GP advising not to drink - is it serious?

[wheresmybed]

I've just been told by someone very trustworthy who was in the vicinity of the phone call that my DM was explicitly told by her GP that she should not be having any alcohol at all. Her phone speaker is really loud even when it's not on loudspeaker so they could just about make out what was said.

This was quite a few months ago but I haven't seen the person who has told me this information for a while due to the pandemic but they have told me now - they are very sure that the GP clearly said she cannot drink and needs cut it out altogether. They couldn't make out what the reason for it was but they were sure of the context and said DM seemed a bit flustered and in a rush to get the dr off the phone.

The thing is she still drinks and most likely too much (I think this is also why the person decided to share this information with me) DBro who lives with them and is currently in the process of moving out and planning to go LC commented that she often gets really sick and has really bad hangovers even if she doesn't seem to drink all that much but I didn't think anything of it until now.
DF is a functioning alcoholic and DM is an enabler and I know they often drink together as well.

I remember back when she had the tests done as she was experiencing some pain and having issues with her blood pressure but at the time when I asked if she'd heard back about the results she swiftly brushed over the subject and mentioned something how she needs to have some additional tests as they came out wrong but it has never been talked about again.

She's barely 50 and I'm quite concerned with this new information.
I know if I try to ask her about it she will brush me off or lie.
I'm not sure what could warrant a person being told to not drink anymore and I'm worried about her as she's clearly ignored the medical advice.

Is it something very serious if a GP gives out that type of advice?

CherryPavlova That’s harsh. Clearly the op cares for her mum and I think it was okay to be told. It’s not sneakily listening in if the phone call was right next to you and you just heard bits of it.

@CherryPavlova they didn't mean to eavesdrop they were having coffee together at a little cafe table when she took the call, my mums phone speaker is so loud I can sometimes hear parts of the conversation from over 6ft away so I'm not surprised they heard what was said.
I don't think they would have told me under different circumstances but they are close enough to have realised that DM did not heed the Drs advice and have clearly become concerned, if they weren't trustworthy they could've easily blabbed a year ago when the call came.

@TastelessBracelets that's awful, I'm so sorry. My DF does that right now. You can find cans in his car, half drunk or nearly empty ones behind things like ornaments in far corners of the house - and that's without me looking very hard as I honestly don't want to find anything when I visit. I once even accidentally spotted an empty bottle of vodka in the spare room cupboard that wasn't there the day before. My DGM who lives abroad has confided in me that after my DF visited a few months ago they ended up finding 3 empty 750ml bottles of my DGFs homemade alcohol hidden behind the full ones after he left, he was only there for a week and that's aside from the beers and things he had bought and drank throughout the stay in front of them.

It is shit @MrsRogerLima they're not really abusive to me now. Nor were they verbally abusive apart from the outburst my DM had that one or two times. But emotionally I think they have some very deep rooted issues themselves which has in a way translated into their parenting at times and I find myself with a lot to unpick every now and then.
I definitely think too much was unloaded on me as a child/teen.

I suspect fatty liver. I know someone who was told not to drink again for this reason. She is an alcoholic and carries on regardless.

So sorry to hear this OP. It definitely sounds as though the blood tests showed liver damage - raised enzymes.

I went through very very similar with my parents, both 'functioning' alcoholics - though that is debatable! As a teenager would often find them passed out in the evening around 7/8pm. My mum was pretty harmless, would just get weepy and needy, though my father was horrifically abusive, such an angry drunk.

Both always in denial though - I used to plead with them all the time to not drink but 🤷‍♀️

My mum had heart problems from an early age - part in due to smoking when younger and genetics - had a bypass when 40.

High blood pressure too and the combination plus obviously the drinking, led to her developing vascular dementia in her 50s (though wasn't diagnosed until early 60s). She died in April age 71.

I don't see my dad very much so I don't know what his drinking is like now though I can't imagine after 20/30 years of heavy drinking that it's improved any.. Pretty much just waiting for his diagnosis of liver disease to be honest.

It's worrying that there are cans in the car. Is he still driving?

@Ginfordinner I believe he does drive with alcohol in his system sometimes or perhaps a lot. I've considered reporting him anonymously (which makes me feel bad for some reason) but he doesn't have a permanent place of work as he works in people's homes and he's self employed so doesn't have set starting/finishing times so I'm very limited with the information I can provide.

Sorry to hear about your mum @Silversun83

@wheresmybed, that sounds like a difficult experience to have gone through.

The previous hospital admission probably isn't related, sounds more like urosepsis, pyelonehpritis or kidney stones.

@TastelessBracelets solidarity fist bump. Just clearing my late mother's house (died of cirrhosis last month) Empty bottles in every wardrobe, the bedside tables, the study, the bathrooms, the dog bed?! Unbelievable..