Why can't I drink anymore??

[McLovin]

This is bizarre.

I've enjoyed drinking since I was in my late teens. I like it all, from beer to hard alcohol (except whiskey, never really like that).

I'm strictly a social drinker, I don't drink with everyday dinner, etc. Just at party and social events. And, yeah, I can have fun without drinking (usually), but there are very few social events that I can think of that aren't made more fun by everyone having a couple of shots of tequila in them.

Mostly like things like gin with a splash of tonic, rum with a little Coke, that sort of thing.

I've never had hangovers or any negative side effects, even after hitting it perhaps a bit too hard on occasion. The only negative side effect after a really hard night of drinking is I wake up with a craving for a bacon and cheese omelette, with a side of hash browns and coffee dark.

So now, after an illustrious 30 year drinking career, I've hit some sort of weird wall.

The first, and perhaps most, troubling thing is I can't seem to get a good buzz off it anymore. I don't really get much, if any, of the good effects of it. I feel less relaxed, not more relaxed. My senses seem heightened, rather than pleasantly dulled.

The other thing is I'll start to feel a headache an hour or so in. That's never happened before.

I feel hurt, confused and a little afraid, like an old friend is turning against me.

Has this happened to any of you? I'm thinking about seeing a Dr.

[GH85Carrera]

It is just a wild ass guess, but maybe diabetes?

[mossguy]

I think that it would behoove you, at this juncture, to review the differences between heavy drinker, social drinker, diabetes, and early stage alcoholism.

Her's a link:
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=stages%20of%20alcoholism&source=web&cd=4&ved=0CGYQFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alcoholismresources.com%2Fsta ges_of_alcoholism.html&ei=zDMQUJ7PMcjwiwKFw4H4CA&usg=AFQjCNF_L-PRhyt1xOUjA6LHQY9sJoHpTw

[McLovin]

Thanks, I took the self quiz, this is the result:


Based on your answers to this screening instrument it appears unlikely that you have a drinking problem. However, only your physician or a treatment professional can definitively answer this question for you. If you have any concerns, for any reason, about your drinking or the drinking of someone you know you should contact a health care professional.

[mossguy]

Good!

When I got old(er) I quit hiking because my hips went "bad". There were several other activities that I dropped because they no longer interested me, or provided me with the same amount of positive feedback that they once had.

Drinking can be like that.

[recycled sixtie]

Definitely go see a doctor. Your body is getting more used to alcohol. Tell him honestly how much u drink a day. You are not getting any younger. Above all be honest with the doc or else u are deceiving yourself.

[Bill Douglas]

McLovin, I think ♪ that lovin feeling feelin has gone gone gone ♪

Which is maybe a good thing. Leave it a few months then try again. And as Glen said get checked for diabetes.

[McLovin]

Either that, or ♪ I Need a New Drug ♪

I'm going to see a Dr., but mostly because I've not had a physical, blood tests, etc. in at least half a decade. I'll ask about the diabetes thing.

The truth is, I don't drink very often. If I have any drinks more than 4 days in a month, that'd be a lot for me. I'd say I average 2 days a month, the other 26-28 days I don't have any drinks at all.

But when I do drink, I do enjoy it! I'll freely admit that if I'm at a party I'll almost never have 1 drink, it'll usually be more like 4-6, because that's the dosage that works well for me.

I guess my body could be getting used to alcohol, but it seems a little odd because I've been drinking the same for 30 years, and this adverse reaction seems to have started very suddenly, over the last couple of months. It's been very consistent, too. I've not had a good buzz all summer.

[mossguy]

Maybe it's time to say goodbye. "Breaking up is hard to do..."

[red-beard]

I've found that I have the same tolerance I used to have, but it isn't processed as fast. This has led me to cutting back.

Oh, and a zero carb diet is making me go zero beer for the next 6 weeks! Bummer!

[RWebb]

try a grand cru only diet

[Don Ro]

Are you unusually tired/fatigued occasionally?
Ever wake-up tired in the a.m.?
Sweat easily?

[McLovin]

I'm a little afraid to answer those, but now that you mention it, at around the same time my drinkings skill have left me, I'd have to say:

Yes
Yes
No

[dennis in se pa]

I believe your body's ability to process the alcohol diminishes with age. Most older people I know can't drink like they/we used to. So you just cut back. Sort of like sex.

[rnln]

Similar happend to me couple years back. I used to drink like a fish. Now, I still can drink but usually don't enjoy it, and have headache most of the time. Some chemical/hormone changed.

Originally Posted by McLovin

This is bizarre.

I've enjoyed drinking since I was in my late teens. I like it all, from beer to hard alcohol (except whiskey, never really like that).

I'm strictly a social drinker, I don't drink with everyday dinner, etc. Just at party
and social events. And, yeah, I can have fun without drinking (usually), but there are very few social events that I can think of that aren't made more fun by everyone having a couple of shots of tequila in them.

Mostly like things like gin with a splash of tonic, rum with a little Coke, that sort of thing.

I've never had hangovers or any negative side effects, even after hitting it perhaps a bit too hard on occasion. The only negative side effect after a really hard night of drinking is I wake up with a craving for a bacon and cheese omelette, with a side of hash browns and coffee dark.

So now, after an illustrious 30 year drinking career, I've hit some sort of weird wall.

The first, and perhaps most, troubling thing is I can't seem to get a good buzz off it anymore. I don't really get much, if any, of the good effects of it. I feel less relaxed, not more relaxed. My senses seem heightened, rather than pleasantly dulled.

The other thing is I'll start to feel a headache an hour or so in. That's never happened before.

I feel hurt, confused and a little afraid, like an old friend is turning against me.

Has this happened to any of you? I'm thinking about seeing a Dr.

[recycled sixtie]

My mother who recently passed away used to say that I should have 2 glasses of red wine a day. Now that she has passed away I listen to her more now and do what she tells me.

However moderation is key and regular medical/physicals I think are necessary.

[McLovin]

I can still drink a glass of wine, or a couple of beers, or one cocktail, just fine.

I don't feel much effect from just one, either positive or negative.

If I had 5 glasses of wine, I'd rather drink them all on Saturday night, than one a day Mon through Friday!

I think some chemical/hormone has changed in me, like rnln says above.

In addition to losing my ability to have fun drinking, I've also found in the last year that I have to exercise twice as hard, and eat half as much, just to maintain the same weight. Losing weight, which I used to have no problem doing, doesn't even seem possible anymore.

I've also given up cigars, which I don't really enjoy much anymore (wasn't a huge cigar smoker, but would enjoy one or two a month).

I'm still a little south of 50, but I guess getting old sucks. I'll probably be in diapers by the time I'm 50.

[McLovin]

aka I'm no mossguy

[mossguy]

Originally Posted by McLovin

aka I'm no mossguy

???

[McLovin]

I can only hope to be as healthy and sharp as you when I'm 76 in an '88.

Considering I'm several decades short of that, and have degraded so much that I apparently can't even hold a few drinks anymore, I'm not overly optimistic.