How much do you drink and how much more do you have to before you become an old soak!!!???

[ChampagneandNappies]

.....just wondering, y'know sometimes with a workoholic DH and 3 kids, you're driven to it!!

The advice on NHS direct webiste is still 14 for women, 21 for men.

Yes, they did change it, initially to 21 women/28 men from 14/21. I think they then re-phrased that to 2/3 drinks a day for women and 3/4 a day for men. 3 x 7 = 21 so is still 21, I think they got stick for just upping it and so they revised the wording.

I do remember now you come to mention it.

14 is barely a sip.

and anyway, why is it so much higher for men? and why isn't there a sliding scale for small people and big people?

I think something to do with the percentage of water in your body or something, defo women shoudn't match men drink for drink (so dh tells me when he wants the last glass grrrr)

Tribpot - Well thank you for the indirect hint I shall have a look at it.

CountessD - Volume 12%

Yes so is abt 80 units a week

tbh I think the phrase " how the hell do you suddenly stop drinking - I just can't" is the most concerning thing.

What happens if you try?

ChampagneandNappies, sorry, wasn't having a go. I'm concerned about my drinking too, hope the link might prove useful anyone who feels the same, regardless of how much they're actually drinking! (Which suggests the best policy for us is just not to be concerned about it )

I feel thoroughly told off by CD! I am a stupid weak person who cannot say no!

Tribpot - must be the alcohol in me making me paranoid - sorry!

Guess I brought this on myself - oops. In Bridget Jones style "Note to self - never start a thread!"

NO NO I am NOT telling you off!

I was just curious as to what happens when you DO give up - do you get withdrawal symptoms?

Sorry I thought you were concerned that you might have a drink problem and were asking for help, I will stop posting if it is offending you.

I tried Down Your Drink, tribpot - started off really well, full of gung-ho, then slipped a bit, then lapsed completely.

Hypnotherapy only way

Now Bridget is a woman who understands perfectly that however much you actually drink, you always respond perkily "14 units per week, no more" whenever anyone asks you :)

I seem to have no off switch in my head for wine. Anything else I can take and leave, dunno whether it's the bubbly nature of other drinks like V&T, rum and coke, etc. Don't routinely drink champers so not sure what category that falls into!

Lidl have a surprisingly nice Rioja at £2.79 which is only 12% - I would buy a case next time I go (tends to be a monthly trip) only I'd drink it all in a week

(IIRC 9-10% = 6 units and 14% = 9 units so 12% is only about 7½?)

Have you tried the \link{http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0572028504/ref=pd_sim_b_dp_3/202-1632359-7251822\Allen Carr} book, JanH? I know people who swear by him for giving up smoking.

My body can't cope with alcohol. I don't seem to metabolise it very efficiently. One glass is pretty much my limit. After that I feel awful in no time at all. S'ppose I should be grateful that I have an in-built deterrent.

I love red wine, especially the stronger ones - about 12-13.5 in strength. I'll happily drink a whole bottle or at least 3 biggish glasses and don't feel too bad on it the next day either.

I have worked out that to stick to 14 units a week that equates to just under 2 bottles of that strength a week. I do so enjoy it, and I think it'll be tough to stop. I'll miss it I guess, but that liver specialist on tv didn't pull any punches and he scared me for sure

The trouble is the units are worked out on such silly sized glasses(125ml) My glasses are more like 300ml. Even pub measures are rarely 125ml any more. I wish it just said how many were in the whole bottle. That'd be clearer. SP is right though 14 units is barely a sip!

Also after a hard day who wants to be nagged about having a nice quiet well deserved glass of wine? I certainly don't, but I have to face the fact that what I was having was probably dangerous for me I don't want to keel over and not be around for my children.

This is a typical me thing to do.

CD - you are right, so very bloody right! The best way for me to deal with things though is to laught it off, or as I am doing right now bursting into tears that I have offended someone who I don;t even bloody know! Just ignore me. Dinner with PIL tonight - any recommendations - sparkling or still water, ice and lemon or not??? Sorry terribly bad timing for jokes.

Oh please don't start on the smoking.......! I can honestly say I did not touch ONE whilst pregnant and not again until they were all at least 12 weeks old. Why did I start again? Oh because when you have a nice glass of wine blah blah blah

Jan 12% is 9 units
13% is 9.75

Nooooooooooooooooo, CD, really?

What is 14% then?

God I wish I had seen that bloody programme you are all talking about.

Goodness me don't worry, you haven't offended me one bit! I thought I had got it wrong so apologised. Do you want to cut down?

10.5 Jan

Vanity is a big factor in cutting down If you stop for a couple of weeks you will be amazed how much better you look in the mornings skin eyes everything!It really works.I had an old friend at wotk who I assumed was 40+ she drank a lot at home and her and her husband lived the good life He lost his business and they were seriosly skint and she had to take her 3 girls out of private school and so she also stopped drinking smoking and holidays(all financial)and withinn about 3 months she looked amazing and her real age which was actually only mid thirties.

I think I'm quite glad I didn't see it!

I wish I had, need to cut down