200 units a week

Posted , 23 users are following.

Hi, I am a 57 year old man, I drink every day after work, I work up to 12 hours a day including travelling. I drink 4 to 6 pints of lager and a bottle of wine every night. I never get drunk, I never pass out or make a fool of myself, I lead a happy and full life with my wife and children, my wife seldom drinks and my 16 and 19 year old children both at college, show no interest in drink, which is good. I am overweight, but apart from that, I am relatively healthy for my age. I earn good money and as I said we have a good life. I'm not moaning, but am I a freak of nature. I do know the terrible things alcohol does to peoples lives, and consider myself lucky, I also only sleep about 5 hours a night.

Please dont say it will creep up on me, Ive been doing this for 35 years, in actual fact in my twentys I used to drink more. It is not something I'm proud of, nor am I ashamed, its just me. Yours thoughts please.

1 like, 27 replies

27 Replies

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  • Posted

    Hi Jim, you are not a creep at all!  You are just part of the proportion of the population which is not afffected by alcohol. 

    That is good because you have never, and cannot experience alcoholic cravings and this protect your family and your social life. Indeed your testimony demonstrate that your are not addicted.

    This is not all good though :

    30% percent of cancer are due to alcohol over consumption and this also increases dramatically your risk of a stroke. Unfortunately the fact that you do not have the genetic brain patern which give you the drunk feeling does NOT protect your liver, your throat, your stomach and your hart. 

    The question is now : is being around for longer to support your wife and children and perhaps to see you grandchildren coming to this happy family is a goal worth seeking?  It seems that, as you are not addicted, that should be easy for you to dimish this over consumption ad to give your body a rest.... your call... :-)

    • Posted

      Sophie I totally agree with you. Ok Jim, let's say you are not alcohol dependant (yet!), your body and organs can't deal (in my opinion) with this  amount of alcohol indefinitely, but as I've said before, your life, your body
  • Posted

    Agree too. My brother in law is like you, not alcoholic but drinks large amounts daily but still functions normally. Before Xmas he was told he has liver fibrosis and can never drink again. Cut down before it gets you for your family sake
    • Posted

      Paper fairy you've hit the nail on the head! You've just posted what the majority of us on this forum think
  • Posted

    Hi Jim ,IM in the same boat as you,I drink around 150 units a week,Im a quiet drinker that watches tv a night with the wife and bang theres another 1/2 bottle of whiskey.

    I work as a Chef and its a hard invoroment,my drinking get me to sleep and "off the boil",I am 51 and have drunk like this for years with no real problems.

    After reading the risks I feel its time to change ,the only thing that turns me off is the pressure to "stop" not reduce,why is the help always driving you to stop compleatly.

    I will be honest I have not even been to the doctor yet ,but it is on my todo list.

  • Posted

    Well i drank 130 units a week for about ten years. Less than that previously and i now have decompensated cirrhosis.

  • Posted

    I'm in my 30's on 140 a week only in the evening aswell and I feel bloody awful! It just creeps up so slowly over time.

  • Edited

    Hi I have for the past 15 years drank at least 4 pints of vodka and 25 pints of lager, I have when mood took me to have 6 pints of vodka as well as lager. Problem with stopping is the lack of sleep and relentless and not been able to relax

    • Edited

      chris please see a AUD counselor to help with sleep and alcohol abuse. alcohol use disorder has now been recognized as a progressive disease and treatment for AUD has improved. its no longer looked at as weekness in character its is a disease and treatment is understanding how alcohol effects the brain not just the body.

      i lost my son to alcohol induced heart attack . it was so abrupt he was so young , yet he tried so many times to stop, the brain and body cravings can become over whelming .

  • Edited

    Hi Jim, I am so glad to see this post. I am 53 and have a very similar story to you. I also have 3 or 4 pints and a bottle of wine every night, increasing on the weekend and hold a management role in an extremely safety conscious environment. I was recently screened for drugs and alcohol after consuming about 20 units of alcohol the night before, I registered 0 on the test.

    like you,I am not bragging nor am I ashamed of how i live as it does not harm anyone around me either.

    I have a slightly fatty liver which my doctor says is normal for my age and size.

    My doctor also recommends that I cut down on my intake as my body can not sustain that sort of alcohol intake although I have drank like this for over 20 years.

    I was worried about all the media reports of how drinking over 14 units a week could cause irreparable damage to your body, but why should I curtail something that I enjoy if it is not affecting my health.

    The big question is, is there a certain section of people who can consume larger amounts of alcohol without suffering any severe ill health or side affects?

    The majority of people who I tell of my alcohol intake are aghast and can't understand how I carry out a normal life.

  • Edited

    I would say you are a f***g rockstar! I drink six pints of bourbon a week plus a twelve pack of beer. I need liquor to catch a buzz these days. Beer doesn't do the trick anymore. Rock out with your ck out baby!

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