Two Month Break

[beersk]

Greetings, fellow brewers and beer lovers.

I've never posted on here before but thought maybe this was post-worthy. I received some interesting news about some recent blood work I'd gotten done. My doctor says my liver enzymes are elevated indicating that I have an inflamed liver and need to stop drinking for 2 months and come back for more blood work. Now, this isn't really that big of a deal - 2 months without beer will be fine. But, I think it raises are larger question in my life and that is - Why do I brew? Should I continue to brew?

Well, I'm not old - even though I'm not 37 anymore (Monty Python, anyone?) - I'm 38, 5'8 171lbs, average build, I'd say. I'm fairly athletic, ride my bike and walk somewhat often - not as often as before the pandemic. This news surprises me, honestly. I don't drink as much as I used to, but the nurse who called me said, well, it tends to catch up to you eventually. So I guess it has finally caught up to me.

I wouldn't say I drink any more than a lot of you do. I probably have 1-3 - 10oz pours a day with more on weekends/special occasions. I would say I rarely get blotto, but it does happen on occasion. I guess it's time to cut back for real after this 2 month break.

Has there been anyone else who's had this happen to them? I love brewing beer and all, but if I'm being honest, it does make me drink more. It's so easily and readily available and in abundant quantities. The other thing I love about brewing is sharing it with people. Kinda hard to do that when you can really drink and enjoy it.

Anyway, thanks for listening.

Jesse

 

[shipfaced]

Sounds like you better follow the doc's instructions. Thot of this a long time ago before anything happened. Solution was to brew light weight stuff ... have been doing 3% IPA's for years. I never mention this to anyone who drinks my stuff and have never heard a negative comment. Funny thing is you can't seem to buy low alcohol stuff at the vendor that tastes Ok ... but you can make it? Just need a hop touch... something to think about when you get your legs back.

 

[beersk]

Yeah, thanks, man. Tough to say. I don't brew super strong stuff, usually around 5%, but if I keep brewing, that may be the way I go, lighter on everything. I'm not worried about the 2 month break from drinking, that'll be fine. I guess it's the existential part of it that I'm thinking about more. Guess it's time to see what those NA beers are like that are out now...

 

[marc1]

Greetings, fellow brewers and beer lovers.

I've never posted on here before but thought maybe this was post-worthy. I received some interesting news about some recent blood work I'd gotten done. My doctor says my liver enzymes are elevated indicating that I have an inflamed liver and need to stop drinking for 2 months and come back for more blood work. Now, this isn't really that big of a deal - 2 months without beer will be fine. But, I think it raises are larger question in my life and that is - Why do I brew? Should I continue to brew?

Well, I'm not old - even though I'm not 37 anymore (Monty Python, anyone?) - I'm 38, 5'8 171lbs, average build, I'd say. I'm fairly athletic, ride my bike and walk somewhat often - not as often as before the pandemic. This news surprises me, honestly. I don't drink as much as I used to, but the nurse who called me said, well, it tends to catch up to you eventually. So I guess it has finally caught up to me.

I wouldn't say I drink any more than a lot of you do. I probably have 1-3 - 10oz pours a day with more on weekends/special occasions. I would say I rarely get blotto, but it does happen on occasion. I guess it's time to cut back for real after this 2 month break.

Has there been anyone else who's had this happen to them? I love brewing beer and all, but if I'm being honest, it does make me drink more. It's so easily and readily available and in abundant quantities. The other thing I love about brewing is sharing it with people. Kinda hard to do that when you can really drink and enjoy it.

Anyway, thanks for listening.

Jesse

Make sure that you aren't taking medication that could also be causing this issue. If you drink alcohol frequently, you shouldn't take acetaminophen. Your liver adapts to drinking alcohol by increasing an enzyme that it uses to break down your drinks. That enzyme also breaks down acetaminophen into a byproduct that can do liver damage (acetaminophen is normally broken down by a different enzyme, but if you have a lot of the drinking one it will work on it too).

Sounds like you better follow the doc's instructions. Thot of this a long time ago before anything happened. Solution was to brew light weight stuff ... have been doing 3% IPA's for years. I never mention this to anyone who drinks my stuff and have never heard a negative comment. Funny thing is you can't seem to buy low alcohol stuff at the vendor that tastes Ok ... but you can make it? Just need a hop touch... something to think about when you get your legs back.

