Does Anyone Drink Alcohol?

[scout]

My 85 year old Dad has been on dialysis for 4 years and has at least 2 whiskey and waters a day.   He says I've lived this long, I'm not giving up everything!   
Your thoughts?   

[Slywalker]

Greetings - I do not drink alcohol.  And my only experience within the dialysis/transplant area is when I had a transplant I was advised not to drink alcohol - I think because it is a dehydrator.  They did not give me restrictions while I was on hemo or PD for drinking alcohol.  It just never came up.

My personal opinion is at 85 - what the heck!!!  He is going to do what he is going to do and trying to take that away from him at this point would probably add a lot of anxiety to him. 

Good luck and my best wishes to your Dad.

Sandyb

[Zach]

As long as his liver is OK, and he's not using Tylenol, then a couple of ounces of whiskey is probably OK.
In most cases, it's a question of how much total fluid intake--about a quart of liquid per day.
 

[paris]

I think at 85 and on dialysis, the man deserves a whiskey!  We give up so much with this disease and if he were 30, I would probably feel different.  But, we need some pleasures in life

[bolta72]

More power to him, but yes as long as the liver is ok.

[boxman55]

Hell at 85  fire up a cigar along with those whiskeys.   ..Boxman

[kidney4traci]

I'm with ya!  At 85, I don't want any restrictions!     I do have a drink maybe once a week or two weeks.  I can't drink that much due to fluid restrictions.  I am on home hemo, no transplant yet. 

[del]

I really don't think it will hurt him.  Hubby has been on dialysis for almost 11 years now and he occasionally has a beer (sometimes 2) and it doesn't hurt him. He is on nocturnal hemo so there is less fluid restrictions. He used to occasionally have one when he was on in center as well!!  It probably makes your Dad feel better. He's 85 it is something for him to look forward to.

[rose1999]

I agree with the others, at 85 let him have a little of what he fancies - here's to him 

[donnia]

Yep, I'm with everyone else..... at 85 what the heck 

[MyssAnne]

So am I!!!  He's 85, let him have what he wants!!!

[Meinuk]

When I first started in center hemo, I asked the dietitian if I could drink.  She blindly told me that "we want you to be able to maintain your normal life as much as possible"  Ha Ha, I went back and told my friends and family that the center said I could drink like I normally do.  They looked shocked and horrified.  I laughed.

Needless to say, I'm not going out drinking as much as I did in my younger days (or in 2006 for that matter).  (those were some good times)  But I still enjoy wine with meals, a drink before dinner when I am at home visiting my family, and an occasional night out with friends.  Gone are the days of shots at the bar, but they left me with some happy memories.

It is funny, maybe cultural, but I love the formality of drinks before dinner, some friends in the south call them "Vespas" which is an irreverent religious reference.  These are the same people who taught me to make the perfect Mint Julep for Derby Day.  I think that as I get older I am enjoying social rituals more and more.  Or maybe it is just any excuse to have a drink!

Either way, "Does Anyone Drink Alcohol?"   - Count me in!

[Ang]

same  as  the  majority  above

my  father  gave  up  pretty  much  everything  after  a heart  attack  coupled  with   cancer, 2 years  later  he  was  gone  at 69

[fluffy]

i've lost my taste for liquor since i started dialysis, i dont drink  at all aside from a glass of wine on special occasions. but i figure a couple whiskys wont hurt, not unless you killa whole bottle of JD or something.  cheers!

[bolta72]

I used to drink alot, but its been close to 3 years since I had one, I think I'd like to have one once in awhile but I just don't. The summer is tough, miss those cold beers.

[Romona]

At 85, pass the whiskey, bacon,eggs and all the other stuff they say isn't good for you!

[livecam]

I got as close as I ever get last night.  I smelled a glass of wine!  Does that count?

[KICKSTART]

When i  first started with kidney failure my neph said it was fine to drink , but remember fluid restrictions AND if you are going to drink, drink spirits and not beer or lager as spirits are purer! I stopped drinking though , because i didnt drink much anyway and would rather have a cup of tea !

[aharris2]

When i  first started with kidney failure my neph said it was fine to drink , but remember fluid restrictions AND if you are going to drink, drink spirits and not beer or lager as spirits are purer!

We discuss things openly with our neph. He is happiest when Rolando is drinking wine because it supposedly has the least impurities...
 

Rolando is not much of a drinker, but there are times when others are drinking around him that he too would like a nice buzz. Mixed drinks - we deal with the fluid overload by making them stronger - if it's a margarita, then we make it (or order it) with a double shot of tequila on the side!!!
 

