Physiological effects of chronic alcoholism?

[The Other Harry]

I'm just kind of curious. I know it destroys the liver, but
what else?

I ask because I have noticed some other changes in past few
years. For instance, my hearing and visual acuity have been
on the decline. There are some other things as well.

These could just be normal signs of aging, but maybe they are
related to the drinking.

Anyone know?

[Robert McGregor]

http://www.healthcentral.com/mhc/top/000771.cfm


"The Other Harry" <hc.me@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
news:jphjsv4kf7k2t454q6ob7229kopjv3i0op@4ax.com...
> I'm just kind of curious. I know it destroys the liver, but
> what else?
>
> I ask because I have noticed some other changes in past few
> years. For instance, my hearing and visual acuity have been
> on the decline. There are some other things as well.
>
> These could just be normal signs of aging, but maybe they are
> related to the drinking.
>
> Anyone know?

[The Other Harry]

[On Sun, 30 Nov 2003 21:31:52 +1000, "Robert McGregor"
<robert_mcgregor@yahoo.com.au> wrote:]

> http://www.healthcentral.com/mhc/top/000771.cfm

That was a good link. It pretty much described me.

Thank you.

The loss of short-term memory bothers me more than any of the other
problems. That is an impairment which will affect my ability to do
other things I think I need to do.

I got lost driving around last night after going to the store. I
was not drunk, but I could not remember where I was. I could not
think of the street names or remember the directions. I was lucky
to get home. It took me a while.

You do post some good messages.

And one more time:

To anyone who thinks this is not to be taken seriously, you had
better think otherwise. I include myself in that.

[Robert McGregor]

"The Other Harry" <hc.me@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
news:csljsv45n2r8rq5bbu2g4ti95a12eqmhke@4ax.com...
> [On Sun, 30 Nov 2003 21:31:52 +1000, "Robert McGregor"
> <robert_mcgregor@yahoo.com.au> wrote:]
>
> > http://www.healthcentral.com/mhc/top/000771.cfm
>
> That was a good link. It pretty much described me.
>
> Thank you.
>
> The loss of short-term memory bothers me more than any of the other
> problems. That is an impairment which will affect my ability to do
> other things I think I need to do.
>
> I got lost driving around last night after going to the store. I
> was not drunk, but I could not remember where I was. I could not
> think of the street names or remember the directions. I was lucky
> to get home. It took me a while.
>
> You do post some good messages.
>
> And one more time:
>
> To anyone who thinks this is not to be taken seriously, you had
> better think otherwise. I include myself in that.

When I stopped drinking, even my numeracy was degraded. The *best* I could
remember was two consecutive numbers. After about a year, I caused a
relatively big fuss, 'till I was finally tested, for thiamine deficiency,
under the public health scheme. When the doctor got the results back, he
expressed astonishment that my thiamine level could be so low even though I
had been sober, and on a reasonable diet, for so (relatively) long.

If I remember correctly, the treatment started with injections, it certainly
progressed to pills. Almost all of the time now, even with Uncle Al Zeimers
peering covetously at my ageing vulnerability;-) I can even remember the
country code *and* the number, when making an international phone call.

Bob

[Blue Moon]

On Sun, 30 Nov 2003 05:39:46 -0500, The Other Harry
<hc.me@ix.netcom.com> wrote:

>I'm just kind of curious. I know it destroys the liver, but
>what else?
>
>I ask because I have noticed some other changes in past few
>years. For instance, my hearing and visual acuity have been
>on the decline. There are some other things as well.
>
>These could just be normal signs of aging, but maybe they are
>related to the drinking.
>
>Anyone know?

My sponsor is an accountant who used to buy and sell businesses in his
drinking days, handling millions and holding the fate of many workers.

At the end of his drinking, he was unable to even tie his shoelaces.
He was physically able to, he just mentally couldn't work it out.

