Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion Helpful Tips Alcohol

Hey Glenn, just wondered if it was the alcohol, or the beer (ie the gluten) ?

Ted
proAS_KickAS

I am sad for you that this has happened to you.The court systems seem to be dialed in with 3 % percent,(according toHarvard's 1999 study)effective treatment programs based on AA.I suggest you look at rational .org. There you can find useful information on how to handle the court and much more important information on lifelong planned sobriety if you think you are having a problem. People like my ex wife go in and out of AA because they are incorrectly told that they have a disease .This is BS.You do not need ,as the court may try to force you, to get involved with people who preach one day at a time tenative sobriety.People are told they have a disease and spend their precious life in AA meetings and periodically start abusing again because They think "I have a disese ,it's not my fault.People are abused by sponsors in the groups sexually,monetarily and many other ways.Don't get sucked into it.Pay your debt to society and don't let the judge force you into a pseudo religion. Jack Trimpey, the founder of rational recovery, will back you even to the court if you are sincere.Rational Recovery and its addictive voice recognition instruction is all you need.You can do it yourself ,it is not a group project.
Kev

Hi Kev

Sorry but you could not be more wrong ( I think that was poor English}
A person may join AA and take from it whatever they need and leave the rest. Some really thrive on the whole program. Others really benefit simply from the support of the group. It is an enormous benefit to an alcoholic to find there are others in the same boat.
One recieves support, encouragement and complete understanding at a time when they are trying to give up what has become their best friend(alcohol}. This best friend has become their worst enemy and it is a devastating position to be in. The mind and body have become completely dependant on this substance.
I really hate to hear people trivialize this situaution.
Of course there are some weird folks at AA - there are some weird folks everywhere
To say that a person can can kick it themselves is dead wrong
Your ex may be in and out of sobriety but there are many others who stay sober from their first meeting on through the rest of their lives.

I guess I am rambling a little but this is a subject I feel so strongly about - not something to be trivialized or wrongly advised about.

I speak from personal experience. I have not touched alcohol for over 14 years. April 13th will be my 15th AA anniversary.
I attended for only 2 yrs and have never returned, simply because I am firmly resolved and very confident that I will never ( as far as we can say never} have a desire to drink again. I have a clear picture in my head of the way I was 15 years ago and I plan to NEVER return there.
This recovery was made with the enormous support of AA members and I will allways be grateful to them. In fact I often think that I should go to a meeting or two again. Not for myself but to encourage other new members.

Oh yes - I did not work through the 12 steps or surrender to God or a lot of other things. I simply accepted the support and encouragement of the group, listened to other peoples success stories and took it ONE DAY at a TIME.

ok I've ranted long enough - thanks for listening and I hope I may have helped anyone who needs it ( it is not for anyone of us to say who needs it - nothing will work untill a person decides this for themselves }

Maggie

Yes...I find that a couple of beers always makes me feel better :)

What I've found, and we're all differently wired for sure, is that if I've had a few the night before I sometimes can be pain free in the morning. It's a heck of a way to get to that position but I feel that it's worth it. I'll add to that by saying that I don't do it all the time but when I've been in pain constantly for long time I'll consciously have perhaps more than I should to get to that state in the morning. Er...doesn't work all the time, darn it, but it sure is nice when it does.
I firmly believe that all arthritis is is a "veil", for lack of a better word, that has us in its grip. Our system is working against itself and in some way certain things we do can lift that veil for a few hours (or days if you're lucky) and we can go in remission temporarily.
Also, I've mentioned before that I had a cold once that gave me relief for 3 weeks. My body was attacking the cold and not me. That was fantastic and I've been thinking of going up to the University to ask to be a guinea pig for any colds they are testing. Maybe not the Asian one that's in the news these days but, who knows, it might be something to think about.
My Dad says "Hey, have you got your cold vaccine yet?". I say, hey, I want to get a cold but he doesn't understand : )

Cheers,

Timo

Yes a few or even more than a few has a beneficial effect for me. A couple of parameters though. No hard tack and the beer has to be organic/draft with no preservatives. Red wine works wonders, but the hang over from red is worse than for beer. My painkiller of choice.
Greetings
James



"I don't quite recollect how many tumblers of whiskey toddy each man drank after supper; but this I know, that about one o'clock in the morning, the baillie's grown-up son became insensible while attempting the first verse of 'Willie brewed a peck o' maut'; and he having been, for half an hour before, the only other man visible above the mahogany, it occurred to my uncle that it was almost time to think about going . . ." Charles Dickens

Hi

I don't like the taste of alcohol. But I do drink socially sometimes. lol
Last week I had a meeting with old friends and we ended up drinking beer. I totally forgot about me being on NSD ( ) and drank about less than a glass. And the next morning I woke up with so much pain... grrrrr

I drink Bacardi Rum ( with flavors, Alc. 5.6% ) sometimes, and they don't seem to affect my pain level.


Take care all ~
Jasmine

Hi Angela!

I have found that one or two drinks in an evening does help with my pain but then like some of the others the next day I don't feel that great, pain level does rise. I also noticed depending on what I drink makes a difference. I like a glass of white wine with dinner but if I exceed one glass then I pay later.

I am not a big drinker and I don't party much now that I am older but I do so love my G&T's, especially on a hot Summers night! (Hey bartender! Blue Sapphire Bombay w/slice of lime please! ) mmmm yummy!

peace
Kathy



"The most beautiful stones have been tossed by the wind and washed by the waters and polished to brilliance by life's strongest storms."

Hi all,

I'm new to the forum so ... nice to read you all!

My husband (33 yrs now) was diagnosed with SA five years ago and since then our life has been a hell.

Not only has he been fighting his disease, he's also turned to alcohol as his source of comfort: to lessen the pain, to help him "sleep" (pass out) every night, and to make him "forget" that his neck would never go back to how it was.

My husband has become an alcoholic (more than 20 beers and more than 1 bottle of wine daily), the consequences of which you can imagine. He realises the effects of his actions, but he says quite frankly he wouldn't mind if the world ended tomorrow.

If anyone has any idea how to bring hope into the heart of this man who once thought the whole world was open to him, please let me know.

Thanks so much and keep strong,

Evian

Hi Evian,

Sorry to hear your husband is having a rough time of it and you along with him. Has he read any of the KA information. Would he be willing to try the NSD? Is he on medication? If he is, is it helping him at all with pain. Does he have a good dr? I certainly understand how easy it would be to turn to alcohol to dull the pain, though in the long run it will not help him overcome his AS. I truly understand when he says he wouldn't care if the world ended tomorrow. I felt like that myself for about 6 months because of never ending severe pain. I have since started medication and the NSD and have improved to a point where if I had to live at this pain level for the rest of my life and didn't improve I could bear it. Is you husband able to work? Have you both or one of you talked to a counselor? I have gone for about 2 months now just to help me adjust to my new life circumstances. It has not been easy. Has he seen a rhuematologist? There are many drugs out there that may help him if the one he is now taking isn't helping. Please tell your husband not to give up. Life is worth fighting for and he has much to live for. It is not an easy situation to deal with and sounds like he needs lots of help to get him in the right direction. Please don't give up on him and tell him not to give up. There are many reasons not to give into AS and there is hope out there.

Deborah