.
I'm not anti alcohol and I believe that there is not enough help or knowledge surrounding alcoholism. But, I do get irritated when people say it's a good way to go. Believe me, it ain't; it must be one of the most unpleasant, painful, drawn out ways of dying.
Cheers
Whirls
Firstly, alcohol IS addictive (that was mentioned) and by the time you've realised that you CAN'T go without a drink, it's possibly too late. You will become irritable, argumentative if you can't get a drink or are sobering up. Therefore, it's imperative that you listen to your friends and family; if they say you are drinking too much then you are. No arguments. If you deny it, you've gone too far and need help.
The next that could happen is Korsakoff Syndrome which is caused by Thiamin deficiency. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korsakoff's_syndrome This is particularly difficult for anyone to live with. The neuropathy will mean that limbs will be very painful and you'll possibly lose the use of them.
Liver disease - yes, it's true people go yellow. In the later stages of alcohol abuse, the body atrophies from the inside out and boy, does it stink.
I'm not anti alcohol and I believe that there is not enough help or knowledge surrounding alcoholism. But, I do get irritated when people say it's a good way to go. Believe me, it ain't; it must be one of the most unpleasant, painful, drawn out ways of dying.
Cheers
Whirls
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 2,333
Likes: 1
From: gone surfin'
Well Whirly, the question raised was "why shouldn't I drink too much," and I guess you've given a very graphic description of one the consequences.
But I guess the underlying question is when is too much, too much ?
Unfortunately, the answer isn't that straightforward.
Is BV123's drinking hazardous? Well he's certainly loading the odds, but the chances are he'll probably live to a riper age than most.
Is he any more hazardous than a 17 year old drinker who occasionally drives home after 2 pints of Fosters? Or the guy who keeps well within the governments limits but kicks f*ck out of his kids after drinking Stella Artois. (Known locally as "Fella's are Tw*ts").
As with a lot of things in this game- I just don't know is the answer.
'spose if you want to define health in purely bio-medical terms, I could pluck some figures from somewhere, demonstrating some dose-effects, but as every good nurse knows, health is more than the abscence of disease or infirmity.
The moderation question raised by my gramatically correct colleague is an interesting note. Depends on how you define the role of moderator.
The requirement to check the medical facts of every post is probably ideal, but impossible. There has to be some caveat (actually there is in big red letters), placed upon the poster, to check his facts from an authorised source. Personally, I find that if I post something controversial, someone eventually pulls me up, and I guess if you hang around here long enough, you can soon sort the informed opinion from the uninformed.
If you consider that the role of moderator is to step in and take decisions about rude or offensive posts, then I reckon thats fair enough.
If I have caused offence to AME&PPL I apologise. The post stating that you've got a problem when you drink more than your ame, was meant to be tongue in cheek, but I'll be happy to remove it. Reading it again, I can see how it could me misconstrued.
But I guess the underlying question is when is too much, too much ?
Unfortunately, the answer isn't that straightforward.
Is BV123's drinking hazardous? Well he's certainly loading the odds, but the chances are he'll probably live to a riper age than most.
Is he any more hazardous than a 17 year old drinker who occasionally drives home after 2 pints of Fosters? Or the guy who keeps well within the governments limits but kicks f*ck out of his kids after drinking Stella Artois. (Known locally as "Fella's are Tw*ts").
As with a lot of things in this game- I just don't know is the answer.
'spose if you want to define health in purely bio-medical terms, I could pluck some figures from somewhere, demonstrating some dose-effects, but as every good nurse knows, health is more than the abscence of disease or infirmity.
The moderation question raised by my gramatically correct colleague is an interesting note. Depends on how you define the role of moderator.
The requirement to check the medical facts of every post is probably ideal, but impossible. There has to be some caveat (actually there is in big red letters), placed upon the poster, to check his facts from an authorised source. Personally, I find that if I post something controversial, someone eventually pulls me up, and I guess if you hang around here long enough, you can soon sort the informed opinion from the uninformed.
If you consider that the role of moderator is to step in and take decisions about rude or offensive posts, then I reckon thats fair enough.
If I have caused offence to AME&PPL I apologise. The post stating that you've got a problem when you drink more than your ame, was meant to be tongue in cheek, but I'll be happy to remove it. Reading it again, I can see how it could me misconstrued.
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,549
Likes: 63
From: UK
It sounds like you'd rather drink yourself into the grave than risk what happened to your father - except that excess alcohol consumption is a risk factor for strokes, and you might well also have inherited risk factors.
If you want to minimise the risk of suffering what your father did, moderate your drinking, give up smoking (if you do), lose any excess weight and togeather with your GP make sure your blood pressure & cholesterol are within acceptable limits, eat plenty of fruit & vegetables and take some exercise - e.g. live a healthy lifestyle.