--
Blue Moon

[Blue Moon]

On Sun, 30 Nov 2003 23:18:38 +1000, "Robert McGregor"
<robert_mcgregor@yahoo.com.au> wrote:

>When I stopped drinking, even my numeracy was degraded. The *best* I could
>remember was two consecutive numbers. After about a year, I caused a
>relatively big fuss, 'till I was finally tested, for thiamine deficiency,
>under the public health scheme. When the doctor got the results back, he
>expressed astonishment that my thiamine level could be so low even though I
>had been sober, and on a reasonable diet, for so (relatively) long.
>
>If I remember correctly, the treatment started with injections, it certainly
>progressed to pills. Almost all of the time now, even with Uncle Al Zeimers
>peering covetously at my ageing vulnerability;-) I can even remember the
>country code *and* the number, when making an international phone call.

This reminds me, I used to pride myself on being able to easily
remember numbers (telephone numbers, etc.). Just had to dial the
number a couple of times, and it was fixed, and I could impress
others. At the end of my own drinking, even a few months after, I
kept forgetting my ATM PIN number even though I knew I'd remembered it
just a day or so previously.

I asked the doctor about this, and he brushed it off saying it was
just a lack of attention. Geez!

I still too often lose the car in a car park.

--
Blue Moon

[Donald]

Did the treatment help?

"Robert McGregor" <robert_mcgregor@yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
news:bqcqhn$21f6ev$1@ID-49289.news.uni-berlin.de...
>
> "The Other Harry" <hc.me@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
> news:csljsv45n2r8rq5bbu2g4ti95a12eqmhke@4ax.com...
> > [On Sun, 30 Nov 2003 21:31:52 +1000, "Robert McGregor"
> > <robert_mcgregor@yahoo.com.au> wrote:]
> >
> > > http://www.healthcentral.com/mhc/top/000771.cfm
> >
> > That was a good link. It pretty much described me.
> >
> > Thank you.
> >
> > The loss of short-term memory bothers me more than any of the other
> > problems. That is an impairment which will affect my ability to do
> > other things I think I need to do.
> >
> > I got lost driving around last night after going to the store. I
> > was not drunk, but I could not remember where I was. I could not
> > think of the street names or remember the directions. I was lucky
> > to get home. It took me a while.
> >
> > You do post some good messages.
> >
> > And one more time:
> >
> > To anyone who thinks this is not to be taken seriously, you had
> > better think otherwise. I include myself in that.
>
> When I stopped drinking, even my numeracy was degraded. The *best* I could
> remember was two consecutive numbers. After about a year, I caused a
> relatively big fuss, 'till I was finally tested, for thiamine deficiency,
> under the public health scheme. When the doctor got the results back, he
> expressed astonishment that my thiamine level could be so low even though
I
> had been sober, and on a reasonable diet, for so (relatively) long.
>
> If I remember correctly, the treatment started with injections, it
certainly
> progressed to pills. Almost all of the time now, even with Uncle Al
Zeimers
> peering covetously at my ageing vulnerability;-) I can even remember the
> country code *and* the number, when making an international phone call.
>
> Bob
>
>

[Robert McGregor]

"Donald" <bagman2002@bigplanet.com> wrote in message
news:1070259695.871443@news1.bigplanet.com...
> Did the treatment help?

I don't know.

Had I not ultimately contimued with the mental disciplines implicit in the
12 steps, and recovered, I may have had good reason to investigate
correlation, and causation, relative to thiamine supplements.

Bob.

