Here is my situation. 53 years old, retired and spend most of each year equally in thailand and bali, with a couple of side trips to malaysia and back to australia each year. As befitting the expat lifestyle I eat and drink with gusto. I average at least 3-4 large bottles of beer a day and probably 5-7 large on weekends watching the footy. At any rate too much and I know it. My only saving grace was I exercised for 1 hour each day brisk walking, religiously.

In early march I returned to oz for my annual check up and the doctor told me the bad news. I had high blood pressure, tachycardia (high pulse rate), high cholesterol, my blood sugar was bordering on pre-diabetic and I was 20 kg overweight. He said I had to lose weight otherwise I was heading into real danger territory re heart problems and diabetes. I knew the only way I could lose weight was to stop drinking. For me alcohol is a double whammy as not only do I get the high calories from the beer, but I also tend to eat more when I'm drinking and crap food at that.

So I stopped drinking 7 weeks ago and the only other dietary change was to eat salad once a day and rice only once a day. 7 weeks is the longest period I have ever gone without drinking since I started when I left school. I must say I sleep better (only get up to pee once a night now instead of 3 or 4 times before) and feel much better physically and mentally. My sexual libido and erectile function is the best it's been since I was a young man, much to the delight of my balinese girlfriend. And I am saving 15,000 baht/month! Today I went to the pharmacy for a weigh in and blood pressure check.

I have lost 10 kilos, my blood pressure is on the low side of normal and my pulse rate has dropped 20 beats back to the normal range. I am sure when I have my blood glucose and cholesterol checked next time they will have improved also. All this from stopping drinking. I guess my body is trying to tell me something!

Congratulations!!! Now dont think ok I'am normal now and can have a drink..Very well done.. Funny how the one thing people seem to loose site of over here is that having Sex is better than sitting on a bar stool and I'am not talking about the short time version..lololol...Keep it up..

cop on doctors tell you stop drink stop smoking stop sex ,f@@k them ,have a boring extra few few year or die happy at 90 dont listen to to doctors there full of crap

cop on doctors tell you stop drink stop smoking stop sex ,f@@k them ,have a boring extra few few year or die happy at 90 dont listen to to doctors there full of crap

I think what you're trying to say is you are not quitting today. Too late for that.

Way to go C-walk, I did the same about 14 months ago. I just hope I stopped in time, I was at the 10-12 large a day stage. My father was more like 20 per day when he died at 56. You just don't meet many old alcoholics. It's all fun and games until it isn't.

Well done CW, I've done similar many years ago and now often look back and wonder why I was so stupid at the time.