Daily Consumption averages - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information

Waterman · 07-09-2009, 10:28 AM

Of course, most of us never readily admitted to our doctor how much we drank, and were often prescribed medicine for our symptoms, like anti's and tranquilizers. I'm guilty, as I had quit drinking completely before "hell" set in. Looking back through this past winter and early spring before quitting, I was probably consuming 6-10 ounces of regular-strength bourbon, daily(mixed with Coke). I almost "guzzled it" when I drank. I called an AA(old-timer) friend. I was telling him how much my daily averages were, and asking him what he thought. He wouldn't comment, but did say that "we see people who only drank on weekends, and they are often a mess". Anyway, I guess we cannot fool ourselves by consumption amounts, but I was curious. Wonder what my doctor would have told me if I had been honest? I'll find out Monday, as I plan to tell him.......

**Astro** · 07-09-2009, 10:43 AM

One was too many, a thousand wasn't enough.

Yeah, I'd tell the doctor I drank a couple every day when he was diagnosing my liver pains. I wonder if he really believed that BS? Probably knew better.

I didn't have a problem being completely honest about it when I was undergoing evaluations at a mental hospital. Interesting how that change of atmosphere brought out the honesty in me

Boleo · 07-09-2009, 11:29 AM

When I was in rehab I was told moderate drinkers consume 2 -3 drinks per day.

Binge drinkers consume more than four drinks per session.

Firehazard · 07-09-2009, 12:43 PM

My averages at the very bottom was twenty bottles of wine a week. And once a fifth of tequila one evening. Could have gotten worse and was so I checked myself in. Averages to me are just scientist trying to make sense of a irrational spiritual disease.

smacked · 07-09-2009, 01:23 PM

Enough to get me to a recovery message board.

(a fifth of vodka every few days).

spittake · 07-09-2009, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boleo

When I was in rehab I was told moderate drinkers consume 2 -3 drinks per day.

Binge drinkers consume more than four drinks per session.

For women, it's said that moderate=no more than 1 drink/day, binge=more than 3 in a sitting. According to the National Institute On Alcohol Abuse And Alcoholism (U.S.), the binge numbers are based on a BAC ≥0.08%

dabears34 · 07-09-2009, 01:54 PM

nm

justanothrdrunk · 07-09-2009, 01:56 PM

TRUE STORY:

Back in the day, I was as honest with a physician as possible (not always, but this one time I was) and told him 18-20 drinks per day, every day.

He then asked me if I was in any legal trouble (DWIs, etc.), having any trouble at work/keeping a job, things at home okay, etc.

I told him (again, honestly) that I had never had any trouble keeping a job, with the law, at home, or anything.

He then said that some people can handle that much alcohol and so long as I'm not getting arrested for drunk driving or losing my job due to drinking that it was probably okay for me to drink that much every day. Just be careful with the liver.

What I learned from that experience is that, aside from the physical problems associated with heavy drinking/alcoholism, some doctor's don't know jack about addiction.

Zencat · 07-09-2009, 02:17 PM

In one day, at my worst, I could guzzle down just under a case of beer and put a good dent in a 5th of liquor.

brokenhalo · 07-09-2009, 03:54 PM

before my decision to seek help (today

), my worst consisted 1 1/2 pints of vodka daily and often times i would finish with two 24 oz cans of beer. i would get off work, buy the first pint, guzzle half of it, put the rest in a gatorade bottle and go to the driving range. after that i would stop at a different liquor store, buy a half pint of vodka and the two beers. i did this for quite a while, so i never understood how people could say i was inconsistent.

Gypsy Feet · 07-09-2009, 04:19 PM

I told my dr I was a daily drinker, I think I even admitted to a 6 pack a night. I THINK he may have told me "that's too much, cut back", but I never listen to it.

I went in for my check up a few months ago. I had lost 50 pounds since seeing him, and he was pleased. I had joined a gym and was eating right, he was happy. I told him I had quit drinking, and I think he giggled he was so excited hahahaha. If he had been in possession of a trophy or a cookie, he totally would have given it to me

lauraandersen4 · 07-09-2009, 06:26 PM

I heard too that moderate drinking was 2-3/day for MEN... 1-2 for WOMEN. They said anything more than 3 for men or 2 for women was considered heavy.