>
> "Robert McGregor" <robert_mcgregor@yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
> news:bqcqhn$21f6ev$1@ID-49289.news.uni-berlin.de...
> >
> > "The Other Harry" <hc.me@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
> > news:csljsv45n2r8rq5bbu2g4ti95a12eqmhke@4ax.com...
> > > [On Sun, 30 Nov 2003 21:31:52 +1000, "Robert McGregor"
> > > <robert_mcgregor@yahoo.com.au> wrote:]
> > >
> > > > http://www.healthcentral.com/mhc/top/000771.cfm
> > >
> > > That was a good link. It pretty much described me.
> > >
> > > Thank you.
> > >
> > > The loss of short-term memory bothers me more than any of the other
> > > problems. That is an impairment which will affect my ability to do
> > > other things I think I need to do.
> > >
> > > I got lost driving around last night after going to the store. I
> > > was not drunk, but I could not remember where I was. I could not
> > > think of the street names or remember the directions. I was lucky
> > > to get home. It took me a while.
> > >
> > > You do post some good messages.
> > >
> > > And one more time:
> > >
> > > To anyone who thinks this is not to be taken seriously, you had
> > > better think otherwise. I include myself in that.
> >
> > When I stopped drinking, even my numeracy was degraded. The *best* I
could
> > remember was two consecutive numbers. After about a year, I caused a
> > relatively big fuss, 'till I was finally tested, for thiamine
deficiency,
> > under the public health scheme. When the doctor got the results back, he
> > expressed astonishment that my thiamine level could be so low even
though
> I
> > had been sober, and on a reasonable diet, for so (relatively) long.
> >
> > If I remember correctly, the treatment started with injections, it
> certainly
> > progressed to pills. Almost all of the time now, even with Uncle Al
> Zeimers
> > peering covetously at my ageing vulnerability;-) I can even remember the
> > country code *and* the number, when making an international phone call.
> >
> > Bob
> >
> >
>
>

[Bpyboy]

When I was in college, I would AMAZE my friends (mostly bar tenders), and would
trade math tutoring skills for free beer! And those steel puzzles, like welded
up from horse shoes that you need to take apart? I did and entire box full of
them, although I don't remember touching one of them.

The mind, and mind wiped out on drugs and or booze is a really crazy thing.

I did notice that my "concentration" level hell to nothing after I quite. I
guess after either being in the bag, waking up still half in the bag, or
planning on going back into the bag, I could focus a lot better (like a robot I
guess).

I don't know, I'm not even 30 yet, been dry for sever months now, and still
suffer from stomach/reflux problems and insomnia. It's kind of creepy that
being a pretty short term, albeit heavy duty drinker could cause such longer
term problems.

[marky777@excite.com]

Alcohol does impair the body's ability to absorb the whole host of
B-vitamins, even for extended periods of time after cessation.
A heavy drinker who is experiencing B-absorption issues long after
cessation is no surprise to me. The healing process takes time.
Supplements will help.

M.

[marky777@excite.com]

Alcohol abuse affects every major system in the body. It quite
literally gets into every cell process. The liver being the main
filter of course takes the brunt of the abuse, but the pancreas,
lungs, heart, kidneys all suffer too.

Even light drinking may not be all that it's cracked up to be due to
it's ability to mimic the same type of damage incipient to Alzheimers.

Drink some grape juice, take some pycnogenols. Eat some tomato sauce.

[rosie read and post]

<marky777@excite.com> wrote in message
news:e97036f2.0312071502.517e96f2@posting.google.c om...
> Alcohol does impair the body's ability to absorb the whole host of
> B-vitamins, even for extended periods of time after cessation.
> A heavy drinker who is experiencing B-absorption issues long after
> cessation is no surprise to me. The healing process takes time.
> Supplements will help.
>
> M.


i agree...........supplements are generally "a good thing" for the
alcohol ravished body.

[The Other Harry]

[On 7 Dec 2003 15:07:39 -0800, marky777@excite.com wrote:]

> Alcohol abuse affects every major system in the body. It quite
> literally gets into every cell process. The liver being the main
> filter of course takes the brunt of the abuse, but the pancreas,
> lungs, heart, kidneys all suffer too.
>
> Even light drinking may not be all that it's cracked up to be due to
> it's ability to mimic the same type of damage incipient to Alzheimers.
>
> Drink some grape juice, take some pycnogenols. Eat some tomato sauce.

I think the alcohol has messed me up in many ways. You can start
with the liver, but it goes way past that. Way past.

I should never have done this.