Some logistical questions.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Montvale, VA
Posts: 35
Some logistical questions.
To recap - 60 year old woman who lives with us is an alcholic and has been for years. I have never dealt with this disease first hand and posted to determine if there were some ways I could handle my own anger before confronting her. The advice I got was wonderful, so I've been reading posts and gleaning info. Now, I have some medical questions.
At what point does a person go from being a heavy drinker to an alcoholic? What I mean is, where is the dividing line - gray as it may be? Is it in the behaviors or is there a number of drinks somewhere?
How much alcohol is dangerous to consume at a given time? I realize that it depends upon your body weight, sex and how quickly you are drinking, but if a person drinks five or six glasses of wine over a six hour period is that better, worse or the same as a person who drinks five or six vodka/ginger ale mixes? I'm talking long term damage, here.
The advil bottles say not to take advil (or tylenol either) if you consume more than three alcoholic drinks a day. I think that is because the liver can't handle the alcohol in addition to the medication. Aspirin doesn't say that why?
If a woman is taking medication for high cholestrol, previcit for stomach acid reflux, 80 mg of aspirin a day and consumes anywhere from 5 to 12 or more alcoholic drinks per day AND periodically takes tylenol pm on top of all of that, how soon before her 60 year old liver craps out on her? Wouldn't her yearly blood tests (required b/c of the cholestrol drug) indicate a problem?
Any other medical stuff I should be on the look out for?
Roni
At what point does a person go from being a heavy drinker to an alcoholic? What I mean is, where is the dividing line - gray as it may be? Is it in the behaviors or is there a number of drinks somewhere?
How much alcohol is dangerous to consume at a given time? I realize that it depends upon your body weight, sex and how quickly you are drinking, but if a person drinks five or six glasses of wine over a six hour period is that better, worse or the same as a person who drinks five or six vodka/ginger ale mixes? I'm talking long term damage, here.
The advil bottles say not to take advil (or tylenol either) if you consume more than three alcoholic drinks a day. I think that is because the liver can't handle the alcohol in addition to the medication. Aspirin doesn't say that why?
If a woman is taking medication for high cholestrol, previcit for stomach acid reflux, 80 mg of aspirin a day and consumes anywhere from 5 to 12 or more alcoholic drinks per day AND periodically takes tylenol pm on top of all of that, how soon before her 60 year old liver craps out on her? Wouldn't her yearly blood tests (required b/c of the cholestrol drug) indicate a problem?
Any other medical stuff I should be on the look out for?
Roni
Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 70
Hi, Ronron, sometimes the weekends can be slower here. I know others will be along who can better answer your questions.
The 1st step we take in Al-Anon/AA is that we admit we are powerless over alcohol. Unfortunately, we are powerless over how much someone else takes into their body. We are powerless over people, places, and things.
I remember from your previous post that you have a lot of demands on your life right now. If you're not able to get to an Al-Anon meeting (yet another demand), see if you can connect with an online Al-Anon group, stay connected here at SR, and pick up some Al-Anon/AA leterature. You already are seeking awareness, to better understand this disease and the progression of it.
Some of your questions could better be answered by a doctor (imho). See if the 60yow will go to the doctor. Go with her and see if you can get some of your questions answered. I know with my AH, it amazes me how much "stuff" he put into his body. It would have killed a horse, but it never phased him. He continued to function. He was like Timex - took a licking and kept on ticking and ticking and ticking.
Also, from my experience, if you can ask these questions of a doctor who is familiar with the disease of alcoholism. My AH went to several doctors, and even with the blood tests, they all continued to deny that my husband had a drinking/drug problem. I sent a copy of the blood results to my brother who is a doctor. Only then did my brother say that there was clear evidence that alcohol was a factor in AH's health problems.
The 1st step we take in Al-Anon/AA is that we admit we are powerless over alcohol. Unfortunately, we are powerless over how much someone else takes into their body. We are powerless over people, places, and things.
I remember from your previous post that you have a lot of demands on your life right now. If you're not able to get to an Al-Anon meeting (yet another demand), see if you can connect with an online Al-Anon group, stay connected here at SR, and pick up some Al-Anon/AA leterature. You already are seeking awareness, to better understand this disease and the progression of it.
Some of your questions could better be answered by a doctor (imho). See if the 60yow will go to the doctor. Go with her and see if you can get some of your questions answered. I know with my AH, it amazes me how much "stuff" he put into his body. It would have killed a horse, but it never phased him. He continued to function. He was like Timex - took a licking and kept on ticking and ticking and ticking.
Also, from my experience, if you can ask these questions of a doctor who is familiar with the disease of alcoholism. My AH went to several doctors, and even with the blood tests, they all continued to deny that my husband had a drinking/drug problem. I sent a copy of the blood results to my brother who is a doctor. Only then did my brother say that there was clear evidence that alcohol was a factor in AH's health problems.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Montvale, VA
Posts: 35
Great advice, in fact, now that you mention it
when my friend was going to the doctor for her followup care after her hospital stay, I asked the doctor in the presence of my friend if it was ok for her to drink any alcohol while taking the various meds. She said, "Two glasses of wine a day, max." Then she added, "and by two glasses, I mean two standard wine glasses. My ex would say he'd only had a couple of beers, but he had drunk the 32 oz size." She also said, no liquor. I think I will make an appointment to talk with her. Not only is she aware, though only briefly, of my friend's medical history, she has first hand experience in the subject. Thank you!
Roni
Roni
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Montvale, VA
Posts: 35
Along these same lines...tell me a little about detox?
How much does a person have to drink before quitting cold turkey results in detox? What are the symptoms other than diarreah, nausea, and vomiting? Will a person in the throes of detox seem drunk?
Roni
Roni
Becoming a Butterfly
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 904
It's folly to speculate on the life expectancy of an addict or alcoholic. Some of them are like Rasputin - you couldn't kill em if you tried. Think Keith Richards.
All those meds and the booze are obviously making a mess of her body. The alcohol alone would do it, but with the meds her liver must be ready to crawl away.
My alkie was not physically addicted so I don't have any detox answers for you. In my own personal situation I always figured that lack of "the shakes" was a clear sign that physical addiction had not yet taken place. Does this woman have "the shakes"? If so, she'll need medical attention to stop drinking or she could die from the fallout.
All those meds and the booze are obviously making a mess of her body. The alcohol alone would do it, but with the meds her liver must be ready to crawl away.
My alkie was not physically addicted so I don't have any detox answers for you. In my own personal situation I always figured that lack of "the shakes" was a clear sign that physical addiction had not yet taken place. Does this woman have "the shakes"? If so, she'll need medical attention to stop drinking or she could die from the fallout.
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