Non-alcoholic beer.
 

Okay to drink?

I've been having a craving for the taste of beer for a couple weeks now. I understand that non-alcoholic beer actually has a small percentage of alcohol in it (go figure), but I was wondering if a 6 pack of Miller Sharp's would do me any harm?

Thanks in advance,

Nick

PS, Even a wine cooler would do me justice. Please keep in mind, I was an avid drinker before the injury. It took a lot out of me to quit drinking after and I'm trying to avoid a relapse. Please do not judge me.

Do you need to drink the whole six pack?

A near beer Sharp's should be OK. Keep in mind that some of the other chemicals in beer can be a strain. Just take it easy.

I most likely won't drink the whole pack in one sitting. Maybe just a couple...

Thanks for your input. I'll probably pick some up this weekend.

Nick

Personally, I don't like the taste of the non-alcoholic stuff. :tongue: Good luck with it!

I miss drinking the occasional glass of wine. Luckily, I can wait until I'm doing significantly better than I am now to have a glass. But early on after the injury, even though I wasn't much of a drinker before the accident, I would get so tense from worrying about what was going on with my cognitive functioning that I just craved a half glass of ANYTHING to take the edge off.... but I was too scared to try it.

I am soo with you on this one ED - Many a night I have craved a glass of wine, but have held off... and we never have wine or any kind of alcohol.... One day my aunt brought over a bottle, and I put in 1/5 a glass and then aded carbonated water... it was delish!

OH! There's non alcoholic wine/fruity champagne type stuff that we love... it's just at the supermarket here.

I have been drinking carbonated fruit water too !

sometimes I add pomegranate juice to it as well; I pretend its an alcoholic beverage...not the same ,but no toxic stuff and it helps take the edge off! (well the craving edge,lol) I too want to drink , but know it will not be good, even in tiny amounts. (i tried and failed at 4 oz of beer)

Okay, so I chickened out. I purchased a 6 pack of O'doul's (spelling?)...and after staring at it for 10 minutes, I started doing research. According to this website, http://4therapy.com/conditions/subst...y-bad-mix-3012 , there is no safe amount of alcohol to drink if you have a brain injury.

Can it really be that bad? I think O'doul's has 0.4% alcohol. Why am I so scared to drink one? Geez. I'm such a chicken.

Nick

I had a some really bad reactions to alcohol early in my recovery so I know it affects me, but non-alcoholic beer has caused me no problems that I can identify brain-wise.

In England the best ones I can find are the German white beers, which seem to have some really good and realistic non-alcoholic versions.

It helped ween me off the stuff since I too was an 'avid drinker' before my injury. I've stopped drinking it now because I've decided that since I can't drink alcohol but I should be exercising a lot then I might as well try and get myself six-pack abs for the first time in my life! So that is now one of my missions. So far it's progressing very slowly.....

I like that way of thinking! I might have to make that a goal of mine as well...(once I can resume more strenuous exercise of course)! That way when people ask why I am not drinking, I don't have to tell them its because of the PCS but because I am working on a different six-pack than they are!

Thanks, Klaus! :)

Klaus,

I don't think non-alcoholic German beer is readily found here in the states. But it doesn't surprise me to hear that it tastes quite good at all. Alcoholic beer is practically an art form in Germany, and much better than any beer I've found here in the states, so I imagine the same is true for non-alcoholic beer too. Ahhhh... memories....! :D

When I was in germany they had a low alcohol grapefruit or prickly pear beer... they were soo yummy!

sighs, I guess I can dream about them for a little while longer!

There is a german non-alcoholic beer in US :). It's Beck's, just make sure it's non-alcoholic since bottles and label for alcoholic and non-alcoholic look the same. And it tastes like a real beer with alcohol. Can't tell the difference ;)

Also for those of us with beer cravings - you can check out european/russian/ukranian food stores if you have any in your area. Ask for the "kvas" drink. It tastes and look almost like a beer, but has absolutely no alcohol in it. Worth a try.

