To be blindsided by doctor's comments about my alcohol consumption?

[omafiet]

I am 42 and overweight. Since having my third child and injuring my back I've gained 2.5 stone. The weight gain hasn't been linear - in fact this time last year I was in reasonable shape and doing a triathlon - but I know I need to do something. Now.

I have been having some unusual stomach symptoms recently and after my friend was diagnosed with ovarian cancer I figured to be on the safe side I should get checked out. I have a great reply with my doctor and respect her advice.

After doing the physical exam she asked me about my drinking habits. I replied that I drank half a bottle of wine, two or three times a week. So, up to 1.5 bottles a week. She put her pen down and told me that this was really excessive and I needed to cut down, if not stop completely for a while.

I'm a little freaked out and have decided to do a 90-day booze-free challenge. But is 1.5 bottles a week really so bad? When I was in my twenties I'd drink that in a night . How much do you drink?

What do you think.
You have some health issues do you think you could cut down or not it doesn’t matter what the GP says.
What matters is your long term health.

Well, if you compare it to zero, then its a lot! That would be a lot for me, and it would affect my health and my skin. But I don't like alcohol or wine, so its easy for me. I think its a bad habit that you have got into and its not doing you any good.

Depends on the wine I suppose - but unless it’s really strong stuff its not going to take you past the 14 unit a week limit. If you’re trying to lose weight it seems like a simple and obvious thing to cut back on though. Also, most people do fib about how much they drink to their doctor - maybe she took your answer and doubled it in her head because most people underestimate a bit.

boss is it boring to not drink?

Personally, I find the "wine o clock", "pass the gin", "I need a drink" crowd far more tedious.

But keep on justifying your dependency.

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

I must admit, I do envy the thimble of sherry at Christmas types on Mumsnet. I have tried to be teetotal several times and failed miserably lasting a couple of weeks tops

However this is Mumsnet, so prepare for 8 pages of posters utterly HORRIFIED that you're playing fast and loose with your health, as they only have a single sip of sweet sherry at Xmas, and feel that's quite enough for anyone.

Ha! I was a little reluctant to post because I feared that type of response!

And British people are the only ones I know who are sniffy about people NOT drinking. Other countries don't seem to see fit to judge those who prefer not to drink.

Why are people posting telling the OP that they are teetotal or have one sherry at Christmas, totally irrelevant (not to mention dull as fuck)

Dull as fuck to need to drink alcohol to enjoy yourself/relax/appear interesting/have confidence.

Why on earth would it be dull to not drink?

Ha! I was a little reluctant to post because I feared that type of response!

It was a given, one of them even admitted to being hysterical.

🤷‍♀️

Wow, so many medical experts on here that think they know more than a doctor about medical issues.
It is excessive if it's causing your stomach problems, and that is a possibility. It diesn't matter if other people drink more than you with no ill effects. If it's causing you problems then it's excessive.

Let me put it another way, OP. You are no longer in your twenties; you have neither the health nor the energy to behave as if you are much younger. It doesn't matter that you are "only" drinking slightly to excess; any excess is harder for your body to process, as you grow older. OTOH, age is a wonderful thing - better than the alternative! :) x

OP so why post then?

Because you want a ton of people to say OMG THAT'S NOTHING when it's not nothing.

If you want to keep drinking, just do it. You don't need strangers to back up your lifestyle.

But if you have health and weight issues, it would make sense that alcohol would be the first thing to cut out to see if it works.

Why is it dull not to drink?!

I grew up with an alcoholic parent...I don't consider alcohol to be fun.

She clearly doesn't know how many units that is or what the guidelines are. I wouldn't say it was excessive, probably on the v upper limit of ok (well it is in unit terms what for they recommend). I probably drink about 2 glasses of wine maybe 3 times a week, it's probably a similar amount (they are thimble-sized glasses!), I'm in no way a big drinker.

I guess half a bottle of wine is over your daily limit. So as much as 15 units a week is only 1 unit over the RDA. half a bottle is 5 units so above the RDA by 3 units.

Also if you are experiencing Stomach problems I should think she would assume you would have given up alcohol as a first point of call.

15 units on average a week is fine.
Why do people feel the need to say they have one drink a year, why is it relevant?

blunt maybe it's funny to you but viewing other people as boring for not drinking IS a sign of dependency because you can't deal with the fact that other people aren't doing the same as you.

If you're happy with it, that's fine but no need to ridicule others.

I also find middle class functioning alcoholics to be hideous hypocrites, terribly in denial and usually looking down their noses at lower class drinkers... as if they're superior to them.

Op, I'd get this deleted or hide it. When the hysteria starts all hope of anything sensible goes out the window.

^Wow, so many medical experts on here that think they know more than a doctor about medical issues.
It is excessive if it's causing your stomach problems, and that is a possibility. It diesn't matter if other people drink more than you with no ill effects. If it's causing you problems then it's excessive^

It hits a nerve it's people, they take it as a personal attack, but actually, it's pretty bad to advise someone over the Internet that their drinking is fine and the doctor has misheard.

femidom why do people feel the need to say they drink just as much as that?

Because we're giving our experience and opinion, which is the point of a discussion forum.

Hi hum, I’m firmly on the fence. On the one hand it’s nit hugely over the recommended weekly maximum (not weekly allowance!) so sounds ok, but then over is over. When does over tip into an issue if not as soon as you’re over?

Didn’t the advice change last year? after the media coverage of new research which showed all alcohol consumption is harmful? Might explain her firm response.

Also I imagine she thinks you were lying just because most people moderate down and claim to drink around the max.

@Mileysmiley
I hope you don't have life insurance or illness cover then because they will have asked about smoking. If you ever need to claim and you've told them you don't smoke, but they see your medical records say that you're an occasion smoker then they may not pay out.

The amount that you drink doesn't sound harmful at all. But it seems as though doctors now,have to conform to asking such question about drinking/ smoking etc.

I used to drink a fair amount of wine per week,that was years ago,and I stopped drinking,as I always felt bloated after it,and felt generally rough the next day. Now,years later, my wine intake, is two glasses of such at my local pub on a Saturday night,and its boring I know!!