To a degree, I wasn't even honest in here about how much I drank. I said 3 glasses of wine. I never mentioned that these were 3 8oz glasses of wine pretty much every night.

I guess that is more like 5 glasses of wine/night and on some nights 6. I realized it looked like I was going through less if I mixed a 1/3 red wine and 2/3 white wine. 2 years ago, I thought nothing of making it through physiology class by putting 2 shots of vodka in my water bottle full of diet lemonade. I see some similar stories on the board. It is amazing what people do.

joedris · 07-09-2009, 07:37 PM

I would consume at least 1.75 ltrs of vodka a day. I never told my doctor how much nor did he ask. Now he loves to run liver enzyme tests on me because he doesn't believe that I still have a liver. The tests come back normal. And my doctor is the first to admit that MD's don't know jack about alcoholism. But he's also keenly interested, so I'll usually take his last appt of the day and spent an hour or so educating him. And he's a fast learner, now confronting folks he's knows by test results are alcoholic, aware that whatever they say about their drinking habits is a probably a lie. He gives them a choice - do something about the drinking or find a new doctor.

Nevertheless · 07-09-2009, 09:08 PM

I drank about a 12 pack of beer a day for about 30 years. And beer did lead to harder drugs(I won't go into that). I only quit 2 or 3 times never over 6 months.
My doctor had to prescribe me antabuse about 20 years ago (court ordered). I still have the same doctor, and I know he doesn't remember. I always fill out a form that asks how much you drink. I always lied and put about a 6 pack a day. I think most of us lie, and thats probably why they know so little about alcoholism. Because they seldom treat anyone that freely admits how much they drink until they have real problems,
Fred

Lenina · 07-09-2009, 09:26 PM

I was a three glasses of wine a day person too. I never told my doctor it was a tupperware tumbler!

I know now that I can smell alcohol on pretty much anyone who's had a drink that same day. Sometimes, I can smell it the next day! To me, alcohol has a distinctive odor. Could be I just have a very sensitive sniffer!

Love,

Lenina

streetpizza · 07-09-2009, 09:59 PM

About 12-14 shots of 80 proof rum per day during the week, beers all weekend (probably anywhere from 78-84 beers Friday - Sunday). I'd come home sometimes on Monday after work (meaning I hadn't had a drink since late Sunday night) and check my BAC and it'd be in the .15-.2 range.

baggervance · 07-09-2009, 10:10 PM

At the end I was averaging enough to get drunk as soon as I woke drank till I passed out and repeat.

lauraandersen4 · 07-09-2009, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by streetpizza

About 12-14 shots of 80 proof rum per day during the week, beers all weekend (probably anywhere from 78-84 beers Friday - Sunday). I'd come home sometimes on Monday after work (meaning I hadn't had a drink since late Sunday night) and check my BAC and it'd be in the .15-.2 range.

LOL... Somehow, I don't believe you.

streetpizza · 07-09-2009, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lauraandersen4

LOL... Somehow, I don't believe you.

Not a joke. The 12-14 shots during the week is a number that I calculated out to be below the legal limit driving to work the next morning.

13 hours to drive the next morning * .015 burned off per hour... .195 burned off. .195 + .08 (legal limit) = .275... theoretically I could have 13-14 and still be good driving the next day.

Even with that, lets say I get to work with a .08... its still going to take 5-6 hours for even that to wear off... meaning the day after one of my lighter days I'd be sobering up around lunch.

Well, when you "tie one on" as my friends like to put it (start drinking again before your BAC has returned to .00) several times in one weekend, you can put up a higher BAC than you might think...

tiburon88 · 07-10-2009, 01:39 AM

I relate to you. I assume you had a breathalizer?

tiburon

dgillz · 07-10-2009, 01:54 AM

I drank a fifth of Whiskey daily.

savexourxship · 07-10-2009, 02:42 AM

For about a year I drank a 12 pack a day, or four 40's. About a month before I quit, I switched to Vodka. I would drink a handle every 3 days.

