Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with health and alcohol

How to recover from a relapse

Anonymous — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:37:36 -0800

As an addict, have you dealt with a hidden relapse? I was sober for a year until last February. I have been hiding my relapse well since then but I know it will fall apart. How can I best tell the people who love me that I have fallen off the wagon? How did you do it? There is nothing obvious right now other than brutal honesty.

Flush in the face = Give up the bottle?

Busoni — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 09:12:01 -0800

A somewhat recent NY Times article explains the connection between ALDH2 deficiency and throat cancer. Request for perspective on level of risk and appropriate response in extended. The article explains that people who become flush in the face after drinking are likely to be ALDH2-deficient, and are thus at higher risk for throat cancer.

But it is also possible for an ALDH2-deficient person to develop tolerance to the flushing effect, such that no flushing appears.

Questions:

1. If a person suspects that he or she belongs to the population just described (ALDH2-deficient with no signs of flushing), will the patch test (applying an ethanol-soaked patch to the skin for 15 minutes) described in the article be of any use? Could such a test be performed and interpreted by a non-professional at home, and if so, how?

2. Even if the risk of throat cancer is increased through drinking, is that enough cause to seriously curtail one's drinking, or even abstain altogether? What is the prevalence of throat cancer in the general population?

3. Is the risk increased significantly if the person is a former smoker (i.e. having quit)?

4. Are there any measures one might take to lower his risk, besides limiting his or her drinking?

Tack for getting my yak sack back

gensubuser — Thu, 21 May 2009 22:12:20 -0800

What is the characteristic regeneration time for the stomach lining, after daily NSAIDs or alcohol? I know two facts: 1) NSAIDs erode the stomach lining, leading to the possibility of ulcers, and 2) the stomach lining constantly regenerates, even in the absence of this corrosion.

If I were to stop taking NSAIDs (or, stop drinking alcohol), how long would it take before my stomach lining was back to 100%? Never? A month? A year if I was just on the verge of an ulcer?

What is the characteristic time for regeneration of the stomach lining, in terms of resistance to ulcers?

[Bonus only: is the "average load" on the lining the only important issue here, or does the simultaneous occupation of my stomach by NSAID and alcohol cause disproportionately bad things to happen?]

Is drinking alcohol while taking antidepressants a serious danger?

meantime — Wed, 06 May 2009 05:25:47 -0800

I take prescription medication (paroxetine) in the morning and also enjoy an alcoholic beverage or two in the evening. The sticker on the medicine bottle warns me not to do this, but I do it anyway. How serious are consequences? I take Paroxetine (Paxil) 20mg daily (in the morning). I also drink. On average 2 beers or glasses of wine after dinner - and about once a week, I go out with friends and drink more than that.

There has always been a sticker on the medicine bottle that says "Do not drink alcoholic beverages when taking this medication." That sounds more severe than warning messages on other medications that say something like "Drinking alcohol can increase the effects of drowsiness", etc.

I am trying to assess the real effects that drinking and taking Paroxetine is having on my body.

I am an otherwise healthy male in his early 30s. I am no longer depressed (I started taking the meds about 5 years ago) but I have fought depression throughout my life and do not suffer any side effects, so I've decided to stay on them.

What if some crazy freak shot up vodka?

Avelwood — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 02:54:52 -0800

Shooting up alcohol intravenously? What? I was sitting around with a friend and a glass of wine when this topic came up. We had both heard of people doing it, but neither of us had anything more than hearsay to report. Maybe my Google-fu was a little dulled by the wine, but I couldn't turn up anything terribly reliable. All I could dig up on PubMed had to do with controlled, professionally done, clinical trials. (mostly on rats, cats, and sheep) Erowid, my usual source for crazy, drugged-out information didn't seem to touch on it either. Are there any doctors, nurses, or crazy alcoholics out there that could tell me what effect intravenous ethanol might have on someone crazy enough to do it?

I'm just asking here. No one's life hangs in the balance.

