Alcohol has given up me - what does it mean?

[Bowbobobo]

I have been a drinker all my life, drinking every night, at my worst getting through a bottle of red a night (I’ve never drunk before 7pm except for eg weddings). In the last two years I’ve found both red and white wine, even tiny amounts, give me horrendous acid reflux, so I’ve very sadly stopped wine. Instead I have a gin and tonic, which I don’t really like. The upshot is I’ve now basically stopped drinking alcohol, but I feel it gave me up rather than the other way round. The reflux has gone but frankly I miss having my treat.

My point: what does it mean? Should I go to the gp to see if the alcohol over all those years caused some awful damage that needs addressing?

A bottle of wine a day is not a treat, it is a huge act of self harm. I drank the same, once I realised it was self harm it was easier to stop.

Wine gave me awful reflux too. Perhaps your body is sending you a message. Having a drink you don’t like just to have alcohol is not a sign of a healthy relationship with alcohol either.

I would recommend a visit to the GP if you are worried about your health and also looking into sources of support you can use to help you embrace a life without alcohol. Books, podcasts, threads on here etc

I only drank a whole bottle a night when going through my divorce a few years back. In the last five or six years I’d gradually cut back to a small glass a night. And now it’s the occasional yucky g and t. The world looks different through alcohol-free eyes, not necessarily better but I can’t be doing with the reflux!

There’s another thread this evening on this topic, a common thought seems to be that it’s caused by aging and the menopause. Although that is anecdata I think it’s what’s happened to me. I used to enjoy a drink, but alas, no longer. I’ve been tea total for two years now.

Alcohol can have horrible effects on your digestive system. Over time, if you’re drinking daily, it will give you issues. It could be gastritis, could be simply acid reflux (possibly h.pylori infection exacerbated by alcohol), could be any number of things.

I went through a period of reflux issues, actually I had developed a problem with my pancreas (caused in part by drinking), which caused digestive issues, which caused reflux, no doubt probably had some gastritis too. I had inflammation in my small bowel so I almost certainly would have had it in my stomach too (but they didn’t check that end).

Honestly, best thing you can do is stop drinking. Which may seem impossible but it’s not. My pancreatic issues will never go away, but quitting drinking has led to my GI symptoms improving by about 90%. I never get reflux anymore. If that doesn’t sort it after a few months, then yes, I’d see a doctor, but I’d start first with removing all the inflammation to see how it improves.

My SIL died of a form of colon cancer that was kicked off by heavy drinking. It was horrific. So I’ve been massively moderating for the last five years, in her memory, now I’m just stopping (as well as cutting out two foodstuffs that I’m sure cause reflux too). I’ve already cut out smoking and coffee during my life, I never thought I’d cut out alcohol but it’s not worth it at all.

the only problem is that I find myself judging others for drinking! I hate being that person who preaches, so I don’t. But seeing people guzzle and wasting money really gives me the ick now. Sigh.

where’s the chocolate??

I know , once you stop big it’s shocking when you notice how much people drink and spend on it. The only upside is that it’s keeping the economy going

Which is in itself pretty tragic!

I was listening to a podcast the other day that said the costs of alcohol to the country are way more than it brings in. I think it brings in £11bn in tax but the cost to healthcare, policing etc is £20bn

It’s not just tax, all the bars and nightclubs and restaurants all employ staff, taxi drivers etc all benefit from people drinking