Bamboozle · 07-10-2009, 03:09 AM

5 liters of wine in a 24 hour period at my worst. I had empty boxes all over my apartment. What a mess...

lauraandersen4 · 07-10-2009, 05:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by streetpizza

Not a joke. The 12-14 shots during the week is a number that I calculated out to be below the legal limit driving to work the next morning.

13 hours to drive the next morning * .015 burned off per hour... .195 burned off. .195 + .08 (legal limit) = .275... theoretically I could have 13-14 and still be good driving the next day.

Even with that, lets say I get to work with a .08... its still going to take 5-6 hours for even that to wear off... meaning the day after one of my lighter days I'd be sobering up around lunch.

Well, when you "tie one on" as my friends like to put it (start drinking again before your BAC has returned to .00) several times in one weekend, you can put up a higher BAC than you might think...

I'm really sorry... I hope you are truthful on here because how I determined that I didn't believe this post is that it would imply that you would spend approximately $1000 PER MONTH ON ALCOHOL. You must have had one HECK of a job and maintained it while practically drunk... and should be more happy medically speaking that you haven't ended up in the hospital by now. That is the cost of our rent and then another half. I don't know many who could afford that much of a financial blow.

THAT is why I have a VERY hard time buying your story. Then again, if true good luck with maintaining your sobriety...

Jomey · 07-10-2009, 06:33 AM

Hey Laura, I don't know if Streetpizza is telling the truth or not, obviously, but there are people who hold jobs, appear to be living "normal" lives and are also shopping-lifting their alcohol, stealing from their family members and friends, mooching money from family members and friends, selling or pawning personal items, etc. to get their booze.

My brother happened to be one of them, so I know up close and personal about having him come to visit and later thinking, I thought I had a $10 in my wallet? Oh well, I guess I spent it or forgot about it or DH took it. Or he would show up, visit for a few minutes and say he had promised my nephew pizza on the way but he forgot his wallet, could he borrow a $20? Things like that happened a lot before we realized it was all going to booze and put a stop to it.

My brother has not worked in over a year and yet he finds the money for 2 cases of beer a day. I don't dare ask how but he is never without it.

No reflection on you Streetpizza.

07-09-2009, 10:28 AM	#1 (permalink)
Waterman Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Virginia Posts: 187	Daily Consumption averages Of course, most of us never readily admitted to our doctor how much we drank, and were often prescribed medicine for our symptoms, like anti's and tranquilizers. I'm guilty, as I had quit drinking completely before "hell" set in. Looking back through this past winter and early spring before quitting, I was probably consuming 6-10 ounces of regular-strength bourbon, daily(mixed with Coke). I almost "guzzled it" when I drank. I called an AA(old-timer) friend. I was telling him how much my daily averages were, and asking him what he thought. He wouldn't comment, but did say that "we see people who only drank on weekends, and they are often a mess". Anyway, I guess we cannot fool ourselves by consumption amounts, but I was curious. Wonder what my doctor would have told me if I had been honest? I'll find out Monday, as I plan to tell him.......

07-09-2009, 10:43 AM	#2 (permalink)
Astro Forum Leader Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Scottsdale, AZ, one big happy dysfunctional family! Posts: 11,826	One was too many, a thousand wasn't enough. Yeah, I'd tell the doctor I drank a couple every day when he was diagnosing my liver pains. I wonder if he really believed that BS? Probably knew better. I didn't have a problem being completely honest about it when I was undergoing evaluations at a mental hospital. Interesting how that change of atmosphere brought out the honesty in me __________________ "Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty, and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming---WOW-What a ride!"

07-09-2009, 11:29 AM	#3 (permalink)
Boleo boleon Join Date: May 2008 Location: Detroit, MI Posts: 3,111	When I was in rehab I was told moderate drinkers consume 2 -3 drinks per day. Binge drinkers consume more than four drinks per session. __________________ >>> If it makes sense - It ain't spiritual! - All Big Book quotes are from first Edition -

07-09-2009, 12:43 PM	#4 (permalink)
Firehazard SHARING THE LOAD Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Oregon Posts: 440 Blog Entries: 17	My averages at the very bottom was twenty bottles of wine a week. And once a fifth of tequila one evening. Could have gotten worse and was so I checked myself in. Averages to me are just scientist trying to make sense of a irrational spiritual disease. __________________ "Your sucess and happiness are forgiven you only if you generously consent to share them"--Albert Camus

