Drink Too Much? Moon Urges You to Talk to Your Doctor

If I drank as much as Chad claims I do, I’d be pickled. I don’t drink anywhere near that much. In fact, I spill most of it.

But, I do keep up with what is happening with my liver, which I can say for most drinkers, is not something they do.

According to a new study from the CDC, Center for Disease Control, 38 million Americans drink too much but only one in six discuss it with a physician. According to a Dr. Rahul Khare with the CDC even people that binge drink (for women four drinks, for men five drinks in a 2-to-3-hour period) will reduce their alcohol intake the next time they binge – if they had a chat with their doctor beforehand.

I was diagnosed with a puffy liver a few years ago and began to visit a local gastroenterologist. When I told him how much I consumed on a daily basis he asked, “Did anyone ever tell you that might be excessive”, I responded, “Yes. -- me!” I knew it was too much.

See, I don’t drink alcohol to escape or to get drunk. I drink it because I like it. Now, I can really overdo it sometimes but my yearly visit with the good doctor keeps me at what I consider a moderate level. And, the results of annual blood work show things have stabilized.

Dr. Khare says some folks just don’t want to talk about their drinking. He adds it is important that people feel comfortable with their doctor. “If you don’t feel you can tell your doctor, go to another doctor… it is very important to feel you can be very honest with your doctor.”

The report tells us 88,000 people die each year from alcohol related diseases like heart disease, breast cancer, STD’s and unintended pregnancies.

So, if you drink … see your doctor. Or, eat a LOT of apples!