Useless Conversation

[WayAbvPar]

I distinctly remember the feverish hallucinating because I watched Unforgiven for the first time and felt completely simpatico with Wil Munny when he was sick.

[01101010]

Yeah, I've been working from home all this week and plan to go back in on Monday, but I really don't see this cough being gone by then.  Right now it feels like I've been beaten up around the ribs and back, I'm so sore.  I didn't even consider that the lung issues could turn into pneumonia though, that's a scary thought!

No hallucinations, luckily, although I have spent plenty of time shivering under multiple blankets and then two seconds later, practically taking off all my clothes because I'm melting into a puddle of sweat.

As horrible as that is to experience, I can't help but to be in awe of how the human body can deal with viral infections.

[Morat20]

I had a massive pin test on my back for allergies once. Came back negative for everything.

I break out in hives about 3 times a year, covering my body below my neck.

It's fucking awful.

Pin test only covers like the 80 most common environmental allergens (unless you took the food test, which is the same but for food. Common sign of a mild food allergy? Acid reflux. Had not realized that).

It's a lot better now -- the needles are a lot finer, for one.

I'm allergic to some very common perfumes. I'm not sure WHAT but it's found in many deodorants and many types of laundry detergent. Also many soaps. Armpit hives are NOT pleasant, fyi.

It's mostly a matter of not changing brands that work, but occasionally I get to play the game of "Why have I broken out in hives? Oh, my kid used that stupid softener he likes on his laundry and a bunch of nuggets hung around in the detergent tray and contaminated my clothes"

[Yegolev]

Reading the last several pages, I think my strategy of not washing my hands and generally ignoring germophobe principles has paid off.

[Morat20]

Reading the last several pages, I think my strategy of not washing my hands and generally ignoring germophobe principles has paid off.

Doesn't have much to do with allergies. I grew up doing ALL the yard work for a decade. Mowing, weeding, edging, trimming, etc.

I'm allergic to every freaking tree native to Texas and every form of grass they tested me on.

Last I read, there were some studies that indicated a lot of allergic responses appeared to be an anti-parasite system. (There were some protein surfaces that get triggered for a lot of common allergens that would ALSO trigger for certain classes of parasites.). I'm not sure exposing yourself to a ton of parasites would prevent it from happening.

Unless your allergies are so bad you die, a runny nose from ragweed is probably a GREAT trade-off to making it a heck of a lot harder to catch some sort of worm because you drink from the castle well. Or downstream of some jackass who rode his horse through the water or whatever.

[Abagadro]

I haven't had a drink in two months but the last two nights I've been obsessing over wanting to buy a bottle of single malt.  40 minutes to go and I will be safe again until Monday.

[Signe]

Hope you made it through, Abagadro.  Good luck! 

[Engels]

I haven't had a drink in two months but the last two nights I've been obsessing over wanting to buy a bottle of single malt.  40 minutes to go and I will be safe again until Monday.

Been there. It gets easier with time. A lot of time, unfortunately, but now it's down to a dull longing. Like remembering a girl you crushed on in high school.

[Paelos]

3 months was the time when I stopped giving a damn. 6 months, I never even thought about it anymore.

[Abagadro]

Hope you made it through, Abagadro.  Good luck! 

I did!

[Reg]

Congratulations! Christmas must be a hard time of year for teetotalers.

[Paelos]

Congratulations! Christmas must be a hard time of year for teetotalers.

I quit 5 years ago and it's the only time I think about it. A warm fireplace and a glass of single malt is the best thing ever on Christmas. After 10 years I plan on indulging once a year.

[MahrinSkel]

Last I read, there were some studies that indicated a lot of allergic responses appeared to be an anti-parasite system. (There were some protein surfaces that get triggered for a lot of common allergens that would ALSO trigger for certain classes of parasites.). I'm not sure exposing yourself to a ton of parasites would prevent it from happening.

There have been examples of hookworm infection relieving allergy symptoms. Even some clinical trials. Some guy traveled to Africa to walk around in infested mud so that he could try it himself, according to him it worked pretty well.

--Dave

[Yegolev]

To counter my own point, and to contribute to the teetotaling stuff: I stopped drinking mostly because I developed a rye allergy.  I didn't really figure out what was going on until after I associated alcohol with being sick sick sick.

[MahrinSkel]

To counter my own point, and to contribute to the teetotaling stuff: I stopped drinking mostly because I developed a rye allergy.  I didn't really figure out what was going on until after I associated alcohol with being sick sick sick.

I'm allergic to *something* that is in most beers. Might be certain strains of barley, or of hops, or something else completely. Not severely, just that I'm going to puke after the first beer if it is one of the ones that triggers it (so I mostly don't drink beer). Micro-brews usually don't (not genuine small-batch ones, anyway), so it might be something just used in large-batch brewing.

--Dave

[Rasix]

I quit drinking as well, mostly because it wrecked my acid reflux. The omeprazole couldn't even diminish the effects. Now I have no tolerance (one beer = near drunk), and any drinking makes me feel ill.

I don't really miss it at all, and it saves a lot money over the course of a year.

[Ironwood]

I wish I could do what you chaps are doing.  I've cut down to almost nothing, but give up entirely ?  Not in this fucking country.

[Yegolev]

I'm sure it is rye because if I eat a reuben on rye, I suddenly feel like I have the flu and per my wife I look "awful" to match.

I blame Terrapin Rye Ale.  Too much, too fast.

Maybe related, maybe not, I haven't gotten sick enough to miss work in several years.  So I'll keep licking handrails at Disney World.