07-09-2009, 02:17 PM	#9 (permalink)
Zencat ٩(-̮̮̃•̃)۶ Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Ventura Co. California USA Posts: 5,967 Blog Entries: 9	In one day, at my worst, I could guzzle down just under a case of beer and put a good dent in a 5th of liquor. __________________ My ❀ Name ☯ Is ❤ Will G ☞ 禅 “The easiest thing to be in the world is you. The most difficult thing to be is what other people want you to be. Don't let them put you in that position.”― Leo Buscaglia

07-09-2009, 01:23 PM	#5 (permalink)
smacked Heathen Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: La La Land, USA Posts: 2,349	Enough to get me to a recovery message board. (a fifth of vodka every few days).

07-09-2009, 01:54 PM	#7 (permalink)
dabears34 Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 82	nm

07-09-2009, 01:56 PM	#8 (permalink)
justanothrdrunk Retired Pro Drunk Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Saint Paul, MN Posts: 855	TRUE STORY: Back in the day, I was as honest with a physician as possible (not always, but this one time I was) and told him 18-20 drinks per day, every day. He then asked me if I was in any legal trouble (DWIs, etc.), having any trouble at work/keeping a job, things at home okay, etc. I told him (again, honestly) that I had never had any trouble keeping a job, with the law, at home, or anything. He then said that some people can handle that much alcohol and so long as I'm not getting arrested for drunk driving or losing my job due to drinking that it was probably okay for me to drink that much every day. Just be careful with the liver. What I learned from that experience is that, aside from the physical problems associated with heavy drinking/alcoholism, some doctor's don't know jack about addiction.

07-09-2009, 03:54 PM	#10 (permalink)
brokenhalo Guest Dirt Dragons Champion! Glop 3:Final Battle Champion! Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 111	before my decision to seek help (today ), my worst consisted 1 1/2 pints of vodka daily and often times i would finish with two 24 oz cans of beer. i would get off work, buy the first pint, guzzle half of it, put the rest in a gatorade bottle and go to the driving range. after that i would stop at a different liquor store, buy a half pint of vodka and the two beers. i did this for quite a while, so i never understood how people could say i was inconsistent.

07-09-2009, 04:19 PM	#11 (permalink)
Gypsy Feet mergirl Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Paradise Posts: 3,778 Blog Entries: 4	I told my dr I was a daily drinker, I think I even admitted to a 6 pack a night. I THINK he may have told me "that's too much, cut back", but I never listen to it. I went in for my check up a few months ago. I had lost 50 pounds since seeing him, and he was pleased. I had joined a gym and was eating right, he was happy. I told him I had quit drinking, and I think he giggled he was so excited hahahaha. If he had been in possession of a trophy or a cookie, he totally would have given it to me __________________ ~Lisa~ ban the deed, not the breed~ three years of continuous sobriety and counting <3 (its a sideways heart!)

07-09-2009, 06:26 PM	#12 (permalink)
lauraandersen4 Focus Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Washington DC Posts: 206	I heard too that moderate drinking was 2-3/day for MEN... 1-2 for WOMEN. They said anything more than 3 for men or 2 for women was considered heavy. To a degree, I wasn't even honest in here about how much I drank. I said 3 glasses of wine. I never mentioned that these were 3 8oz glasses of wine pretty much every night. I guess that is more like 5 glasses of wine/night and on some nights 6. I realized it looked like I was going through less if I mixed a 1/3 red wine and 2/3 white wine. 2 years ago, I thought nothing of making it through physiology class by putting 2 shots of vodka in my water bottle full of diet lemonade. I see some similar stories on the board. It is amazing what people do.

