Alcohol consupmtion

[allyp82]

I am 28 years old and have been drinking a bottle of wine a day (sometimes a little more – never more than 4 large glasses) for almost 7 years.

Two years ago I had serious Health anxiety about having chronic pancreatitis from drinking too much.

Had all the tests, all negative, took citalopram and after a while I started to panic less and believe my pancreas was ok.

My consumption was a bit less for a while but has gradually built up again.

I am getting married in a few months time and have been getting a bit stressed. Then all of a sudden I have developed this really vile bitter taste in my mouth (like bile). I have had it for a week and a half and nothing will shift it.

I didn’t the worst thing possible and googled (I know!!!) and liver problems came up.

I am now seriously panicking that I have liver disease.

I just wondered if there is anyone there who has had this bitter taste for more than a day or so?

I am planning on trying for a baby next year and will therefore have to address the drinking (and reasons behind it) seriously, and for now I am cutting down a bit because of trying to lose weight, but I just can’t go into a downward spiral like I did before so close to the wedding. Any advice or people in or have been in similar situations alcohol wise greatly appreciated. I feel so alone and stupid for putting myself into this situation yet again.

[anxietyoverload]

when my anxiety is really bad i get bile tastes in my mouth, sometimes i get like a metal taste too

[allyp82]

thanks anxietyoverload. I have had it before but it normally only lasts a day or so, never as long as this which is why I'm so worried.

[MVP123]

I too get that nasty metallic taste in my mouth, and I have been getting it on and off for years, and it is worse when I am on anti depressents. I too drink too much, 4 pints of lager 3 times a week and I have had blood tests recently and all is ok, liver function and kidneys. I like you know I shouldnt be drinking so much especially when I am on meds, cause I feel like shit the next day, and I know its probably halting my recovery, but I really don't know how to get out of the habit that I have been in for 20 years, and I know the alcohol makes me feel better at the time. I really wouldn't worry about the taste in your mouth tho, it is a symptom of anxiety. If anyone has got any advise out there for both of us tho to cut down on the drinking that would be appreciated :-) x

[allyp82]

Hi MPV123 thanks for your post. Personally I don't think it sounds like you drink an awful lot, but i guess it is over the recommended limit and if you feel like it's a habit then I guess it's not great and needs to be addressed - anyone got any tips for getting out of the habit?

I don't drink all day or anything like that but from about 6.30 onward in the evening, I just don't feel I can relax or sleep if I don't have at least 3 glasses of wine.

Anyone else had a bad taste in the mouth for more than a few days?

I do get acid reflux when i get stressed, but apart from the taste I don't feel like I have acide related symptoms at the moment.

[skippy66]

Well I just came onto this forum to ask about bad breath, and I found this thread!!

I'm not a heavy drinker but for the past week I've had a vile taste in the back of my throat and I don't know what is causing it, all I know is it's causing me serious social embarrassment, I can't get close to anyone because my breath is so bad, and it's so bad that food doesn't taste right.

It seems to be coming right from the back of my throat. I've tried medicated mouthwash, normal mouthwash, brushing, fresh breath spray, chewing gum, mints - nothing helps for more than a couple of minutes.

It sounds similar to what you've described. I too am worrying about causes now - sinus infection or liver or reflux problem - I can't for the life of me figure out what might be causing it. I think if it was a liver problem you'd have other symptoms.

Did you have a sore throat just before it started? I did and I wonder if there's a link.

There seems to be no proper explanation available on the Internet - most articles refer to gum disease and dental hygiene but I know that my bad breath is NOT this - it is coming RIGHT FROM THE BACK of my throat.

Let me know if you get a solution to this because it's horrible. If it makes you feel better I had it once before, about a year ago, and it lasted for about 2 weeks before just vanishing without trace.

[Catalyst]

Hiya, just wanted to say that I hear where you're coming from on the alcohol front. I've often been a bit concerned about the amount of wine I drink. Can easily have a bottle to myself of an evening in front of the telly! And again a night or 2 later etc. My step-dad is a recovering alcoholic so I'm wary about it, but like you, I'm not a morning / day drinker... This year for lent I half joked to my husband that I should give up wine. He laughed & said "you'd never be able to do it!" it was a joke, but the suggestion made me determined to prove to myself that I hadn't become dependent on alcohol! So anyway, I gave it up for lent - made it the whole 46 days! I still don't know how. BUT, I think I am better at rationing my wine intake now as a result. I'm sitting here with a glass of merlot now, but it's my only one today. :yesyes: just wanted to share my experience to try and encourage you.
I do get that nasty taste from time to time, but if you're anything like me, then it's the worrying about drinking too much that is the source of your problems. Not the symptoms that you try to attribute to a resulting illness. If you think your drinking is completely out of control you should seek help, but if you believe it is just out of hand, then help yourself with a goal like I did! 46 days without is a bit drastic, but maybe a week of no wine? Of course if you want to carry on as you are that's up to you, but be prepared to keep worrying about the effects. I know from experience!
I hope you feel better soon & congratulations on the forthcoming wedding! Carly x

