Alcohol and You
#151
Senior Member
Stopped all alcohol drinking six years ago, just found I was on a slippery slope and it is so much easier to just never drink at all. Last fall I had a nasty fall with several broken ribs and some nasty cuts. Had a slow winter and thought my decent cycling form was a thing of the past. But at 63 I am surprised at what kind of shape some months now of hard riding has got me back to. I wonder if not drinking alcohol has made it much easier to loose weight and get my legs and heart back in shape.
#152
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Alcohol raises my blood pressure and makes my heart race. I accidentally stumbled on to this thread but I haven’t been drinking .
#153
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Yesterday went out late AM for a 52 mile ride that began in upper 80'sF and finished in the 90'sF. FIRST DRINK back home was a nice cold 0.0 Alcohol - 60 calorie Heineken. Just saw that Budweiser is also having a 0.0 so will give it a try. Can drink that anytime of the day without worries.
#154
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Yup, alcohol has an adverse effect on my blood pressure so I’m giving up alcohol. Being part of alcohol culture where heavy drinking is accepted it becomes normal. The heart palpitations it is causing is a major concerned. I’m not physically addicted but I’m socially addicted to alcohol since it is always part of social events. Plus alcoholism is rampant in my blood line and that worries me. Last night it just hit me that a change is needed or my health is going to suffer. I added up an estimate on how much $ is spent on booze and I was . That’s a good sum of money being pissed away literally. Being ornery and stubborn will be good in this case to ditch alcohol consumption completely. I get nothing from it but splitting headaches, belly aches , poor athletic performance on the bike and hiking trails and overall feeling horrible both mentally and physically. I was saying to myself that you don’t need this and what is the point of purposely poisoning yourself? I seen too many people destroy themselves and I refuse to be one of them. OK rant over I’m going on a 125 mile road trip north to a remote river state park to do some fishing and sit in the cold water. I just have to get this off my chest and now that I have I feel much better
#155
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#156
Master of the Universe
If you have the will, there is a way
Hondo
I wish you well . I have been in recovery for thirty years and it took me ten years to quit after first admitting there was a problem .It takes strong will power to stop. My story is too long for this forum .Don't be too proud to seek the help of others that have been through it. There are plenty of people in your area that are willing and able.
I wish you well . I have been in recovery for thirty years and it took me ten years to quit after first admitting there was a problem .It takes strong will power to stop. My story is too long for this forum .Don't be too proud to seek the help of others that have been through it. There are plenty of people in your area that are willing and able.
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#157
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I get a rush from fishing. No need for booze when I’m preoccupied with fishing, and athletic endeavors.
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#158
Master of the Universe
#159
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I will never fully figure anything all the way out. Fishing is something that nobody will ever figure out. Sometimes fish make no sense at all. Figuring out what triggers senseless binge drinking it what I’m trying to figure out. I’m burned out and bored with the party scene so I quit. After recently babysitting drunk people it just all hit me like a train. It all seems fun in the beginning but then it crashes and burns. Don’t need the dumb dumb juice and getting away from it will only yield good results.
#160
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I will never fully figure anything all the way out. Fishing is something that nobody will ever figure out. Sometimes fish make no sense at all. Figuring out what triggers senseless binge drinking it what I’m trying to figure out. I’m burned out and bored with the party scene so I quit. After recently babysitting drunk people it just all hit me like a train. It all seems fun in the beginning but then it crashes and burns. Don’t need the dumb dumb juice and getting away from it will only yield good results.
It stopped bothering me after a while and got to the point where I never think about it (rarely).
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#161
Junior Member
I like to drink and have been doing it pretty regularly over the last 30 years. I enjoy the taste and I like the one drink relaxed feeling.
My goal is moderation, and lately, that is still pretty tough. If I drink too much my blood pressure goes up and I wake up at 2am with my heart beating pretty hard.
My moderation trick with wine is to use my wife's weight watcher glass. That thing is tiny (probably 2-4 oz) and it keeps me on track. My nemesis is my Riedel Vinum XL glasses. I bring those out at the holidays when the relatives visit.
Lately I have switched to beer as I wake up the next day feeling much better. I have one 4-5% 12 ounce lager and then start another (but rarely finish it).... It is stupid to waste beer I know, but I am getting through the best I can! I have found my riding the next morning after beer is much better than wine.
My goal is moderation, and lately, that is still pretty tough. If I drink too much my blood pressure goes up and I wake up at 2am with my heart beating pretty hard.
