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Cutting down is harder than I thought

Posted , 8 users are following.

Al_79
Al_79

Hi All

For the last 5 years I seem to have been stuck in the same drinking pattern of drinking around 50 units of alcohol a week. I generally don't drink Monday, Tuesdays and Thursdays purely because I just don't enjoy drinking every night, it messes with sleep, gives me bad acid and anxiety.

With the recent changes in Government advice about alcohol limits it got me thinking about the amount I drink, so I tried to cut down the 30 units and I really struggled, I also went back to my old habits.   

This has really got me worried, I HAVE a drinking problem, could I have damaged my liver? Should I be making a visit to my GP for advice?

0 likes, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • colin30375
    colin30375 Al_79

    Posted

    Welcome Al,

    You'll get some great advice on here; the more you post, the more answers and options you'll get. I would see the GP if you're worried a soon as poss'.

    Go steady and take care.

     

  • RHGB
    RHGB Al_79

    Posted

    I don't think you will have damaged your liver, given the period and the quantity of alcohol. I think your consumption works out about 3 pints per day, but not taken daily.

    The government has no idea about what is a sensible limit and if you try to find any substantial peer reviewed thesis backing the change of limits, you will struggle, it is a figure plucked from thin air.

    Here's a snippet from the BBC.

    The old guidance said that by sticking within recommended limits, there was "only a low risk of causing harm in most circumstances".However, the new rules now state that both men and women should drink no more than 14 units over the course of three days or more.

    Funny how we had guidance before and we have rules now.

    The best way to check your liver is to go to the GP, and ask for an LFT test. If you had mild damage, leaving alcohol alone for a period or very low drinking would give it a chance to repair itself.

    My advice is that you're doing the right thing, in aiming for 30 units, which is 12 pints per week, rather than your current consumption. There are medications that can help reduce your drinking, but it would be good if you can slowly knock the figure down yourself.

    What happens when you try to cut down, is one night less per week or reducing the quatity on the nights you do drink?

    • Al_79
      Al_79 RHGB

      Posted

      Hi RHGB,

      Ideally I'd only like to drink Friday and Saturday nights, but when I cut out the wednesday drink I find it hard, cravings, anxiety which funny enough after dinner and about 8pm they seem to go, but once I finish work at 5.30pm till then it's hard to resist, maybe it just a matter of breaking the habbit.

      I've had a number of LFT tests over the last 5 years for unrealted issues and all have come back fine except for the last one which was 3 days after a very rare epic drink session at a family reunion in which I drunk maybe 3-4 bottles of wine in a day. The Doctor all my results were normal but I see a glips of the screen and see a exclimation mark next to the LFT test so I asked about it and see did not seem concerned and said maybe you might be drinking a little to much and moved on.

       

    • Al_79
      Al_79

      Posted

      Without the spelling mistakes..

      Hi RHGB,

      Ideally I'd only like to drink Friday and Saturday nights, but when I cut out the Wednesday drink I find it hard, cravings, anxiety which funny enough after dinner and about 8pm seem to go away, but once I finish work at 5.30pm and till then it's hard to resist, maybe it just a matter of breaking the habit.

      I've had a number of LFT tests over the last 5 years for unrelated issues and all have come back fine except for the last one which was 3 days after a very rare epic drink session at a family reunion in which I drunk maybe 3-4 bottles of wine in a day. The Doctor said all my results were normal but I see a glimpse of the screen and see an exclamation mark next to the LFT test, so I asked about it and see did not seem concerned and said maybe you might be drinking a little too much and moved on.

      Having given up smoking after 15 years with ease, I now smoke as a treat when on holidays and can get back and not think about smoking for another 6 months, I wish I could have that relationship with Alcohol.

    • RHGB
      RHGB Al_79

      Posted

      Forget the spelling mistakes, the site doesn't have spell checker and most importantly doesn't have a preview function, so all the rgulars are used to it and curse it the same, but don't spend our life worrying about typos.

      First off, I would just say that although there are a couple off professional people answering here, most of us are just people that have had issues with alcohol to varying different degrees. So you will get some differing views, none are wrong or right, just differing opinions.

      The GPs test she was referring to was probably the GGT section (it has a long name which I can't be bothered to look up, but it is affectionally known as Gordins Gin & Tonic). When you drink too much your liver squeals, it has no nerve endings so you feel no pain, but the indicator is that the GGT shoots up, I seem to remember the rate should be <50. ask what it was next time.

      yes as you've recognised, your drinking is habitual/routine and your mind/body expects its wednesday treat and isn't about to let go of it, without a fight. the unfortunate thing is, the system has changed over the last decade or two and your gp is guided to refer you to alcohol recovery service, rather than prescribe you medication and monitor you themselves. there is no half way house, unless you go for private prescription. your gp is still allowed to prescribe, but few will take on the responsibility.

      personally i don't think your drinking warrants medication, especially with the hoops you would have to jump through, if your gp could prescribe three months and monitor you on a monthly basis, then yes, but as it is, then no. i would try really hard to break the habit and find something to keep you occupied on wednesday nights until your body accepts that that has finished.

