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?

As that J curve shows, moderate drinkers(up to 3 drinks per night) live longer than tee totallers.

Oh and like DDIJ, I'm pretty sure that NHS doctors don't listen to a word you're saying, but just classify you as a middle aged woman who drinks "moderately", even when you tell them quite clearly that you don't drink at all.

I've never smoked either, in fact I've done quite serious competitive sport and am clearly in much better physical health than any of the doctors I've seen, but I was contacted by the "Stop Smoking Cessation Service" or something the first time I went to my GP practice!

Me too Qual , never smoked in my life!

As previous posters have said - Half a bottle three times a week doesn’t sound like loads, but if I drank that much now at my age (39 😱) I’d struggle. It would affect my function.

Half a bottle of wine is 2 glasses people!!!

Well 14 is the max - not the 'recommended' amount as people keep saying here. No alcohol is probably the recommended amount.
Alcohol is a poison, it's not doing your body good, though it is obviously doing your mood good or why would you bother.
Alcohol contributed to my acid reflux and also anxiety, cutting back could help with the stomach probs.

earrings- yes, OK.
If the stomach issues are somehow alcohol related or there are other reasons which the OP hasn't mentioned, then yes, maybe she should cut down. She doesn't mention this.
If calories are a concern, then again, perhaps cutting down on alcohol would help- but then she may prefer to keep drinking at, what we are told is a 'safe' level and cut out a few snacks instead, for example.
I just don't really get why Mumsnetters are so adamant that more than a glass of wine very occasionally makes you an alcoholic.
Btw, I'm not advocating exceeding the recommended limits-I'm just stating that they are there, and I assume that the Chief Medical Officer, as I said before, may have a clue what she's talking about.
And yes, I also get that there is always the caveat that there is no 'safe' amount per se, and that everything comes with a risk- just like getting up in the morning- but at 14 units, presumably that is viewed as acceptable by those who are paid to advise us.
So on the facts as presented by the OP, the doctor's reaction seems strange to say the least.

Reposting StCharlotte's link. Please read it.

life.spectator.co.uk/articles/the-great-alcohol-cover-up-how-public-health-bodies-hid-the-truth-about-drinking/

The trouble is, all these HCPs automatically assume you are lying and minimising. It's the one thing that truly fucks me off. Even if you say, 'I am teetotal' they don't believe you or ask if you are an alcoholic. Nope, just don't like the taste of alcohol, it disagrees with my digestion and it depresses me. So you drink, never? And they give you this look. I had gallbladder disease and the shit I caught from HCPs who all thought I was lying. I had stones blocking everything when they got in there and wound up in surgery for over 3 hours. 'Oh, no wonder your XYZ levels were raised!' I complained officially for being treated like a liar and an addict when I'm neither one.

YY, DD, my FIL faced the same all the time. He was teetotal for decades as alcohol messed with his diabetes. He finally told them his religion forbade alcohol and that finally convinced them .

I just don't really get why Mumsnetters are so adamant that more than a glass of wine very occasionally makes you an alcoholic.

I'm not saying that at all, but a lot of people do drink up to and over the safe limit, and won't admit or accept that it could be affecting their health or that they are dependant on it.

I was pretty much teetotal until not so long ago.

I pretty much have a gin every evening, but the whole bottle isn't even 14 units. I also drank half a bottle of wine at the weekend. This weekend I am out and will drink so I will be over my units. It's swings and roundabouts.

Your drinking doesn't seem excessive to me at all.

@bigKiteFlying medics do not estimate or add double just in case, everything is documented and it would be a lie and could result in them being struck off.

Qual- haha. My HV didn't believe that I didn't smoke (I really didn't- nor did anyone else on the house so no idea why she didn't believe me).

Keep on drinking MNetters, clearly you know so much better than the medics. It will catch up with you, and your clear bullshitting!
Nothing wrong having a drink in moderation, but please do not bother seeking medical advice in any form of you are not going to listen.

Look at the graph Sunflowers

Chief Medical Officer Sunflowers?
I don't get this?
Is 14 units now not a thing?

OP if you are really worried ask for a liver function test.... that should put your mind at rest.

I once had a doctor advising me to lose a bit of weight. He was far more overweight than me. His advice was correct and I reduced my weight down to a slim size.

Along the way
I stopped drinking one day.

It’s just poison in my view.

dark how do you feel about shortening your life expectancy by being teetotal?

She said that's a lot, plenty of GPs wouldn't bat an eyelid at that amount. Horses for courses. You're in-line with the (completely arbitrary) National guidelines.

Incidentally, worth noting that moderate frequent drinkers live longer than non-drinkers. And (although hardly causal data), the French drink vastly more than that (along with smoking and consuming butter, fat etc etc), and have much higher life expectancy than the British.

Pahahaha this thread is hilarious. Come join our social circle @omafiet - we regularly do a couple of bottles of wine on a Friday night but I’m sure someone on MN will tell us all that we’re functioning alcoholics

Absolutely batshit

That doesn't sound like too much to me.

This amount doesn’t excessive to me at all. Doctors tend to ask the question then at least double your answer...

@Sunflowers11 -I made no mention of documenting anything I said they assume you are under estimating.

Also MW lied about test results in my third pg she got caught out with a paper trail.

I wrote to practise manage for actual data as I knew it didn't automatically rule out HB like she claimed after a further series of lies we did a written complaint. Her manager told us the outcome for MW – rap on knuckles and further training.

I’ve been drinking over recommended units for a long time and more so even recently due to bereavement and grief etc. Now on day 6 of no drinking. Who knew - my sleep has improved unbelievably, my general ‘mood’ is lifted and I’ve lost a few pounds. Gonna keep this up - not give up but drastically reduce my drinking. For me it’s had an immediate effect !