tomsteve

36 after 23 years of drinking. apparently i "got away with it" but didnt know until i was 11 or so months sober and diagnosed stage 3 metastatic melanoma. had every test under the sun to make sure my innards could handle chemo. all tests came back great.

Snufkin

I'm 25, almost two weeks sober... I might be young, but I'm confident I'd have died within a year if I kept going like this.
Best of luck to you!

MindfulMan

I stopped when I was 55. Started drinking when I was 13 or so, along with weed. Drank alcoholically off and on (mostly on) through most of that time period, as well as a lot of coke. When I stopped my liver enzymes were off, and all of my blood work was hosed...high triglycerides, bad cholesterol ratios, etc. Blood pressure was barely controlled with three meds. I got to rehab with a staggering gait and fairly serious cognitive issues from the last binge....both signs of wet brain.

A year later my blood pressure is normal, all of my blood work is fine, etc. I thought I had some residual neurological issues and I might, but physical therapy seems to be taking care of the balance issues, my neuropathy is milder than we thought, and my memory issues have improved bigly, although I do have occasional memory "holes," they are becoming less frequent.

Go to your doc and check things out. In fact, TELL your doc that you're in recovery and make them an ally in your sobriety. There is no reason to hide it from them.

BDTL

I stopped drinking on April 15th and I'm 67 years old. I have been drinking since my early twenties. I stopped drinking on two occasions however both times were less than three years. I usually drank three or four beers a day however there were many times I would drink shots of liquor along with the beer. I drink wine on occasion however I was more of a beer drinker and it was mostly every day except for rare occasions where I would lay off for a couple of days. It's a miracle that my liver and other organs did not shut down.

The good Lord wanted me here for a reason and I hope it's to help others who struggle with alcohol. That's my main goal is to help others to recover and rebuild their bodies both physically and mentally. I feel that's why I'm still on this earth.

August252015

Back in my 20s it was a few glasses of wine and not every day; I hadn't yet had the thought that maybe I'd crossed the line to alcoholism.

Fwd to roughly age 30 and it was wine most days, gradually about a bottle or so. Eventually that got to a couple then three bottles.

I went through a big gin phase somewhere around 34-35 and began doing things like having a bottle of wine before and/or after I would go out.

For the last year of my drinking, I had to drink in the morning because I had the shakes, and pretty much had alcohol in my system all the time. By the last six months I was up to about a handle of vodka every day, day and a half.

It's certainly a miracle I am a healthy 41 year old now. I don't take my ability to do hot yoga 4-6/wk, run 5Ks every month with my husband like we did last year, only need one physical med, for my thyroid, be on a regimen of psych drugs that keeps me balanced, have body stats in the normal range for everything and be able to write, talk, think, create etc with sustained energy and focus.

least

I was 58 when I got sober and have been sober over 8 yrs now.

August252015

Also, I don't think the phrase "got away with it" is in my repertoire - I think "fortunate I survived and did so in such good shape"

Cascabel

I quit smoking when I was in my mid-20’s.

I started drinking hard when I was in my late thirties. I quit when I was forty. There was no apparent damage to my health; I ran several marathons in my early sober years.

I started drinking again when I was in my early seventies and quickly became a heavy drinker again. I had what I thought were good reasons to start again but they were not good enough, to be honest.

I quit again a few years ago and I am still in good health. I have hiked the 220 mile John Muir Trail in California twice since quitting, most recently at age 76. I’m now in my early 80’s and plan to hike it again this coming August. I’ve worked at staying fit but I’ve also been lucky that alcohol didn’t grab me harder than it did.

Ken33xx

35 years old is when I stopped drinking.

MissPerfumado

I quit at 42, after about 12-15 years of heavy drinking, the last few years of that quite heavy. I had raised liver enzymes and was starting to feel the effects of ill health daily.

Seeing my GP when I quit and coming clean to her was a huge and important step in my recovery. There was NO judgment on her part. We worked on a plan which involved a counsellor. My liver enzymes came back to normal within 3 months.

I'm completely fit and healthy now. I run marathons. I work out at the gym. I have a VO2 max that would be outstanding for a 25 year old (ok, now I'm bragging...). At my last check-up, my doctor said: just keep doing what you're doing. I take great pride in saying to any medical professional: I don't drink alcohol at all.

When I think about what my body achieves for me today, I could cry with gratitude. I abused it for years and years and it bounced back and now I'm the fittest I've ever been in my life.

I don't understand the rationale that says, oh I know I'm doing damage but I may as well keep destroying my body:

That's just the part of you that wants to keep drinking doing the talking. You know that. The truly reasonable response is to stop now. Whatever chance you have of getting your health back to what it was, the logical thing is to do whatever you can to achieve that which means STOP drinking!

TheToddman

51 after seriously abusing for the previous ten (sober on 8/23/17).

Like several other folks here I went right into heavy duty fitness and that along with various other rhythms has kept me on the path of victory and clarity. I'm in better shape than I've been in over 20 years and don't see an end in sight...which barely a year ago I wouldn't have conceived of. I was convinced also that I had inflicted too much damage and that there wasn't hope.

There *is* hope after turning away from drink. Trust me on that.

Gottalife

I was 22 with the same prognosis. There were fewer “options” then so it took less time to find the one that worked for chronic alcoholics like me. That was 38 years ago.

Dee74

I was a few weeks shy of 40. I also feared it was too late/I was dying etc.. but I knew I couldn't live like that one more day.

that was in 2007. Best decision I ever made Auchieshuggle.

D

Willow00

I turned 50 yesterday. I stopped drinking 2 weeks ago. I started drinking at 15 and I’ve been drinking daily for more than 30 years. Generally a bottle of red wine (700ml) a day and more than that on weekends (usually 2 or more a day on Saturdays and Sundays). I was either drunk or hungover constantly for many many years. Except for the odd day or 2 here and there when I tried unsuccessfully to stop drinking.

I am sure I’ve done damage to my body but the liver has an amazing ability to regenerate. As long as you stop abusing it. Don’t listen to the voice telling you it’s too late to stop and you may as well keep drinking. That’s the AV wanting it’s fix. And it’s a liar. It’s never too late.

I went to the doctor and astonishingly my bloods came back perfectly normal. I was amazed! I feel great (except for mood swings) and am exercising and have more energy than in a long time.

Delilah1

I stopped drinking a few weeks after I turned 45, I have been sober for two and a half years now. It is never too late to stop. Getting sober is the best thing I've ever done for myself.

D122y

I quit finally at 50, but was showing signs of physical and mental damage in my mid 20's. I was able to quit because of the education SR and the internet gave me. The whole brain damage thing woke me up.

FreeOwl

Hey Di22y....

Good job logging in here instead of answering the craving with booze.

We both know it’s not worth it.



Keep the sober goin!

D122y

Freeowl,

You must have saw my rant before I finished editing.

That is embarrassing.

Still clean. Getting ready to whip up some dinner. Probably going to get the Barbie going.

Memorial day and all.

Thanks.

rascalwhiteoak

Nearly 16 months ago, I quit at age 40. I've bounced back pretty well.

goodbyeevan

I'm looking forward to turning 30 this year sober and clean for the first birthday in many years.