Tell me all about your 3% IPAs!!!

 

[beersk]

Make sure that you aren't taking medication that could also be causing this issue. If you drink alcohol frequently, you shouldn't take acetaminophen. Your liver adapts to drinking alcohol by increasing an enzyme that it uses to break down your drinks. That enzyme also breaks down acetaminophen into a byproduct that can do liver damage (acetaminophen is normally broken down by a different enzyme, but if you have a lot of the drinking one it will work on it too).





Tell me all about your 3% IPAs!!!

I don't actually take any acetaminophen. If I take any pain reliever it's Ibuprofen. But either way, must be too much alcohol. I don't take any other medications.

I'd also like to hear about the 3% IPAs, tips & tricks!

 

[D.B.Moody]

Well, I'm not old - even though I'm not 37 anymore (Monty Python, anyone?) - I'm 38 . . .
Anyway, thanks for listening.

I can't help doing this:

Take care of your self, young man. I'm 78. Some of the best years may be in your future.

 

[beersk]

I can't help doing this:

View attachment 743046

Take care of your self, young man. I'm 78. Some of the best years may be in your future.

Hear hear! Thanks for the kind words. I think a break will be easier knowing I pretty much have to do it. Plus, maybe deep thinking on my beer-drinking-and-brewing future.
There's at least 2 or 3 things I can think of to use my kegerator for other than beer: cold brew coffee on nitro and fizzy water; maybe kombucha too if I get into that at some point.

 

[marc1]

Hear hear! Thanks for the kind words. I think a break will be easier knowing I pretty much have to do it. Plus, maybe deep thinking on my beer-drinking-and-brewing future.
There's at least 2 or 3 things I can think of to use my kegerator for other than beer: cold brew coffee on nitro and fizzy water; maybe kombucha too if I get into that at some point.

I've got a keg of fizzy water and it's awesome. You can play around with the mineralization so there's still stuff to tweak and keep yourself interested

 

[shoreman]

I brew mostly session beers and some in the 3% range - couple of things I’ve learned along the way - adjuncts like rye, oats, wheat will help bring body and character to the beer. Go light on the hops everywhere except for dry hop. Yeast selection is key - go for character in your yeast.

There’s a lot of cool styles in that range- British beers, table beers, petit saisons and lagers.

“Session beers” book by Jennifer Talley has some great tips.

 

[moreb33rplz]

I'm surprised that 2-3 beers a day caused serious health problems for a healthy 38 year old

 

[WesBrew]

Maybe you could try giving yourself a couple days off each week and not drink every day

 

[beersk]

I'm surprised that 2-3 beers a day caused serious health problems for a healthy 38 year old

Me too, but it's not like I'm drinking 2-3 beers everyday strictly. There are days where I drink none and days where I might drink 5-6, then sometimes if there's a party, I'll be drinking all day and have no idea how many I had. My guess is this is because I've been biking less since the pandemic started and perhaps drinking more, at least initially, which is causing the issue. In 2021, I certainly haven't been consuming as much as I did in 2020.
But you're right, it seems odd and that's why I told the nurse how surprised I was. I'm really hoping this is all it is and it's not something else. I'll find out in 2 months after they do blood work again.

 

[beersk]

I brew mostly session beers and some in the 3% range - couple of things I’ve learned along the way - adjuncts like rye, oats, wheat will help bring body and character to the beer. Go light on the hops everywhere except for dry hop. Yeast selection is key - go for character in your yeast.

There’s a lot of cool styles in that range- British beers, table beers, petit saisons and lagers.

“Session beers” book by Jennifer Talley has some great tips.

I had been meaning to check that book out. Thanks for the tips.

 

[beersk]

Maybe you could try giving yourself a couple days off each week and not drink every day

This is a good idea. I also had the idea that if I'm going to drink beer, it's going to be nothing but the best - Sam Smith's or Weihenstephaner or St. Bernardus. And only when I want a beer, I'll go buy it, and not keep a bunch of it around. That's the thing about homebrewing for me - having all that beer around readily available is so easy to overindulge on; and I have done just that a lot over the years.

