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Dangerous thing, not drinking

A gardener put in intensive care after crashing his bicycle died of alcohol withdrawal because he wasn’t drinking his daily pack of strong lager, an inquest heard.

Can indeed happen:

‘He was getting better and suddenly there appears to be a sudden deterioration. This was likely to be as a consequence of withdrawing from alcohol.’

Dr Heath said the lack of alcohol in Mr Pickston’s system caused potassium levels in his blood to rise, leading to the fatal cardiac arrest.

‘The biochemistry of the blood is so abnormal that it cannot be reverted,’ the pathologist said.

When the AA guys do an intervention they’ll have some rum with them. It’s necessary to ease down rather than go cold turkey from booze. For death is a possible consequence of simply going from a skinful a day to nowt.

5 thoughts on “Dangerous thing, not drinking”

  1. Experience does of course show it is ceasing drinking that is problematic.
    Think back to those nights ended, calling Perth on the great white telephone.
    And ask yourself.
    Had you ceased drinking shortly before?
    But you’d been having a great time, up until then.
    There y’go then. Cause & effect.

  2. Sad, but four cans of Stella, my arse.

    He’d have been on at least 12 to get that dependent on alcohol. Long term alcoholics would laugh at you if you suggested four cans of lager was a “skinful”.

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