How to avoid weird looks at Christmas parties
#130897 - 12/16/04 02:40 AM
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The season is upon us and the wine/beer/spirits are starting to flow freely at office parties etc.....
Obviously, most of us will be avoiding the demon drink - I was wondering whether anyone had any quick and painless replies to that oft-repeated question: - 'Oh, you're not drinking then? poor you etc etc'.
Sometimes I just say that I'm driving but this often just triggers responses along the lines of 'why didn't you book a taxi' etc etc
Referring to 'stomach problems' etc seems a little enigmatic but clearly we don't want to divulge too much about our problems!
Can anyone think of a suitable one-liner?
Thanks for your help
p.s. happy christmas to you all!
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its avoiding the foods that are triggers its harder to explain...
"The doc put me on some meds that have life threatening interactions with alcohol"
Or "my medication and alcohol don't mix."
ALMOST any med doesn't mix with alcohol, so don't worry about it.
--------------------
Dietetics Student (anticipating RD exam in Aug 2010)
IBS - A
Dairy Allergic
Fructose and MSG intollerant
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Weird Looks
#130990 - 12/16/04 10:07 AM
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belinda
Reged: 10/09/03
Posts: 474
Loc: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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By now I'm so used to getting weird looks re: my IBS diet, drink (lack of it!) and lifestyle that I am totally immune! Frankly I don't care what people say or think as long as I don't get sick. We should all have the experience of walking a mile in another's person's shoes -- especially an IBS person's shoes -- before we judge and give weird looks.
There is NO WAY I am going to eat or drink anything that isn't good for my IBS in order to please someone else or to fit in socially. I'm long past that stage. I also don't see why I should have to offer any reason for my diet choices except perhaps to vaguely indicate they are for "health reasons."
My main goal is to keep my IBS under control and to not get sick. I would choose this option any day over social acceptance.
I hope I don't sound like an IBS Scrooge!
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I tell people that I don't drink anymore and if they are so rude to ask as why I say it's a personal decision. And if that's not good enough then too bad! 
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Boy this one irks me.
Not irked at you, Welsh Lady, but irked at society that expects you to drink at social events and looks at you with wonderment or pity if you don't.
I don't feel like I need to make a big "I don't drink" statement, I just say, no thanks and leave it at that. (even though what I'd really like to say is, mind your own @#$^&^%#&^%$#@% business!)
Make the decisions that are best for you and don't feel that you have to explain yourself to anyone!
Blessed and healthy Christmas, Chanakkuh, Kwanzaa, Solstice, Rohatsu, and every other kind of holiday, every one!
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What I find harder is the FOOD. Not because my family pushes it, but because they really love to eat and as Italians, "food is love." They are terribly frustrated now that they don't know what to feed me! I don't mind skipping (while, I don't mind skipping MOST stuff), but I'm sad that they are sad about me and my eating. Ah, well. I don't want to be sick, either, so they eventually move on and ignore me!
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I would think if someone offers you a drink a simple "No thank you" would do. If someone was to be pushy to me about it, I'd have to ask them why it was so important to them that I drink. But then, that's me. 
Happy Christmas to you also! 
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Maybe try keeping a 'fake' drink in your hand? Like plain cranberry juice (if you tolerate it well), looks just like it could be a mixed drink, who will know any better?
or, a "Not feeling so well tonight" or "have to wake up early tomorrow" should do just fine.
It is really somethign that drinking is that important to people that they need to push it on everyone else. makes you wonder about their motivation...
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-Sheri
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This might sound kind of mean, but how about: "I'd like to have a drink, but I want to keep my liver."
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Same here
#131162 - 12/16/04 04:27 PM
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atomic rose
Reged: 06/01/04
Posts: 7013
Loc: Maine (IBS-A stable since July '05!)
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If they're that insistent that I drink, *they're* the ones who should be getting the weird looks... what business is it of anyone's, really?
I usually just say, "I don't feel like drinking," or "I don't need to drink to have a good time," with an appropriately intimidating expression to go with it. But I really get very little hassle about it. My boyfriend is a non-drinker and always has been, and he NEVER gets weird looks, etc, so maybe you'll get lucky and it'll be a non-issue.
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Quote:
an appropriately intimidating expression to go with it
Casey, I just had to tell you I loved that part!! LOL 
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Thanks for all your posts.
I hope I didn't give the impression that I was surrounded by alcoholics!! And to be fair to those people who can have a drink, they usually just want everyone to relax and enjoy with a drink or two - drinking and eating are naturally very sociable activities after all! Let's give them a break! We all know what's it's like to have to eat and drink carefully but I think that other people may find this difficult to relate to and i don't really blame them, as even we get perplexed by the whole thing sometimes!
Anyway, i think i'll just say that I'm on tablets which can't be mixed with alcohol
Take care all
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I suppose that sounds somewhat harsh but when it is a rule that one has alcohol or gets sloshed at a party? Personally, I think those who get inebriated lack self-control not to mention they aren't very dignified when they are drunk.
Please excuse my soap box but I was in a car accident where had I had alcohol on my breath, I could have been arrested though the accident was not my fault. A man was drunk, was hit by a car and thrown in front of mine. I managed to avoid running over his head or body but could not avoid his arm. Thank God that no permanent damage was caused by my car but had he not been drunk this never would have happened.
I don't drink and I simply tell people that "alcohol is not my friend" and for the most part am left alone.
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One thing that I sometimes do is drink tomato juice with ice and people will think it's a Caesar whcih used to be my favorite drink.
Or have a sparkling non-alcoholic wine in a wine glass. Again, people will assume it's alcohol!
We need to be sneaky!
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 i can't do it!!!! i'm new here. i will continue to drink beer. its bad enough that all my fav foods are now no-no's i will suffer the day and a half after. this really sucks. on one hand i'm really happy to find out why i've had a distended belly for oh....about 12 years almost constantly, but on the other i am overwhelmed by the necessary diet changes that i have to start. oh beer! why have you done me wrong???? why???!!!!!!
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shellster
#135207 - 01/05/05 08:36 AM
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cailin
Reged: 08/12/04
Posts: 3563
Loc: Dublin, Ireland
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..its your decision, but you have to realise that you are not going to get fully better until you go cold turkey to begin with to let your tummy stabilise, following only some of the diet like that is pointless, especially with one of the worst triggers like beer, Believe me I cheated with it and felt SOO bad!
Hope I don't sound too harsh, I do understand but think you should know what I have learned from experience.
--------------------
S.
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Same here...
#135262 - 01/05/05 10:26 AM
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atomic rose
Reged: 06/01/04
Posts: 7013
Loc: Maine (IBS-A stable since July '05!)
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It's totally your decision, but you can either continue to eat/drink the way you want, or you can feel better. One or the other. Trust us, we've all been through it - you can't "cheat" on the diet and still expect to stabilize. It won't happen. It's your call, though.
I always tell everyone that if I can give up caffeine, ANYBODY can give up ANYTHING. Haha.
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