Reader: Drinking mouthwash made me realize my alcoholism

Q. I’m a 40-year-old recovering alcoholic who has not had an alcoholic drink in more than four years. Bizarrely enough, that last drink of mine was a store-brand mouthwash resembling Scope.

This last-ditch effort to resort to some form of alcohol that wasn’t a “real drink” was what convinced me that I was a hopeless alcoholic. Though I had tried many times to tell myself that I could control my drinking — sometimes going months without a drink — it was that last gulp of generic Scope that finally made something click firmly in my thick skull that I should at all costs avoid drinking anything with alcohol for the rest of my days.

My life is now lovely — and I have Scope to thank, at least in a tiny part. It’s pretty darned clear that only an alcoholic would drink mouthwash. If you know somebody who’s doing it, you might want to very gently steer him to the nearest AA meeting. There he will meet others who, in their darkest hours, have also gulped mouthwash.

A. Thank you for sharing your story. You were smart to recognize that drinking mouthwash is a serious sign of addiction. Others may not. We heard from one grieving widow: “My husband died in February from drinking store-brand Listerine. He had been on a drinking binge for about four weeks. He walked off a loading dock.

“We’re not sure yet if the fall or the mouthwash killed him. All I know is that my heart is breaking. I tried so many times to save him, but I couldn’t. Drinking mouthwash is deadly. I advise anyone with this problem to PLEASE get help!”

Q. I have taken thyroid medication for decades. In addition I take amitriptyline, calcium, multivitamins, Prempro and aspirin.

My eyebrows have become so sparse that I need to use an eyebrow pencil to look normal. I have also lost hair on my legs and arms as well as on my head.

When I mentioned this to my dermatologist, he suggested I try Rogaine. It hasn’t been very effective.

My TSH level is between 5 and 6, and my cholesterol is over 240. I am a vegetarian and eat a very healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables. No matter how much I exercise or watch my diet, I can’t seem to lose weight. When I ask my doctor about all this, he dismisses my symptoms as unimportant. I’d be grateful for any advice.

A. Many of your symptoms, such as high cholesterol, sparse eyebrows, hair loss, depression and trouble losing weight, are consistent with too little thyroid hormone. Your TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) is high, another indication of inadequate thyroid function.

We are sending you our Guide to Thyroid Hormones with more information about symptoms, treatment and lab-test interpretation. Anyone who would like a copy, please send $3 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped (59 cents), self-addressed envelope to: Graedons’ People’s Pharmacy, No. DJL-24, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027. It also can be downloaded for $2 from our Web site: www.peoplespharmacy.com.

Estrogen (found in Prempro) may affect your thyroid test. Taking thyroid with a multivitamin or calcium could interfere with absorption and effectiveness.

Q. Can glaucoma eyedrops lower heart rate? Ever since I started using timolol, I haven’t been able to reach my target heart rate when I exercise.

A. Timolol (Timoptic) is a beta blocker, which means it can slow heart rate whether taken orally or as eyedrops.

XIn their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of The Vindicator or e-mail them via their Web site: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com. Their newest book is “Best Choices From The People’s Pharmacy” (Rodale Books).

2008 King Features Syndicate, Inc.