Beer? Not never, but almost never. The return on investment is poor (high fluid to alcohol ratio). But if I am sitting here late at night, surfing, and enjoying a cold one Rolando may save me from drinking alone. What a gentleman...this one's for you!
 

[Ken Shelmerdine]

i've lost my taste for liquor since i started dialysis, i dont drink  at all aside from a glass of wine on special occasions. but i figure a couple whiskys wont hurt, not unless you killa whole bottle of JD or something.  cheers!

Strange, so have I. I still drink a couple of beers oh and the odd Jack Daniels and soda but if I drink more than 2 pints of beer, I start to feel sick to my stomach. I must say I don't enjoy it as much as I used to do. I suppose you could say I have an alcohol problem in reverse! Good luck the the 85 year old I say let him have his snifter when ever and however often that he wants.

[CW]

I occasionally drink a beer or two or three keeping in mind fluid restrictions and phos levels. However I think the bigger issue for your dad is why is he drinking every day? Is this a problem? I do not know how muck alcohol is in a whiskey and water but I remember hearing somewhere as a kid (probably TV) that if you drink everyday that you are probably an alcoholic. This stood out to me because I realized my mom had  ale everyday she did not get drunk, she just had ale everyday. I would only be worried if he was doing it to escape  or to forget ? I don't know if this has made any sense but I hope you got the idea about what I am trying to get across.

I hope your dad keeps doing well

[Ken Shelmerdine]

I occasionally drink a beer or two or three keeping in mind fluid restrictions and phos levels. However I think the bigger issue for your dad is why is he drinking every day? Is this a problem? I do not know how muck alcohol is in a whiskey and water but I remember hearing somewhere as a kid (probably TV) that if you drink everyday that you are probably an alcoholic. This stood out to me because I realized my mom had  ale everyday she did not get drunk, she just had ale everyday. I would only be worried if he was doing it to escape  or to forget ? I don't know if this has made any sense but I hope you got the idea about what I am trying to get across.

I hope your dad keeps doing well

At 85 years old, does it really matter for what ever reason he drinks as long as he is happy?

[devon]

85? Bottoms up!

-Devon

[CW]

I occasionally drink a beer or two or three keeping in mind fluid restrictions and phos levels. However I think the bigger issue for your dad is why is he drinking every day? Is this a problem? I do not know how muck alcohol is in a whiskey and water but I remember hearing somewhere as a kid (probably TV) that if you drink everyday that you are probably an alcoholic. This stood out to me because I realized my mom had  ale everyday she did not get drunk, she just had ale everyday. I would only be worried if he was doing it to escape  or to forget ? I don't know if this has made any sense but I hope you got the idea about what I am trying to get across.

I hope your dad keeps doing well

At 85 years old, does it really matter for what ever reason he drinks as long as he is happy?

What if he were drinking due to depression or any issue that could be addressed in a more appropriate way. Letting a mental/psychological disorder fester is dangerous and treating it with alcohol is even more dangerous  see thread-->> http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=7238.0 . This gentelman could live for many more years is it really prudent to say "ah he's old let him drink if he wants to" without asking if there is some underlying issue that might be doing more harm that the few drinks a day.

I might just be overthinking this - it might not be that serious and he might just like whiskey and it is a simple pleasure for him. I hope it is and if it was I would encourage him to have fun - he is 85 he has been doing something right!

[RichardMEL]

I just had a glass of (white) wine last night. Was quite nice I try to not overdo it though (and really drink rarely... maybe 2-3 times a month?). I'm more concerned with the fluid intake than the alcohol in there. I've certainly never been told I can't drink alcohol specifically just the whole fluid thing - indeed some dialysis nurses have openly said to drink spirits over wine given the "bang per buck"(in this case, ml of fluid) sort of thing.. though I'm not really out there to get sloshed on shots of vodka.. I'd do it for the taste.

Having said that about 300mls of this wine knocked me sideways a bit - I have a feeling my tolerance has gone down. In the "good old days" pre-dialysis a glass of wine would be nothing. Last night I was zonked after 1 glass!!

As for the OT... heck at 85... I'd be right up there to do those things to make life easier and more pleasureable! Drink the whiskey if it helps the days go that little bit better then sure.. I'm all for it.

If he was 45 I'd be suggesting drinking every day is not perhaps a smart move thinking of the future, and one's health etc... but come on... at 85... yeah, why not! Go for it. Besides if his labs went bad or something I'm sure the medical staff would be alert to that kind of thing.

er.. cheers!