Mixing Xanax and alcohol

Raichle — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 18:38:25 -0800

How long after taking .25 Mg or .5 Mg of Xanax should I wait before drinking any alcohol? I've taken Xanax frequently over the years to treat anxiety, fear of flying, etc. and never had any problems. I've also gotten drunk after taking it many times without dying but I was looking around on the net and it seems that most people think this is a lethal combination... Is this just over-exaggerated? Have I proven it's not lethal for me by having done it many times? The bottle does not day DO NOT DRINK it just has the typical warnings about alcohol intensifying the effect, etc. So, I'm careful and wait 3-4 hours after taking it. I know YANAD and YANMD, just looking for constructive advice. My doctor knew I was a social drinker when he prescribed it to me. I've read that it stays in your system for 11+ hours, but the effect sure seems to wear off at about 4, so I was assuming that was safe.

Drunk Dad at hookup = no kid or damaged kid?

NortonDC — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 13:30:35 -0800

Does a father's moderate drinking, around insemination, affect conception rates or baby health? I've googled aplenty, but the info that I've found is consistently of poor quality, with lots of assertions and opinions but no data regarding actual outcomes, either for conception rates or a baby's development. I'm not interested in stories about damaged sperm, but rather solid evidence about babies, either the lack of babies or damage to their health. And I'm talking about consumption levels comfortably within the moderate range, so alcholic malnutrition and whatnot don't factor in. Thanks!

Is my liver going to rot and fall out my ass?

Soulbee — Wed, 14 May 2008 06:48:25 -0800

I've been pooing water for nearly 3 months now. My liver tests came back a month ago with the GGT being extremely high. I take a lot of prescription meds, and before the shitting-water problem was a heavy drinker. I've stopped drinking completely for several weeks now, but have yet to notice much of a change. I'm seeing the doctor again soon. What should I be thinking about/asking? I'll try to be as brief as possible. I know YANAD or YANMD. I'm seeking good questions to ask at an upcoming follow up appt with my doctor. Here's the story. On 2/22 I had a gallbladder attack, my first. After spending most of the day in the hospital, I discovered the next day that I was having serious intestinal issues. I assumed it was a flu as I had been in the hospital at the height of flu season. I was basically shitting water. And it continued. And continued. On 3/22 I got my gall bladder out. I still had serious intestinal issues and had cut my food and drink intake to BRAT (bananas rice apples toast) and electrolyte powder and water. My doctors didn't seem particularly concerned and after the surgery sort of waved the problem off as adjustment to the lack of gall bladder, even tho the problem had been occurring for a month beforehand. Fast forward a month, they tested me for C.Diff, which came back negative, then kind of threw up their hands again and offered me no answers other than the possibility of giving me a bile binding powder or something like that, despite the fact that I was adamant that the problem had existed before the surgery. So I was pretty ticked at my GP, and elected to switch doctors. When I told my new doctor that I was going up to 2 dozen times a day, he immediately agreed that it wasn't likely to be related to the lack of gall bladder and ordered a large series of tests. What came back was kind of scary. My liver function tests were not normal. The two beginning with A's (AST and ALP I think?) were fine, but the GGT was 305 (normal is less than 50). FYI everything else appeared normal and I tested negative for celiac, although I have cut out wheat, dairy, and caffeine as well as alcohol from my diet. He said there was no indication that my liver was actually damaged but the GGT indicated that it was seriously irritated with me.
Now I'll admit to being a rather heavy drinker in addition to being on a lot of medication. However, honestly, my alcohol intake was greatly reduced after my gall bladder attack. However, during that period, I was still taking the following medications at various times or continuously -- Celexa 40mg/day, Benicar, Adderall 20-30 mg/day, Klonopin 0-5 mg/day, Trazodone 0-100 mg/day, Seroquel 0-100 mg/day (either Trazodone or Seroquel but never both at the same time on any given night), Oxycodone some days, lots of Immodium Advanced, Mucinex, Advair, prednisone, and Zithromyacin. The last four were prescribed by my previous doc in the 2 weeks running up to the surgery because I had a bad cold/possible sinus infection in addition to the intestinal issues.
SO once I got the LFT's back, my doc said quit drinking completely for 6 weeks and within 3 weeks, he said, I should see a good reduction in the intestinal issues. Well I did quit drinking completely which has not been easy but definitely better than my liver rotting and falling out of my ass. And I haven't seen much improvement. My med intake has decreased, though I took pain killers for about 2 weeks post surgery, so that I am now on 40 of Celexa, 20 of Adderall, 0-3 mg of Klonopin, and 0-100 of either Trazodone or Seroquel depending on the time of night I am able to take it to sleep. Also he prescribed Lomotil (lonox) for the diarrhea, which I have been taking occasionally.
So...what does the hive mind think...what questions do i need to ask him next time i see him (next week)? Can the high GGT be related to the combo of drugs and alcohol, or is it just the alcohol, even though my intake was greatly reduced in the 2 months prior to the test? Can I expect the level to drop back to normal ever? Will I ever be able to drink, even just occasionally? Is it a sign of liver toxicity because of the combo of celexa and alcohol? What else am I not thinking about? I get so frozen when I'm in the office i forget to ask questions and I would really like to make a list and seem like I know something about it. TIA.

