I can no longer drink alcohol, per my gastroenterologist.

[CTyankee]

And I LOVED sitting down with hubby for a glass of white wine at 5 pm every day. It was a kind of ritual that was nice. So now I sit down with a glass of carbonated Rose grape juice (made by Welch's) in a wine glass. It's delicious! My husband has decided he wouldn't drink wine either, to support me. He has his one beer a day (he's from Wisconsin and half German, what can I say?).

The problem I had, said the doctor, was that my liver was producing enzymes. After just one week of abstinence I got a call from the doctor's office and was told that progress was being made! The test I took for him showed a decrease in my enzyme level. Medically, I'm not sure what that means but he was pretty dire, and direct, in his diagnosis (and inevitable outcome).

Actually, overall I feel better and sleep later (missing Morning Joe, darn it all!). Can't wait til my next blood test and a "back to normal" will be my result!

So, we move on...dentist says I need another root canal. There goes my savings from wine consumption...

[MLAA]

1. Sparkling apple juice is good too! 😉

[CTyankee]

2. I have to watch the red grape or cranberry drinks as they stain my teeth.

So I rinse out my mouth after drinking them...kind of a bummer...

[zanana1]

3. Sparkling water with grape juice.

I can't drink either, but I find this combination delicious!

[keithbvadu2]

4. With my new medicine (1994), doc told me: you can either have alcohol or a liver.

With my new medicine (1994), doc told me: you can either have alcohol or a liver.

Finished my last bottle and started the new medicine the next day.

[CTyankee]

5. I wonder if my doc will put me on meds. He's ordered up a colonoscopy and an MRI of my

abdomen. My head spins just thinking about it all.

[keithbvadu2]

7. Colonoscopy prep day is worse than procedure day.

Colonoscopy prep day is worse than procedure day.
They say you shouldn't go far from the house... hell, you don't want to leave the hallway.

Don't close that bathroom door!

[CTyankee]

10. I've had one before so I know. The secret is not eating too much for a day or two before the

procedure. That way there is less to rid yourself of. Also the doc gave me a sample (worth about $100!) of the new cleansing stuff, called Clenpiq. It is supposed to be faster, better and not as unpleasant.Yeah, right...

I'll report back here so folks know about the Clenpiq experience...

[Totally Tunsie]

17. A cleansing formula named Clenpig?

LOL - sounds a little too close to "clean pig"...does the manufacturer have a warped sense of humor or what? Yikes!

[CTyankee]

19. I don't care what they call it. I just want the whole procedure over and done with.

[Totally Tunsie]

24. Hope it all goes easily for you...

[mr_lebowski]

29. It's PiQ, not Pig lol ...

Short for Picture, I would assume

[Totally Tunsie]

34. LOL - So it is.

Shoulda' cleaned my glasses!

[samnsara]

37. and white wine is ok during prep day.... but not for the elevated liver stuff...

..im going for the mail in test next time. I did that procedure one time and thats enuff...

[CincyDem]

26. IIRC, the colonoscopy prep stuff comes as a power you mix in with water. Hint -

...mix it with orange or red gatorade and then just chug it. Compared to trying to just drink it regular with water, it's night and day easier.

Good luck. There is life on the other side.

[CTyankee]

35. No red stuff per the instructions. I'll just mix it with plain ginger ale or 7Up...

and very cold...then I can have my plain chicken broth (which I like, btw)...

[Aristus]

6. The enzymes are called transaminases.

There's alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST).

Elevated transaminases are a fairly non-specific sign. It just means something's going wrong with your liver, and we usually suss out the cause from the patient history. Usually, but not always, if the cause is alcohol, your AST will be higher than your ALT. Since the liver is spectacularly good at regenerating itself, transaminase levels start to go down once the offending agent (in this case, alcohol) is eliminated.

[CTyankee]

8. Thank you, Aristus. My gastro doc didn't say the cause was alcohol. It was to stop causing liver

damage. I do not crave alcohol at all, altho I liked it for a variety of reasons, mostly social.

I wondered about how Europeans handled liver damage due to their drinking wine and did some research. There didn't seem to be much difference between how they reacted physically to liver damage from alcohol. My husband said "Your liver was fine with the wine until it wasn't." And that's about it...

[Aristus]

11. Ethnic groups that have used alcohol regularly for hundreds or thousands of years

tend to possess an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase, which helps the body to metabolize alcohol more quickly, with lower levels of intoxication, and less damage to the liver.

Ethnic groups that developed without the presence of alcohol did not evolve this enzyme. Which is why alcohol has been so devastating to North American First Nations people.

[CTyankee]

16. Very helpful information!

Actually, apart from the social issue, I have not felt any repercussions at all. In fact, I feel pretty good about myself! And a dear family member passed away due to alcoholism which devastated me. I don't want to leave my family with that kind of grief and sorrow...

[Freddie]

32. That explains it

My husband can drink a pretty good quantity of beer and not appear or act drunk in any way. He’s mostly Irish.

[femmedem]

30. Have you been taking acetaminophen?

If so, I would mention that to your doctor as well.
Glad you're following your doctor's advice.

[CTyankee]

36. No, I threw that out weeks ago on the advice of my pharmacist. I told him Ihad liver issues and

he told me what I could and couldn't take. Mostly "couldn't."

[DFW]

9. I should lend you some of my DNA

Some people can't stand the taste of lima beans. Some people can't stand the taste of tomatoes or mushrooms. I can't stand the taste of alcoholic drinks. Beer, wine, sherry, gin, whiskey, liqueurs, I wouldn't touch them if I were dying of thirst. Just part of my DNA. I gag at the taste of any of them.

Offer me some $50,000 glass of Châteaux Merveilleux 1851 (or whatever), and I'll knock it aside in favor of a glass of apricot nectar.

[CTyankee]

12. Apricot nectar sounds wonderful! I'll look for it in my supermarket!

[RobinA]

25. This Is Me

as well. It occurred to me a couple years ago that basically anything fermented tastes like poison to me. I make it a habit to never say never, but I can safely say I will NEVER be an alcoholic.

[Botany]

14. Please don't worry

I'll drink for you. Kim chee and Guiness. Right now.

Happy St. Pats.

[CTyankee]

15. Thanks Botany!

[JuJuYoshida]

18. time to join the weed brigade: munchies and giggles

[CTyankee]

22. I tried it years ago and really nothing happened, so that was that.

[mr_lebowski]

28. It basically never works the first time for anyone ...

Most people it takes 2-3 times of ingesting it, for some folks 4-5.

Just so you know. Don't assume you're immune from trying it 1 or 2 times

[panader0]

20. I'll try and take up the slack.....

[CTyankee]

21. You just gave me a nice laugh...thanks panader0

[panader0]

23. I can no longer drink hard liquor, according to Jeannie.

She said it makes me surly--it's been a few years now.
Just beer and a wee bit of homegrown.

[YOHABLO]

27. Wow that's a rough one. Especially with these crazy Republicans and Trump in the W.House.

[WhiteTara]

31. I had to quit drinking over a year ago and instead of

my evening wine, I now drink homemade chai tea made with Rooibos and honey and milk. I have found it is just as relaxing and I too am much healthier.

[Lefta Dissenter]

33. I love my sodastream!

I'm currently enjoying my 5:00 beverage - this time just carbonated water with a very healthy squeeze of lime. I don't use any of those prefab syrups - just juices or maybe some bitters. I haven't stopped drinking alcohol, but I've cut back quite a bit. The sodastream sure helps provide a lot of nice options at a reasonable cost.