The Giving Up/ Cutting Down alcohol support thread - number 13

scatterbrain109

Looking back I see there has been some mention of "fessing up" to doctors. In my recent hospital stay I was asked a number of times how much alcohol I drank and each time I replied that I drank 50 - 60 units a week. (I know I've been dry for almost a month but it didn't seem honest to say none).
Each time I answered the doctors were taken aback, not because of the amount but because of my honesty. One of them even thanks me for being honest!
I wasn't exactly being honest as in my heyday, i.e. last year I was drinking nearer 100 units a week.
One of them said that as I was drinking at 50+ units a week that did put me at higher risk of the incident being a sub-arachnoid haemorrage as that is associated with high levels of alcohol use - I didn't know that.
Anyway, what I am saying is that there really is no point in lying to doctors, they will respect you more if you tell something akin to the truth and they cannot get a true picture of what the problem could be if they don't know the full background.
On another matter, welcome to the newbies who have arrived since I was last here and it's great to see everyone doing so well.
Shaggy - as I'm doing the 100 day challenge can you put me down for 28 for February please?

Jo x

Arkers

Good morning everyone,

Goodness Scatterbrain you sound as if you've been through the mill and I hope you're on the mend now. Well done on your candid honesty with the Drs, to me it illustrates that you have faced the reality of your drinking by being honest with them. If you weren't honest then it would have been symptomatic of the issues we have all probably faced ie you were still in denial about the level of units you were consuming. Get well soon.

28 AFD please Shaggy.
Arkers x

Rolandtheroadie

26/50 for last night please Shaggy.

I'm now the one dropping people off on a Friday night, instead of being unable to drive as I'd have been drinking.

dprovan

hi all, I will be away all day so getting in early. Shaggy can you put me down for 27AF please

loveasale

Hello scatter!
Yes it was me who said about the doctor and well done you for being honest like me , and hope you stay on the mend,, good luck with 100 day AF !

cathybird

Morning all, 20/21 for yesterday - don't know why I didn't post yesterday but I didn't. Scatterbrain, blimey Hope you get better with no further trauma or grief.

Barny1979

My 6th Parkrun completed this morning and will be AF tonight, 21/25 AFDs.

fakeplastictwee

Morning all, 27/31 for last night please.
Hope you're on the mend now scatterbrain, I have to keep looking twice when you post as scatterbrain is my username elsewhere!

Honey_Bear

Wow, Scatterbrain. That was dramatic and scary. I hope you get a definitive diagnosis, and I hope it's something that puts your mind at rest. I 100% whole-heartedly agree with what you said about honesty and doctors - they need to know in order to rule certain things in and out and some of the details most of us consider irrelevant are, in fact, very, very important. Plus which, for me, one of the things that helped me know I had to deal with my drinking was the increased risk of breast cancer - it was just such a frightening thought.

ElusiveLucy wrote: »

My sleep has really improved this week, not sure if it is related to being AF though as it only started recently

I'd put money on that if anyone offered me odds!

A different perspective then Roland, if you're the designated driver now. Good on you.

debjay wrote: »

Thanks Maman did have a bit of a wobble earlier especially hearing that Chris Evans called an end to Dry January at 5pm tonight.

Really? Does he not understand that there are 31 days in January, or does he need a drink that badly? Either way, not clever.

28/31 please, Shaggy.

scatterbrain109

Thank you for your messages.
I think Chris Evans has been very irresponsible on that. People would have fallen in with his suggestion and then woken up this morning feeling like s**t for falling at the last hurdle.
Many seasoned drinkers just need the slightest excuse to jump of the wagon.

Have a good Saturday everyone
Jo x