Yeah we have one called Becks Blue, which is packaged and tastes so much like normal Becks that my brother-in-law once drank a load of it by mistake and started acting all drunk, which was funny :D

That wasn't what I was talking about, I meant the proper 'weissbier', but Becks Blue is pretty good too.

The other option is to get a hypnotist to make you think that you're drunk. I think there could be a market for a pub for people with health conditions which preclude drinking, where the barman is in fact a hypnotist and serves people non-alcoholic drinks whilst making them believe that they are getting drink.

Put lots of padding on everything to protect anyone who falls over and we're sorted!

I've found Beck's NA and St. Pauli Girl NA in lots of grocery stores here in Phoenix, which I do prefer to the domestic NA brews. I'll have one occasionally, but then my acute TBI symptoms have been resolved for a while. Last week was my one year anniversary of getting my driver's license back, and June 1 will be my one year anniversary of returning to work! :)

Congratulations on your recovery!!! :cool: or should I say...on your continued journey/improvements!

Thanks! I think I'll have a Beck's NA to celebrate! :winky:

I saw your post and felt compelled to say "hi"....this may be a long hello :):):)

September 2010 I slipped backwards out of a free-standing shower (had removed the shower mat and was shampooing and conditioning my hair = slick). As I fell backwards I hit the vertex of my head against the toilet and then on the floor, no loss of consciousness as far as I am aware. 2.5 years later and I still experience symptoms. I am a positive, goal-setting individual and definitely do not accept that my life can't get better. I guess, my issues have been underestimating and minimizing my symptoms and not receiving on-going medical support.

I've seen 2 neurologists-- first one diagnosed me with Alice in Wonderland syndrome, migraine variant, sensitivity to light and sound and whiplash and a few other lovelies. Never been treated for the whiplash and I have terrible spine and neck issues that keep blighting my attempts at getting fit again. I now have an appointment for an MRI on the neck and spine in a few weeks time.

I think your post stood out to me as your circumstances and symptoms are similar. I still slur my speech if I over exert myself, and feel shaky standing. I'm amazed that I'm still recovering. I have learned that healing from a head injury is not a linear process, which has impacted on my level of frustration at times -- thinking that because I have had a good few months means I am in the clear . The migraines have subsided, but my speech, cognition, short term memory and fatigue still cause me issues.

I haven't spoken with other people who have experienced similar issues and just reading your story made me feel like I am not alone.

I also had a pretty serious head injury when I was younger with a loss of consciousness and external injuries. The last neurologist I saw explained that, because of that my head injury symptoms have had a cumulative effect. He likened the effect to my brain as having a heart attack.

I am in bed today as I exercised this morning and it seems it was too much.

Thank you and apologies for offloading to you.

I do not encourage but lol
 

But yes every once in awhile I can do red wine and no after effect.What I do is sip it and I tried a bubbly wine one time-NO GOOD,Liq-NO GOOD!I think maybe if you can find a beer with no bubbles it will be better IDK I never drank beer!

It's good you did further reasearch on drinking NA's. My husband a one or two NA's every now and then. It definitely worries me but it makes him feel like he's 'one of the guys' I think. Perhaps check with your neurologist?

Nick it is good to see you posting again. I say give the non-alcohol a try.

5/17/2012
 

This post is old that got bumped back up

Greetings folks!

First reading and reply. I was looking for information on non alcoholic brews. It's been 17 weeks since that last IPA the day I wrecked the bicycle. I had one with lunch and went riding about two hours later. Coming down a steep hill at a rapid clip I hit an unmarked bump in shade that was not visible until I was right on it. Two weeks later I left the second hospital and walked in the front door to my couch.

I just purchased a six pack of Paulener Thomas Brau with less than .05% alcohol per 12.5 ounce serving. Tastes great, but one serving has given me quite a headache but no buzz of any kind.

Looks like I am back to sparkling water.