Of course that might all sound very boring to you, but it is the best way to avoid stroke/TIA/cardiovascular problems, all of which can kill and all of which can greatly limit your lifestyle.
Personally I wonder if you are an alcoholic. You don't have to be rolling drunk on a regular basis to be an alcoholic 0 indeed you never have to be drunk. Presumably you know the health risks of the amount you are drinking (I imagine your GP has outlined them and there are several others beyond stroke etc.) but are unable/unwilling to reduce your intake. To me that sounds like some kind of dependance.
If you want to minimise the risk of suffering what your father did, moderate your drinking, give up smoking (if you do), lose any excess weight and togeather with your GP make sure your blood pressure & cholesterol are within acceptable limits, eat plenty of fruit & vegetables and take some exercise - e.g. live a healthy lifestyle.
Of course that might all sound very boring to you, but it is the best way to avoid stroke/TIA/cardiovascular problems, all of which can kill and all of which can greatly limit your lifestyle.
Personally I wonder if you are an alcoholic. You don't have to be rolling drunk on a regular basis to be an alcoholic 0 indeed you never have to be drunk. Presumably you know the health risks of the amount you are drinking (I imagine your GP has outlined them and there are several others beyond stroke etc.) but are unable/unwilling to reduce your intake. To me that sounds like some kind of dependance.
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,549
Likes: 63
From: UK
Whirlygig, you could add pancreatitis to the list of diseases which are nasty and much more common in heavy drinkers. But I'm sure the OP is quite capable of using Google to find all the diseases which are much more common in heavy drinkers.
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 744
Likes: 5
From: london
Gosh what a lot of healthcare professionals!
I think the question was 'why'
Regular alcohol within safe limits is just about the only vice that prolongs life! It can reduce strokes and heart attacks, several solid cancers and may reduce the incidence of other pathology. It was thought this only applied to red wine, but white wine and beer are now known to be almost as beneficial.
Above the safe level the risk is of cirrhosis of the liver, where the normal liver is replaced with non functioning scarring. The liver is the washing machine of the body. We only need 20% of our liver so if you drink too much very little happens until the damage is so far advanced that little liver is left and then you get liver failure. If you are very lucky you may get a transplant but over 50% of those on the waiting list die a lingering death with internal bleeding, coma etc etc.
The other risks are those to the heart (cardiomyopathy or pump failure and also irregular heart beats or arrythmias) and encephalopathy where the brain atrophies and swells causing a wide variety of symptoms from memory loss to senility to psychosis. You may bleed, you may get fractures, your immune system will fail leading to infections and you may get some rare cancers.
Hopefully you wont want this. The problem is what is safe? The published figures were effectively made up and the reality is the safe level varies from person to person. The real risk is that your consumption slowly increases and addiction sets in.
It sounds to me that you should enjoy your alcohol, avoid binging (very dangerous and can lead to sudden death) and ensure you can stop if you want to. If you cant function normally, you may not be developing cirrhosis but you are wasting your life, and this isnt a trial run.
I think the question was 'why'
Regular alcohol within safe limits is just about the only vice that prolongs life! It can reduce strokes and heart attacks, several solid cancers and may reduce the incidence of other pathology. It was thought this only applied to red wine, but white wine and beer are now known to be almost as beneficial.
Above the safe level the risk is of cirrhosis of the liver, where the normal liver is replaced with non functioning scarring. The liver is the washing machine of the body. We only need 20% of our liver so if you drink too much very little happens until the damage is so far advanced that little liver is left and then you get liver failure. If you are very lucky you may get a transplant but over 50% of those on the waiting list die a lingering death with internal bleeding, coma etc etc.
The other risks are those to the heart (cardiomyopathy or pump failure and also irregular heart beats or arrythmias) and encephalopathy where the brain atrophies and swells causing a wide variety of symptoms from memory loss to senility to psychosis. You may bleed, you may get fractures, your immune system will fail leading to infections and you may get some rare cancers.
Hopefully you wont want this. The problem is what is safe? The published figures were effectively made up and the reality is the safe level varies from person to person. The real risk is that your consumption slowly increases and addiction sets in.
It sounds to me that you should enjoy your alcohol, avoid binging (very dangerous and can lead to sudden death) and ensure you can stop if you want to. If you cant function normally, you may not be developing cirrhosis but you are wasting your life, and this isnt a trial run.
Plastic PPRuNer
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 1,902
Likes: 0
From: Rochechouart, France
"Korsakoff's psychosis....cirrhosis of the liver.....cardiomyopathy....(Wernicke's) encephalopathy"
Let's get some perspective here. Long before any of these come to trouble one the victim has lost his/her job, respect, marriage, money, relationships and pretty much everything in life that matters.
Let's get some perspective here. Long before any of these come to trouble one the victim has lost his/her job, respect, marriage, money, relationships and pretty much everything in life that matters.
