Alcohol effects on medical tests
Alcohol effects on medical tests
I guess this is the important wake-up call. My AST (liver enzyme) is 40 (doctor says it should be 32 or lower). My ferritin is 259 (should be 150 or lower). My A1C is 5.8 (should be 5.6 or lower). I am 50 pounds overweight, which affects these things, too, but the NP thinks it's due to alcohol.
It's easy to say I have no DUIs or arrests, no problems at work, no falling down drunk at parties or at home, almost never vomit (less than yearly) or have bad hangovers. It's harder to say I have been drinking nearly every day for 12 years except for a one-month period a couple years ago. It's harder to say I can go through a bottle of wine from dinner to bedtime or a fifth of vodka in 3 days. And I go to different liquor stores so I'm not buying at the same place 2 or 3 times in a week.
The medical tests are the wake up I needed. I must stop the drinking ... and drop 50 pounds, too. My plan is to come here often. If that isn't enough I will consider AA. I hope to be 1 year sober and 50 pounds lighter at the end of 2020.
It's easy to say I have no DUIs or arrests, no problems at work, no falling down drunk at parties or at home, almost never vomit (less than yearly) or have bad hangovers. It's harder to say I have been drinking nearly every day for 12 years except for a one-month period a couple years ago. It's harder to say I can go through a bottle of wine from dinner to bedtime or a fifth of vodka in 3 days. And I go to different liquor stores so I'm not buying at the same place 2 or 3 times in a week.
The medical tests are the wake up I needed. I must stop the drinking ... and drop 50 pounds, too. My plan is to come here often. If that isn't enough I will consider AA. I hope to be 1 year sober and 50 pounds lighter at the end of 2020.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Los Angeles, Ca
Posts: 535
I guess this is the important wake-up call. My AST (liver enzyme) is 40 (doctor says it should be 32 or lower). My ferritin is 259 (should be 150 or lower). My A1C is 5.8 (should be 5.6 or lower). I am 50 pounds overweight, which affects these things, too, but the NP thinks it's due to alcohol.
It's easy to say I have no DUIs or arrests, no problems at work, no falling down drunk at parties or at home, almost never vomit (less than yearly) or have bad hangovers. It's harder to say I have been drinking nearly every day for 12 years except for a one-month period a couple years ago. It's harder to say I can go through a bottle of wine from dinner to bedtime or a fifth of vodka in 3 days. And I go to different liquor stores so I'm not buying at the same place 2 or 3 times in a week.
The medical tests are the wake up I needed. I must stop the drinking ... and drop 50 pounds, too. My plan is to come here often. If that isn't enough I will consider AA. I hope to be 1 year sober and 50 pounds lighter at the end of 2020.
It's easy to say I have no DUIs or arrests, no problems at work, no falling down drunk at parties or at home, almost never vomit (less than yearly) or have bad hangovers. It's harder to say I have been drinking nearly every day for 12 years except for a one-month period a couple years ago. It's harder to say I can go through a bottle of wine from dinner to bedtime or a fifth of vodka in 3 days. And I go to different liquor stores so I'm not buying at the same place 2 or 3 times in a week.
The medical tests are the wake up I needed. I must stop the drinking ... and drop 50 pounds, too. My plan is to come here often. If that isn't enough I will consider AA. I hope to be 1 year sober and 50 pounds lighter at the end of 2020.
When your values trump your addiction, there is no addiction!
I was at your level of drinking over a decade ago. No consequences besides weight gain/deteriorating health. I kept drinking and it didn't take long before the real bad life consequences began. DUI, injuries, job loss, broken relationships, bankruptcy etc.
Alcoholism is progressive.
Alcoholism is progressive.
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Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 8,674
Glad you are here and I do hope you quit. It won't get better if you keep drinking - or if you quit for a short time and return to it. Hope will be something you find but it isn't a plan for sobriety- so making new choices based on sr (Dee for example used it from the start) or AA (people like me at death's door, or far less dire but just as much an alcoholic) or any of a number of other recovery programs.
You can get well and be able to handle whatever alcohol-free scenarios your body presents over time.
You can get well and be able to handle whatever alcohol-free scenarios your body presents over time.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: sydney nsw
Posts: 782
That was me 13 months ago. Now I have lost the weight 30 kg and all my blood results are perfect. My liver was highly inflamed and my numbers were a lot higher than yours. I am 54 a man. So it can all be reversed but you need to quit, for good.
No problem not drinking yesterday. My husband had 2 G&Ts while we were watching The Irishman. But I don't drink gin (ick) and intentionally have no chardonnay or vodka in the house. I stuck to diet coke and water.
Oh, and not having had anything to drink, I did not wake up for an hour at 3 am.
Oh, and not having had anything to drink, I did not wake up for an hour at 3 am.
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