Oh, by the way, I haven't given up entirely.  I did have a bit hiatus and have not resumed my previous spiral downward.  Yuengling does not contain any rye, nor does scotch, but I have somehow trained myself to just not enjoy being drunk.

[Merusk]

Giving up the one or two beers I have at social events wouldn't change much for me. I've never been hugely attracted to alcohol and I'm too much of a control freak to have ever enjoyed being drunk. I got blackout ONCE in college and decided, "never again."

[Rendakor]

I don't drink at all either (and TIL that's what teetotaler means); lots of history of alcoholism in the family and similar control issues too Merusk.

[Samwise]

I've embraced my high-functioning-borderline-alcoholism.   

Just looked it up and apparently the official "at risk" level is 4 per day or 14 per week, so I'm actually not all that bad -- I'd say I average one drink on a typical day (I like having a pint at lunch) and maybe two to four if I'm going out at night, which is once or twice a week.  I've had enough experience over half my lifetime at this point to know how to get a buzz on but stay in control and not even get close to getting sick (although every few years I'll say "what the hell" and party like I'm in college and then regret it the next morning).

[Nebu]

If you're having more than one or two drinks a day, you really need to ask yourself why.

One drink a day is healthy.  More than that smacks of a 'need' rather than a want. 

[Mandella]

To counter my own point, and to contribute to the teetotaling stuff: I stopped drinking mostly because I developed a rye allergy.  I didn't really figure out what was going on until after I associated alcohol with being sick sick sick.

I'm allergic to *something* that is in most beers. Might be certain strains of barley, or of hops, or something else completely. Not severely, just that I'm going to puke after the first beer if it is one of the ones that triggers it (so I mostly don't drink beer). Micro-brews usually don't (not genuine small-batch ones, anyway), so it might be something just used in large-batch brewing.

--Dave

You're not alone, I have exactly the same response, plus a feeling like my joints are swelling and a headache. Only seems to happen for the dark beers though -- I can drink clear malts (Zima, for instance -- no, I don't drink Zima, but I could if I wanted to) and cider. I haven't tried any microbrews. Interesting.

One the other hand, my capacity for other forms of liquor is just fine, and in fact I finally organized it all into a home bar, counter and mini-fridge included. The spouse and I tend to have an after dinner drink twice a week, and we treat it as a sort of dessert -- experimenting with different recipes and mixes just for fun.

[Abagadro]

I was drinking about a half of a fifth of bourbon per day (some days more, some days less).  Wasn't getting black out drunk or anything as I am a big fat fuck with high tolerance in my genes, but the hangovers were pretty mean.  I'd just start at around 9 or 10 and sit around and drink while watching tv or gaming until about 2 a.m.  Decided that was a bad life choice.  Along with watching my calories and walking around the block several times at lunch, I've dropped 25 pounds in the last 2 months and feel much better in general.  Still fixate on it sometimes though as it was pretty enjoyable while I was doing it (mornings, not so much).

[Samwise]

If you're having more than one or two drinks a day, you really need to ask yourself why.

[NowhereMan]

If you're having more than one or two drinks a day, you really need to ask yourself why.

One drink a day is healthy.  More than that smacks of a 'need' rather than a want. 

I'll not infrequently end up having more because I open a bottle of wine to have with dinner and I'll just keep topping up while watching TV after. I feel that's more a symptom of poor self control in general though, I'm the exact same way with snacks and sweets. The answer is of course to just not open the bottle but I do love a nice wine. My bigger issue is social drinking because where else are you going to meet people if not at the pub? The teetotalers I know are all going to carol and advent services at this time of year and I definitely drink more than I go to Church.

[Ironwood]

If you're having more than one or two drinks a day, you really need to ask yourself why.

No, you don't.  You might need to ask if you don't know the answer...

[Yegolev]

If you're having more than one or two drinks a day, you really need to ask yourself why.

[Yegolev]

On a more serious note, I do know why I was drinking and I no longer need to do it.

Related, I learned that if you are paying out of pocket for therapy, the therapist is free to use any tool at his or her disposal while that isn't true if insurance is involved.

Related to that, I know I'm incredibly awesome because my spirt animal is actually me with a full beard.

[Selby]

On a more serious note, I do know why I was drinking and I no longer need to do it.

Related, I learned that if you are paying out of pocket for therapy, the therapist is free to use any tool at his or her disposal while that isn't true if insurance is involved.

It's very true. I had a great therapist back in California who wasn't limited by insurance regulations & we made major headway in dealing with all sorts of problems on depression. Now that I love where there aren't any good therapists I just drink a bottle of whiskey since it's cheaper, less headaches, and everyone says I'm a pleasant person after a few drinks. No idea what constitutes "a drink" as I just put ice in the glass with whiskey & fill with a can of Coke Zero or ginger ale and I'm good. No hangovers either as I drink a ton of water. I will say the church temperance league from growing up still makes me feel guilty & self conscious about even being in a liquor store much less having alcohol at home...

[Paelos]

I drank because I was self-medicating an anxiety condition I wasn't dealing with. Turns out if you get therapy, do medications for a while to get your shit together, and then deal with the issues it's a lot healthier than just shoving liquor into your body to calm the fuck down.

[Yegolev]

Agree.

[Yegolev]

Going to see Star Wars on Dec 17 and procrastinated on a costume.  Turns out the theatre prohibits masks, hoods, and facepaint so I'm again pleased at my procrastination skills.

[Polysorbate80]

C'mon, they've got to allow stormtrooper costumes.

Just point out that even if you did try a mass shooting, nobody could possibly get hit.

[Yegolev]