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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Dh drank a whole bottle of whiskey

424 replies

howyoufeeling · 20/02/2025 08:24

Seriously a whole bottle of Jameson.
Now dh is a good bloke, works his ass off in his own company, hands on dad, looks after us the best he can. He's got SADS, does every winter. He's upped his sertraline as recommended so waiting for that to take effect.
I took the little ones to bed last night and slept all night with them, he drank a whole bottle of whiskey. He didn't cause any trouble or anything you might expect from someone drinking that amount, wasn't sick or anything but couldn't get into bed as his head was spinning so slept downstairs. I've come down this morning and the whole bottle is gone.
Aibu or will this not fuck his liver ?! He's currently in bed dying, has work in a bit. Can't help but feel a little smug and so fucking grateful I don't feel how he does !!

OP posts:
RoundLid · 20/02/2025 09:15

Ponoka7 · 20/02/2025 08:39

All he needs to do is keep hydrated and alcohol free, ideally for a month, plenty of protein, fruit and veg. I finish off a bottle of Baileys. I used to go for my over 55 check in January. They've had to move it to March because you could tell in my bloods that I'd drank my body weight (plus the bus and other passengers weight) in Aldi's Baileys. Two months later, I'm fine. You'll get ridiculous answers on here, but, although it needs to be discussed, there'll be do lasting damage.

Baileys is less than half the strength- not really comparable.

OldChairMan · 20/02/2025 09:16

Ponoka7 · 20/02/2025 08:39

All he needs to do is keep hydrated and alcohol free, ideally for a month, plenty of protein, fruit and veg. I finish off a bottle of Baileys. I used to go for my over 55 check in January. They've had to move it to March because you could tell in my bloods that I'd drank my body weight (plus the bus and other passengers weight) in Aldi's Baileys. Two months later, I'm fine. You'll get ridiculous answers on here, but, although it needs to be discussed, there'll be do lasting damage.

Your experience is far from universal.

Megifer · 20/02/2025 09:17

He'll be fine op apart from a sore head!

I wouldn't immediately jump to him having the start of any alcohol issues if this is a one off. My "one off" incident was 3 bottles of prosecco to myself on a night out after a particularly shit day.

Original poster
howyoufeeling · 20/02/2025 09:18

Megifer · 20/02/2025 09:17

He'll be fine op apart from a sore head!

I wouldn't immediately jump to him having the start of any alcohol issues if this is a one off. My "one off" incident was 3 bottles of prosecco to myself on a night out after a particularly shit day.

Oh my, I know how bad Prosecco makes you feel 😫 stopped drinking that a long long time ago

OP posts:
TitusMoan · 20/02/2025 09:20

howyoufeeling · 20/02/2025 09:06

@Starlight1984 Yes I do, an alcoholic uncle who has recently died from a tragic accident due to drink. An alcoholic sister who is drinking for breakfast. Dh is not an alcohol. Just depressed at the moment and looking for an escape from his mind. I understand alcohol is a slippery slope but I can safely say my dh doesn't have a drink problem, last night was the first of such an occurrence.

Just be careful thinking you know what an alcoholic is like because you’ve had so much experience of them. It’s very easy to look for the differences between the way your DH drinks and the way the alcoholics drink, and then to conclude he hasn’t got a problem. Drinking an entire bottle of whisky while on sertraline is a massive warning flag. Why is he on sertraline anyway? If he drinks to self-medicate, you’ll soon have an alcoholic in your hands. Ask me how I know 😢

Starlight1984 · 20/02/2025 09:21

howyoufeeling · 20/02/2025 09:06

@Starlight1984 Yes I do, an alcoholic uncle who has recently died from a tragic accident due to drink. An alcoholic sister who is drinking for breakfast. Dh is not an alcohol. Just depressed at the moment and looking for an escape from his mind. I understand alcohol is a slippery slope but I can safely say my dh doesn't have a drink problem, last night was the first of such an occurrence.

Ok... You're obviously convinced that your DH doesn't have a drink problem (despite necking a full bottle of whisky on a Wednesday night) and that it was just a one off so that's fine then...

He's just depressed at the moment and looking for an escape from his mind.

If that was my husband, I would be very worried.

