To those who drink 3-4 bottles of wine per week

[prayerbeforebed]

Can you cope with everyday life the next day and are you comfortable with your intake?
Is it too much ? Is your health affected ?
I find that I am using wine as a crutch since my shock split from husband and subsequent discovery of an affair.
I drink three bottle is wine per week when I did used to enjoy one . I don't want anymore but I find it completely relaxed me and gives me a little buzz of happiness in anitherwise difficult time.
I don't want to ruin my health but I feel a bit guilt.
Thanks

That’s what they gave me. I went from 10 stone to 14 stone in the space of about 3 months!

Yes, and then tell you it's nothing to do with the medication, even though, well, it's in the literature that accompanies the medication.

I can't believe they wouldn't give you a thing after such a traumatic event, actually, I can

This week I had awful stomach pains (couldn't move about properly or eat a meal, let alone drink alcohol) and after examining me the doctor asked about foods, alcohol etc. He thinks I have gastritis / duodenitis caused by the alcohol. So yes, I am now cutting back massively.

And now it will be all over your notes, anything you go in with, it will be attributed to alcohol use. Anything you told him about alcohol use, even if it's true, he will double.

I was drinking 5-7 units most nights throughout November/December, for me it's larger so 2-3 cans. I didnt feel hungover but I felt tired the next day, I was more impatient and I had a little belly!
I have been doing dry Jan and I've lost half a stone without even trying! I actually dont miss alcohol one bit.

Does anyone know if there's a home test to see how your liver is doing? I'd be keen to see how healthy mine is as I've had a heavy 2 years.

@prayerbeforebed

Well , three bottles isn’t excessive , being approx 18 units, depending on strength . Obviously, it depends how you drink them . If you drink a whole bottle at once some would call that a binge , but that’s subjective .

What matters more is why . You say it’s giving you a warm feeling and a buzz , and - I suspect - by asking this you’re already aware of the potential pitfalls and how this may be self medicating, and the repercussions of that .

The fact you’re concerned is a huge reassurance , as I doubt you’d be so frank if you did have - or were developing - a problem .

I’m sorry about your situation , sounds very similar to mine . My husband did something very similar . I hope you get help healing XXX

I did the Annie Grace alcohol experiment last year - a few people doing it had 2 drinks a week, talk yourself into a problem why don't you? - I just didn't get it - she keep telling me how awful I felt when I was drinking and how much better I must be feeling not drinking and I just didn't connect with that at all - granted I was drinking more than the recommended amount, which isn't good but otherwise I felt fine when I was drinking - exercise regularly, eat good food, no junk etc. Gave up this year for Jan again - I haven't really missed it, I've been out with friends and they have been drinking. I don't want to continue it into Feb but the benefits of Dry Jan is that I reset my drinking - which lasts till the summer - when that drink on a sunny evening becomes very tempting.

Look , there’s quite a lot of judgmental remarks on this thread . To the person who said “research says there’s no safe limit “ I’d reply that that’s in pregnancy (and even that’s debated ) and there’s more research saying moderate intakes of (especially red) wine are actually good for us.
Now , I’d do your own research because even the safe limit for women differs across different publications .

There’s a lot of “oh I drink - looks at other posters and says less - this much every week”
I mean , ok . I’m going to be honest . Some weeks I’m like Jack Sparrow , other weeks a paragon of sobriety .
And that’s most people , I bet .

So , I’d say - again - I’d say the fact your asking is a good sign your not developing a problem . Just keep an eye . If needs be , keep a diary of when you’re drinking - how much - and how you feel to make you poor that glass .

Sending a hug , you sound very sad . Men can be trash .

It's a lot. 3-4 bottles of wine are 30-40 units. The recommended limit is 14 units a week, with 2 or 3 alcohol free days. You do the math.

I do know people who drink this much and, no, they don't function well.

The safest amount of alcohol is zero intake re life expectancy. The intake per week beyond which you can expect a system of the body to become affected is 14 units. Alcohol affects every system of the body adversely from the brain to the heart to GIT to the liver to direct toxicity / poisoning.
It's really not healthy so treat it with respect.

SawingForTeens sorry about your GS

But life can be shit at times and sometimes we just need to get through. During those times life expectancy is rarely an issue most people think of.
As I said I drank this amount for about 4 months after a traumatic bereavement. I don't seem to be the type of person who then goes on to become an alcoholic. So if I needed to, I would do it again. As long as it was short term.

I mean I get it of course. My only concern is that you start with a particular set of problems and then bring alcohol into the mix which can tend to make things so much worse.

The intake per week beyond which you can expect a system of the body to become affected is 14 units.