      i'll see what others have to say. ask="" what="" it="" was="" next="" time.="" yes="" as="" you've="" recognised,="" your="" drinking="" is="" habitual/routine="" and="" your="" mind/body="" expects="" its="" wednesday="" treat="" and="" isn't="" about="" to="" let="" go="" of="" it,="" without="" a="" fight.="" the="" unfortunate="" thing="" is,="" the="" system="" has="" changed="" over="" the="" last="" decade="" or="" two="" and="" your="" gp="" is="" guided="" to="" refer="" you="" to="" alcohol="" recovery="" service,="" rather="" than="" prescribe="" you="" medication="" and="" monitor="" you="" themselves.="" there="" is="" no="" half="" way="" house,="" unless="" you="" go="" for="" private="" prescription.="" your="" gp="" is="" still="" allowed="" to="" prescribe,="" but="" few="" will="" take="" on="" the="" responsibility.="" personally="" i="" don't="" think="" your="" drinking="" warrants="" medication,="" especially="" with="" the="" hoops="" you="" would="" have="" to="" jump="" through,="" if="" your="" gp="" could="" prescribe="" three="" months="" and="" monitor="" you="" on="" a="" monthly="" basis,="" then="" yes,="" but="" as="" it="" is,="" then="" no.="" i="" would="" try="" really="" hard="" to="" break="" the="" habit="" and="" find="" something="" to="" keep="" you="" occupied="" on="" wednesday="" nights="" until="" your="" body="" accepts="" that="" that="" has="" finished.="" i'll="" see="" what="" others="" have="" to="">

      yes as you've recognised, your drinking is habitual/routine and your mind/body expects its wednesday treat and isn't about to let go of it, without a fight. the unfortunate thing is, the system has changed over the last decade or two and your gp is guided to refer you to alcohol recovery service, rather than prescribe you medication and monitor you themselves. there is no half way house, unless you go for private prescription. your gp is still allowed to prescribe, but few will take on the responsibility.

      personally i don't think your drinking warrants medication, especially with the hoops you would have to jump through, if your gp could prescribe three months and monitor you on a monthly basis, then yes, but as it is, then no. i would try really hard to break the habit and find something to keep you occupied on wednesday nights until your body accepts that that has finished.

      i'll see what others have to say.>

  • nicole36330
    nicole36330 Al_79

    Posted

    Hi Al

    Sounds like your cravings are at a certain time and once that's past you feel calmer and less cravings so I would try to white knuckle it till you can maybe get out of the HABIT.

    I used to be like you but didn't seek help and it went to far with me wanting to drink and have that excitement any hour I wasn't working.I have been prescribed an anti craving drug but like RHGB said I had to jump through hoops and leave my dignity and pride at the door.

    I think because you do have alcohol free days already you have the willpower to do it on your own to fit in that other day

  • Misssy2
    Misssy2 Al_79

    Posted

    no one can say if your liver is damaged except a dr. its good that you are thinking about it.
  • ADEfree
    ADEfree Al_79

    Posted

    Sounds like you're driking about 12-13 units per night, equivalent of about 6 330ml (`12oz) beers per night for 4 nights of the week? In U.S. units, that would be 12 12oz beers. A six-pack, that's not huge, you might just have to take a number of runs at cutting it back, getting up to other things so you don't default to drinking automatically. Have you tried looking up a Moderation Management meeting in your area? 
    • Al_79
      Al_79 ADEfree

      Posted

      I manly drink a bottle and half of 12% wine 4 nights a week. I've already cut down from the 13% to 14% wine which I defiantly feel better for.

      Summer is just round the corner so maybe I should use that as an opportunity get out more in the evenings to take my mind off the drinking.

    • ADEfree
      ADEfree Al_79

      Posted

      Yeah, that's a bit much. Have a look here, this is designed to help you get to where you want to be:

      https://patient.info/health/sinclair-method-for-alcohol-use-disorder

      If you can use straight willpower and some community support (AA, SmartRecovery, Moderation Management, etc) so much the better. If you try, then relapse, try then relpse harder, etc, the above method can help you cut down without much strain or even quit entirely. 

  • Al_79
    Al_79

    Posted

    Thanks everyone, I somehow feel much more positive about this. If I can’t do it for myself then I’ll do it for my family. Both my kids have commented on my drinking in the last few weeks, with my 5-year-old out of nowhere saying ‘wine is daddy’s favourite thing in the world’ and my 6-year-old saying ‘you drink too much wine’ and he wants me to stop.

     

    So my plan is no more stocking up on the booze, I’ll buy it on the day and just enough for that day. No more bottles of spirts sitting in the cupboard. First I’ll work on cutting out the midweek drinking and then the Sunday.

     

    As you’ve all mentioned this habit and with the right amount of will power I can break it.

    • Misssy2
      Misssy2 Al_79

      Posted

      Yay....I love when someone finds a solution or makes a new step...it helps me too smile Thank you!
    • RHGB
      RHGB Al_79

      Posted

      It's far better if you can do it yourself, beause you don't need to involve anyone else. And that way you learn for life to be mindful of what can happen if you become lax.

      As Nicole said, if you go down the medication route (your drinking is not in that zone yet), you jump through hoops and put your pride and dignity aside.

      I don't know what GPs have to put on record these days, but I suspect that it would mention your 'drinking problem'. And I imagine that sooner or later it will all be connected to one giant online database and some government will have the wise idea of flogging off access to it. So, you could find that you have insurance premiums increased or prospective employers have access to your health records. After all, they can do CRB checks, credit checks, DVLA checks, why not health checks, if they're willing to pay for access.

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