My moderation trick with wine is to use my wife's weight watcher glass. That thing is tiny (probably 2-4 oz) and it keeps me on track. My nemesis is my Riedel Vinum XL glasses. I bring those out at the holidays when the relatives visit.
Lately I have switched to beer as I wake up the next day feeling much better. I have one 4-5% 12 ounce lager and then start another (but rarely finish it).... It is stupid to waste beer I know, but I am getting through the best I can! I have found my riding the next morning after beer is much better than wine.
#162
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I stopped drinking when I was 22. I found myself drinking by myself after breaking up with a GF that I used to drink with.
Also it was 1978 and i had other ways to escape reality. And that ended 7 years later.
Also it was 1978 and i had other ways to escape reality. And that ended 7 years later.
#163
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I definitely don't drink as much as I used to. This is for several reasons, including many that have already been mentioned - e.g., a single nightcap is OK, but two drinks in the evening will wreck my sleep.
Because of hip issues, I go through log periods of time when I am taking Tylenol regularly. Not a huge amount - something like 5-6 500 mg pills/week over maybe half a year -, and then the symptoms dissipate for a year or two (weird, I know). When I am doing so, I stop drinking completely, and even then, my liver enzymes (ALT, AST) get concerningly high. Once, my primary doctor, momentarily forgetting about the Tylenol, asked me with great concern "Have you started drinking heavily?", when in fact, I hadn't had a drop for months. They go back to normal when I get off the Tylenol. I shudder to think what would happen if I were drinking even a small amount during those times.
Upshot: If you take Tylenol with any regularity at all: STOP DRINKING.
Because of hip issues, I go through log periods of time when I am taking Tylenol regularly. Not a huge amount - something like 5-6 500 mg pills/week over maybe half a year -, and then the symptoms dissipate for a year or two (weird, I know). When I am doing so, I stop drinking completely, and even then, my liver enzymes (ALT, AST) get concerningly high. Once, my primary doctor, momentarily forgetting about the Tylenol, asked me with great concern "Have you started drinking heavily?", when in fact, I hadn't had a drop for months. They go back to normal when I get off the Tylenol. I shudder to think what would happen if I were drinking even a small amount during those times.
Upshot: If you take Tylenol with any regularity at all: STOP DRINKING.
#164
Master of the Universe
I like to drink and have been doing it pretty regularly over the last 30 years. I enjoy the taste and I like the one drink relaxed feeling.
My goal is moderation, and lately, that is still pretty tough. If I drink too much my blood pressure goes up and I wake up at 2am with my heart beating pretty hard.
My moderation trick with wine is to use my wife's weight watcher glass. That thing is tiny (probably 2-4 oz) and it keeps me on track. My nemesis is my Riedel Vinum XL glasses. I bring those out at the holidays when the relatives visit.
Lately I have switched to beer as I wake up the next day feeling much better. I have one 4-5% 12 ounce lager and then start another (but rarely finish it).... It is stupid to waste beer I know, but I am getting through the best I can! I have found my riding the next morning after beer is much better than wine.
My goal is moderation, and lately, that is still pretty tough. If I drink too much my blood pressure goes up and I wake up at 2am with my heart beating pretty hard.
My moderation trick with wine is to use my wife's weight watcher glass. That thing is tiny (probably 2-4 oz) and it keeps me on track. My nemesis is my Riedel Vinum XL glasses. I bring those out at the holidays when the relatives visit.
Lately I have switched to beer as I wake up the next day feeling much better. I have one 4-5% 12 ounce lager and then start another (but rarely finish it).... It is stupid to waste beer I know, but I am getting through the best I can! I have found my riding the next morning after beer is much better than wine.
People who use alcohol ever day for years are still alcohol dependent even if the amount is small. Also those who are dependent tend to minimize the amount when describing their intake.
This is coming from someone who was an abuser for 25 years and is now sober for 30 plus years.If a person is not dependent on alcohol they should be able to stop cold turkey with no problem . My self , I would be dead or at the very least very unhealthy. Best thing I ever did for myself was stopping.
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#165
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Had some 0.0 Heineken at 2AM this morning and it was very refreshing. At 69 calories for 11.2oz much easier on the waist. Waiting for Budweiser's 0.0 at 50 calories and ZERO SUGAR for 12oz to show up. Red at dinner is still preferred.
#166
Master of the Universe