Notgoodatpoetrybutgreatatlit · 20/02/2025 09:22

Hi OP, I have a close family member who is an alcoholic. He just binged occasionally because of having a stressful job.
Until he decended into full blown drinking, two bottles of wine a night and passing out. Even on work nights.
I knew there was something wrong long before he admitted it. He was just too interested in alcohol and kept saying he wouldn't drink and then drinking anyway.
I'm not saying your husband is the same but no one accidentally drinks a bottle of whisky, non alcoholic drinkers just stop your husband didn't.
My relative is nearly 2 years sober now thanks to AA.

housethatbuiltme · 20/02/2025 09:22

He will be fine, especially as a one off unless he has pre-existing liver damage.

I use to drink 2-3 times that much in my low phase and have no long term damage (its 15 year later so would have shown by now).

Downing it will be more dangerous than drinking it consistently over hours but if he downed it you would have had drama and projectile vomit. Tolerance to long slow drinking is actually quite high thats why alcoholics can go consistently for YEARS before seeing effect where as sudden drunken binge (downing) has much higher short term risks.

Caerulea · 20/02/2025 09:23

Hey OP - sorry to say that the only ppl I've known that could drink that volume in an evening without being sick, or even just incapacitated, were functioning alcoholics. The sertraline should have made it even worse for him but in the end he was just dizzy, not unconscious which he should have been.

Having alcoholics in your family might mean your perception of what's normal, or even slightly abnormal, is different to most others. The only way to build up tolerance like that is to do it too much.

He also did it whilst your child was in the house, which is another red flag that this is more than 'just didn't realise how much I'd had'.

Out of curiosity - how much did he up his sertraline by? That alone can make some ppl feel really off initially whilst the body adjusted.

You're right not to be mad at him, sounds like he needs some help & support (and maybe a sick bucket by the bed).

Followthetrend · 20/02/2025 09:24

@Starlight1984 If that was my husband, I would be very worried.

I agree.

I had a divorced boyfriend once who decided to down a whole bottle of whisky one night.
He vomited and choked to death on it.

He was found by his teenage daughter the next evening.

Please get your DH some help OP.

Lovelysausagedogscrumpy · 20/02/2025 09:24

Bushmillsbabe · 20/02/2025 08:33

He probably should speak to the GP and try to get a blood test to check he hasn't permanently damaged his liver.

And as others have said, he definitely cannot drive until tomorrow

High amounts of alcohol as a one off can cause immediate harm to your liver, but in an otherwise healthy individual it won’t be permanent. The liver repairs itself up to a point and it takes years of heavy drinking or other substance abuse to permanently damage it. Also, there is no blood test that can diagnose permanent liver damage - a liver function test can come back normal even when the liver is damaged as long as the organ is functioning as it should.

Hedgerow2 · 20/02/2025 09:25

28 units in a bottle of Jameson's. So I suppose equivalent to about 2.75 bottles of wine. Pretty bad but hopefully he drank it over a long period and today is feeling pretty appalled and ashamed at having finished the bottle.

3luckystars · 20/02/2025 09:26

He IS an alcoholic if his tolerance is that high.

The thing is with those liver tests, it’s not a gradual thing, it’s like you can get away with it for years then BANG all of a sudden your liver goes.

It’s not gradual it’s sudden.

myusernamewastakenbyme · 20/02/2025 09:27

I know an alcoholic...he drinks a whole bottle of rum a night...most nights if not every night....his liver function test came back normal and he still manages to run his own business...it will catch up with him one day.

OldChairMan · 20/02/2025 09:27

He's just depressed at the moment and looking for an escape from his mind.

That is the starting point for a lot of alcoholics. Not saying that your DH is an alcoholic, but what you've stated above is a problem in itself.

Alcoholism is now often called Alcohol Use Disorder in the DSM-5, which I think is more helpful:

www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/understanding-alcohol-use-disorder

Hedgerow2 · 20/02/2025 09:28

As a one off I can't see it being a problem (my mum was a drinker, 3 wine boxes plus a bottle of gin a night)

@Blushingm - how is that even possible?

mindutopia · 20/02/2025 09:28

It’s silly, but no it will not destroy his liver. He’s just been a bit of a moron. Hopefully he doesn’t do it again. He owes you a day off to lounge in bed next weekend.

