Smelling like alcohol when you haven't been drinking
 

I drink to excess, which is to say that I binge. I got a couple of days, maybe a week or two without drinking, but when I do drink I do not have the ability to stop until I'm wasted. Yesterday, my wife mentioned that I smelled like alcohol. I hadn't had a drink in about 3 days, so I told her that. Then, when she came home today, she said the same thing. Keep in mind I STILL hadn't had a drink! Now I've been binging for quite some time...ever since college, which was about 12 years ago. Is the fact that I smell like booze even having not drank for days a sign of a more serious problem?

i can't answer your question, goat. but welcome! and keep posting! k

Welcome. I can't answer your question either, but I would say that if you can't stop until you get wasted, and you found yourself here at a sober website ... well then, maybe you do have a problem?
Keep coming.

the smell will in time go away It happens you were just never aware of the aroma , tho Im sure others did . Give it a lil time , no amount of soap will take it away , its almost like the bodys detoxing it im sure theres a defination for it , but that I dont know . Just give it time it will pass.. congrats on the 3 days

Thanks for the responses guys. I appreciate it. What I'm worried about is this...that maybe my liver (which my doc said had ,in her words, "elevated" enzyme levels lol) has begun losing the ability to metabolize the stuff and it is sticking around longer? If that's the case then I'm done drinking tomorrow LMAO! Just wondering if anyone had any insight into the medical aspect of alcoholism. Thanks for the help peeps!:Dance7:

There is some great info here:

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...influence.html

Alcoholics feel physically wretched during a hangover, but they also feel deeply and profoundly ashamed. From past experience, they know better, but they got drunk anyway -- why? Ignorant of the powerful workings of the addiction, the alcoholic can only blame himself. Remorse, self-loathing, and guilt therefore go hand in hand with the throbbing headache and queasy stomach ... "... the emotional pain which accompanies them -- the guilt, anxiety, self-accusation, the sense of hopelessness and despair ..." ... a very real and very painful physiological disorder.

I'd say that sums up my hangovers guys. I've been toying with the idea that I may have a "problem" for some time. I'm always "that guy" at the christmas party.....when the guys are over for hockey I'm the "bottomless beer pit"....and now about 6 months ago I had a panic attack which has turned into full on anxiety to where I take Lexapro. I'm starting to connect the dots. The alcohol use (read ABUSE) has lead to a serious psychological dilemma. Its tough to call yourself "crazy" or an "alcoholic".....but I may be at the breaking point where I'm willing to call myself one. Being able to go a week without drinking and then getting completely drubbed is, I now realize, just as much the disease alcoholism as the guy that has vodka with breakfast every day. Oy....where to start.......

Start where you are, goat. Take it piecemeal, and try not to overwhelm yourself. I'm glad you are identifying with what you are reading.

have you thought about trying some aa meetings, goat? or maybe talking to a counselor/doctor with experience in addiction?

does your doctor know you're drinking heavy on the lexapro? be careful with that ..

recovery is possible. admitting the problem is a big first step.

I haven't told her....nor have I told her that I drink when taking Lorazepam and alprazolam (not together lol...even I know not to take both and then drink hehe). I'm sure that's giving the old liver a real workout. The thing is I'm tooscared/ashamed to tell her I think. I dunno, I'll have to think about it. Same goes for ALANON and such.....not quite there yet Ithink....I hope

Welcome Goat.

I figure it can't hurt to see a doc...and be totally honest...that way you'll know if there's liver damage or not.

The liver can take a lot, and a lot of damage can be reversible, but you have to stop drinking, and the sooner the better you know?

good luck to ya :)

D

Eeehhhh...yeah. Funny thing is....along with the drinking comes a certain level of cowardice and avoidance. I'm going to have to gather up the courage to do that. I'm also very afraid of doctors lol.

You can do it! I used to mix clonazepam and booze regularly. Went to rehab 5 years ago for the pills - only then did I find out how dangerous a cocktail I had been taking.
Could have been fatal. Please be careful, goat.

