Alcohol tolerance levels

[Rock_chick]

Well I'd been warned that my tolerance to drink would change and I wouldn't be able to drink as much as before, and I've noticed that i do get drunk faster, but last night was something else...I don't actually remember how I got home. Yes you can tell me off, i know it was silly, but there's a bit of a blank between being outside the club waiting for a friend (I think i was sprawled on the floor) to waking up fully clothed, on the sofa under the duvet my house mate very kindly draped over me. Apparently i just came in, took my shoes off and fell straight asleep (and started snoring), i even managed to send a text message to my friend that was fairly together, but i don't remember sending it. I think I may have been rescued, I have a vague recollection of there being three girls talking to me when i was sprawled on the floor, but that's about it.

Definitely feeling a bit silly right now, and quite relieved to be alive, though the hangover is doing it's best to punish me for my sins.

[rejennyrated]

Helena - kindly take as read the lecture about personal safety and irresponsibility.

I too have done the same thing, over 20 years back, but with less luck, and were I natally female, would probably have ended up pregnant because I am fairly sure that sexual contact resulted - trouble is I can't remember...

So please be careful. We don't need another crime statistic.

[spacial]

I use to really enjoy alcohol. I brewed my own beer and could, sometimes, produce a pint that was pure nectar.

I also enjoyed Whisky, not to excess, but I really liked sampling different malts.

Then things started to change. I started to become depressed after drinking. Really depressed. I started to forget how depressed I actually was. Or even that I had been at all.

Then, on day, I was out to a resturant with my wife and her sister. We'd had a nice meal and I had 2 pints of their brew, which was really good. We were walking home along a road that runs along the sea shore. There were huge concrete breakers in the sea and the tide was coming in. I suddenly got it into my head that the best thing to do, for myself, my wife, humanity, would be to jump in. The more I thought about it, the more sensible and obvious it seemed.

My wife and her sister, two people who love me more than I can ever deserve, were walking a few paces behind, chatting as sisters do.

Obviously, I didn't. But that really shook me and I haven't touched the stuff since. That was August 1996.

[Northern Jane]

Well that's a fact! LOL! (Alcohol tolerance)

One drink and I am giggly, two and I am looking for a place to curl up and go to sleep! 

Last time I did anything crazy like that was WAY back in college when I "smoked up" with two boys (my protectors). I was so stoned that at the end of the evening they propped me up in front of my landlady's door, rang the bell, and ran away. They were proper gentlemen (even if they were a bit cowardly LOL!)

P.S. Like J.R. it is a good thing I wasn't natal - god knows what would have happened!

[CaitJ]

I was a heavy boozer before - and through - early transition.
Here's the thing; I'm not sure that my tolerance changed, but what I drank definitely shifted significantly; before it was beer and bourbon all night. After transition, I switched to white wine and vodka - which got me smashed much quicker.
There was one very spotty night two years ago when I woke up with a stab wound in the ambulance and only a vague recollection of what had happened before; that was my wakeup call to cut down on the booze and to change my drinking habits.

[Rock_chick]

yeah i was on the wine and champagne last night...which is unusual for me, it's usually cider and cocktails. i don't really drink that regularly...it's just when i do, it goes a bit awry.

[Kaelleria]

Pre-E: 4-6 drinks got me tipsy. ~10 got me spinning room drunk.

Now: 1 gets me tipsy... 3-4 get me room spinning drunk.

[CaitJ]

I should also point out that pre-HRT was 67kg and after a year on HRT, I was about 90kg - so any tolerance lost was made up for in extra body weight to absorb the booze.

[pebbles]

It changed alot with me. I've never really drunk alcohol the taste is nasty but I drink on certain special occasions ie new years and such.

I have been drunk before when I had a male body my Alcohol tolerance was medium/lowish for a male of my size.
Now my alcohol tolerance is basically 0. I had one and a half glasses of champagne on new years and I was tipsy going on proper drunk. Same thing with two glasses of white wine at a birthday after that.

Some of my friends who know I don't usually drink are usually eager to get me drunk as it's so easy now.

[Jessica B]

        Fit and lean people actually metabolize alcohol much faster, and excess body fat causes alcohol to metabolize slower.  Point being, having more body mass does not = a higher tolerance, its far more complicated then that and dependent upon many factors.  Aside from your resting metabolic rate (which would have a huge impact) I'm not sure how T and E or the absence of either will effect that rate.  But I'll do some reading and ask one of my PA's ^_~. 