Can I safely use Listerine while on Antabuse?

Anonymous — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 20:07:06 -0800

Can I safely use Listerine while on Antabuse? My doctor advised me to avoid alcohol in shampoos and deodorants and I have even read some warnings against inhaling alcohol vapors. My doctor had a sort of a shoulder-shrug response when I asked about Listerine. Other opinions or experiences would be very welcome as I'd rather not use a "try and see" approach.

Why can't I drink?

seeka — Fri, 25 May 2007 07:40:26 -0800

Are there any solutions to alcohol intolerance? And does alcohol intolerance developed later in life (late twenties/early thirties) indicate other possible health problems? Since I turned 27, the smallest amount of alcohol (1/2 a shot, 1/4 a beer) gives me a terrible hangover - intestinal distress, sweats, occasionally vomiting. Two aspects of this intolerance are 1. immediacy (it happens within 2 hours of ingestion) and 2. severity (it feels like I spent the whole night drinking). Why does my body react like this? I used to be able to drink six jack and cokes a night with only a headache the next morning.

Weirdly enough, when I lived in Paris (two years ago), I could drink a bottle of red wine a night and not feel any negative effects. But since returning to the states, I've been unable to indulge in even one drink with friends. This is hindering my social life and my emotional state -- sometimes a person needs a drink!

Do these side effects indicate alcohol intolerance, or is something else going on?

A friend of mine told me my reaction might be an indication of type 2 diabetes, but I have no other diabetic symptoms.

Other aspects of health: I take paxil (20mg/day), xanax (sometimes), and ortho tricyclen. I smoke (my one indulgence). I exercise regularly and alternate yearly with a vegan/vegetarian diet. I weigh 145. And I'm white -- I add this final indication because I've read about alcohol intolerance in people of Asian heritage, and my symptoms are similar, but not exactly the same - no red flush, for example.

Any suggestions or answers would be much appreciated. I want to have wine at night with my friends!

Balancing pleasures

TheophileEscargot — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 00:20:58 -0800

One cigarette shortens life expectancy by about 11 minutes. How much time do the following take off: One drink over the recommended limit? One burger for which the calories are not burned off? Preferred units: assume a drink to be one UK unit of alcohol: 10ml or 8g pure alcohol. Assume a burger to be one Big Mac: 540 kcal. I've Googled around and haven't found much data for alcohol. Made some very crude calculations for the burger. Apparently a BMI over 45 means 20 years less life. Assuming an average height of 5'9', I make that 61.2kg overweight. Assuming 7000 kcal to gain a kilo, I make that 0.04074 minutes lost per calorie, that comes out to 9.2 days lost per Big Mac, which seems much too high.

give me a double shot of organic antioxidants!

lpctstr; — Wed, 02 Aug 2006 11:33:55 -0800

What's a fairly tasty, "healthy" alcoholic cocktail you can order at a bar? I'm interested in something without the high fructose corn syrup of "well juices" or filled with cream, but with <= 20% alcoholic content and cheap?