Yup, if I can do it you can. I am going to a dr in oh lets see, thirty minutes (agghhhhhhh) to tell her about my good old problems, but also that I have a 'wee bit of a drinking problem' (why is that a thousand times easier to say than alcoholic???)
I am on anxiety meds as well.

Anyway I am not looking forward to it. I sure don't want to do this, but I just have to.
My son is coming to my appointment with me, so that is going to make me look even worse.
I am just repeating in my mind 'she (dr) will want to help me, not judge me'

Things sound easy but feel hard to do.
But once you do it, it was easier than you thought.

69 day's clean and sober
 

I try not get a resentment but it's the second time my sponsor has had someone from the fellowship say that they thought they smelt alcohol on me however I have had to yet again prove otherwise? Any help or guidance? I will keep doing what I'm determined to do, I got to 9 months last time.

It's detox. I've had something like that as well in the beginning. My sweat smelled weird. In hindsight it could have had an alcohol smell as well. It reminds me of when I quit (heavy) smoking. The first couple of days, my sweat smelled like tar.

Btw, are you planning to get sober?

P.S. Do go see your doctor.

Wow, just noticed how old this thread is. :)

Welcome to SR LostSoul congrats on 69 days bud

If ppl say you smell of drink & you know you havnt speak with your sponser what has he said ?

it could be someone smelling bodyspray aftershave on you but i think thats wrong for 2 of them to spk to your sponser i really dont get that

Try not to let it bother you i can see how it would maybe they are overcaring who knows but yeah i dont agree with thier actions

Over here, you can buy these:

Alcoholtest frankrijk. Alcoholtester online kopen - ANWB

It's in Dutch, but basically they show if you've been drinking and if you have, if it's too much for participating in traffic. They're reliable, certified according French quality standards. They sell them because in France it's mandatory to have them in your car.

They're very cheap, 5 euro for two. And very easy to take with you.

If you can get your hands on a couple of those, you can pull it out and show on the spot that you haven't been drinking.

Welcome to the Forum LostSoul!! :wave:

:welcome to SR.
Not to worry you but you might want to get a medical checkup. Smelling of alcohol is sometimes a side effect of diabetes associated when blood sugar is not being processed correctly.

Thank you for the comments. Yes I'm in a twelve step fellowship. My sponsor listened to what I had to say, I will write it in my inventory however I just wanted to hear any identication or guidance

Maybe worth getting it checked out just to rule out diabetes as the other person suggested x well done on your progress and i hope all is well x

Great job on 69 days!! Well done!

Just so you know that AA has a sense of humor, btw - page 69 in the book deals with what other than ..........sex conduct.


There does exist the possibility that someone is being untruthful - that could be the other member(s) who said that to your sponsor, or could it be your sponsor pushing your buttons because they are suspicious ( wrongly so).

Just a thought.........

Truth just is - I'd look em straight in the eye and say that's not factual. I don't drink and leave it at that. We have enough to work on getting sober without concerning ourselves about wagging tongues or untruths from others.

Glad your here with us!!
keep coming back!

Lostsoul, welcome!

I know it took my vehicle a long time to stop smelling like alcohol sweat. Could it be that?

Thats exactly what it is, hes sweating the alcohol out of his pores. I had this happen to me, this smell made me sick, it was everywhere. House, Car, street etc. Drink lots of water and flush your system it will go away...

Thanks. Feel more at peace with it now I've aired it. I was warned of the unfortunates that feel like they need to continue to harm others in early recovery.
I'm concerned about the doctors though?

What specifically are you concerned about?

Btw, I've googled the US version of Google and if you search for "alcohol tester" you'll find cheap testers that you can use to show people that you haven't had anything to drink. To take away all doubt.

at 69 days there's something else going on I think. I hope you do get that checkup lostsoul :)

Just remember - if you're sober, you don't have to prove anything to anyone.

If people in your life are being negative, maybe it's worth looking around for more positive folks? :dunno:

D