How Often Do You/Are We Able To Drink
#357755 - 04/12/10 09:46 PM
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As a mid 20s guy, I find it very frusrating and quite a barrier to have to avoid alcohol.
Much socializing and social event revolve in some way or another around alcohol.
This has made it a barrier for me, as having to be a spectator constantly is really no fun.
I find myself not even attempting to go out many times, just because the alcohol barrier gets in the way.
If I ditch the restriction, the problem is I worry I sacrificing all the work I do on my body...throwing it away and will be punished by being very bloated.
I though just can't stand this anymore..I'd like to know is it unreasonable to be able to
1) Drink 1X per week in moderation (1-3) drinks and
2) Occasionally either drink 2X per week or go pretty heavy if the right oppurtunity comes up?
I mean, without these availabilites it really does limit my life, looseness, and socialization.
No alcohol really does equal=no fun.
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IBS-C and Bloating
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You are seriously mistaken if you think you need alcohol to have fun.
I realize you are a mid 20s guy and right now that is your main focus but...you do not need to drink to have a good time.
It almost sounds like you need alcohol to give you an excuse for being a dumb ass on the weekends.
I know when I was 20 I could drink and did so but at this point,my health and the way I feel on a day to day basis is more important.
You have IBS and that is going to effect your "hangover" much worse than others.
You need to ask yourself that important question.Why do I think I need alcohol to go out with my friends and have a good time?You don't . It so much more fun to sit back and laugh at the idiots that do overindulge.
With that said,you will have to out weigh the benefits to the consequences and if you can live with the possible effects its going to have on your body then there is your answer.
I never drank much (except for one crazy summer) but I can have a rum and coke or a glass of wine once in a while.
I do this when I have been having a great couple weeks with no symptoms.That way I know I am stable enough and one or two drinks won't effect me too badly.Any other time if I try to have a drink I end up in severe stomach pain.
I hope that answers your question and that you weren't looking for the answer...ya go ahead,because I don't think you will find that here.
HTH
Good luck with whatever you choose.
Chris
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IBS-D since 1999...mostly stable..i do cheat too.Bad me.
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See Can I still drink alcohol
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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
FODMAP Chart & Cheatsheet
The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS
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Of course you don't need to drink to have fun but sometimes it DOES get old feeling like the buzzkill of the party. As a mid-20s lady (who was dx'd before age 21) I have just learned to do without...which yes, sucks sometimes. It even changes who you end up hanging out with, since it's not fun to babysit your drunk friends when you can't join them. I rarely drink, but when I do (more than a glass of wine) I pay for it. After 3.5 glasses of white wine tonight with all the precautions - safe meal before, peppermint tea, etc. (first time tipsy in at least a year!) I'm miserable and drinking chamomile tea.  Tomorrow the real punishment arrives. It's not fair...but I do cheer myself up by realizing most of my friends have made a grudging understanding of the condition, and at least I still have legs (or whatever. Add your choice of worse deprivation there.) But so sorry. I do know how it feels...sometimes you just want to join the herd and loosen up.
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My very first post on this site, around 5 years ago, was exactly on this topic. At that time, I was using alcohol regularly to manage the pain of IBS. Which, of course, may work at the time but makes it worse in the long run, i.e. the next day. So it was a pretty vicious cycle I was caught in. I also drank for the social component - I moved to a big city and chose the career I'm in specifically because I like the "going out" culture - dressing up, seeing a show, going for dinner, drinks, etc. Not necessarily going to keggers and acting like idiots. But nightlife, dating - all of which are lubricated quite nicely by a drink.
But my priority right now is managing my IBS, which in practical terms means that I just go out a lot less than I used to. To me, it is not that fun watching my friends get drunk while I sip juice. First, I get tired if I'm out at night sober. But more importantly, without alcohol, I'm in quite a bit of pain/discomfort at night. So for the most part I just don't go out anymore.
I do make exceptions on special occasions - once in a while, an event comes up and I decide to have a couple of glasses of wine (and NOT on an empty stomach). That's about the extent of it - probably less than once a month. And I generally feel worse the next day. I also find that alcohol acts more as a depressant the older I get - I notice I feel quite down the next day, often have to have a big cry.
My end goal used to be to able to drink and not feel the effects, IBS-wise. But at some point you have to get real and accept that is not going to happen. So now, my end goal is to not drink, and be able to go out and socialize anyways. Like I said, because I have a lot of pain in the evenings, that's not a possibility right now, but I hope it eventually will be.
You may find that one or two drinks on a full stomach once it a while is tolerable to you - or at least, that the benefits outweigh the costs. But you are not going to find anyone here telling you it's a good idea.
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IBS-C, lots of spasm and trapped gas.
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