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?

@omafiet I would say that 3 glasses of wine 3 x a week is getting quite high. It also depends on the strength of the wine.

If you are worried about cancer, you do realise that any alcohol is poison actually, and is a cause of many cancers.

If you could reduce this to 1 glass, 3 x a week that would be more acceptable, medically.

I had a similar experience although I am 27.

Went to the doctor with IBS type symptoms, tiredness and generally not feeling myself. Had blood tests and then a follow up. The doctor asked about my alcohol consumption which was actually less than yours (only a bit though!) and he said it was showing up as high levels in my blood.
He spoke to me about cutting back. I felt mortified and like I was an alcoholic!

Fast forward six months, that whole experience scarred me and I did watch what I drank a lot more as well as exercised and just began to take care of myself more. My IBS symptoms are most of the time a lot better and I don't feel tired and rubbish. I think it is that some people react more strongly to alcohol and sometimes we do need a little wake up call to cut back.

I wouldn't stress or feel guilty, but for me a similar experience has led to positive outcomes in the longer term.

Exactly, it's a recommended limit, not a target. You can not drink at all and be perfectly fine.

Actually the medical evidence shows that not drinking does lower your life expectancy

You might as well have started a thread about toilet brushes op.

There are two types of poster, the ‘I drink and I’m fine’ type and the ‘I only have a small glass of sherry at Christmas’ type. You won’t get a balance.

When I mentioned to my GP that maybe I could drink a little less he actually said "How much do you drink? Around 3 half bottles of wine a week? That's absolutely fine."

I would assume the doc miss heard you and thought that was half a bottle a night?

It’s not loads but wine does contain a lot of sugar. I barely drink it now and it has really helped with losing weight.

I'm surprised in the extreme that 1.5 bottles of wine per week would put you over the recommended limit for women.

I don't really drink at all having discovered my body doesn't deal well with it post pregnancy, but I would certainly have thought that a reasonable intake if I had given it thought at all.

Swap the alcohol for water for 2 months and notice the difference, not only in your general health but happiness/mood too.

I rarely drink any alcohol these days and it would probably take me a year to drink 1.5 bottles of wine. I'm a happier person for it because I don't rely on booze to change the way I feel about something.

I think it's awful the way that popular media refers to 'wine o'clock' and mums drinking gin as if it's normal and healthy when it's clearly the total opposite.

You need to bear in mind that the medical profession seems to have decided it's here to tell us all how to live
I wonder why that would be then? Could it be because so many diseases are linked to lifestyle factors and therefore preventable to some extent?

That's about what I drink, and my doctor has never said anything. That might be because he's too busy trying to persuade me to give up smoking, though!

I’m 56 and drink 1 glass per week. Friday night, collapse in a heap time.

But I used to drink a bottle & a half a week up until late 30s. Then I had ds, bf for 18 months and never really got back into it.

Now anything more than a glass makes me feel ill. But the first glass is lovely.

I think the limit for what they call excessive has dropped and actually quite a lot of people who enjoy a glass of wine of an evening will be drinking 'too much'.
I don't drink much, only socially (so hardly ever with a baby) and last time i did that i had a bottle of wine on a girly night in with a friend and felt headachey all day the next day so i can barely drink anymore (although a bottle in one night would be considered excessive officially too!)

Maybe the concern was more that you are drinking half a bottle every time you decide to drink?

There's no harm at all, if you want to, in drinking a few glasses of wine a week.

Some of us (I'm 43 and include myself in this) find that (annoyingly) we just can't tolerate alcohol (well, wine, in my case, I haven't ever liked anything else) as we get older. Even one glass of wine and I will feel it the next day, I'll have a crap night's sleep and I'll be woolly-headed.

On the other hand, sometimes that glass of wine is worth it, I like it, I relax and then perhaps do sleep better than usual, because I am relaxed.

But hitting the upper limit consistently, is not great. Not desperate but not to be recommended, especially if you are overweight or have other health issues - the wider context matters.

Also, you say you drink half a bottle of wine 3 times a week and work that out at 1.5 bottles. It might be but it could be more as the 'half a bottle' gauge is sort of vague. You'd have to firmly watch what you buy and then drink to know, really, how much you drink.

A PP talks about sugar - this is relevant. Sugar can be really detrimental to our health and wellbeing, especially as we age. (And I say this reluctantly, as I love chocolate, and feel happy to eat it as I exercise a lot and have no weight issues. But I know it's not great for me, my skin etc. Definitely feels - for me - aging).

Given that you would like to lose weight, and you have some stomach concerns, stopping altogether for a while would be a good idea.

Maybe they assumed you where downplaying how much you drink?

I don't drink really so 1.5 bottles a week would be a lot for me, but if you like a glass or two of a night then its seems reasonable to me.

This thread has made me need a drink

I drink about half a bottle most nights, share a bottle with DH over dinner. I am always honest with the GP or nurse when I have check ups and have never been told it is excessive (even though i know it is above the recommended guidelines). However I never binge drink and if I am out for a night and driving I don't drink and if DH is out I don't drink on my own.

I think I should probably have a couple of nights a week alcohol free for health reasons.

I don't think it helps that we met when we both worked in the wine trade so it has become a hobby.

costacoffee quite.

I don't drink myself mind. Only on high days and holidays. Half a glass max.

All these non qualified medics telling you to take no notice need to stop talking shit and be quiet. Your GP is correct, it a lot considering this is now your " Norm"

Either do what your GP has told you or carry on feeding the Mumsnet Trolls. Your health is the only one that will suffer.

I think doctors don't believe you when you say how much you drink, I think they assume everyone is playing it down. I rarely drink, when I do it's a glass of wine or a single gin and tonic on a social occasion. I remember telling the doctor when he asked how many units I drank a week that it was 0 pretty much and he stopped and looked at me and said 'what, never, you never have a single drink?' and I said well, yes, very occasionally (but not enough to warrant a number for a weekly unit intake!) and his response was a very sarcastic 'well you do drink then don't you!' Like I was trying to get one over on him!

Recently, I also had a lot of blood test due to menopause issues and again the question of alcohol came up, I answered similarly and then as part of the blood test they did liver tests. I'm sure this is pretty standard but it felt suspiciously like they didn't believe me and were checking. It came back super healthy though so that's a bonus!

I have a g and t most nights. Helps me sleep.

Alcohol is empty calories for a start!
For me it’s a lot but I maybe drink 1-2 alcoholic drinks a week now on average in late 40s. Am just not that fussed anymore. I like a nice cocktail or gin n whatever, but have gone off wine in the main as it’s not agreeing with me much.
I used to drink lots more when younger but my body has never tolerated alcohol well and it’s getting worse as I’m getting older! I tolerate spirits better than wine.

Well I'm fucked then, still least I'll die happy :p

When I was falling into having a glass of wine or a beer more nights than not, I switched to alcohol free beer and low alcohol white wine. There’s better ways to deal with my stress.