When a doctor asks how much you drink, what do you say?

[Sheamie]

You know the usual questions when you’re at a medical appointment- do you smoke/if yes, how heavily, do you drink/if so to what extent etc.

If you drink alcohol, how do you answer, and what does your drinking pattern actually look like?

https://www.statista.com/statistics/369808/alcohol-units-consumed-by-gender-and-age-in-england/

This has an age graph from 2022 - there's less variation with women weekly consumption and age than I'd have thought but still age variation - more units consumed till 75+ age group with age bar uni/early adult life years.

My drinking isn't very consistent so I usually just say a few glasses a couple of times a week.. In reality it's probably one night of heavy drinking every 2 weeks
There are months where I'm tee total and months where I drink a lot more e.g Christmas.. No way am I telling the truth. 😂

they almost always ask drinks per week so most of the time I say 0.25 because I probably have about 1 drink a month. Except around the holidays, so I will say 0.5 if it is that time of year.

I say 2 units per week and explain that I don’t drink alcohol every week. For example sometimes DH and have a bottle of wine over a week, occasionally I have a G&T or small cider when we’re out for dinner, or nothing for a few months because I don’t fancy it.

I also explain that my poison is sugar, I’m an emotional eater and when stress builds up I literally eat sugar by spoonfuls.

That gives them the information and fill in the form.

Medical people can tell if you are drinking a lot so its best if you are straight with them so they can proceed with your care xxx

Apart form partying hard in my twenties I really don’t drink much, it’s Christmas, birthdays and weddings. So it’s probably 2 units a month equivalent.

I say a few drinks per week, which is what I have. I don't bother to figure out units though.

Just to add to my previous post, the older I get the more I'm trying to be more honest and direct. I think this applies here, too. As I've got older I can reflect on things that have happened and I think being more open and honest would have helped, even if it (the truth) causes temporary embarrassment or uncomfortable feelings/situations. Being indirect or skirting around the truth is one of our national traits that can be a burden imo. Just tell the doc the truth, people. You're fooling no-one. They know.

I never know what to say as I only drink socially, so I can’t put a number of units per week on it. I might drink once, twice or not at all in a month so my average units would probably be 0.something but I can’t say that!

I drink within current limits, I think. Rarely drunk. It's my teetotal parent with dementia. The other one is living in a merry, alcohol topped up haze, with a better social life than me, and will probably be taken out by a massive heart attack or pissed up fall.

Tell the truth- one glass of wine about every 6 weeks

Dentist: is it still 0-4 units per month?
Mr: yes, except December and August.

In the past month, I've had two cans of cider. I can go weeks without any. I'll drink more on holiday/ special occasions, but rarely have a big drinking session. Half a bottle of wine gets me pretty merry.

I just got asked this about an hour ago at an appointment. I just said "occasionally" and that was that!

This is an example of mumsnet not mirroring my life where pretty much most of the people I know can put alcohol away when they want and drinking patterns vary wildly depending on the time of year.

I agree. I have friends who don't drink at all, but I think the number of non drinkers and thimble full at Christmas drinkers on this thread doesn't seem to represent real life.

Yes! You ask people how many cigarettes they smoke a day…they say 10 and you know that means 20. Same with alcohol, people who drink a fair amount always minimise it!

Oh is that an acceptable answer now? I was annoyed because last time I said that they said they couldn't accommodate that and the minimum was 1 or 2 a week!

haven't been asked for ages but it's little enough that it would make no difference to anything. If they really double what they're told it would be better for me to say zero.

Same (and it's the truth!).

Love this. I'm rarely honest when asked this question. Can't stand how holier than thou mnetters are on such topics. I'm a long way from being an alcoholic BUT do drink alcoholic, and eat all the bad stuff. Am a stone overweight.

The truth. Until recently that was usually 15 units a week over three days (F,S&S).
Recently I've cut down a bit to approx 10-12.

Oh do fuck off

I wouldn’t need to lie though doctors do doubt what they are told.

I work shifts, some weeks nothing for 2 weeks. Others i’ll have 2/3 drinks on one evening/afternoon a week

A long overdue catch up with a friend a prosecco or three and a couple of cocktails ( every 2/3 months if that)

On holiday a couple every day!

It’s cos alcohol no longer really agrees with me ( thanks 40s) so i’m more choosy these days

I work with medics/clinicians/nurses they aren’t all angels when it comes to alcohol 😂

Just curious, have the statins made you feel really unwell if you drink? I started on statins in July and can't drink much at all without feeling awful