zikka

so i am a 24 year old female, 145lbs and 5ft 9. i drink between 1pint(400ml) and 1fifth (750ml)of vodka almost every day. im a new member to these forums, i was interested to hear your perspective on these tendencies. i started this habit when i was 16 or 17, in highschool. we would chase one of the big bottles of robotussin(just dxm) with 1 or 2 four lokos on lunch and then go to class. about a year ago, i cut down massively for about 2 weeks. i slowly had less and less vodka over the course of about 3 days. i had almost no withdrawals. a few months ago though i stopped almost cold turkey for about 2 weeks again.( i had 1 fifth the first night and then 1half the second.) i had a some slight shakes for a few days, but that was it. i went in for a blood test to try to see if anything was wrong with me. when i got my results the guy told me i was slightly high on liver enzymes, but nothing serious. i informed him of my crushing habits, and he was very surprised. he said there is no way i drank that much with the results i got. from what i have read, my liver damage should be more serious. id like to hear from other people that drink a similar amount. does anyone have a similar situation they could share? thanks <3

Dame

Hi Zikka,
I don't know if it would do any good to compare my experience to yours or to even posit an answer. This kind of thing seems to be highly individual. I will say that I had a liver ultrasound as this seems to be the best way (short of a biopsy) to determine the condition of your liver. You could request one from your Dr.
I'm also worried that you might (1) frighten yourself after hearing some 'scary stories' or (2) find reassurance and continue poisoning yourself. That is ALOT of alcohol. Are you at all interested in quitting?

sleepie

Well, honestly I think, you might just count your lucky stars and quit- but maybe seriously consider medical supervision if you are still drinking that amount. I think you'll really be doing yourself a favor.

This thing varies with many, some drink relatively little and end up sick, others for decades and no discernible liver illness. Heck some people don't even drink and they end up with fatty liver, this happened to as friend of mine.

But I do know your chances improve vastly with abstinence. Why not go for it?

zikka

id like to quit eventually. but lately ive just had a lot more fun when im drunkk especially on video games. as lame as that sounds! lol

Dee74

Hi Zikka

I think you're lucky you're young resilient and strong - continue drinking the way you have and in 5 years, or ten, the results will almost certainly be very different.

Noones indestructible.
That's a dangerous amount to drink daily (or 'almost daily').

Today's 'fun' may very well be tomorrow's nightmare.

D

esinger

I'm 30 years older and drank like that many years and my liver is now fine. I have known people who where younger than me who didn't drink near what I did and have died from liver failure. You can't really predict and it depends on the person but is it worth the risk? Dying of liver failure is really ugly way to go. Not to mention the numerous other problems downing a fifth a day can cause.

zikka

you guys r probably right... i should. but with a good liver condition i should be fine at least for now right? and barely any withdrawls when stopping cold turkey. im interested in quitting but tbh i still want to drink sometimes if i can

zikka

i appreciate all the timely replies. thanks guys <3 i am definitely working on it!

esinger

If you're drinking 400 to 750 ML of vodka a day, I think you might be past the point of just drinking sometimes. I guess you never know but I don't think the odds are with you on that.

SnazzyDresser

That's a dangerous game you're playing there. And is it you playing or is the alcohol playing with you, time will tell.

Soberpotamus

I think many, if not most, of us felt just this way about our drinking. I was young, healthy, resilient and seemed to be able to handle a large amount of alcohol for my size. Things do get worse, though. By the time you're experiencing negative consequences, you'll likely find it hard to want to quit. For quite some time, I believed I just really enjoyed drinking, and that I could easily quit any time I wanted. I proved to myself I could quit for a year when I was 27. By the time I was 35, things had gotten worse for me, as far as consequences, and hangovers, and the overall severity of my problem. You don't have to wait until you're older to ensure a good, sober life for yourself. You can do that now by going ahead and quitting. There is nothing alcohol will make better. Enjoying a few, if you have a problem, is never a good solution. You're playing with fire.

Dee74

There are absolutely no guarantees when you're drinking that much daily Zikka.

Your liver or other organs may fail...and it may be significantly sooner than the 5 or ten years I mentioned above.

You may have an accident when drinking, you may find yourself in a dangerous situation.

I thought I was made of titanium when I was young.

I thought I'd stop in a few years...when I wanted to I couldn't...soon enough I was 40 and I was drinking all day - the only way I stopped was nearly dying..

At 50 I'm paying the health price for all that young foolishness.

You have a chance to take a different path.

D

sleepie

Agree this time and choice is priceless. You don't want to look back with regret at having been able to stop sooner than when it is too late.

tomsteve

somehow only mildly addicted


1pint(400ml) and 1fifth (750ml)of vodka almost every day
isn't "mildly addicted."

is there such a thing as mildly addicted?

Ariesagain

You can have only slightly elevated liver enzymes on a blood test when your liver is 50% compromised. You're playing Russian roulette and you've been really lucky so far.

But sooner or later, you lose that game if you keep playing.

doggonecarl

Mildly addicted...for now.

Please read around the forum and see what awaits you when you are a full-fledged member of the club.

Ekohe

Like others have mentioned, Stop while you're ahead. Don't wait until you are sick to take quitting seriously. Enjoy a long, and healthy life where booze doesn't have to be a part of. Tackle life with a sober mind.

cwood3

Isn't mildly addicted the same as a woman being a little bit pregnant....?

Bird615

I really believed I could stop whenever I wanted--I just didn't want to.
When I finally hurt enough to really want to stop, I couldn't.

I didn't even have to wait until I was older; I was 21.

When I relapsed many years later, I thought if it got bad again, I'd just stop.
I couldn't.

The difference this time is that I knew what to do and where to go for help.

Cherrybreeze

I wouldn't call even slightly elevated enzymes "good liver condition," especially keeping in mind that it's only going to get worse if you continue drinking.

I drank a lot, albeit socially, in my 20's. I could handle a surprising amount without withdrawal symptoms or health problems. That doesn't last. I agree with the sentiment that it's a very dangerous game, as the amount you're drinking now is large, and will continue to grow. Withdrawal symptoms and liver enzyme levels are NOT indicative of the "level of addiction."

I'd quit while you're ahead. I wish I had quit 10 years ago, before it ever escalated to where it did.