Last week, I woke up suddenly during my annual blood test. My triglycerides were very high, at 1200 mg/dL. My doctor, bless her heart, questioned me like a detective trying to solve a cold case. After some investigation, I concluded that my recent addiction to wine was to blame. Talk about a reality check! I knew alcohol raised triglyceride levels, but I had completely forgotten about it.
My problem with triglycerides started over 20 years ago. I used to drink beer and wine a lot in my younger days. Portland was at the forefront of the microbrewery movement when they moved here in the 1990s. There were great breweries in every neighborhood. I loved the IPA at Bridgeport Brewery in Northwest Portland. It was bitter, acidic and delicious. This was a revelation for someone who only had cheap light beers in college. I loved it. I go out with friends to sample new beers all the time. It was so much fun. However, I stopped going to bars and microbreweries when my triglyceride problem was discovered. Since then, I’ve had a few alcoholic drinks a month.
However, I have been drinking a lot this year. A few drinks a month turned into a few drinks a week. This may be reasonable for most people, but it may be too much for someone with a triglyceride problem. I blame Ms RB40 for this. Lately, she’s been indulging more often than usual. I think she’s having a bit of a midlife crisis. Perimenopause is hard! Of course, I joined because I love wine too. (Not perimenopause. That’s not fun at all.) I forgot that alcohol can cause a problem for me.
Anyway, I’ll stop drinking. My doctor told me not to drink alcohol for 3 days before my next blood test, but I won’t have anything. My body doesn’t seem to respond well to alcohol. I’d better avoid it altogether and join my blogger friend Jim @ The road to retirement. He also stopped drinking alcohol earlier this year.
I’m scheduled to have another blood test next week. Hopefully, your triglycerides will return to a reasonable level. I am over 50 and health is very important at this age. I want to enjoy a long healthy life with Ms. RB40 now that we are rich. She said she would stop with me. It shouldn’t be too difficult. I’m in charge of restocking the wine cabinet. If I don’t buy anything, I’ll run out soon. Wish me luck.
Have you ever faced similar health challenges? Do you have any tips for quitting alcohol? I’d love to hear your experiences in the comment below.
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