        Before I got on this road to lining myself up for my renovation I drank alot...and being in the Army far too much...my first appointment with my psychologist and psychiatrist went something like this "how much do you drink?" answer: "The Army Standard, which is far more then I should" and each laughed when told.  As soon as I had a plan to transition that I could follow I found I didn't really need to drink as much anymore to calm down I had a good measure of control over my life at that point. 

         Don't get me wrong though, I still love to go out and have a good time! 
         

[purple sky]

 My experience seems similar to most here.  I would say my tolerance has gotten low as well.  I have not been drinking the way I did pre-transition and I'm alot more careful now.  Before I was reckless. i did not care.  could it be from the absorption due to change in metabolism  or to lowered consumption amount ?  All I know is I am better off either way!

[Jessica B]

     The quick and short answer is, female bodied individuals have a higher body fat % when compared to male bodied people.   As a result they metabolize alcohol slower as fat tissue can not absorb alcohol.  Therefore it is concentrated in the blood at higher levels then a male body, which means more enters the blood brain barrier and affects the brain.  Really it comes down to body composition far more then hormones.  When given a male and female body on avg. the two humans at the same weight and fitness level, the female will have about 10% more body fat then the male body. 

      ....I want my curves 


       More technical stuffs for you who care.  Female bodies also have less of a enzyme called dehydrogenase, which de-naturalizes or breaks alcohol down before it is absorbed in the small and large intestine as well as very small amounts on the way down (mostly the small intestine).  Given a woman and man of equal hight, body weight and body composition (I.E. Body Fat %) a female body will absorbed up to 30% more alcohol then a male body.  All in all, a female body can suffer the impact of two drinks for every one she consumes when compared to a male body. 

       I really need to go back to school and and get my next few degrees when I get out of the Army I love this stuff ^_~

[Janet_Girl]

* Motherly lecture about drinking and being careful*

Pre-transition:  A 12 pack of beer would be an average weekend.
Post-HRT:  One tall boy (20 oz) and I am asleep where I lay.

I might have a few mixed drinks but that is it.

[V M]

My tolerance level changed dramatically after being on E and even more when P was added

When I was young I could drink allot... Especially when I was doing music... The clubs would have free drinks for the band all night... But I was rather active and had hardly any body fat... I'd sweat it all out and be ready for a burger and fries at 2 or 3 am after playing a gig

I'd get a few hours sleep, go to work, practice with one of the bands, play another gig and then do it all again

These days are much different... A couple beers in the evening and I'm all good... Except when the insomnia monster gets me... Then an extra beer or two may be necessary 

[Rock_chick]

* Motherly lecture about drinking and being careful*

*hangs head in shame*

I know, luckily my friend got home safely as well, i was starting to feel guilty that i hadn't gone back to hers as we'd planned.

[Janet_Girl]

*Gives Helena the hangover remedy*

One 12 oz beer
one raw egg
A Dash hot sauce
One teaspoon Worcester Sauce


And of course you drink it in one shot.

[Jessica B]

     I.V. Saline + oxygen 12L/min + Aspirin + caffeine or a goodie / BC powder = near instant cure 

      I know, i'm being silly.

     

[AmySmiles]

What is this alcohol tolerance you speak of?   One and a half glasses of wine gets me really silly, 3 glasses gets me quite dizzy, and I won't have more than that.  I've been a running joke among some of my friends because of this "legendary" ability to hold liquor.

[Julie Marie]

I really haven't noticed a change in tolerance levels but there's definitely been a change in consumption.  It just isn't as appealing to me.  I like the occasional buzz but I'm not a cheap date.  I've always had a higher than normal tolerance to alcohol.  Same goes for oral medications.  And the theory about being lean never applied to me.  When I was swimming competitive-type practices three times a week (I was 52), I was a very lean and muscular 148# and I could put away almost a fifth and still function.

No, I'm NOT bragging.  I was never proud of that.  Even in college when I was first experimenting with drugs, it took me more and/or longer to attain the same high as my friends.  Maybe they should make me a science project.  Or maybe it's just the Irish liver. 

[Amazon D]

I solved that problem i bought a RV and lived in it for 3 yrs and traveled the USA and when i drank i just parked it and if the cops asked me to move i told them i was too drunk and would move it when i sobered up. Here in the USA a RV is considered a home so as long as i wasn't behind the wheel i could drink in it. Yea it got old and well i longed for a real home which is where i am now sitting here in the country 55 miles from a small city and 12 miles to the closest town out in the woods in a home built in 1820 with a blazing wood stove keeping me toasty warm at 5 degrees with a wnd chill at below zero and i have a little snoot right before bed or after a hard days work. Hey who knows i may be making my own by next yr :-)

so helena be safe girl or else you may not live that long grrrrrrrrr grrrrrr