Can you predict my future?
 

Or at least, my AH's future :)

My AH has been a drinker for about 30 yrs, started when he was 14. Started getting into trouble in his early 20s with it.

He's never stopped, drinks more than he should, sometimes in binges (he's a hard one to describe becasue he doesn't have any specific pattern, the best I can describe is that the amount he drinks starts to change him from his sober self, and it happens often).

Sure he's put himself in hospital a few times with pancreatitis.

He's given himself type 2 diabetes, diagnosed a couple of years ago, but it doesn't appear to be affecting him at this point in time (he's on medication for it).

His short term memory is starting to flicker a bit.

I'm wondering though, is his health ever going to fail?

Or is it a long slow process, and this is just the (slow) start of it?

Or is it possible he'll get through life seemingly without much damage?

I would've thought after 30 yrs of this kind of behaviour he would have more wear and tear, but everything appears to be in working order (he periodically has physicals).

If he is an alcoholic, it will eventually catch up with him. From your post, it sounds like he's only 44 years old. He still has time for things to start going wrong physically. It could happen tomorrow or next year or 5 years from now, but it will eventually catch up with him if he continues to drink.

My AH has smoked and drank most of his life. He has had 3 heart attacks, triple bypass heart surgery, lung surgery, back surgery and has COPD. He also only has one functioning kidney. He is 60 now, but had his first heart attacks in his 40's, his bypass at 49. His lifestyle caught up with him, yet he continues to drink. He did give up smoking after his lung surgery, but chews tobacco, so did not give up his nicotine addition.

It's true what they say...alcoholism, if left untreated, leads inevitably to three things, jails, institutions and death.

He's 47.

No one thinks he'll see 70, between his genetics and lifestyle (both parents alcoholics, both passed in their 60s). His brother isn't even sure he'll make it out of his 50's.

His future is in his hands, just as yours is. You can't change him, but you can have whatever future you want. It just depends on how badly you want it.

Two bouts with pancreatitis, memory problems, and type 2 diabetes is significant health problems in my book.

My xah is 49 and has drank to much since mid 20's as far as I can tell. He is a healthy guy (although his liver is taking a hit recently). He used to say that all the men in his family died of heart attacks at a young age. Problems with the ticker. Yet this man always had excellent cholesterol, blood pressure, physically fit, active, proper weight. Still has all those assets actually at 49. I found it odd that heart attacks were so prevalent in a family with no risk factors.

Well, duh. I'm not to bright. It wasn't hereditary heart disease. The thing all the men in his family had was alcoholism. Most died before 60 or early 60's.

I believe parents age at death is a strong indicator of the age we can expect to live to. There is a website you can go to and answer a lot of questions which will calculate your life expectancy. I think it's realage.com.

Every one is different. Some heavy drinkers' livers give out in their 40s, some in their 50s, etc. My dad has been going at it hard for decades. We did not think he would make it to 60 and he is now over 70.

My opinion: everyday is a crapshoot with an active alcoholic or addict. I went from having a heavy drinker for a H to sleeping in a cot in the hosital while my doctor told me his liver is failing and he does not qualify for a transplant since he's a drinker.

Why are you trying to predict his future? I'm asking "softly" with care and concern ... we cannot even predict our future health? Is he worried about his health?

How are you doing?:grouphug:

Oh, I'm just trying to get an idea of what may be down the road. What with having kids with him and all, I'll likely be dealing with it in one way or another.