 

[hottpeper13]

I started making booch after the 2017 NHC, (NB had it on tap at their booth). About 6 mos after that my Dr. asked if I drank coffee ( a pot a day forever), then asked if I stopped drinking because my triglycerides were in the normal range. I told her a pot of coffee a day since I was in the Navy,but I started drinking booch. She knows not of booch but I do a 16 oz flip top a day.

 

[beersk]

I started making booch after the 2017 NHC, (NB had it on tap at their booth). About 6 mos after that my Dr. asked if I drank coffee ( a pot a day forever), then asked if I stopped drinking because my triglycerides were in the normal range. I told her a pot of coffee a day since I was in the Navy,but I started drinking booch. She knows not of booch but I do a 16 oz flip top a day.

Nice. I was just reading online that kombucha can actually work to lower AST and ALT enzymes (the ones that are elevated for me). I know many contain small amounts of alcohol, so I was slightly worried about that since I'm supposed to be detoxifying my liver. There's a kombucha bar in town a friend and I are going to visit this weekend...ya know, since we can't sit around drinking beer now.

Funny thing, this comes at a pretty inconvenient time as far as Oktoberfest season goes, but I'm actually looking forward to it more now. I'm planning to camp all weekend for the Amana, IA Oktoberfest and I'm really looking forward to waking up both mornings not hungover as hell, like I normally am.

 

[WesBrew]

This is a good idea. I also had the idea that if I'm going to drink beer, it's going to be nothing but the best - Sam Smith's or Weihenstephaner or St. Bernardus. And only when I want a beer, I'll go buy it, and not keep a bunch of it around. That's the thing about homebrewing for me - having all that beer around readily available is so easy to overindulge on; and I have done just that a lot over the years.

i also typically pour into smaller glasses than a pint at home. i might have2-3 10ouncers or just pour a little taster. i'm pretty good at home.
i can string together beer days when i'm working around town and stop at the brewery on that side of town. they're everywhere now !

 

[beersk]

i also typically pour into smaller glasses than a pint at home. i might have2-3 10ouncers or just pour a little taster. i'm pretty good at home.
i can string together beer days when i'm working around town and stop at the brewery on that side of town. they're everywhere now !

Opposite for me...home is where I'm most comfortable so I tend to consume a lot more. It's not a healthy combination. But, yes, I also drink from smaller glasses, usually 8-12oz pours. But there are days where I might have 5-7, or more depending on what's going on. The more I think about this, the less surprised I am, I guess. There are probably quite a lot of people who have elevated enzymes from alcohol that don't know it. You wouldn't know it, there are no symptoms until you are nearing liver failure or at least liver disease.

Now I'm thinking, hey, this would be a good opportunity to brew for friends. Many of my friends have kegerators and are always asking me to brew a batch for them. That way, at least, I'll be able to have a pour of something I made when I go to their house.

 

[bobeer]

I'm sort of going through the same thing but it's a gastro issue for me. I have brewed for over 10 years and have had a lot of the same habits as you it sounds like. I love brewing as well but have realized I'm going to have to chill out if I want to enjoy any kind of beer or brewing in the future. Diet and exercise play a roll in the balance. Moderation is the spice of life.
So because i don't want to give up brewing I have decided to start brewing half batches and to bottle most of them. I'd like to get into historical beers, cloning commercial beers, and experimenting with smash beers. I have also realized I really enjoy making seasonal beers so maybe I'll brew a couple small batches for each season, bottle them, and call it a day until the next season.
in any case hope you can draw some ideas from what I'm thinking about doing. Hope your numbers are better next time!

 

[thehaze]

Alcohol is not healthy, no matter how much you drink. This is a fact. Some people can drink more than others, without significant adverse effects, while others cannot. This is however not a reason to drink more, if you are one of those.

Things like genetics, amount and quality of ( other ) habits, what food you eat and various eating habits, general health - brain/mind included from the psychological point of view ( drinking alcohol is not a neccessity, and usually exists because of past trauma/unsolved issues, etc. etc. /// also, some people, simply have " stronger ", more resilient organisms when faced with illness, alcohol, common colds/flu, etc. ) and the efforts put into it, or lack thereof, will impact how well your body will deal with alcohol intake. You will rarely find all with just one individual, so those " unlucky " ( which is the vast majority of us ) will find themselves working harder to stay healthy for longer.