BrickBiscuit · 20/02/2025 09:29

howyoufeeling · 20/02/2025 08:24

Seriously a whole bottle of Jameson.
Now dh is a good bloke, works his ass off in his own company, hands on dad, looks after us the best he can. He's got SADS, does every winter. He's upped his sertraline as recommended so waiting for that to take effect.
I took the little ones to bed last night and slept all night with them, he drank a whole bottle of whiskey. He didn't cause any trouble or anything you might expect from someone drinking that amount, wasn't sick or anything but couldn't get into bed as his head was spinning so slept downstairs. I've come down this morning and the whole bottle is gone.
Aibu or will this not fuck his liver ?! He's currently in bed dying, has work in a bit. Can't help but feel a little smug and so fucking grateful I don't feel how he does !!

His liver is not the only concern. Some have suggested stopping drinking for a time. After a period of drinking this can cause withdrawal, a medical emergency. Brain damage or death can result if not treated immediately. Read up about it and seek advice.

Blushingm · 20/02/2025 09:30

Hedgerow2 · 20/02/2025 09:28

As a one off I can't see it being a problem (my mum was a drinker, 3 wine boxes plus a bottle of gin a night)

@Blushingm - how is that even possible?

I couldn't do it, not sure many can, but she did. Start at 6am when she got up, drank throughout the day until she passed out

YourHappyJadeEagle · 20/02/2025 09:31

3luckystars · 20/02/2025 08:33

are you sure it was full to begin with?

Also why would he not have paracetamol?

Paracetamol on top of so much alcohol could cause liver damage, it’s adding extra work to his liver. A bottle of whisky alone can cause alcohol poisoning.
He needs to drink water steadily, not drive for 36-48 hours. And may need a liver function blood test.

Followthetrend · 20/02/2025 09:31

Hedgerow2 · 20/02/2025 09:28

As a one off I can't see it being a problem (my mum was a drinker, 3 wine boxes plus a bottle of gin a night)

@Blushingm - how is that even possible?

I wondered that. 🤔

I suspect her liver was the size of a wooden tea-tray and the same consistency.

MumblesParty · 20/02/2025 09:31

3luckystars · 20/02/2025 09:26

He IS an alcoholic if his tolerance is that high.

The thing is with those liver tests, it’s not a gradual thing, it’s like you can get away with it for years then BANG all of a sudden your liver goes.

It’s not gradual it’s sudden.

This.
I’m a GP, and I’ve lost count of the number of heavy drinkers I’ve seen whose liver tests are normal year after year till suddenly they’re not. The liver is a very forgiving organ, but when it’s done it’s done, and it can happen very fast.

charmanderflame · 20/02/2025 09:31

howyoufeeling · 20/02/2025 09:06

@Starlight1984 Yes I do, an alcoholic uncle who has recently died from a tragic accident due to drink. An alcoholic sister who is drinking for breakfast. Dh is not an alcohol. Just depressed at the moment and looking for an escape from his mind. I understand alcohol is a slippery slope but I can safely say my dh doesn't have a drink problem, last night was the first of such an occurrence.

Even if it was the first time, you can't now 'safely' say he doesn't have a drink problem.

Drinking a 700ml bottle of whiskey in an evening isn't normal behaviour. He's done it now and it could well happen again. He is depressed as you say and he is obviously using alcohol as a way to cope.

Sorry OP but he does have a drink problem - early stages perhaps - this is how these things begin. He needs to get support with his mental health urgently and hopefully he will recognise that this is a problem.

JamesWebbSpaceTelescope · 20/02/2025 09:32

Is he able to wake up properly and be coherent? Could he have taken anything else?

Lovelysausagedogscrumpy · 20/02/2025 09:34

3luckystars · 20/02/2025 09:26

He IS an alcoholic if his tolerance is that high.

The thing is with those liver tests, it’s not a gradual thing, it’s like you can get away with it for years then BANG all of a sudden your liver goes.

It’s not gradual it’s sudden.

No he’s not. If this is a one off it’s more likely to be a product of his MH issues. Obviously he has been diagnosed with such, as he’s on Sertraline which can be used for anything from anxiety and depression, to bipolar disorder in higher doses. All the armchair diagnosticians should wind in their necks and stop telling OP she has an alcoholic on her hands. She knows her DH better than randoms on the internet. She didn’t ask whether he was an alcoholic, she asked whether this would fuck his liver. Which, if he’s otherwise healthy and not normally a heavy drinker, it won’t.