Last week, I had a rude awakening during my annual blood test. My triglycerides were through the roof, reaching 1200 mg/dL. My doctor, bless his heart, interrogated me like a detective trying to solve a cold case. After investigating, he concluded that my recent drinking of wine was the cause. Talk about experimenting! I knew that alcohol raised triglyceride levels, but I completely forgot about it.
My problem with triglycerides started 20 years ago. I drank beer and wine a lot in my younger days. Portland was at the forefront of the microbrewery movement when I moved here in the 90s. There were great pubs everywhere. I liked the IPA at Bridgeport Brewery in NW Portland. It was bitter, citrusy, and flavorful. That was a revelation for someone who only had cheap beers in college. I loved it. I went out with friends to sample new beers all the time. It was so much fun. However, I stopped hitting pubs and microbreweries when my triglycerides problem was discovered. From then on, I drank a few 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 would make sense for most people, but maybe too much for someone with a triglycerides problem. I blame Mrs RB40 for this. Lately, he’s been bingeing more than usual. I think you are going through a bit of a midlife crisis. Perimenopause is hard! Yes, I joined because I love wine. (Not perimenopause. That’s not fun at all.) I forgot that alcohol can cause me problems.
Anyway, I’m giving up cold brew. My doctor told me not to drink alcohol for 3 days before my next blood test, but to go cold turkey. It seems that my body does not react well to alcohol. I might avoid it altogether and join my blogging friend Jim @ Route to Retire. He also stopped drinking alcohol at the beginning of the year.
I am scheduled to have another blood test next week. Hopefully, my triglycerides will come back to normal. I am over 50 years old and health is very important at this age. I want to enjoy a long life with Mrs. RB40 as we are rich. He said he would reduce it with me. It shouldn’t be too difficult. I’m the one restocking the wine cabinet. If I don’t buy anything, we’ll be gone soon. Wish me luck.
Have you faced similar life challenges? Do you have any tips for quitting alcohol? I’d love to hear your experiences in the comments below.
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