[pussy cat]

hi all,
i,ve had the vile taste at the back of the throat thing a couple of times & it lasted quite a number of days from what i can remember-i found that it was worse when i felt panicky or anxious as this upsets the stomach & that can give you bad tastes & also bad breath-i used to gargle with salt water 3/4 times a day which i found helped-as for the drinking i used to drink quite a lot at home during the evening it was always spirits & i knew it had to stop-i gradually weaned myself off by having the first drink a little later for a few days & then a little later again-sometimes i,d go to bed a bit earlier,that stopped the last drink,when i,d cut down to probably three quaters of what i normally drunk i started to put less in the glass each time-the whole process took quite a few months but i did it & didn,t miss it-i now maybe have a couple of drinks 1/2 nights a week

[allyp82]

Skippy 66 - my bad taste is coming right from the back of my throat too, but is affecting my whole mouth. It is literally vile, sooo bitter tasting. I feel like I want to scrub my whole mouth and throat out! Nothing helps for more than a few minutes either. My food generally tastes ok, and the tatse is less noticeable whilst eating, but as soon as I stop it comes back. Water tastes bad though. I didn't have a sore throat before hand, but for the first few days of the bad taste, it was a bit sore and hot food would make it feel like it was burning, although that seems to have gone now. I am also worried about my breath and it's making me not want to speak to anyone at work! I had dentist appointment at Easter so I really don't think it's my teeth or gums or anything. If it goes, or I find out what's cauing it i'll let you know, as it really is nasty.

Carly and Pussy cat - thanks for your posts. You've made some really helpful suggestions and I appreciate it. I do not think my drinking is completely out of hand at the stage where I need external intervention or anything, it is habitual rather than complete addiciton, but I definitely need to do something now. I have tried stopping for a week or so before but there always seems to be something going on that is stressing me and is an excuse not to do it - I guess there always will be with me lol! I think I should aim to cut down bit by bit and then try a week or so without and see how I feel. The stupid thing is, I know I feel better generally in myself when I don't drink, but it's the instant relaxation that I really miss and the getting to sleep problem is normally the thing that makes me start again, because I have a stressful job and can't finction properly if I don't sleep.

Thanks again x

[anxietyoverload]

Skippy66 - sounds like the bad taste in your mouth might be acid?? i used to get too much acid in my stomach and i could taste in my mouth, it was awful, it was right at the backn too! like it had come right up my throat!! if it is acid, i found that raw cabbage really helps, i no its nasty but it does help, also pepto bismol - but dont take the pepto unless you have been told it is acid :)

[kibbutz83]

Hi guys, I think the bad taste at the back of the mouth/throat could be tonsil stones... I used to get them a lot (especially when I used to drink too much). If you shine a light into your mouth and you can see small white lumps in the crevices at the back of your throat, that's tonsil stones... they smell and taste foul!! You can actually remove them with your fingers, but mind the gag reflex! I think getting healthy is the only way forward :) Take care

[skippy66]

I'm pretty sure it's not tonsil stones, can't see any and I've shone a flashlight in there.

Right now the back of my mouth tastes like a dead animal and that is no exaggeration.

If it doesn't get better by the start of next week I'm going to the GP.

[Liliana83]

Perhaps cut back on drinking...and see how you feel. Drink lots of water..

[deepreason]

If you think it's the booze, just stop drinking for a week and see if it goes away.

Sounds more like an infected tooth to me. Dentist trip time.

[allyp82]

Skippy66 - I have woken up this morning and the god awful taste is a bit better - still a bad test but bearable (and I get that a lot anyway) and no where near as bad as it was when I literally couldn't think of anything else but the vile vile taste! I feel hopeful this morning and keeping my fingers crossed it stays away!

I have been trying two things - so you might want to try these:

1) apple cider vinegar and honey mixture in water - you can actually get a bottle in Holland and Barratt already mixed and it's cheap. You put a tablespoon in water twice a day - it doesn't taste too bad. I saw this on the net and it's meant to be for a wide range of things including acid reflux and bad tastes. I've been doing this for 2 days.

2) I had been having ranatidine in case it was acid, but it didn't help at all. Yesterday I thought I'd try the gaviscon liquid - today it is a bit better, so maybe that's helping too.

I also think that I have post nasal drip which can cause bad tastes - and I hope it is that because it's nothing serious lol! I can literally feel stuff from my nose dripping down my throat - mostly in the mornings (gross!), it can be caused by acid reflux or allergies amongst other things I think.

I have no other syptoms of liver disease apart from nausea which I always get when I'm anxious anyway, so I really think that the anxiety is in some way causing the bad taste via acid reflux (wish I could think like that all the time lol!)

Hope it helps x