I believe that drinking every day, even small, moderate amounts of beer is a lot. Even drinking every 2-3 days is still a lot. Alcohol, each time it goes into your body, will cause harm. You will most likely not sense, nor feel it, but that does not mean it's not happening ( your doctor and blood works will confirm it ). It stacks up - your liver ( and the rest of your body ) needs time and care to get healthier again. That will not happen when you keep ingesting alcohol at a regular pace.

On a personal note - I too enjoy beer, and there were times I enjoyed too much of it, a thing that is now in the past. I am 37, I am of normal build, I exercise on a regular basis, I try to eat real food, avoid anything with additives, sugars, etc. which is easy because I love to cook, so on and so forth. I only drink one type of alcohol, and that is beer. I haven't touched any wine, mead, whiskey, vodka, etc in the past 10 years. I drink beer once a week or once every two weeks ( I have never drunk beer or anything else every day, nor can I imagine how that would be ). I also drink alcohol free beer. Every year I take a 2-3 months break from beer.

I try to keep healthy through the desire to be as present as I can be, as much as I can be, in my own life and in the lives of all people dear to me - which is why I drink less and less - for me, too much alcohol ends up taking away too much. This is a personal view, and not an advice or anything of that nature. I hope that that the things/stories shared by all of us here, can be of help to you. Cheers!

 

[bracconiere]

Has there been anyone else who's had this happen to them?

yes? but i didn't need i doctor to tell me the bursting ass absscess, and puking blood were from trying to live off beer and milk....


and naturally cheap ass i am, when i thought to myself "i don't need a doctor to tell me i need to eat food" i wondered, is there like some list of what's in stuff and what i need from it so i don't have to spend much money on food? low and behold there was! USDA nutrient database, and some third party software to calculate it all...love it, spend like $10 a week on groceries, and even my dandruff went away!....did take about 6-7 months of a learning curve to figure out how much the grocery stores screw people over with stuff that has no nutritional value though.....i've tried teaching people, but they apparently get scared the bag boy will beat them up in the parking lot.... if the CEO doesn't like the revenue numbers.....

and best wishes with how you deal.....

 

[GBRbrew]

Yeah, thanks, man. Tough to say. I don't brew super strong stuff, usually around 5%, but if I keep brewing, that may be the way I go, lighter on everything. I'm not worried about the 2 month break from drinking, that'll be fine. I guess it's the existential part of it that I'm thinking about more. Guess it's time to see what those NA beers are like that are out now...

The only decent N/A beer I have found is the one Sam Adam's has come out with called Just the haze. For a 0.5% beer it tastes alot like a hazey ipa but it's hard to find in my area right now.

 

[beersk]

I'm sort of going through the same thing but it's a gastro issue for me. I have brewed for over 10 years and have had a lot of the same habits as you it sounds like. I love brewing as well but have realized I'm going to have to chill out if I want to enjoy any kind of beer or brewing in the future. Diet and exercise play a roll in the balance. Moderation is the spice of life.
So because i don't want to give up brewing I have decided to start brewing half batches and to bottle most of them. I'd like to get into historical beers, cloning commercial beers, and experimenting with smash beers. I have also realized I really enjoy making seasonal beers so maybe I'll brew a couple small batches for each season, bottle them, and call it a day until the next season.
in any case hope you can draw some ideas from what I'm thinking about doing. Hope your numbers are better next time!

Thanks for the ideas. I may well have to do the same. I like brewing for parties and seasons. It would mean brewing a heck of a lot less, but I'd still be brewing. Some is better than none. And I think I may start brewing for friends to have kegs on at their houses. But, in general, I think not having beer on tap at home is probably best for me. Bottling some is a good idea.

Alcohol is not healthy, no matter how much you drink. This is a fact. Some people can drink more than others, without significant adverse effects, while others cannot. This is however not a reason to drink more, if you are one of those.

Things like genetics, amount and quality of ( other ) habits, what food you eat and various eating habits, general health - brain/mind included from the psychological point of view ( drinking alcohol is not a neccessity, and usually exists because of past trauma/unsolved issues, etc. etc. /// also, some people, simply have " stronger ", more resilient organisms when faced with illness, alcohol, common colds/flu, etc. ) and the efforts put into it, or lack thereof, will impact how well your body will deal with alcohol intake. You will rarely find all with just one individual, so those " unlucky " ( which is the vast majority of us ) will find themselves working harder to stay healthy for longer.

