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I'm relatively new to understanding this illness (although I've been living with it for 25 years). And, of course, it's just getting worse daily. Something I've noticed, and has been mentioned in this forum, is a decreased interest in appearance/hygiene. Along those lines, I've noticed an odor eminating from him. Is that the alcohol leaching from his body? Gross, I know, but wondered if it was just my alcoholic. Does anyone have any info on the deterioration of their bodies? What happens internally/externally as the disease progresses? Thank you.
All cases I would guess to be differant, I know when I lost my Afather to his disease, he pretty much just deteriorated ... Yes he had a smell, but it was a bar room smell mostly, and when he sweat you could smell the alcohol pour form his veins, but my Afather was a clean man and did shower daily, but the smell of alcohol was always present...
The worse that my father got the less he could do, he couldn't walk 1/8 mile to the store for milk, and he was only 58... His feet began to swell, because of other health issues, and even after the doctor told him that his "Liver was Jello" he still could not put the bottle down...And in the end, he began to swell due to his liver not working and then one health prob after another showed up, but by then, he had done give up the fight, and past in his sleep with his glass next to him with Vodka...
For me tho, I didn't know of his "Disease" till after he pasted and I found Al-Anon...I knew he was an alcoholic, but I just figured he did it because he wanted to... but in the end, I seen... It was more then that... ALOT more then that...
I hope that you keep coming back here, sharing, and asking questions... that is how I found out the knowledge to learn how to love myself, and learned how to love the alcoholics in my life, without carring their Disease...
I definitely agree that as the disease progresses, attention to hygeine decreases.
I've noticed an odor, certainly, coming from the alcoholics in my life. Even when they were sober, they smelled like alcohol - like it was coming out of their pores or something. To be honest, it really turned me off.
I don't know anything about physical deterioration, so I can't provide any insight - just wanted to let you know that I, too, noticed a particular odor.
My AH would smell of fermentation the day after he tied one on. He also stopped showering and would only bathe a couple of times per week. There were days when he was plain old ripe.
As the disease progresses morals dissapear , yes hygiene or lack of it was a issue in home as well , he just lost all self esteem and became slovenly about his appearance which made me really feel bad for him as my husb was a proffesional and i also found it embarrasing to be seen with him . comming to this program i was reminded that his choices were not a reflection on me , I am not responsible for the way he dresses .. I kept the clothes clean was not my problem if he chose not to wear them. Yes there is an odor that comes from thier pores stale acrid smell - actually makes me sick to my stomach . My husb was a cronic alcoholic weight loss is common he went from a well built muscular man to his skin hanging on him like an old sweater body begins to feed off itself . this is a 3 fold disease mental * not careing * physical , and spiritual disease . all phases have to heal to be truly in sobriety ..
I note a drug addict who has an exaggerated sense of appearance. Her life is in the toilet but she looks incredible. I realy think it depends on the person. Some people look bad for a while and plateau out. My younger sister looked terrible for years now she looks okay. She hasn't stopped drinking for one second.
Besides bad hygiene, when somene has disease, the smell can escape through any opening in their body.
No different than any other disease. You can imagine the state their organs are in from using so much. Imagine what an infected wound is like on the outside, then think how it can be on the inside.
Yes they emit moisture just like an non alcoholic, and sadly alcohol is part of their system. Their body is dependant on it. That is what throws them into seizures, hallucinations etc when they quit cold turkey.
I am sorry you are living with this. I remember it well. It is so hard to watch them turn into this rotting, organic mass.
Not any answers for this one.
I had my own bedroom,he his, and would say, "hey why don't you get your shower done so we can go?" Trying to make it sound like it was his idea....
I am not a medical professional, but have done some reading of medical texts and been able to observe things happening with my deceased AH.
Physical deterioration - many chronic alcoholics lose weight. Although their abdomen may look fat, this is often due to swollen liver and fluid collection. The loss of function of the liver has many impacts - inability to absorb fats or fat soluble vitamins like vitamin B, inability to break down protein. The result of undigested fat and protein can lead to an odor that smells sickly sweet. It also leads to fatty stools which don't smell so good either. The easiest things for them to digest are sugars and alcohol ( a type of sugar). The liver also makes important blood clotting factors. When it can no longer make them, the alcoholic bruises easily, bleeds easily and it's hard to stop. Finally, major blood vessels pass through the liver and when blood cannot flow easily, alcoholics can get hepatic portal hypertension - adding to their swelling and causing dangerous high blood pressure.
Mental deterioration - the lack of nourishment can cause the alcoholics brain to shrink a little. Also without fat soluble vitamins they can get a condition known as Wernickes encephalopathy and become insane. B vitamin supplementation is critical so they can remain as sane as possible.
Spiritual deterioration - they lose hope and feel that God is not present for them, particularly worsened by the physical and mental deterioration.
The disease sucks.
Many however can arrest the progression of the disease before getting to the effects I've listed above. Importantly, if we love an alcoholic, we need our own program of recovery. I have witnessed everything I have written here, it was traumatizing to say the least. I thank my HP, alanon and the members here for helping me through it.
My AH is very concerned about his appearance when he's sober. Metrosexual, actually. But, when he's drinking, he does not shower, shave, brush his teeth, or do anything. And, of course, there is the ever present smell of alcohol....