It's not though. Maybe in those with underlying health conditions that unbeknownst to them may make them more susceptible to damage. But most people can drink a lot more than that and be fine. The evidence? Thousands of years of human history and alcohol consumption. It's pretty well known at this stage what a damaging level of drinking is and 14 units really isnt it. It's just an over cautious recommendation

Thank you firesong the anniversary is coming up, it's always hard

Well , three bottles isn’t excessive , being approx 18 units, depending on strength .

Bottles of wine are usually 750ml. At 12% (lowish end for wine) that's 9 units per bottle. At 13.5% (the bottle I started on last night) that's just over 10 units. 30 units a week is double the recommended amount which even allowing for individual variation and the fact that guidelines are a bit wishy washy is still pause for thought.

I had a dry November. Lost 4lbs in weight with no other lifestyle changes, and I don't even drink that much.

I know lots of people who drink this much and more, and who function absolutely fine. It would concern me though because it ups your risks for a lot of diseases.

It may be a good idea to work through your problems in counselling.

I used to drink too much wine in a week-2-3 bottles. I stopped a few years ago after a health scare and as a result my blood pressure dropped and I lost two stone, returning to normal BMI, or just a little over. Really it's just an ingrained habit, and you can stop. You may find that once you do, you come to terms more quickly with what has happened to you. Good luck.

I know lots of people who drink this much and more, and who function absolutely fine. Absolutely agree - in fact most people dh works with drink 3-4 bottles a week and they all hold quite senior well paid jobs. It clearly isn't great for your health but then lots of things aren't, how many of the non drinker follow the Gov guidelines on diet and exercise. It's hard to be perfect, depends how you get your kicks.

It’s interesting you say about the pain. I also have quite chronic pain, I have even considered whether I have something like fibromyalgia

This rings a lot of bells for me!

For those of you who use alcohol to sleep my Ds18 has PTSD after an assault and the GP recommended 15ml of Phenergon an hour before bed and it really helps.

I do know people who drink this much and, no, they don't function well.

You do know that an awful lot of people you “know” or meet day to day who are functioning perfectly well, high flying, very successful people will be drinking this amount or more and not telling you?

Three bottles of wine a week is three client meetings a week in my old industry (there would actually be a lot more drink that that, and that’s just work related)

Give your head a wobble

I don’t find the label of Alcoholic particularly helpful. If you are using alcohol to relax, de stress or generally cope with life then you have a dependency on alcohol. It’s a slow process for some but before you realise it you may find you are drinking enough to spoil your health and all aspects of your life. Try and take a break and see how you feel. It’s a trap you’ve got into for completely understandable reasons, but it’s really best if you can climb out as soon as possible before you find you’re permanently stuck! I’m very aware that I could easily fall into it too, which is why I’m trying a month off and longer if I can.

I know lots of people who drink this much and more, and who function absolutely fine.

I do, too. I probably would if I could afford it. They can, have quite senior jobs or are well-off pensioners (one brews his own beer, lager and ale and makes his own wine). They honestly don't see a problem with it and enjoy it and life in general, they're adults who can afford it, it doesn't impact on their work or family life (all kids grown up and moved away), don't have any desire to prolong life at all costs, etc. They've also done this for decades and it has not caused traumatic death or horrible illness.

I have gone long periods without any alcohol, just didn't fancy it (hot climates really put me off any sort of booze) and no change in weight, but my weight really doesn't budge much these days.

If it bothers you then do something about it, but not all folks are that bothered.

For those of you who use alcohol to sleep my Ds18 has PTSD after an assault and the GP recommended 15ml of Phenergon an hour before bed and it really helps.

I have PTSD. I have done for about 9 years now. Phenergan no longer touches my insomnia sadly (have had EDMR, CBT, therapy, all sorts). For some of us, it's truly a case of z-drugs, which you now cannot get, or considering alternatives, sadly (although we are considering moving to a place where cannabis is legal, not for that reason, but it's a nice bonus as certain cannabis products used to help me get to sleep well when I visited this place last year).

I know one person who is very senior and an alcoholic. Has been in and out of NHS out patient treatment services. People can be alcoholics and still do senior jobs.

Alcohol dependency is very common and doesn't discriminate across class, age etc.

MN always overreacts the drinking. See this thread.

I know plenty of people who drink plenty, then don't drink at all. Or don't mind if they do or don't.

Doesn't seem to affect them at all.

Same, Obmolov. I can take it or leave it myself, and similarly, those I know who drink at much higher levels than I do. They enjoy it. Some people drink because they enjoy it, the flavour, with food or nibbles. On MN, however, it's all for some greater reason that needs to be tackled and it's dependent, etc.

I have a lovely bottle of fume blanc in the fridge now. I'll probably polish it off over the course of tonight cooking dinner with DD (who's an adult and prefers lager) and watching The Masked Singer and some Netflix, whatever.