What physical changes happen when you stop drinking and when?

i_am_joe's_spleen — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 20:20:22 -0800

If I were to stop drinking, what would happen physically, and when would I notice? I am contemplating becoming teetotal for a while, partly in order to improve my fitness for a forthcoming sporting event at Easter, but mostly just to see what happens.

I currently drink half a bottle of wine most nights (ie 4 or 5 nights a week). Sometimes less; sometimes more. I drink beer or spirits maybe every couple of weeks. I don't feel any ill-effects from this regime except on those quite rare occasions when I get past the one bottle mark, and I'm reasonably physically fit already (36yo male, 174 cm, 81kg, 15% bf, lots of aerobic exercise, blah blah). No health problems apart from a couple of teensy weensy gallstones which haven't troubled me for a year. I've been drinking at this level since 30 or so; in fact I would say that I have moderated my drinking over that time.

If I stopped drinking right now, what changes might I expect to see, and when?

Please help me live past 50

Anonymous — Tue, 17 Jan 2006 20:11:44 -0800

Want to get healthier. In which order should I fix my three vices for optimal success? Cigarettes: 1/2 to 1 pack per day. Goal: quit entirely.
Alcohol: 3 to 6 drinks per day. Goal: not drink daily, but still be OK to go out with friends.
Food: Don't overeat, but don't get enough greens. Goal: eat relatively balanced meals daily.

I'm afraid if I try to fix it all at once, I'll fail miserably. What should I do first, and second, and third, and on what sort of schedule? In case it's relevant, I'll say that I don't use narcotics and am not taking any medication. I have occasional difficulty sleeping, and one worry is that these massive body chemistry changes -- though for the better -- might keep me awake nights.

Why does red wine make me overheat?

cptnrandy — Thu, 05 Jan 2006 07:23:57 -0800

Why does red wine make me overheat? I can (and do) drink virtually anything will little to no ill effects. Bourbon is my drink of choice. But when I drink red wine, I get uncomfortably, break out into a sweat, hot. I don't "flush" or get red faced. I get all over hot.

No problem with white wine, beer, virtually any other form of alcoholic beverage. What's going on?

Sleeoing better when stopping alcohol

pissfactory — Tue, 09 Aug 2005 07:26:51 -0800

I have decided to stop drinking for a while. Without going into too much detail- I drink alot. Stopping involves several nights of a special kind of hell while trying to sleep. Tossing, turning, very, very light sleeping, sweating, nightmares, etc. - it just sucks. I have taken Unisom and Valerian and other things (alone and together) to no avail. Is there a good way to minimize this ill effect (short of visiting the doctor)?

Can drinking a little bit of whisky when I'm sick help?

sic — Mon, 31 Jan 2005 07:48:40 -0800

For the last few days I think I've been suffering from a very mild stomach flu. Nothing virulent, just enough to make me at times mildly uncomfortable. A friend of mine wants me to meet him for a drink tonight. I've heard that whisky can kill microbes in the stomach. Is this true? If so, would a couple of fingers of whisky be a good idea tonight? I was vaccinated for the flu this year, but the flu virus mutates during flu season, so is it possible that I picked up a very mild case of what has been a really virulent flu this season (this year's symptoms in Spain included vomiting and diarrhea)?

How to stop drinking without AA

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Dec 2004 11:22:22 -0800

So, I need to stop drinking. I'm used to drinking 8-12 beers every night, more on the weekends, so this will be a significant lifestyle change for me. I'm not interested in AA and would prefer to do this on my own. Any Mefites been through this process? Insights?

Good-enough exercise to keep the Guiness gut off?

Pericles — Wed, 17 Mar 2004 01:54:26 -0800

Physical Exertion. I work from home and drink Guinness and so am getting heavier than I'd like to be, so i want to do some exercise. I'm not fat, but will become so. I also have trouble getting to sleep; my doctor says it's because I don't physically exert myself enough to become sleepy.

Can anyone suggest some good exercise? My difficulty is, I have no interest at all in competitive sports (no killer instinct) nor body building to look like Arnie. I have mild asthma and used to smoke; I also have mild Multiple Sclerosis. Is Yoga exertion enough, or is it more meditative? Is there a martial art that would suit me?