I believe that drinking every day, even small, moderate amounts of beer is a lot. Even drinking every 2-3 days is still a lot. Alcohol, each time it goes into your body, will cause harm. You will most likely not sense, nor feel it, but that does not mean it's not happening ( your doctor and blood works will confirm it ). It stacks up - your liver ( and the rest of your body ) needs time and care to get healthier again. That will not happen when you keep ingesting alcohol at a regular pace.

On a personal note - I too enjoy beer, and there were times I enjoyed too much of it, a thing that is now in the past. I am 37, I am of normal build, I exercise on a regular basis, I try to eat real food, avoid anything with additives, sugars, etc. which is easy because I love to cook, so on and so forth. I only drink one type of alcohol, and that is beer. I haven't touched any wine, mead, whiskey, vodka, etc in the past 10 years. I drink beer once a week or once every two weeks ( I have never drunk beer or anything else every day, nor can I imagine how that would be ). I also drink alcohol free beer. Every year I take a 2-3 months break from beer.

I try to keep healthy through the desire to be as present as I can be, as much as I can be, in my own life and in the lives of all people dear to me - which is why I drink less and less - for me, too much alcohol ends up taking away too much. This is a personal view, and not an advice or anything of that nature. I hope that that the things/stories shared by all of us here, can be of help to you. Cheers!

I appreciate you sharing and commenting. It's strange how you don't notice how much the amount you drink builds up over time, a sort of snowball effect. Of course, I never could be the type of person who drinks from dawn to dusk. But having more than just a couple a night and having it add up to 3, then eventually 4+, and of course, more on weekends. I know I'm not alone in this progression.

Right now I'm in operation Give My Beer Away, so a lot of my friends are getting growlers and are happy about that. Think it's time to get a nitro tank and get some coffee on tap. Sadly, my beer gas tank won't help there.

 

[beersk]

yes? but i didn't need i doctor to tell me the bursting ass absscess, and puking blood were from trying to live off beer and milk....


and naturally cheap ass i am, when i thought to myself "i don't need a doctor to tell me i need to eat food" i wondered, is there like some list of what's in stuff and what i need from it so i don't have to spend much money on food? low and behold there was! USDA nutrient database, and some third party software to calculate it all...love it, spend like $10 a week on groceries, and even my dandruff went away!....did take about 6-7 months of a learning curve to figure out how much the grocery stores screw people over with stuff that has no nutritional value though.....i've tried teaching people, but they apparently get scared the bag boy will beat them up in the parking lot.... if the CEO doesn't like the revenue numbers.....

and best wishes with how you deal.....

I think I remember you talking about that in another thread, maybe even the one I quoted about ArizonaGoalie and the 30 days of no beer. That sounds brutal. Glad you made it through that.

 

[BassManNate]

Something else to think of is fructose is processed through the liver the same way alcohol is. Cutting anything containing fructose can go a long way as well.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

For brewing lower alcohol beers, one poster pointed out going light on hops. Try reading this article. It talks about IBUs based on style and the OG/FG pair. I've used it for recipe creation for quite awhile with great success.

I actually made a very rudimentary spreadsheet where I can enter OG/FG plus style and it will give me an IBU midpoint.

 

[beersk]

Something else to think of is fructose is processed through the liver the same way alcohol is. Cutting anything containing fructose can go a long way as well.

Good point. I don't eat a lot of sugary things as I tend to prefer salty, but I will definitely keep that in mind.

For brewing lower alcohol beers, one poster pointed out going light on hops. Try reading this article. It talks about IBUs based on style and the OG/FG pair. I've used it for recipe creation for quite awhile with great success.

I actually made a very rudimentary spreadsheet where I can enter OG/FG plus style and it will give me an IBU midpoint.

Thanks for the link and good idea. I was just thinking while out on a walk earlier - what if I could brew a super good porter that is only about 2% abv and put it on nitro? Might be worth a try anyway.

 

[Beerstein]

There are many reasons why ALT/AST can be higher. (You don't say how high.) Sometimes it's just a virus. Some people run with higher numbers and that's normal for them. Human biology is not an exact science. If you had higher numbers within 3-5 days of having a brew, your numbers may be artificially higher; or not. Tylenol will def make the numbers spike as well as certain kinds of medication.

