I miss beer. What are the rules/suggestions for post-stroke alcohol intake over there? Asking for a friend who wants a second opinion.
2 Likes
I think it depends on how risk adverse a person is, as far as I know, most things I consume can interact with the meds I am taking, but I have no desire to strip my life of the pleasures I enjoy daily and stout is one of them. I have a reasoned view that reflects my overall personal standpoint on mortality not reflective of any medical or scientific counselling. I put the brakes on after stroke, stopped drinking coffee and spent six months drinking zero alcohol stout. Then I tried coffee again in the morning and found it lifted the brain fog a bit, so I resumed that. I then had a stout with alcohol in it and noticed it helped to relax me enough not to let my symptoms get to me. So, I resumed the lifestyle I enjoyed before stroke. I carried on because it was a lifestyle choice based purely on pleasure, after stroke, daily life can be pretty challenging and painful at times. I fill my day with things that give me joy because I don’t know when it will all suddenly stop.
4 Likes
I was in a strange place before my TIA: I had almost lost interest in alcohol. I still enjoyed the taste of beer and wine, but really didn’t like the buzz any more. Maybe I was starting to grow up at last, or I’d just reached my lifetime quota. Anyway, I discovered that there are some very enjoyable no/low alcohol beers in the UK so I started drinking those (some English would argue that most normal American beers are already low alcohol, but I don’t want to start a fight).
Post-TIA I adopted a low carbohydrate diet, so wine became preferable to beer but I’m yet to find an alcohol-free wine that doesn’t make me want to cry. I have quite a lot of pretty good wine stashed away and aging nicely, so I just practice moderation - with my wife I probably get through a bottle a month. I use an argon gas squirter to keep the wine fresh longer after the bottle is opened.
If I’m out and about with friends I’ll sometimes drink more, but age and lack of practice mean that I’ll regret it more the next day. Being an incurable data nerd I wear a smart watch which will tell me all about my poor sleep and elevated overnight heart rate after drinking as well. That focuses the mind a bit.
Most medical professionals will now tell us that any amount of alcohol is bad for us. Most don’t practice what they preach, though, and the fact is that on occasion it just makes us happy. So I’d say if it doesn’t mess with your meds enjoy the occasional beer, just keep it occasional.
3 Likes
I’ve never seen any medical advice, but we have strict drink driving laws so if you plan to drive when you visit don’t drink much.
1 Like
I would say in moderation you should be fine. I don’t drink - don’t like the taste of it but many people don’t drink after a stroke but they tend to reduce what they used to drink.
1 Like
If one accepts that we are all going to die of something sooner or later, then by all means take your pleasures when and while you can. Cheers !
Bob Isle
3 Likes
I tend to stick to session beers, about 4% but as a treat when I can get it, enjoy a stronger porter or stout which can get up to about 8%. I quite like the Nigerian Foreign Extra Stout and also Dragon stout which is Jamaican I think.
I remember having a stout on tap many years ago which was a robust 10% and one pint was well enough to make me merry. I, also, remember picking up a stout once in the supermarket and it came in a small can and was about 2%. So, the range is quite extensive.
These days I avoid anything above 8% as after stroke I have become a two pot screamer and thus don’t drink wine or spirits anymore.
1 Like
A wonderful description, I shall make use of that 
1 Like
A very sensible approach and ultimately, I see this as “listening to your body” and letting it guide you. I am pleased you are enjoying the lifestyle you enjoyed before stroke.
Well done!
2 Likes
Actually, it was the opposite, I put the brakes on because I was anxious about what had happened and thus overwhelmed by orthorexic influencers and longevity zealots. Once my mind had stabilised enough to come back into its own sense of rationalism, I was able to manage my sense of wellbeing in the way that suited me.
When I was in hospital, I loathed the hospital food and, to be fair, the only thing that would have made it palatable would have been a glass of wine to wash it down with. Therefore, I never ate the stuff, only the soup, and fish and chips which were half decent.
It was difficult for me because the strokes I had were caused by trauma and not lifestyle choices or genetic/underlying medical conditions. Before stroke, I was doing all the wrong things correctly and after stroke it does make you think, but I’ll bum-swizzled if I’m going to spend the rest of my life walking on egg shells until I have to, and even then, I’m sure I’ll crush a few.
Having said that, I understand that you may have misunderstood where I was coming from, lack of ironing can do this to a fellow 
.
1 Like