07-09-2009, 07:37 PM	#13 (permalink)
joedris Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Virginia Posts: 818	I would consume at least 1.75 ltrs of vodka a day. I never told my doctor how much nor did he ask. Now he loves to run liver enzyme tests on me because he doesn't believe that I still have a liver. The tests come back normal. And my doctor is the first to admit that MD's don't know jack about alcoholism. But he's also keenly interested, so I'll usually take his last appt of the day and spent an hour or so educating him. And he's a fast learner, now confronting folks he's knows by test results are alcoholic, aware that whatever they say about their drinking habits is a probably a lie. He gives them a choice - do something about the drinking or find a new doctor. __________________ God, Please set aside all I think I know about myself, my disease, the Big Book, the 12 Steps, the Program, the people in the fellowship, spiritual terms, and especially about you God so I may have an open mind and a new experience with these things. Amen

07-09-2009, 09:08 PM	#14 (permalink)
Nevertheless Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: KC MO Posts: 400	I drank about a 12 pack of beer a day for about 30 years. And beer did lead to harder drugs(I won't go into that). I only quit 2 or 3 times never over 6 months. My doctor had to prescribe me antabuse about 20 years ago (court ordered). I still have the same doctor, and I know he doesn't remember. I always fill out a form that asks how much you drink. I always lied and put about a 6 pack a day. I think most of us lie, and thats probably why they know so little about alcoholism. Because they seldom treat anyone that freely admits how much they drink until they have real problems, Fred

07-09-2009, 09:26 PM	#15 (permalink)
Lenina Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Los Angeles, California Posts: 2,955	I was a three glasses of wine a day person too. I never told my doctor it was a tupperware tumbler! I know now that I can smell alcohol on pretty much anyone who's had a drink that same day. Sometimes, I can smell it the next day! To me, alcohol has a distinctive odor. Could be I just have a very sensitive sniffer! Love, Lenina

07-09-2009, 09:59 PM	#16 (permalink)
streetpizza Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 29	About 12-14 shots of 80 proof rum per day during the week, beers all weekend (probably anywhere from 78-84 beers Friday - Sunday). I'd come home sometimes on Monday after work (meaning I hadn't had a drink since late Sunday night) and check my BAC and it'd be in the .15-.2 range.

07-09-2009, 10:10 PM	#17 (permalink)
baggervance Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: tennessee Posts: 592	At the end I was averaging enough to get drunk as soon as I woke drank till I passed out and repeat. __________________ I love my bulldog she never says a word about anything I do wrong.

07-10-2009, 01:39 AM	#20 (permalink)
tiburon88 Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 774	I relate to you. I assume you had a breathalizer? tiburon

07-10-2009, 01:54 AM	#21 (permalink)
dgillz Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Mobile, AL Posts: 3,453	I drank a fifth of Whiskey daily. __________________ He should be fine...if he survives the detox process that is..... Any quotes from the big book of AA are from the first edition, or are otherwise exempt from copyright infringement under the "fair use doctrine".

07-10-2009, 02:42 AM	#22 (permalink)
savexourxship Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Fenway Park Posts: 83	For about a year I drank a 12 pack a day, or four 40's. About a month before I quit, I switched to Vodka. I would drink a handle every 3 days.

07-10-2009, 03:09 AM	#23 (permalink)
Bamboozle I got nothin' Duck Hunt 2 Champion! Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: My house. Posts: 4,775 Blog Entries: 14	5 liters of wine in a 24 hour period at my worst. I had empty boxes all over my apartment. What a mess... __________________ A strange game. The only winning move is not to play.

07-10-2009, 06:33 AM	#25 (permalink)
Jomey Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Hicktown, PA Posts: 1,440	Hey Laura, I don't know if Streetpizza is telling the truth or not, obviously, but there are people who hold jobs, appear to be living "normal" lives and are also shopping-lifting their alcohol, stealing from their family members and friends, mooching money from family members and friends, selling or pawning personal items, etc. to get their booze. My brother happened to be one of them, so I know up close and personal about having him come to visit and later thinking, I thought I had a $10 in my wallet? Oh well, I guess I spent it or forgot about it or DH took it. Or he would show up, visit for a few minutes and say he had promised my nephew pizza on the way but he forgot his wallet, could he borrow a $20? Things like that happened a lot before we realized it was all going to booze and put a stop to it. My brother has not worked in over a year and yet he finds the money for 2 cases of beer a day. I don't dare ask how but he is never without it. No reflection on you Streetpizza. __________________ Joy is a net of love by which we catch souls. - Mother Teresa

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