I get a blood test every 2-3 months as I've survived cancer. I've watched my numbers fluctuate and in response to what I eat/drink. I can actually tell you high much beer and when I drink affects those numbers. My Dr just watches the graph and says interesting, don't worry about it.

Eat protein with your beer. Cut out any kind of sugar. Cook with whole foods. Eat your vegetables, scrap the starches. Drink lots of water daily. You'll be good to go and will have a very long brewing career.

 

[Beerstein]

There are many reasons why ALT/AST can be higher. (You don't say how high.) Sometimes it's just a virus. Some people run with higher numbers and that's normal for them. Human biology is not an exact science. If you had higher numbers within 3-5 days of having a brew, your numbers may be artificially higher; or not. Tylenol will def make the numbers spike as well as certain kinds of medication.

I get a blood test every 2-3 months as I've survived cancer. I've watched my numbers fluctuate and in response to what I eat/drink. I can actually tell you high much beer and when I drink affects those numbers. My Dr just watches the graph and says interesting, don't worry about it.

Eat protein with your beer. Cut out any kind of sugar. Cook with whole foods. Eat your vegetables, scrap the starches. Drink lots of water daily. You'll be good to go and will have a very long brewing career.

I forgot to mention, taking milk thistle and NAC are great ways to support your liver.

 

[beersk]

There are many reasons why ALT/AST can be higher. (You don't say how high.) Sometimes it's just a virus. Some people run with higher numbers and that's normal for them. Human biology is not an exact science. If you had higher numbers within 3-5 days of having a brew, your numbers may be artificially higher; or not. Tylenol will def make the numbers spike as well as certain kinds of medication.

I get a blood test every 2-3 months as I've survived cancer. I've watched my numbers fluctuate and in response to what I eat/drink. I can actually tell you high much beer and when I drink affects those numbers. My Dr just watches the graph and says interesting, don't worry about it.

Eat protein with your beer. Cut out any kind of sugar. Cook with whole foods. Eat your vegetables, scrap the starches. Drink lots of water daily. You'll be good to go and will have a very long brewing career.

Thanks for commenting. Here are the numbers:

2021

AST/SGOT	52 units/L	(0-40 )
ALT/SGPT	48 units/L	(0-41 )

In 2019, with similar drinking levels, if not more so, but also more daily exercise:

AST/SGOT	32 units/L	(0-40 )
ALT/SGPT	26 units/L	(0-41 )

Throughout all this, my weight is almost the same, maybe about a 5lb difference.

 

[Beerstein]

Thanks for commenting. Here are the numbers:

Putting aside some tests have different ranges; my Dr wouldn't even blink at those. I'm not saying ignore your Doc, just don't let it cause you stress. Taking a break is always a good thing. I schedule alcohol free breaks in every 1-2 months for 7-10 days.

On a side note, I've come to the conclusion that when I loose weight, that causes the liver to release some of these enzymes that are trapped in fat in the liver and temporarily cause the numbers to spike.

 

[beersk]

Putting aside some tests have different ranges; my Dr wouldn't even blink at those. I'm not saying ignore your Doc, just don't let it cause you stress. Taking a break is always a good thing. I schedule alcohol free breaks in every 1-2 months for 7-10 days.

On a side note, I've come to the conclusion that when I loose weight, that causes the liver to release some of these enzymes that are trapped in fat in the liver and temporarily cause the numbers to spike.

Well, they probably looked at 2019's numbers and thought, whoa, those are up by 20 points each. So, a break will tell me what's what and then I'll reevaluate.

 

[crazyjake19]

I could be an exception to the rule, but I actually drink less since I started brewing and drinking good beer - both homebrew and commercial. I regularly brew small batches because I really enjoy the brewing process and like to do it often, but I really just don't drink that much, maybe 2 or 3 beers in a week. A lot of my brews get shared with friends and family.

If I had to cut out alcohol entirely, I'd likely continue to brew just because I enjoy it so much, though that may not be the case for all. I also like cleaning fermenters and kegs, so I'm a bit of a nutjob in that sense too.

 

[BassManNate]

Good point. I don't eat a lot of sugary things as I tend to prefer salty, but I will definitely keep that in mind.


Thanks for the link and good idea. I was just thinking while out on a walk earlier - what if I could brew a super good porter that is only about 2% abv and put it on nitro? Might be worth a try anyway.

