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Concerns over reduced tolerance

Old 05-06-2005, 07:27 PM
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Concerns over reduced tolerance

I usually post on the F&F boards.. My husband is an alcoholic... he drinks what most would consider massive amounts of whiskey every night without fail. Lately I've noticed that he becomes drunker much faster and blacks out much more frequently.

Is this reduced tolerance the toll that his drinking has taken on his liver? While I'm doing my best to hand everything over to my HP, I can't help but be concerned that he is quickly approaching a health crisis.

Thanks for any insight you can provide.
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Old 05-06-2005, 07:48 PM
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I'm not sure what the cause is. However, I believe it is something about the chemical balance. Towards the end of my drinking my tolarence go real low. I'd start getting buzed on just a few beers, where it used to take cases. The black out. They started as grey outs. Not being able to remember which road or bus route I took home. I'd have to rush back to the bar the next day. I couldn't remember if I payed my tab. I got so I could only pay cash. Then I'd walk out and leave large sums on the bar. I was told one time I bought a beer with $100 dollar bill, drank it and without a word left.
However, the black out got worse and more often. On a good night I'd come out in a strange area. On a bad night I'd come out laying in the ER at a hospital. Sometimes the one I worked at. Then there were the spit heads. I'd come out at the bottom of some stairs. There are signs that indicate liver damage. Many cases it is reversable to a point. One thing that should jump out is around the nose and face. There will be broken blood vessels. Also, the nose will start to get out of shape. The best way is to see a doctor. A simple blood test will indicate the damage and the extent. I would suggest you take care of yourself. Maybe Alanon could help you. The bottom line is you can't make him, scare him or talk him into seeking help. However, by learning how to protect yourself might wake him up. We will used enablers like you without any guilt in order to drink. We learn your weakness and use it against you. It might be difficult but, there are some hard decisions to make. Don W
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Old 05-06-2005, 07:55 PM
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From my own experience I would say yes, his reduced tolerance is something to be concerned over. Though I never really experience black outs, as I progressed I could get a buzz quicker and the mornings were less clear and it took me some time to piece together the events of the prior binge. He should see a doctor for a liver enzyme test if you can get him to go to know for sure.
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Old 05-07-2005, 02:52 AM
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Yes...his disease is progressing. Untreated alcoholism kills.


I suggest you make sure you have ggood insurance.
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Old 05-07-2005, 03:13 AM
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I would suggest you take care of yourself. Maybe Alanon could help you. The bottom line is you can't make him, scare him or talk him into seeking help. However, by learning how to protect yourself might wake him up. We will used enablers like you without any guilt in order to drink. We learn your weakness and use it against you. It might be difficult but, there are some hard decisions to make.
I'm in Alanon... I already know that I have no control over his drinking & I'm not trying to... to this point my recovery has only made his drinking worse. While I'd like nothing more to walk away from this mess, I don't have the resources to do so at this time.
He should see a doctor for a liver enzyme test if you can get him to go to know for sure.
He does see our doctor fairly regularly, she knows he's an alcoholic, he's on cholestrol meds so I know she monitors his liver, but he doesn't tell me what the results are & she can't.
I suggest you make sure you have ggood insurance.
Funny you should mention that, I tried to increase his life insurance this past fall & the insurance company denied it... reason alcohol abuse & diabetes...

Thanks so much for your insight... I knew the answers already but I guess I just needed some validation... H loves nothing more than to try to convince me that I'm crazy & imagining everything.
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Old 05-07-2005, 08:24 AM
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Originally Posted by drgnfly30
H loves nothing more than to try to convince me that I'm crazy & imagining everything.
..and you most certainly know better right!
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Old 05-07-2005, 08:58 AM
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Reduced tolerance is definately another indicator that his condition has worsened.In my drinking prime I could down a quart of overproof rum before pushing back from the table but in the latter days one bottle of beer was enough to intoxicate me.

Your husband already knows that something is amiss in his drinking, what he may not know is that his condition will only worsen if he does not seek out the help of AA or some other alcohol treatment facility.

As a concerned spouse the best you can do is help to enlighten him as much as you can about the treatment of alcoholism and encourage him to attend some meetings.

Take care of yourself.Sounds to me like you already understand much of what you need to do.
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