Yeah, I know what you mean. You're be surprised at what fructose it put in. Once I started reading labels, it was puzzling what they put it in, even things that you wouldn't think need to be sweet at all.

 

[beersk]

I could be an exception to the rule, but I actually drink less since I started brewing and drinking good beer - both homebrew and commercial. I regularly brew small batches because I really enjoy the brewing process and like to do it often, but I really just don't drink that much, maybe 2 or 3 beers in a week. A lot of my brews get shared with friends and family.

If I had to cut out alcohol entirely, I'd likely continue to brew just because I enjoy it so much, though that may not be the case for all. I also like cleaning fermenters and kegs, so I'm a bit of a nutjob in that sense too.

Not me, it doesn't make a difference to me. Just like you'd swill a 12 pack of PBR, I will drink 8 pints of craft beer (2 weeks ago on my birthday) or this past Saturday at my Oktoberfest party. It just doesn't make sense to me to enjoy brewing so much and hardly drinking any of the beer, but I'm trying to get used to that idea, especially now given that I'm going to start doing some brewing for friends to have kegs of my beer on tap at their houses. We'll see how long that lasts...

 

[madscientist451]

I agree with beerstein above, processed sugar and starches like bread are poison, so stop eating that crap if you haven't already.
I don't go to the doctor unless I'm sick and never get blood tests, so I'm not qualified in any way to say anything, but here I go:
The medical community have to "cover their ass" when it comes to reading blood tests, all the malpractice lawyers have made that happen.
Read the very LAST LINE from this nugget from the Mayo clinic:
Source:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/elevated-liver-enzymes/basics/definition/sym-20050830
Elevated liver enzymes often indicate inflammation or damage to cells in the liver. Inflamed or injured liver cells leak higher than normal amounts of certain chemicals, including liver enzymes, into the bloodstream, elevating liver enzymes on blood tests.

The elevated liver enzymes most commonly found are:

• Alanine transaminase (ALT)
• Aspartate transaminase (AST)
• Alkaline phosphatase (ALP)
• Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT)

Elevated liver enzymes might be discovered during routine blood testing. In most cases, liver enzyme levels are only mildly and temporarily elevated. Most of the time, elevated liver enzymes don't signal a chronic, serious liver problem.


I AM NOT GIVING MEDICAL ADVICE!

Perhaps a second opinion would be appropriate. Maybe just cutting back would make a difference.
One rule I learned from my mom (she's 89 years old and still drinks vodka+tonic and a little white wine everyday) is don't drink anything before 5 pm.

 

[hamachi]

Has there been anyone else who's had this happen to them?

Though a light drinker, I had chronically elevated liver enzymes for many years. They weren't extremely high, but were outside the "normal" range. My doc ran tests for all sorts of hepatitis. All negative. So his initial diagnosis was "cryptogenic hepatitis", meaning basically, "It looks like hepatitis, but we don't know what the hell is causing it."

In later years, I had liver ultrasound scans. I even had a liver biopsy. All normal.

Finally, at my last appointment a couple of years ago, the enzymes were back in the normal range. The doc asked if I was drinking less. My honest answer: "Actually, I'm drinking a bit more these days."

What I take away from this experience is that moderately elevated liver enzymes alone might not mean anything serious. So take your doc's advice, lay off the drinking for 2 months, and see how that affects your blood work. But until you have more data, I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[shipfaced]

OK I wasn’t going to bring it up but since others have mentioned diet/exercise I’ll suggest that you Google “autophagy“.
Good idea to treat sugar as poison as well, can’t personally give up bread so not saying that. Autophagy can help heal many things.
Youtube Dr. Berg for a great explanation.

 

[beersk]

I don't think I could give up sugar altogether. I like baked things too much, a nice croissant with a cup of coffee? Not giving that up. Banana bread? Nope, sorry. But, to be fair, I don't eat those kinds of things very often and that's how I think I will treat beer going forward as well. More of a treat or special occasion thing than an everyday necessity/habit like it has been for years. Sure, I'd take a day here and there, but really it was much like coffee, it was drank everyday and certainly in too-high of quantities.

I'm not worried about laying off booze for 2 months, that, I think will be a nice thing. At Oktoberfest next weekend, I plan to camp out all weekend, well I have another means to enjoy the time

 

[Barbarossa]